Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
“Kit! Hazel! Wait up! I am still putting on my sword” Jade said as she looked at the girls pretending to spar.
“Azel, keep your arm behind you, it helps your balance. Don’t swing wide!” Kit said as she collided the foam swords together, trying to teach her twin how to properly work her sword.
Frowning deeply, Hazel narrowed her eyes at her sister in a suspicious manner and tightened both hands around the hilt of her play sword. " That doesn't make sense Kit. Two hands is better" She replied with a small grunt as she tried to stab her sword under her sister's arm. " I'm the prince, I know better." She added with a self assured nod of her head, stepping forward again to take another jab at the younger girl.
“This princess is gonna kick your butt” Kit said as she moved sideways freeing herself from the attack. “We watched all the movies, tell her daddy! One hand only!” Kit said in her full, authoritative voice.
" Kit." Sorsha called in a small warning tone, giving her younger daughter a knowing look, full of amusement and a touch of concern." Remember to be careful with her." She added gently.
" Your mother's right, there will be no butt kicking... and you're both right. Lots of movies show people using only one hand, but two hands works when the sword is heavy or your opponent is much stronger." The man answered with a big smile, shaking his head at the way the two girls played.
“I think… we could work a more diplomatic way of deciding this Kit” Jade said as she tried to calm the shorter girl by placing a hand on her shoulder only to get it shrugged off.
“The Gales are about to attack,” Madmartigan exclaimed, giving them an expectant smile. While Sorsha made Sounds of whistling winds, she moved a white sheet in the wind for effect.
Hearing the warning, Hazel froze, looking in the direction of her mother with wide eyes, before stepping in front of Kit, placing an arm in front of her. " Get behind me Princess, I'll protect you." She spoke in her best impression of a commanding and valiant tone, puffing her chest up before placing both hands on the hilt of the sword and pointing it towards her mother.
“I can protect myself, Prince Azel! See that you keep our Knight safe and sound!” Princess Kit Tanthalos spoke loud and clear “Sir Claymore, be ready to attack, these monsters are vicious!”
Huffing at her sister's words, Hazel lowered her sword and turned to face the other girl. " Kit, you're the princess, you're the one we protect. Knights protect the princess." She explained for the umpteenth time in a slightly exasperated tone as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped the toe of her shoe into the dirt. " Tell her Jade." She implored, glancing at their friend with what she hoped was a pleading look, knowing Kit would listen to Jade faster than her. She could play, but she had a hard time thinking outside rules that were already set in her mind and Kit always seemed to want to bend the rules.
“Maybe these are modern times?” Jade said raising her hands to Hazel “Kit, play along just this time please?” Jade said wanting to get the playtime started instead of another argument and meltdown from Hazel “Hazey… you could pretend the King was a feminist just once, for me please my Prince?
Confused, Hazel furrowed her brow and rocked back on her heels a bit, almost recoiling at the new word, and very ready to protest until Jade's last words registered, causing her to blush and stand up a bit straighter. " I can pretend the King was a Fem, Femn... Fenm.." She tried saying the word, struggling with it and starting to hyperventilate a little in frustration, before tossing her sword aside and walking off, embarrassed and overwhelmed, needing to find a place alone and away from sounds and other stimuli.
“Azel, Focus. Focus!” Kit said, shaking her sister’s arm.
Hazel awoke with a start, blinking up at her ceiling for a second to adjust to being awake, while internally reminding herself that today she was Kit, not Hazel and that dream was just a dream, not a memory of a happier time, another time when she had a loving family, one who hadn't given her up for her differences, who had genuinely seemed to care. Oh how people could deceive you when you were gullible and didn't know how to spot deception.
Shaking her head to try and clear her thoughts, Hazel got up and started her normal morning routine, carefully planned out, a thing she could look forward to every morning, just like her night routine, the two constants to offset the unpredictably of the rest of her waking hours.
Shuffling into the bathroom, she reached into the shower blindly, turning it on to get it to start warming up, before making her way over to her side of the sink, there were two, but she only ever used the right one, preferring to be closest to the medicine cabinet that stuck out from the wall right beside her right shoulder, she liked convenience and according to her mother and everybody else around her, she was a creature of habit. She liked it that way, it didn't bother her one bit, she preferred predictable because life was anything but, therefore she figured it didn't hurt to keep the things she could control predictable.
Spitting into the sink, Hazel put her toothbrush back in its holder, and gargled the most potent & tolerably flavored version of mouthwash she could find, - cool mint listerine, It had a pleasant flavor and she liked the burn, sue her - flossed her teeth first with normal floss and then her water flosser and finally after all of those items were put back in their proper places, she smiled at herself in the mirror, checking to make sure her teeth were perfectly white and clean before allowing her eyes to slide up to meet her own in the reflection briefly - an act she usually avoided - flinching as she saw a mirror image of her sister staring back at her, her normally longer, shaggier hair cut shorter to match Kit's far more put together style, still roguish but better kept, styled more deliberately with light honey-colored highlights here and there.
She had to blink and look away after only a couple of seconds because she didn't like eye contact even with herself; She'd manage it if she had to, but she'd learned tricks to make it appear like she was looking at people when in reality she'd be staring right above or below their eye line, - that was when she remembered to stop staring at their mouths as they talked - it seemed to work and she was happy enough with that, but this... this was different, all she saw when she looked into her own eyes was a scared child, a broken human, a person she'd buried years ago essentially a ghost of the past and she hated it, hated the weakness she saw there, but today she wasn't just forced to confront herself, she was also seeing Kit, feeling the hatred she'd learned to accept her sister had always had for her, seeing the deception that had apparently always been there but she'd been too naive to pick up on. The sister who treated her nice to her face, but conspired against her behind her back, just biding her time until Hazel was out of the picture and she could take her place. All the while crying into her mother's shoulder on TV as they pretended to care about their lost daughter/sister. Scoffing, Hazel tore her eyes away from her reflection, turned the water back on, and splashed her face several times, scrubbing her hands over it repeatedly in some sort of attempt to scrub away Kit.
Forty minutes later, Hazel was finished showering and dressing, her style has evolved from oversized jeans, button-up shirts, and sweater vests, to well-fitting jeans and button-ups, topped with suit vests, similar in spirit but a lot sharper to the observing world. She still managed to feel like herself most days, but could pass for a productive member of society, and that had been the goal.
She had toyed with the idea of leaving the vest, as it was less like Kit, but their styles were similar enough and she wasn't gonna enter the office until late enough that most people would be out or not paying attention anyways, besides she highly doubted anybody would question the tiny difference in style, most people didn't pick up on details and patterns the way she did. For her nothing felt random, but everybody else seemed to accept things as coincidence. She did decide to forgo the thick chain she normally wore around her neck in favor of a replica of the far lighter Jade stone necklace her sister wore, the stone was slightly jagged and not quite symmetrical, a fact that made Hazel's skin itch a little, but she ignored it, telling herself it was necessary, as Kit never seemed to take that thing off; and finally she slid on a perfect duplicate of the ring Kit wore on her right ring finger, a small gold band, the only difference being this one had a slightly raised pointed portion on the inside, something she could use to ground herself when needed; That finished, she chanced one more glance at herself, straightened out her collar and flashed herself a devilish smile, confident she could pull this off. Sorsha and Kit wouldn't know what hit them or their precious company, by the time Kit got back from her annual two-month-long trip, the damage would be done! - At least that was the plan.
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Striding in like she owned the place because, in a way, she felt like she sort of did, Hazel smiled pleasantly at the few random people still in at ten pm on a Monday night and made her way right up to the 40th floor and into Kit's - No! her office - and physically winced as she ran her finger over the edge of a horrifyingly messy desk. Her mind itched with the need to tidy it up, wanting so badly to organize all of the random papers she found strewn there, maybe even color code them; Squeezing her eyes shut firmly against that thought, Hazel brought the hand that had been touching the desk, up to the bridge of her nose and squeezed hard, both in frustration and as a way to ground herself a bit, a sort of reminder that this was Kit's workspace, this was how Kit kept things and today she was Kit, she couldn't just go rearranging things, people might get suspicious.
Opening one eye, Hazel peeked out over her fingers to venture a glance at the still unkempt desk and physically growled at the sight. - Perhaps she could convince people that Kit had finally seen the need for organization? - Biting her lip, Hazel nodded a bit to herself as though in reply to her own thoughts and quickly got to work organizing her sister's - No her desk. Damn she really needed to remember that .
Several hours later, She sighed with a small sense of relief, leaning back in the office chair and drawing in a soothing breath, knowing she'd let her own very particular needs eat away at a lot of her time. Reluctantly she brought her wrist up to her eye line and scowled at the lack of a watch. - That's right, Kit didn't wear a watch. What kind of disorganized ...- she let that train of thought trail off with her second audible groan of the night and shifted to grab her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans, widening her eyes at the giant neon blue digits that informed her it was now three am and she'd lost five full hours just trying to get everything in enough order that she could even stand being in the space.
"Fuck me." She grumbled to herself, running a hand down her face in irritation, letting it fall back onto the arm of the chair, before swiveling a little from side to side, resisting the urge to spin it all the way around in a fidget of sorts, instead allowing her eyes to scan the room for a clock, relieved when she spotted one right above the office door. Narrowing her eyes, she huffed out a breath when she determined that said clock was stopped - because of course, it was-. Evidently, Kit relied heavily on her phone, something Hazel disapproved of greatly.
She really needed to leave this place, she hadn't done any of what she'd gone there for and she really didn't want to risk running into the morning shift, which at this rate was bound to happen; Kit's office seemed like a black hole of things that needed to be tidied and fixed, so with one last sweeping gaze over the now clean surface area, Hazel allowed her eyes to briefly stop on the picture she found there, the one thing that seemed to be in it's place on the corner of the woman's desk, a picture she was in, and she only knew that because it was both of them, Kit with a firm arm around her shoulders and a huge smile on her face as she pointed at the camera with her free hand, presumably to indicate to Hazel where the camera was, Hazel who's head was ducked a little, eyes peeking up towards the camera through her messy bangs and a small awkward smile on her features, it looked forced to her now, but at the time it had been the best she could do, she figured she had to have been maybe five or six when it was taken.
Scoffing softly, Hazel stopped running her finger over the faces she found there, blinking as she briefly wondered when she'd picked up the framed photo and promptly set it back down in its place as though it had burned her and with a grunt she got up and slid the chair back up against the desk, looked around with a small nod of satisfaction and slipped out of the office with a soft click of the door.
Turning to leave, she stopped dead in her tracks, a neutral expression on her features - one she'd like to contribute to her coolheadedness, but in reality was really just her default expression when she wasn't actively thinking about how she was supposed to look.- raking her eyes over the always taller than her and once too gangly frame of the beautiful redhead standing before her, she marveled at the changes and sameness, the girl -no woman - she mentally corrected, was still taller than Hazel's own five foot two frame, but she'd grown into her longer limbs, had filled out, no longer awkward; In fact she was quite well built, filling out her perfectly tailored suit in all the right ways, a thought Hazel had to mentally shake from her mind as she continued to let her eyes travel up until they briefly met the curious eyes of her childhood friend? Girlfriend? She wondered if adolescent kissing counted and Kit's current head of security, letting them promptly come to rest somewhere directly below the woman's eye line.
"Jade." She breathed out softly, swallowing hard as she registered how odd that must have sounded, and quickly fixed her expression, allowing a slow almost flirtatious-looking smile to spread across her features. She'd learned to smile by practicing copying her favorite person at the time; her sister, always trying to capture Kit's confident and playful smile, but somehow always winding up looking flirtatious instead. "I didn't expect anybody to really be here." She admitted with a deliberately nervous/sheepish sounding laugh, her smile faltering as she glanced to the side and fixed her eyes on one of the many plaques covering the wall, needing something to focus on that wasn't Jade, as she allowed her mind to work out the story she'd give the other woman when inevitably asked why she was there and not on her annual trip.
Jade looked at the woman and gave her a disbelieving look, confused that somehow the woman who was supposed to be away, was standing in front of her. Was that a flirty look? Is she mad? Her boss and best friend had taken a two-month long trip to isolate herself and shut off the world, something she’s done every year on the anniversary of her twin sister’s disappearance since their 18th birthday. Without failure, Kit would take off the night before the anniversary and not contact anyone, leaving all her electronics behind for her journey. What happened on those trips? Hard to tell, but Jade believed the woman took the time to grieve the loss of her twin, to feel the feelings she wasn’t allowed to feel or show as the COO of a Global security and aerospace company, to decompress and to learn more about herself or maybe she did more of what she couldn’t do in front of others, sleep around, drank a bit more, let loose. Jade wished a few times that Kit invited her to come along, so she could share some of the grieving. When Hazel was taken away, she left Jade too, and Jade missed her daily. Her smile, and curious eyes, were something Jade would always miss and she only saw it a handful of times in Kit.
Jade knew loss, she understood grieving from a young age and had done more than her fair share, but she still wished Kit asked her to accompany her. Looking at Kit now, she noticed the weird intonation in which the woman said her name and the awkward somewhat flirty smile, almost reminding her of… her.
Jade shook her head, nope she refused to think about her, it was still too painful. She smiled back and spoke softly “I thought you were gone.” she said and tugged on her jacket, buttoning the suit jacket closed as if to make herself more serious, not that Kit would ever not think about her as her chief of security. Why didn’t you let me know you delayed the trip?” Jade asked, looking at the woman who was always flighty and aloof but never played around when it came to informing Jade of her plans, knowing how Jade took her job seriously and liked to stay updated on Kit’s whereabouts.
Sighing deeply, Hazel valiantly resisted the urge to close her eyes and bask in the soothing sound of Jade's warm accented voice, remembering many times when that voice had comforted her or read her stories.
~
Peeking out from underneath her covers, Hazel blinked as moonlight painted the branches from the tree outside in eerie shadows across the far wall of the bedroom she shared with her sister and was currently sharing with Jade as well. "Jade." She called in a soft wobbly whisper, one eye on her friend and the other on the source of her terror. "Jade." She called again a little harsher, wincing as one of the shadows moved violently with a particularly powerful gust of wind, a branch slamming against the window so hard the child jumped and scrambled across the room to her friend's bed, crawling under the girl's covers for protection, normally intense need for personal space forgotten in her quest for safety. She would have called for Kit, but her sister slept like a rock, so she'd quickly learned to seek Jade out instead whenever the older girl was around.
“Hazel what’s up? Are you ok?” Jade said startled, waking as the girl climbed onto her mattress, jade dug under the covers and found the girl hiding, halfway tucked into her shirt, only her eyes peeking out from the collar“Hazey, talk to me, bad dream?” Jade whispered trying to not wake up Kit, surprised since Hazel really never left her bed.
Blinking to try and see the girl through the dark, Hazel shook her head quickly. "M-Monster." She stammered out in a quiet whimper, poking her head further out of her shirt and pressing a finger to her lips to indicate Jade should be quiet, convinced something was in the room with them.
Jade looked around and tried to see what the girl was seeing, eventually spotting the shadow, and hearing the noise she smiled “Hey, it’s just a tree, but if you want you can stay here. I will protect you from the monster”. She said with a smile on her lips.
Drawing her eyebrows together in concern, Hazel widened her eyes almost comically. "Why is there a tree in the room?" She squeaked as she shook her head firmly, refusing to come out from under the covers.
Peaking at the girl, Jade smiled at how wide the girl’s eyes were and realized how Hazel would’ve interpreted her words, knowing that Hazel had a literal view of the world and words, something she had learned from spending time with the Tanthalos twins. She focused a bit, her sleepy state not helping in processing digestible information and she hoped she could clarify for Hazel. “It’s just a shadow from the branch outside, Hazey, it’s not really inside the room” To assure the girl everything was fine, she smiled big at her “But as I said, I will protect you, have no fear.”
Skeptical, Hazel narrowed her eyes a little bit, knowing Kit would sometimes play tricks on her, and even though Jade had never, she was still cautious. "You promise Jade?" She asked seriously, wincing and slamming her hands over her ears at the high-pitched screeching of a branch scraping across the window, her whole body shivering in distaste, even her teeth felt achy from it.
Jade nodded at the girl and pulled her close when the noise became too much for her “Of course, Hazey. I am your knight” she said as she smiled at the girl and reached out to her side, giving Hazel her headphones “Try this on. You like rain sounds?”
Relaxing into the tight embrace, Hazel let out a big breath and nodded slowly as she looked up at the girl and then to the headphones, reaching out and running a finger over the ear pad part of them curiously, testing the texture. "Yes." She answered softly, before burying her face against the older girl's chest, liking the softness of her shirt and the comforting warmth she found there. "Can you read to me?" She asked quietly, not sure about the headphones just yet since she'd never tried them, but very sure about the sound of her friend's voice, knowing she found it comforting.
“Ok, I am reading the story of Princess Taramis, so here we go,” the girl said as she started reading quietly, checking on the girl every few minutes, and within two pages, Hazel was asleep. “Sweet dreams bestie number two.”
~
Sliding her eyes back to Jade, Hazel gave the woman a well-practiced apologetic look, noticing the way the woman adjusted her suit, but choosing not to acknowledge it. "I know, I'm sorry. I know you're probably upset" She spoke in a contrite tone, averting her eyes a little again. "Thing is... It was a last-minute decision. I just think that maybe this trip isn't really doing any good, ya know?" She asked, turning soft eyes back to Jade, watching for understanding. "I decided to try and be productive..." She let her words trail off and perked up a bit. "I think you'd be proud actually." She chirped, curling a finger towards her in a come hither motion as she took a few steps backward and opened Kit's office door, and slipped back into the oversized space. "I uh... I organized." She finished in an almost bashful tone, looking down at the ground as she waited for Jade's reaction. - All those years studying her sister's behavior finally being put to use.
Jade looked at the woman with a raised eyebrow, following her and slowly entering the office, looking suspiciously at the desk and then at Kit’s slightly childish behavior, something she used to do all the time to not get Jade yelling at her. “you canceled the trip and you cleaned? Are you ok? I am not mad you canceled the trip Kit, I am mad you didn’t tell me. You know there are nutty people out there trying to kidnap and you, you can’t leave me in the dark, ok?” The woman said watching her best friend “And good job, that desk was nasty! It beats me how you can get anything done or find anything in this office”
Wincing at the mention of being kidnapped, not just because it's something Kit might do, but because she herself had a physical reaction to the mention of it, her blood boiling at the mere thought of the show her family had put on to make it seem like she'd been kidnapped and killed when in reality they'd paid those people to take her, she was essentially thrown away and it made her sick that she couldn't just say everything she felt in that moment, but she kept that all inside, hidden behind a carefully constructed mask she'd learned to put up over the years. "I know it sounds silly." She started, looking down at the desk and picking up the picture of her and Kit, smiling at it sadly for Jade's sake. "It's something Hazel would have done, ya know? I thought..." She trailed off, frowning deeply and swallowing hard for effect. "I thought maybe it would make me feel closer to her." She breathed out and shook her head before bringing her eyes back up to meet Jade's "I know I should have told you... I just thought it would be like the trip, only instead of being there, I'd just stay in town, keep my phone off, and come here in the evening and try and collect my thoughts, channel my feelings into something more productive, and maybe make her proud. This was supposed to be her office after all." She spoke in a nostalgic tone as she let her eyes travel back to the picture still in her hands. "I'm sorry." She finished, looking up with the most sincere look she could muster as she met the woman's eyes briefly, using her trick after a second to look like she was maintaining it longer than she was.
Jade looked at the woman and nodded sadly “I know what you mean. Every week I organize my sock drawers because Hazel taught me how to put them in a roll and put them in a little square. “She is proud of you Kit, she always was,” the woman said, having grown up with the twins as their best friend, Jade knew how highly organized and focused Hazel was. “Maybe next time, text me. I hate to see you go through this alone. Hazel probably would’ve hated the stuffyness of this office, Kit.” she said looking over to the furniture and the windows.
Listening to the woman's words, Hazel kept the same sad-looking expression on her face, as she let her eyes roam over the office space idly, taking everything in, convincing herself that she would have loved it, engineering was just a hobby, not her passion she told herself silently, while trying not to think about Jade organizing her sock drawer the way she'd taught her too or the way her heart constricted at the thought-, instead she focused on the way her mind buzzed in slight irritation, quietly contemplating whether or not Jade actually believed her sister gave a fuck or if she'd just lied to herself long enough to sound sincere. - Hazel always struggled with sorting out people's emotions and sincerity though, so it was also possible the woman didn't sound sincere at all, but she was pretty sure she did and that left her confused and on edge-
"I don't know Jade... what if she would have hated me? This was all supposed to be hers and here I am..." She trailed off, motioning around the office in a sweeping motion, before placing the picture back down in the exact same spot as before, unable to put it anywhere else, needing things to be in their exact right place. "I'm sorry, I would have, but you know...the whole shutting off communication thing?" She added, giving the woman a sheepish look, followed by an equally sheepish shrug. "Forgive me?" She asked, flashing wide hopeful eyes up at the woman in a perfect impression of a sad puppy, bottom lip poking out without thought. It added to the effect but was also just one of the many habits she'd had since childhood, one she wasn't even consciously aware of.
Jade approached Kit and squeezed her arm. “Kit, Hazel could never hate you,” the woman said looking at her friend, eyes watery with emotion. “Of course I forgive you… but you need to know you don’t have to go through this alone. I am here for you.” the woman said with a smile, hoping her best friend and crush since forever, took the comfort she was offering.
Clenching her jaw and pressing her thumb into the underside of her ring to calm her nerves and curb the urge to flinch away from the touch, Hazel nodded slowly and licked her lips lightly in a nervous manner. "I hope you're right Jade. I really do." She spoke softly, looking down, unable to look at the woman as she blatantly lied, she hated Kit and she wanted to scream it from the rooftops, but here she was having to play nice. It would all be worth it in the end, just a few weeks, that was all she needed and then it would all belong to her 'real family' and by extension her. No more having to hide or pretend, she'd finally be able to prove her worth and expose the Tanthalos family for the liars they were.
"I know Jade... " She let the words trail off as she brought her stormy blue eyes back up to meet the older woman's brown ones, letting herself see her childhood friend and crush for a second, needing to conjure up some sincerity. "You were always there for me... You're the best friend anybody could ever ask for." She spoke earnestly, giving the woman a searching look for a moment as she again tried to figure the other woman out, and in a moment of perhaps curiosity? weakness? She spoke again. "If you're done here... we could maybe grab take out from our favorite diner? Maybe watch a movie at your place?" She offered quietly and decided right then and there it was neither of those things, no, it was because Jade was the closest person to Kit, she knew her inside out and backward, and it was a calculated move; If Jade thought she was Kit, it was the perfect way to get more information. It had absolutely nothing to do with any doubts she'd had over the years; she hated Kit, hated Sorsha, and wanted nothing more than to destroy them both. Her thumb was still pressing her ring into her finger hard, pushing the little raised edge of it into the meat at the base of her finger in what might be a painful way, but for her, it kept her grounded, kept her from fidgeting too obviously and let her breath easier.
"I'd say my place but I kind of misplaced my keys last night." She winced and raised her eyebrows a little in a sheepish manner. "Come to think of it... maybe that's what got me thinking about organizing." She joked in a light-hearted manner, taking the opportunity to take a step back from Jade, turning her back on the woman and opening and closing one drawer after the other as she pretended to search for the missing item.
"I figured since I'd be out of town, that would give me plenty of time to get a new key, but now..." She trailed off, throwing another wince over her shoulder, closing the last drawer, and turning back around to face Jade again. "Still not there, I was really hoping the little sprite who stole them might have put them back by now." She chuckled softly and shook her head as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the edge of the desk, legs extended to keep her in a half-sitting, half-balanced position. "Not one word about my alleged ADHD." She added head tilted towards Jade and one eyebrow raised in a playful warning as she used air quotes to indicate her disbelief in that possible diagnosis. She really hoped Jade had a spare key, if she knew Jade like she thought she did, she was almost positive the woman would have practically insisted on having a spare, knowing Kit was a scatter brain and that's what she was banking on.-
Jade shook her head, knowing how her friend was and always anticipating her needs, she spoke softly “I really wish you stopped saying alleged ADHD when you and I both know you have a prescription for it, Kit!” the woman said as she looked over at her “You’re lucky I always carry my spare keys to your place. I’ll drive you, I am sure since you don’t have house keys your car keys are also missing” she said with a knowing look. It wouldn’t be the first or the third time Kit had lost her house and car keys and Jade refused to be unprepared.
Biting her lip to hide her smile, Hazel raised her eyebrows with an amused and guilty look. "Caught." She chuckled and pushed off of the desk, taking a step closer to Jade and looking up at her. "What would I do without my Knight?" She asked in a teasing tone, poking at the woman's ribs playfully. "Also, I'm pretty sure Mom and Dad got me diagnosed with something just to make Hazel feel better." She added with a dismissive wave of her hand, her chin held high in determination, digging deep to remember how Kit liked to banter with Jade, only hoping she could pull it off, as the proximity was slightly overwhelming and she was pretty sure she was starting to sweat with the effort to calm her nerves.
Blushing profusely, Jade looked down then at the mention of Hazel, she looked at Kit, letting her sadness show a bit, she missed her best friend or bestie number two how she referred to Hazel back when they were twelve and fourteen. “Oh come on Kit you know it’s not true. High school was rough because you insisted on not taking your pills. You barely made it out” she said simply If it wasn’t for that girl in your chem class Freshman year of college, basically saying it was very hot that you had a superpower or some shit and made you take the pills, you wouldn’t have graduated college either. What was her name? something… something that rhymes, ah yeah, Stella Rebecca” Jade said with disgust all over her face.
Noticing the blush that spread over Jade's face, Hazel cocked an intrigued eyebrow at the woman, wondering if perhaps Kit's friend wanted to be more than just her friend, something that really shouldn't feel surprising at all, considering her own small history with the woman. "That's my story and I'm sticking to it." She spoke with a matter-of-fact sort of nod before spinning on her heel and striding towards the little couch in the corner of the office, falling back onto it in the most ungraceful way possible. "Besides, why take meds when it stifles my creativity? Personally, I just think people are jealous." She chirped in a flippant tone as she curled her fingers towards her, checking her nails in a bored manner, looking fully relaxed. "As for college, I hardly remember, you should know that." She added, tearing her eyes away from her fingers and leveling Jade with a knowing look, deciding she was gonna take full advantage of this interesting new development.
“Too much partying, not enough class, yes I remember. I had all the classes. I barely saw you then,” she said shaking her head “You’re a business woman Kit, it’s important to be on your best footing.” she said with a serious look, but not failing to let a smile form on her lips at the carefree way kit sat with one arm stretched over the back of the couch, manspreading, her jeans, coordinating dress shirt and black vest making her look a lot more appealing than the stuffy suits she wore to the office some days.
Laughing wholeheartedly, Hazel threw her head back with it, thinking about Kit in college partying, and Jade worrying about her, like it would have mattered if the woman had flunked every class, the family had enough money to buy her degree, unlike Hazel's, ones she'd had to actually work for, not light classes like art, but serious stuff like engineering. Her laugh might have sounded mirthful, but it was bitter. Composing herself after a moment, she let her eyes find Jade again and smiled with a small agreeable nod. "I know Jade, but today... let me have my fun, yeah?" She implored softly, taking on a contrite look as she glanced towards the windows with a far-off look, making sure it looked like she was genuinely thinking about her lost sister.
Suddenly hit with another pang of sadness, Jade nodded “Yeah, of course” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I miss her too”.
Blowing out an almost irritated breath Hazel sat up a bit straighter, slapping her hands down onto her knees and pushing herself back up. "I know you do, Jade." She sighed. "How about that takeout? And ride?" She asked softly, raising a questioning eyebrow, her head tilting towards the girl with a playfully imploring look, not trying to be flirtatious but somehow managing to make it look that way.
Sobering up, Jade wiped a tear and shook her head, “Right, yeah… we need to stop at my office, I need the extra helmet” she said with a quick glance at Kit.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Summary:
We continue to meet and dive into characters. With flashbacks to guide us into their thoughts.
Notes:
Like many things in life, I couldn't build this world on my own. My friend and shy collaborator has inspired me and helped me tell the story. Welcome and congratulate, Ghostwriter88 on publishing on ao3!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic Credit goes to jaded_maven
“Come on… Azel, I need a break!” Kit looked at her sister exasperated, dropping another cushion on the ground.
"But it's not finished." Hazel protested softly, hands on her hips as she looked up at the partially built structure, fingers twitching a little with the almost urgent need to finish the task, hating when things were left unfinished.
"You girls need a little help?" Came the knowing voice of their father, a smile clear in his voice, even without looking back at him.
"Yes, please. Kit's giving up again." Hazel huffed softly, turning to the man with pleading eyes. She was always irritated by how easily her sister was distracted.
“Azey thinks I should carry all the cushions and grab the blankets because she’s the archi…architecty person. I want to decorate the rooms, and the sheets are really high up.” Kit said, looking at her sister with a frown.
Narrowing her eyes at her sister, Hazel threw her hands up. "There are no rooms to decorate 'cause you won't put the wall up." her tone was exasperated, but Mads couldn't help but chuckle, finding it all adorable.
"Hazel, honey, you gotta help too. You can't just boss your sister around; that's not very nice." He spoke gently but with a firm look, trying hard to hide his mirth as the older girl frowned at him.
"But Dad... " Hazel trailed off, looking down and kicking at the ground a little, fingers fidgeting. " I always drop stuff." She mumbled quietly, frustrated with herself and her inability to hold onto things at times, her fine motor skills not quite as good as Kit's.
Knowing the child's struggles, Mads sighed softly and smiled understandingly at the girl. "I know, but that's why we practice. If you make your sister do everything for you, you'll never see what you can do. You don't have to push too hard, just little things," the man encouraged gently.
“Azel, look, if we build one room at a time, we will see what needs to be built afterward. We have materials for two rooms. Dad will get stuff for the next one. We can start with your office,” she said with a winning smile. “Please?”
Shifting her eyes from her Dad to Kit, Hazel took a deep breath, fists clenching at her sides. "You can't decorate until the whole thing is built. That's not how it works, Kit." She spoke slowly, her tone slightly lower than usual, practically shaking with irritation.
" Hazel..." Mads started, cut off by his wife's voice calling them all to dinner. " We'll finish this later; come on, you two." He sighed softly, watching his oldest carefully, already seeing the storm brewing behind his usually mild-mannered daughter's eyes, sweet and even-tempered until something got between her and whatever she was fixated on at the moment. "No stomping." He called after the girl as she marched towards the dining room.
“I’m sorry, Azey I just wanted to make a real cool office for you,” Kit said as she shook her head, looking hurt that her sister was upset with her.
"It's not an office without a wall," Hazel called back in a huff. She was very near having a full-on meltdown over it as she made her way to the table and sat down in her usual spot, too fixated on what had gone wrong to notice the cake in the middle of the table or Jade.
“CAKE! JADE!” Kit said excitedly, “Azel… Jade is here! And there’s cake!”
Wincing at Kit's outburst, Hazel brought her hands up to her ears and glared at her sister before letting her eyes travel towards their friend, a small smile curling the edge of her lips despite the irritation she felt towards Kit.
“Hey… Hazey, don’t mind Kit. She likes to ensure she will always be close to you, so the office probably has a glass wall so you can see the garden where she will be all the time,” Jade said, knowing too well how Kit’s mind worked. “Guess what? It’s your birthday,” she said, smiling big at the girl.
Slowly pulling her hands away from her ears, Hazel shot Kit one more wary look before relaxing. "A glass wall is still a wall; she wanted to leave it with no wall at all." She explained with a deep sigh, unable to imagine things quite the same as her sister or Jade could; if it wasn't perfect, it didn't work for her.
“How about we eat cake, and then I will help you make it perfect, huh? Sounds good?” the freckled girl asked, giving the girl a winning smile.
“I was going to build the wall; I just needed a minute, so I ran up and down the stairs,” the girl said, looking at her sister. Jade and I will work faster.”
Looking between the two, Hazel sighed deeply and nodded. "Ok, I'm sorry Kit." She mumbled softly, and she meant it, she hadn't really thought about how much her sister had been running to get everything they needed, too focused on the image in her mind and how to execute the plan. Turning her attention back to Jade, she smiled at the girl. " That sounds good; thank you" she spoke gently as her mother placed a plate of cake down in front of her along with her headphones; since Hazel hated when people sang happy birthday loudly and Kit seemed to love it, they'd come up with a compromise that allowed for Hazel to enjoy being with everybody without taking away from Kit's fun. As soon as the earphones were in place, Hazel looked up expectantly, watching her sister closely to see the girl's excitement, enjoying seeing her happy even if they did butt heads at times.
“Can you believe our girls are ten years old?” Madmartigan turned to his wife and smiled as he turned off the lights.
Lighting the candles, Sorsha shook her head. " No, it feels like yesterday they were just babies." She spoke in a hushed tone, moving back and resting her head on his shoulder. She waited for him to kick off the song, loving the little birthday tradition they'd created. It was simple but something they did each year.
~
In a small cabin sitting in the woods amongst the pine barrens, Kit Tanthalos sat looking at fallen leaves, the smell of wood burning in the crisp air, and a cup of hot chocolate in hand; she thought of simpler times, of a time where she could make her own life decisions, a period in time where the weight of responsibility and major decision-making didn’t punch and cut at her core, a time where building forts and swimming with her two most favorite people was all she had to worry about. Taking a sip of her drink, she wondered if her sister would be proud of her, of who she’d become. Of this house? Of her indecisions.
“You were always so damn sure of what you wanted. Why did you have to leave me?” she said to no one in particular. Talking to herself came easy. Talking to Hazel or the ghost of Hazel was her way of exercising the demons that haunted her daily. Why not me? Why wasn’t I the one out first? Would they have carried out the plan as it was? This was never supposed to be her life. She wasn’t COO material. She was an art major, for crying out loud.
“I wish you were here. I wish you… I miss you so damn much,” she breathed out as the tears fell. “This is not like the ones we used to have. Did you know they make raspberry hot chocolate now? You probably would hate it. You were always such a purist.” she laughed. She felt insane, and like she was being heard, so she continued. “Jade says it’s ridiculous. I don’t mind, It. She misses you too, you know? And gosh, Aze… I wish. Fuck, I wish you could see her, so damn brave.”
Kit finished her hot cocoa and took a deep breath, her lungs filling with the late afternoon air, her ears tickled by the songs of birds nesting for the evening, her eyes burning with shed tears, and the tingling of her fingers being nipped by the low temperature of late November in Albertan territory.
Kit Tanthalos had it all: a career, money, and access. She could make a phone call at three a.m. and ask for anything, and indeed, within minutes or hours, she’d have what she asked for. All Kit Tanthalos wanted was something she couldn’t have back: her twin sister, Hazel.
Slamming her mug on the floor, she watched as it shattered like her heart, trying to even out the intensity of her feelings—something she found hard to balance, the sole motivator of her self-exile.
~~~~
I beg your biggest pardon. Did she just say helmet? There was absolutely no way in hell she'd heard the woman right.- Shoving her thumb against her ring aggressively, Hazel took a deep breath in through her nose as she counted to ten, trying desperately to hide the fact she was essentially paralyzed at the thought; her fight or flight mode kicking into overdrive as she wracked her brain for possible reasons why they'd need a helmet, other than the two obvious and frankly nightmarish ideas that Jade (A.) rode a bicycle to work, There was no way in hell she was gonna be riding on somebody's handlebars at the age of twenty-eight or really ever, she would never do something so dangerous. Or the far more likely, (B.) and this one made her visibly shudder, to the point she brought her hands up and rubbed at her arms as though she'd caught a draft. A Motorcycle; The helmet itself would be a sensory nightmare, she knew; she'd tried a go-cart once after a friend pressured her into it, and the resulting meltdown ensured that friend would never pressure her into anything ever again and also wouldn't be her friend anymore - but a motorcycle? She could never; the loudness, the danger, the feel of the wind. No, none of that was acceptable, but she had no idea how the hell she was gonna get out of it. She was Kit, and Kit knew Jade had a motorcycle. Kit, the idiot, had likely ridden on it and loved every second of it, but she was always the irresponsible one.
Breaking out of her thoughts, Hazel gave her best attempt at an easy smile. "Right... of course." She agreed, her tone sounding relaxed enough, even as her brain continued to scream; it was like a massive ten-car pile-up happening right there inside her head, complete with screeching tires, shattering glass, horns blaring, and the eerie sound of steel bending; It set her teeth on edge and made her eyes water, but on the outside of the room was perfectly quiet, save for the low hum of the AC unit kicking on. Even that was too much for her overstimulated mind, causing her to flinch just the tiniest bit, laughing it off nervously as she realized her mistake. "Sorry, guess I'm not used to being here so late at night, kinda feels creepy." She offered with a sheepish look up at Jade.
Jade started walking towards the door and down the hallway towards her office. Kit never one to allow Jade to be too far from her, had moved the head of security office two doors down from her, so ‘ we could have impromptu visits when the business meetings were too boring and we need a snack ’ was how she convinced Jade to move from the ground to the fortieth floor. “Yeah, at night, I miss my ground floor office. Thanks for forcing me up here with the ghosts,” she joked as she unlocked her office and went in, leaving the door open for Kit.
"Oh, don't complain. You know you love being close to me." Hazel shot back playfully, reading the situation quickly, knowing her sister would have insisted on having Jade close. Leaning against the door frame, she crossed her arms and observed Jade as she waited for the woman to retrieve the helmet.
“Tanthalos… don’t be so humble,” she said sarcastically, holding the black helmet out to the woman.
Cocking an amused eyebrow, Hazel pushed off of the doorframe and took the item, turning it over in her hands for a moment, studying the glossy paint as she tried to process how it felt to be called by her real last name, she couldn't reasonably determine how it made her feel; maybe a little nostalgic for what could have been? She wasn't sure, but she didn't outright hate it either. "Arrogance goes a long way in my line of work." She shot back with a cocky smirk, glancing up to meet Jade's eyes with a mischievous look, pretty sure she'd read the woman's tone correctly.
Jade shook her head and then locked the door. “You’re not wrong,” she said, smiling. “Let’s get out of here, shall we?” She smiled and patted the girl on the shoulder.
Jade kept an eye out as they used the executive elevator to get to the garage. She tried her best not to abuse her privilege, but at night, she always took that elevator down to secure the building, and because her parking spot was next to Kit’s, something Kit fought hard for.
"Am I ever?" Hazel shot back in the same cocky and playful tone she'd used before, shooting Jade a sidelong glance, the corner of her lips tipped up in a knowing smile, starting to feel a little more comfortable in Kit's skin, so to speak. Wanting it out of the way, Hazel hung the helmet off her arm by the chin strap.
“With you, it’s generally a three out of five thing,” Jade joked as the elevator took them straight down so fast Jade felt her stomach tingle like she was on a roller coaster. - It was the elevator, alright! - she thought to herself.
Not a huge fan of elevators either, Hazel leaned back against the wall and gripped the bar behind her tightly in her free hand, eyes fluttering a little as she tried not to feel dizzy. " I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that Claymore." She grumbled, keeping her eyes on the numbers counting down above the door.
Giggling, Jade took a deep breath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Come on,” the woman said as she took the backpack she’d been carrying and got two jackets. “Sorry, it’s my spare one. I think you left yours at home after last time,” Jade said as she put on the jacket and then her helmet and gloves.
Blinking, Hazel seriously considered dashing back into the elevator and hiding from Jade. No part of any of this was comfortable and she wasn't sure how many more curve balls she could take. Without giving away any discomfort, she forced a smile and took the offered clothing item by the tips of her fingers, letting herself get used to the texture for a second before getting a better grip on it. "I'm gonna drown in this." She muttered as she looked it over slowly before glancing up again, letting her eyes fall on the bike itself.
No No No No, this was not happening. She'd tried to prepare herself mentally, but upon actually seeing the motorcycle she was expected to get on, Hazel felt her whole body seize up, followed closely by her tongue. It had taken her four years to find her voice. Still, she'd made up for those lost years quickly after that, talking at lengths to anybody who would listen about her special interests or even just ask endless questions about the world around her, always thirsty for knowledge. She didn't particularly like the sound of her voice, but she was grateful to have it and hated when it would be taken from her, which happened occasionally if she got too overwhelmed or frightened. It made her feel like a small child again, helpless and afraid and, worst of all, out of control, and none of that was optimal, with Jade standing less than four feet from her with an expectant look on her face.
With great effort, Hazel grabbed her ring and spun it around her finger roughly, making sure the point of it dug in painfully until her tongue loosed again, the only indication of discomfort being the flex of her jaw, the rest of her face staying neutral as her eyes still rested on the bike. She hummed lightly in her throat just to test it, quickly clearing it after to cover up the slight sound before sliding her eyes over to Jade and stepping up to the bike "I don't think I'll ever get over the fact you drive one of these." She spoke amusedly, allowing an easy, practiced smile to take over her features "You were always the responsible one." She mused as she ran a finger over the body of the bike curiously, looking for a way to get herself more used to the idea of getting on the thing. It was a beautiful bike, a BMW going by its emblem; it was black and sleek with red and blue accents here and there. It was very cool but still terrifying. The Jacket hung loosely over her right forearm, right next to the helmet.
“Is that your way of reminding me I am the boring one?” Jade asked, poking Kit on the arm, taking the jacket from her, and opening it for her to get into it. “Once Sorsha said no to you getting one, I had to get it, and I do not regret it. Chicks dig it.” She said, laughing a bit and zipping Kit’s jacket for her.
Blinking at the intrusion on her personal space, Hazel watched Jade's fingers work on the zipper for a second with something bordering on fondness before tilting her head back to look up at the taller woman, swallowing hard and looking right back down as she realized just how close they were. "And while I appreciate the thought... it's still kind of jarring." She answered softly, losing a bit of the vibrato in her tone, her mind having to deal with too many different things simultaneously. The position wasn't new to her; Jade had helped her with Jackets countless times when they were children, and maybe that was part of the problem. She wasn't supposed to care about Jade.
“Oh, stop. You love it! I admit, I could’ve gone with a more simple model, but this one called my attention, like a purebred stallion would if I were into horses.” Jade said as she looked at Kit. Helmet,” she reminded her.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel mentally braced herself, nodded, and quickly pulled the helmet on, feeling it best to get it over with as fast as possible, like ripping a bandaid off. "Was that the purpose? You wanted me to love it? Am I one of the chicks whose attention you seek?" She spoke teasingly, her voice coming out a little muffled behind the helmet; she was also pretty sure she looked like an idiot.
Jade laughed at Kit’s teasing, mostly to cover up her nervousness. Maybe. Did it work? She thought before answering dismissively. “I wanted to get in touch with my inner rebel,” she said in a playful tone. Fastening the helmet for Kit, she said, “Every time… you forget it every time!” She shook her head and let her smile reach her eyes.
Feeling a little sheepish, Hazel blinked at the woman through the visor and shrugged a little. "Maybe I just like you helping me?" She shot back in a flirtatiously playful tone, startling herself a bit and laughing it off as she tried to ignore the pleasant feeling she got as Jade helped her yet again. Receiving help of any kind was rare for her anymore; she couldn't remember the last time somebody had shown that level of care, or was it patronizing? She had to remind herself people who truly cared wouldn't do things for her; they'd make her do them herself; with that in mind, she clenched her jaw and stood up a little bit straighter, suddenly wanting Jade to back up.
“Kit, don’t play games,” she said as she looked down at the woman, shook her head, and moved to stand by the bike, straddling it slowly and adjusting, leaning forward to reach the clutch. “Ready?” she asked, looking back at her friend. As she started the bike, she said,” Climb on!”
At the sound of the engine roaring to life, Hazel flinched.
The sound of a chainsaw broke through the quiet autumn evening air, accompanied by the sounds of a man yelling as he ran up on the unsuspecting trick-or-treaters. This sent Hazel scrambling to get away, plowing straight into Kit in her haste before she bolted down the driveway straight towards the street, her mother hot on her heels.
It felt like the oxygen had been sucked right out of the air, like a vacuum where everything was concentrated right at where the sound of the chainsaw and her screams blended together in a suffocating symphony of confusion and chaos until two strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close, whispering calming words into her hair.
"Shh, little one, it's ok, it's just a man pretending," Sorsha whispered, rocking her daughter gently to try and calm her down while glaring at the man who had thought it was a good idea to try and scare a bunch of grade schoolers. "What is wrong with you? What would possess a grown man to want to terrify a bunch of little children like that?... My daughter is autistic; it's taken years for her to get up the nerve to come out here with her sister, and now she's terrified. Do you feel proud of yourself?" She scolded, still glaring and rocking Hazel.
"Hey, lady, it's not my fault you brought your defective kid out here. This is what Halloween is," the man defended as he motioned around at the scary decorations, the chainsaw off but still in his hands.
If looks could kill, Sorsha's would have sent that man straight to an early grave.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Hazel swallowed hard and slowly made her way closer to the bike. With a deep breath, she swung her leg over the back of it, sitting behind Jade and quickly wrapping her arms around the woman's middle, resting her head against her back and squeezing her eyes shut tightly against the roar of the engine, too overwhelmed to care about how close she was to Jade, just needing something to hold onto to keep her grounded. She hated this with every fiber of her being, the sound of the engine, the smell of the exhaust, and the rumble beneath her. It all set her nerves on edge in the most unpleasant way.
Jade quickly moved them out of the parking lot, swiftly navigating the empty streets of the business district that late at night. She loved everything about having a fast motorcycle: the wind against her, the sensation of freedom, much like riding a horse into an open wide field, driving the bike made her feel that everything was possible. A carefree Jade wouldn’t have an issue saying she is desperately in love with her best friend and boss, and for that, she had the bike to fulfill that need, using the bike to keep these impulses in check. She weaved through cars, and within a few minutes, they pulled up at Kit’s penthouse.
I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? Hazel thought to herself as she kept her eyes shut tightly, humming to herself to try and stay calm, her fingers digging into the front of Jade's jacket reflexively in a nervous fidget, arms tightening almost painfully around the woman's waist anytime they took off from a stop light or took a corner. Unlike Jade, Hazel hated anything she didn't have complete control over and really hated anything loud or dangerous. It went against all of her survival instincts, and she seriously questioned the sanity of anybody who enjoyed such things. Too focused on self-soothing, Hazel didn't even notice when the bike stopped; she still hummed quietly with fists tightly clutching Jade's jacket even after the engine was cut.
“Kit, we’re here,” Jade said, removing her helmet and noticing the girl's tight grip on her. Kit… we’re here babe” Jade said letting the word slip, it was not the first time, but she needed to be a bit more careful.
Almost not registering her sister's name, Hazel startled a little and blinked one eye open to check their surroundings before slowly loosening her death grip on Jade and sitting up straight, swaying a bit as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Fucking perfect. She thought, closing her eyes again and taking a couple of deep breaths before pushing at the bottom of her helmet, trying desperately to get it off, totally forgetting it was still buckled under her chin.
“Easy, hold on, let me help you,” Jade said as soon as she noticed the girl panicking. Kit had moments of getting caught up in her head, and when brought back to reality too soon, she’d panic a little. Jade learned that it was a side effect of stress and being overwhelmed, along with ADHD.
This time, when Jade moved to help, Hazel was ready for her. "I've got it." She snapped, taking a quick step back and shooting the woman a hostile look as she reached up and tried desperately to get the damn helmet unbuckled, the state of her overwhelmed nervous system making it almost impossible to get her fingers to work correctly, which only made her more frustrated and overwhelmed. "Fuck." She exclaimed angrily, breathing a little harder and blinking rapidly, knowing she was about to have a full-on meltdown right in front of Jade, which only made matters worse. She couldn't let that happen. She knew she had to do something to stop it, but she couldn't think; everything was too much, and the helmet felt like it was getting tighter, closing in on her and cutting off her flow of oxygen.
“Kit, deep breaths, come on,” Jade said as she noticed Kit was having a panic attack. Wanting to help, she breathed in the rhythm she wanted the girl to follow.
Focusing on Jade's voice, Hazel did as the woman said and took a few deep breaths, following the rhythm the older woman set out for her until her mind slowly started to clear, and she could undo the straps under her chin. Yanking the helmet off as soon as she could, she very nearly threw the thing but stopped short, hands shaking as she tightened her grip on it and placed it on the back of the bike. "Sorry." She muttered softly, avoiding looking at Jade. " Guess I got a little in my head." it came out weak, but she really hoped it sounded believable.
Jade looked at the woman, worried. “You need rest,” she said, grabbing the girl’s helmet. Then, smiling at Kit, trying to calm her nerves, she said, “Come, let me get you in and settled.” She guided the woman into the building.
Sighing, Hazel nodded and followed the woman in silence for a moment, thankful she didn't have to try and figure out where Kit's apartment was. She had the address but was in no mood to try and search for it at that moment. "Thanks, Jade. I'm sorry about my behavior. This day is never easy for me; that's why I stay alone." She offered in a soft tone, feeling like she needed to smooth things out and explain away her very bizarre behavior.
Jade looked at her friend and nodded. “I know what you mean… we were all so close,” the girl said. How about we get some food delivered from the diner? We can watch a movie, then I’ll go home,” she offered as she greeted the doorman and waited for Kit to walk past her, checking behind them, constantly very aware of their surroundings.
In her terror, Hazel had totally forgotten that they were supposed to stop at the diner. "Right, yeah, that works. Chicken strips for me, please." She replied in a relatively dazed tone, still trying to catch her bearings as she stumbled past Jade and into the awaiting building, shrugging off the borrowed jacket as she went.
“Of course… the place has one-hundred and thirty plates on the menu, but you and… " Jade trailed off, a sad frown taking residence on her face as she let the unspoken words just hang there thickly for a moment. " Always want the chicken strips, amazing!” She finished as she keyed the elevator to the penthouse; stepping inside, she stood in front of Kit by the door and waited until it closed to look at her phone entering their food order. “It will be here in twenty minutes, plenty of time for you to change and get in those new comfy pj’s you bought,” she spoke, trying her best to lift her spirits.
At the mention of changing clothes, Hazel's brain temporarily shorted out, leaving her staring at the elevator doors with a zoned-out expression. How the hell was she supposed to put on her sister's clothes? Wearing Jade's jacket had been bad enough, but wearing another person's actual clothing? No, she just couldn't fathom how she would manage it, but with one glance at Jade, she knew she had to make it work.
Forcing a small smile, Hazel nodded. "I'm Looking forward to it." She muttered in what she hoped was a sincere enough tone, adding a small sigh for effect as her eyes shifted to the numbers indicating the floors they were passing. “You know... it's been said that Geniuses keep their orders and other things simple to optimize brain power, so...." She added, shifting her eyes back to Jade and giving her a big smile, clearly proud of herself.
“That's what they say, huh?” Jade asked, looking at Kit as the elevator dinged and the door opened on the 101st floor.
Clenching her jaw, Hazel subtly ground her back teeth together and clenched her fists at her side as she drew deep breaths through her nose, trying desperately to tell herself they were not on the 101st floor. She couldn't stand uneven numbers; the sight of them made her brain tingle unpleasantly with the overwhelming need to even it out.
“I thought that applied to colors and outfits.” the woman said as she unlocked the door and gestured for Kit to enter the home before her.
Broken out of her thoughts, Hazel blinked and tore her eyes away from the number that was still taunting her. - It felt personal.- and did a quick little skip to catch up to Jade. "It applies to all things." She answered flippantly as she stepped forward.
.
When she got close enough to the door, She was hit with the familiar scent of Kit's childhood favorite cologne, the one their dad always wore. It would have been faint to most people, but it stood out sharply like a slap in the face to her. Her senses were more sensitive than most, and she would have known that scent anywhere; it took all of the willpower she could muster not to close her eyes and breathe in deeply, missing the comfort of the man her mother had gotten rid of, the same way she'd tried to get rid of her. Still, her dad didn't have anybody to rescue him. They claimed he'd gone looking for her, and when he failed, he couldn't take the loss and had taken his own life, but Hazel knew better than that. She knew her father would never leave Kit or his wife alone, and he would never give up his search as long as there was even the slightest chance she was still alive. No, her father hadn't taken his own life. Sorsha was behind it. She wanted everything to herself. It had taken years for Hazel to accept that, but eventually, she had to.
After being rescued from the people Sorsha hired, Hazel was left in a near-constant state of panic, her whole existence feeling like a never-ending meltdown, so bad she couldn't form words for months, only scream and hide in corners with her knees drawn tightly to her chest, but Lili had been patient with her, had gently explained what had happened and exactly why she couldn't go back to her Mother; She'd illuminated all of the lies she'd been fed over the years and eventually Hazel started to understand; Sorsha had fought against the teachers and behavioral therapy not because she'd loved and accepted her daughter, but because she didn't care enough to put in the effort, she'd never intended for Hazel to hold any position in the company, had never intended for her to grow up at all. Lili, on the other hand, had seen nothing but potential, had worked with her long and hard, had taught her how to ignore her sensory needs and control her meltdowns, had shown her how to appear like a 'normal' person, and Hazel was grateful for that; sure it had been painful and downright torturous at times, but it had all been worth it, she now held a Ph.D. in engineering with a bachelors in Business and was fully capable of talking to people without the fear of having a meltdown. Lili had loved her enough to push her. 'This is what love looks like, Hazel. I push because I care.'
Realizing she hadn't taken a single step closer, Hazel blinked and glanced to her side at Jade, giving her a sheepish smile. "Ladies first." She joked and bowed at the waist as she made a sweeping gesture towards the doorway.
Jade laughed hard, walking in and smirking. “Go get changed, Tanthalos. I’ll make you a drink and be back with the food shortly,” the woman said as she walked to the bar and made a whiskey on the rocks for kit and a cup of seltzer and lime for herself.
- Bittersweet - she could finally identify the feeling her original last name stirred in her; biting her bottom lip, Hazel stared after Jade for a second before nodding and taking her first step into the apartment, letting her eyes roam over the space curiously - There were touches of whimsy here and there. Still, it was mostly sterile, and those were the parts Hazel could identify most with. There was a time when she was young when she was the one who liked the more colorful, fun things, but as she'd grown and been taught what was best for her, she'd slowly lost that side of herself, replacing it with clean corners, matching colors and as little fun as possible. - as she made her way over to the couch, placing the jacket over the back of it because, for one, she had no idea where the closet was, and two, she was almost positive her sister would have flung it onto any available surface. While pretending to be Kit, she couldn't go so far as to throw it just anywhere. She figured the couch was an acceptable compromise. "Thanks." She answered softly, offering Jade a quick smile as she turned to face her. "I'll be as quick as I can." She added, backing up towards the door she had identified as most likely to be her sister's room.
Digging through the messy dresser drawers, Hazel scowled deeply, silently grumbling to herself about her sister's lack of organization as she reached in and plucked out what appeared to be a clean pair of pajamas by the tips of her fingers;- She hoped these were the new ones Jade was referring to- reluctantly bringing them to her nose to see if they smelled clean. They smelled like a mix of detergent and what she assumed was Kit, and she tried really hard not to find that comforting, - She didn't miss her or anybody else from her traitorous family. She loved Lili and was grateful to the woman for saving her from the fate Sorsha had set up for her, and that was all that mattered.- She breathed deeply despite herself as she slowly pulled the shirt down over her head, letting it settle over her skin with only the slightest protest from her body at the less-than-optimal way it hung on her, needing clothes to fit in very specific ways based on their textures. Even then, it was a guessing game each day. She'd sometimes pull on and take off multiple different shirts in rapid succession until she found the one that would work for that day. It was frustrating, but she'd learned to deal with it. Even her favorite shirts would fit one day and the next drive her crazy.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel closed her eyes and counted softly in her head, pressing her ring into her finger tightly and grinding her back teeth as she tried to push away the almost overwhelming urge to claw the fabric off of her skin. - She couldn't do that. Jade would get suspicious. No, she had to do this and make this work, and she could. She'd learned how to think past her sensibilities; she'd been taught how to ignore it. She'd pay for it later; her brain would still itch with the need to escape the sensation, but she'd manage.- With that thought in mind, she slowly opened her eyes, took another deep breath, and changed into the pair of matching pants, which was a lot easier. Her legs were less sensitive to textures than her upper body.
Glancing towards the mirror in the corner of the room, Hazel took in her appearance for a second, blinking at the familiar stranger she saw staring back at her before huffing.
All of it was just a little too much. She grabbed a pillow off of Kit's bed, marched into the attached bathroom, closed the door, and stuffed a towel up against the one-inch gap underneath it, then proceeded to turn on the sink, tub, and shower before bringing the pillow up to her face and promptly screaming into it with everything she had until she felt just a little bit better. At that time, she slid down the wall to a sitting position, hugging the pillow to her chest and taking deep, calming breaths, letting the sound of the running water soothe her nerves some more.
After a few minutes of that, she finally worked up the courage to make her way back out to Jade.
Jade was looking out at the view, her mind taking her back to the day Kit moved into the posh building as she sipped her tonic. She wondered if Hazel was alive if she would live this lavishly, and if she would care at all about the company. She would find all of it silly and live in a small cottage or house. She smiled, thinking of how Kit did a lot to make her mom happy but always forgot to make herself happy. Closing her eyes, she remembered how warm the hug Kit had given her and her silly proposal, ‘Come live with me, Jay. It can be like in College but less crowded. No annoying roommates, just you and me, this wonderful view of the city, and the best part, me!’ at the time, Jade had been a puppy eager to please; she would’ve said yes if Kit hadn’t been all over the magazines, again, gallivanting through town with international models and celebrities. Hearing footsteps down the hall, she turned around to face the woman, and without taking her eyes off her, she reached for Kit’s drink “Took you long enough,” Jade said as she handed Kit her drink and noticed the woman’s hand shaking a bit.
Rolling her eyes at the comment, Hazel took the drink and looked down at it curiously, scrunching her nose in reflex. Of course, she drinks alcohol , she thought bitterly. She avoided it like the plague, uncomfortable with the out-of-control feeling it produced or how it heightened some things; her senses were already sensitive enough, and she didn't need anything to add to them.
"What's in it?" she finally asked as she glanced up at Jade. You’re not trying to poison me, are you, Claymore?" She joked, trying to play off the first question in case it was a drink Kit knew well.
Finding the question a bit strange, she smiled “The usual, Kit, Whiskey, bitters, ice, just like you like it,” she said, taking a drink and handing the short woman hers. “I’ve been watching you make these for the last two years, so I thought I’d save you some time,” she said, giving the woman a full-on smile and moving towards her. Long gone was the suit jacket. She was now wearing her button-down, with the first three buttons undone and the sleeves rolled to a three-quarter length.
So it's Kit's favorite drink, noted. Hazel thought as she gave Jade a nervous laugh. " I know, it was a joke. The whole poison thing?" She spoke in a teasing tone, tilting her head to the side as she gave the woman a fond look before letting her eyes roam down a little, noticing the more casual way the woman was wearing her clothes, appreciating the view the open buttons allowed for, and chewing her bottom lip lightly as she took in the way the woman's sleeves hugged her forearms in a way that made her look even more robust. Realizing what she was doing, she quickly shook her head, glanced back up, and lifted her glass, Downing it in one go; her only real experience with Alcohol was what she saw in movies, and one time some friend of Lili's gave her a shot..
Thinking she might have just killed herself, Hazel coughed and banged at her chest hard, hunching over at the intense burn. " Holy fuck." She wheezed, blinking rapidly to try and clear the tears from her eyes, the glass held firmly against her thigh as she tried to catch her breath.
“Kit, what the hell! It’s a drink, not a shot!” the woman said as she reached for the glass. “I thought you learned that lesson in college: sip, not shoot it,” Jade said as she rubbed circles on the woman’s back.
Too focused on the way her lungs were burning to be able to mask her reaction to touch, Hazel jumped and rolled her shoulders backward in slight irritation, shooting Jade a nervous glance. " S-Sorry... my lungs, I guess it made my back sensitive." She mumbled weakly as she stood up to her full height again, trying to draw in a deep breath and cringing a little at the absolutely disgusting taste in her mouth. She wanted nothing more than to scrub her tongue clean and brush her teeth until there wasn't a single trace of that foul liquid left, but she remembered, with a pang of sadness and a mild amount of horror, her toothbrush and all of the things that kept her comfortable were at her hotel, her pillow, her clothes, everything. This was Kit's place; she didn't have a single thing here, and there was no way she was sharing a toothbrush. She could deal with many things, but that's where she drew the line. " I know it's not a shot, but I want to drown my sorrows. I figured it would be faster this way." She finally offered her explanation as she shot the glass a slight glare, already feeling her head start to buzz unpleasantly. I'm screwed . She thought, blinking slowly and taking another deep breath.
Jade observed Kit and felt the weight of that revelation deep because that was one of her many thoughts; she understood how pain made you want to do this. “Oh Kit… come here,” she said, opening her arms for the girl to go into “I’m so sorry, Kit,” she said as she gave the woman a saddened look.
Remembering she liked Jade's hugs, Hazel stepped into the woman's embrace, burying her face into the older girl's shoulder and hugging her tightly "Don't make it weird." She muttered quietly, remembering Kit never liked taking comfort, and she assumed nothing much had changed. "Tell anybody about this, and I'll have to kill you." She added, voice muffled against Jade's shirt, as her mind wandered a bit, remembering a time when she and Jade had done a little more than hug; she still wondered if the few kisses they shared had meant they were girlfriends or not, she'd never gotten the chance to ask before she'd been taken, so she supposed she'd never find out the answer.
“Why would I ever give away to the world that the mighty Kit Tanthalos is a softy at heart and loves being cuddled?" Jade tightened her hold and smiled
Absorbing the woman's words, Hazel took a deep, comforting breath and quietly wondered if Jade and Kit had been more to each other than just friends as she considered the woman's earlier words as well. Kit, don’t play games. Hazel wasn't the best at identifying tones or the meaning behind some words, but here in the woman's arms and with a slightly clearer head, she thought about it harder, wondering if Kit was prone to playing with Jade's heart, maybe Kit had changed in the years since she'd known her, fifteen years was a long time after all. All those magazines and newspaper articles about Kit being a playboy/ playgirl? Hazel's heart constricted uncomfortably at the thought, and she unconsciously tightened her hold on Jade. Mhm, that information could be dangerous in the wrong hands." She muttered softly as she considered all the ways she could use that against her sister.
“Yes, a true question of global security,” Jade mocked and rocked her a bit. “Does Sorsha know you stayed?” she asked, wondering if she was the only one in the dark. She was still slightly upset, knowing it only put Kit at risk.
Stiffening at the mention of her mother's name, Hazel shook her head and buried her face deeper into the woman's shoulder, fisting handfuls of the back of Jade's shirt in the process "No, nobody does." She muttered quietly, trying to keep the bite out of her tone.
"You smell good." She added candidly as she nuzzled her nose into Jade's shoulder more, eyes widening as she heard herself. Stupid alcohol. She inwardly cursed, disgusted with how sloppy she sounded. It was just one drink, and her mind was already leaving her, her normally cool, well-kept façade dissolving until she was that same awkward thirteen-year-old who'd found herself following through on a dare and kissing her childhood best friend quickly before running away to hide.
~
“Let’s play truth or dare!” PJ said loud so all the others at their table could hear. The proposal was met with resounding yeses.
Looking up from her lunch, Hazel nodded along with the idea. "I'm good at telling the truth," she said matter-of-factly.
“Great, so you go first,” PJ said. “Truth, then?” she asked, clearly making fun of the girl. Giggling with her friends Brittany and Josie, she elbowed Brittany to ask the question.
Happy to be included, Hazel sat up a little straighter and smiled. "Yes." She agreed eagerly.
“Is Jade Claymore gay?” Brittany asked, looking at the taller girl expectantly. She had a typical mean girl look about her.
Furrowing her brow, Hazel glanced towards Jade curiously. " I don't know, are you?" She asked the older girl innocently.
Jade was sitting across from Hazel, next to Kit. She took a minute mulling over the question and her possible answer. She blushed a bit, took a deep breath, and spoke softly “Yeah, what’s the big deal?” she replied and directed her question to PJ and Britany.
Surprised, Hazel’s eyes widened as she watched her friend more closely, trying to figure out if she'd missed anything that would have indicated her friend preferred girls. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she'd never heard Jade talk about any boys, so she supposed it made sense. "That's cool." She piped up after a moment, flashing her friend a genuine smile.
PJ was now rubbing her hands together, plotting her next move.
“It’s your turn to ask Hazel,” Kit instructed her sister on how to play the game, ensuring she knew her next steps.
"Oh." Hazel blinked and slouched down again, staring at her half-empty plate in thought. " Uh, okay... Jade, do you like anybody?" She asked curiously, glancing up and deciding it was safest to play the game with the people she trusted most.
Kit watched carefully from her seat, trying her best not to let her feelings show. She secretly hoped the girl would say her name.
Jade blushed a little, never one to enjoy being the center of attention. That was all Kit’s talent. “I do, yeah,” she said, nodding. A truth, an easy answer.
"Oh, who?" Hazel asked in a slightly more eager tone, a wide grin on her face. It's Kit, huh?" She asked playfully, not meaning anything by it, but it made sense to her. She and Jade were close, but she always felt like Kit and Jade were closer.
“It’s Jade’s turn to ask Hazel,” PJ reminded the girl in a sing-songy tone, causing Hazel to frown and shoot PJ an annoyed look, not enjoying the girl's tone.
“PJ, I dare you to walk over to Ralph and tell him he stinks,” Jade said as she gave the girl a daring look and started to count the time.
A little caught off guard by Jade's words, Hazel gave the girl a questioning look. "That's kind of mean," she muttered softly, glancing back down as she pushed the peas around on her plate, trying to get them all to one side and away from the other food.
“She’s mean,” Jade whispered to the girl, trying to show she would protect the three of them.
"Is Ralph?" Hazel asked softly, glancing back over her shoulder and watching as PJ made her way over to the other table and leaned over to say something to the boy. She could only assume it was what Jade had dared the girl to say.
“Nah, Ralph’s cool, but he will not be happy with PJ, and maybe that will teach her a lesson,” Jade said as she observed. The way PJ treated Hazel like she was a doormat didn’t bode well with her.
Ralph yelled at PJ, but she came back with a big smile, proving she was tough, and then it was her turn. “I dare Hazel to kiss Jade on the lips for five seconds.”
Having just eaten a bite of her applesauce, Hazel nearly choked. " What?" she sputtered, eyes wide and fixed on PJ. “I'm not gonna kiss anybody, PJ." She replied firmly, looking at the girl like she'd lost her mind.
PJ looked at Kit, then Jade, and back to Hazel. “A dare is a dare, Hazel; you have to,” she said, looking at the girl pointedly.
Kit looked at her sister expectantly, hoping she protested a bit more or that Jade protested, but none of them seemed to want to, making her furious.
" But..." Hazel trailed off, looking between PJ and Jade for a second before taking a deep breath and deciding to be brave. She got up and made her way around to Jade's side of the table, tapping the girl on the shoulder to get her to look up before closing her eyes and clumsily kissing the older girl as fast as she could, counting to five in her head. She was so terrified of messing up that she barely even felt the kiss. She couldn't even tolerate sharing utensils or drinks with other people; the idea of kissing somebody was so far off of her radar she'd never even considered it, but at that moment, she realized it wasn't so bad, and that just made things even worse. Pulling away with a startled look, she turned and ran off, making a beeline out to the bleachers where she proceeded to hide under them, hugging her knees to her chest and wiping her mouth on her jeans, trying to physically get rid of the feeling and not think about how confused she felt.
Jade looked and tried to hold her, but she was gone as fast as she'd felt it. She looked at Kit, who had a serious but neutral expression, and she realized that she needed to go after Hazel to make sure she was okay. She pushed past PJ. “You’re too mean. It will bite you, PJ!” the woman said as she ran in the direction Hazel went. Finding her a few minutes later under the bleachers, she said, “Hazel, are you okay?”
Hearing Jade's voice, Hazel kept her face hidden against her knees, hugging them tighter, shaking her head, and sniffling a little.
“Hey… Hazel. Why are you crying?” Jade asked as she kneeled in front of the girl.
" B-Because..." Hazel started sniffing again and growling into her knees, scrubbing her mouth over the rough material harshly. " My mouth feels funny." She finally finished with another irritated growl.
“Please don’t do this; it will hurt you. Can I see it?” Jade asked in a small voice
" Makes me feel better," Hazel mumbled, stopping what she was doing for a second and peeking up at Jade over her knees and arms, leaving her mouth hidden against the fabric of her pants, embarrassed by the whole situation, she hadn't had a meltdown in months, and she was really trying hard to keep it that way, but this was starting to feel closer and closer to one.
“Please let me see it, please, Hazel?” Jade said, moving closer to the girl.
Flinching, Hazel gave the girl a wary look and scooted backward before reluctantly lifting her head, enough for Jade to see her whole face. She kept her eyes averted, sure her mouth had to look swollen or something, considering how it had felt when her lips were pressed to Jade's.
“You look handsome. But don’t rub your mouth on your jeans again, ok?” she said, moving a bit, unsure if she should hug Hazel.
Feeling a warmth spread through her chest at the compliment, Hazel's face lit up a bit, a slow smile spreading across her mouth. "You think I look handsome?" she asked curiously, thinking that sounded much cooler than when her mother called her pretty. I'll try not to, but it made it feel better." She added, looking down, knowing Jade probably couldn't understand how horrible certain sensations felt to her or the need to find something to distract herself from them.
“Yes, of course. You know I stand by my words,” Jade said as she extended her hand to Hazel, sitting in front of the girl. “Come ‘ere”
Frowning, Hazel momentarily looked at Jade's hand in contemplation before pulling her sleeve down to cover her hand and taking Jade's, allowing the girl to pull her closer. " I'm sorry I kissed you... it was a dare." She mumbled quietly, looking down in shame and biting her bottom lip as she got the urge to try and scrub at her mouth again, trying really hard to fight against it.
“I’m not mad Hazey… I’m confused as to why you ran,” Jade said, observing the girl “Did you not like it?”
Not sure what to make of the girl's question, Hazel carefully tilted her head regarding the girl. "Was I supposed to like it?" It wasn't meant to sound rude. She was genuinely curious if that was part of the game’s rules.
“It’s not mandatory, no, but I kinda did,” the girl said, squeezing the girl’s hand tightly, knowing Hazel felt more comfortable with tighter holds, hugs, or handshakes.
Looking at their joined hands, Hazel chewed at her bottom lip a little as she considered the older girl's words. "You liked it? How um..." She trailed off, looking down and pulling her hand back to hug her knees again, embarrassed. "How do you know you liked it?" the question came out a lot softer than she intended, causing her to wince a bit, feeling stupid for even asking since she wasn't sure the question made any sense.
“I did.” Jade answered, “I know because I kinda want to do it again and because my lips are tingly and my heart is beating fast,” she spoke softly, “and I also just want to hold you and show you you’re ok oh, and kick PJ’s ass.”
At Jade's description, Haze's head shot up. "Your lips tingle too? And that's a good thing?" She asked with wide-eyed curiosity before the rest of Jade's words sunk in, and she felt her ears go hot, causing her to cover them quickly. She was horrified as she realized she wanted to try kissing Jade again, too.
“Yeah, they do, and yes, it is a good thing,” Jade spoke softly. “But take your time. You and I have all the time in the world. I am never going anywhere.” she said with a big smile,
Always feeling safe with Jade, Hazel lowered her hands from her ears. "I think I'd maybe like to try again sometime too." She admitted shyly, ducking her head just enough to look up at the older girl through her too-shaggy bangs. - Haircuts were not her favorite thing.-
Jade smiled and moved the girl’s bangs so she could see her eyes “Ok, when we feel ready, we can tell each other we want to. But for now, let’s go back; Kit is probably looking for us,” she said with a warm smile offering her hand again.
Only flinching a little at the girl's touch, Hazel nodded, returning Jade's smile as she took her hand, allowing the older girl to lead the way out of her hiding place. "Ok, you're right. Do you think she's mad at me for kissing you?" She asked, worried about what her sister might think of it, having always thought Kit might like Jade as more than a friend.
“Kit? Nah, she doesn’t care.” Jade said honestly, never seeing what Hazel saw.
" Hmm, k," Hazel muttered, watching her steps. She needed to watch her feet to avoid tripping.
~
Jade giggled. Kit always knew how to flatter her when she was getting in trouble; she was a smooth talker like her dad.
Smiling at the infectious sound of Jade's giggles, Hazel pulled away just enough to look up at her friend. " Did I say something funny?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, a slow smile spreading over her features as she let her eyes roam over the woman's face; from this close, she could see every freckle and was seriously struggling not to start counting each one; she'd always been fascinated by them.
“Yes, you are trying to stay out of trouble by flattering me, Tanthalos… it’s not working. I am on to you. You better eat and get to bed,” she said in a playful tone, relaxing her hold.
Sticking out her bottom lip slightly in a pout, Hazel frowned at the woman. " You're no fun, Claymore." She shot back with a small huff, letting go of Jade and moving around to sit on the couch. " Thought we were watching a movie?" She reminded the woman, laying back til her head was upside down over the back of the couch to look at her friend No kit's friend, she internally reminded.
“We are, but food needs to happen,” Jade answered as she brought the plates to the living room, placed them on the small table, and sat on the floor. “What are you feeling like? Adventure, horror, comedy?” she asked, grabbing the remote as she used her other hand to lift her sandwich.
Not a fan of movies or TV in general, Hazel shrugged as she carefully set her napkins beside her. " You choose," she answered, opening her sauces and lining them up on her plate in order of which ones she liked the best, not really thinking about the fact that Kit probably didn't do the same.
Jade glanced at her friend, a bit confused since Kit always liked to pick. Watching her carefully, she saw a very neat lineup of dipping sauces, and her frown grew a bit deeper. “Oookay. I think we should do a throwback night since you stayed. How about something from our childhood?”
Looking up, Hazel immediately noticed Jade staring at the sauces, her eyes following and noticing just how un-Kit-like it looked. Kit would be mixing the sauces and getting it all over everything in her haste to shove the chicken strips into her mouth as fast as possible, or at least that's how it had always seemed to Hazel; she was pretty sure her sister thought it was some sort of competition; who could finish their meal faster and in the messiest way possible; She shuddered at the thought and brought her attention back to Jade. "That sounds like a great idea." She agreed with a quick smile before gesturing towards the sauces. "I've been trying to get in her head a little and feel closer, but I don't understand. The sauces taste so much better mixed." She scoffed and shook her head in disbelief, trying not to wince as the words left her mouth and every part of her body objected to the idea.
Jade smiled faintly, “Well, I don’t know, Kit. She had a way of just knowing what she liked.” She spoke simply, “But I am glad that you are eating a little neater tonight. I gotta say it’s a relief, really,” as she clicked the remote and played the little mermaid.
Knowing how her sister would react, Hazel narrowed her eyes at the woman but stopped short of doing anything else; she was pretty sure Kit would be smearing sauce on Jade's face just to get even for the comment, but Hazel couldn't bring herself to touch the stuff, hating when anything sticky got on her fingers. " I'm offended." She scoffed, tugging at the fabric of her nightshirt and burrowing back into the cushions a little more, her eyes on Jade and not the TV, no interest whatsoever in whatever the woman put on, but Jade she found fascinating. She wondered how things might have been had Sorsha and Kit loved her enough to keep her around. She supposed it shouldn't matter; that wasn't how things had gone, and there was no changing the past.
Feeling eyes on her, Jade looked back at Kit. “What?” she asked, sporting a shy, sheepish smile.
Torn from her thoughts, Hazel blinked, quickly shifting her eyes to the TV. " Nothing, sorry, zoning out, I guess." She lied. - There would have been a time when she wouldn't have been able to lie so easily, but it seemed like those days were mostly behind her; now, it felt almost like second nature, even if it still made her feel kind of crawly.-
The rest of the night was mostly uneventful. They finished the movie, and Hazel got the spare key from Jade, promising to make a copy and return it to her. She also gave Jade her burner number, giving the woman some excuse about needing a number in case of emergencies and figuring she might as well give it to her since she knew about her being in town. She was just covering her bases, knowing Jade could try to find her at home if she had no other way of contacting her. Hazel had no intention of sleeping at Kit's place. Really only intended to look around for a few hours each day and return to her hotel.
After Jade left, Hazel waited thirty minutes before calling an Uber back to her hotel. There, she completed her nightly routine and slept in her own clothes, trying not to think about the slight hiccup in her plans. Running into Jade had not been on her bingo card.
On her way home, Jade thought about her night with Kit, the looks the woman gave her, and how the girl was agitated, a bit disjointed from how she usually was. But somehow, it wasn’t foreign; in fact, it was all too familiar, but she couldn’t fully pinpoint it. Something felt off, or maybe she was just too tired and confused with Kit coming back.
Notes:
Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment or Kudos Let us know what you think.
To all returning readers, thanks for your audience!
Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
The next week was spent with Hazel going into the office late at night, gathering as much information as she possibly could, taking pictures, and making copies of every sensitive document she could get her hands on as she waited for the "perfect time" to start slowly leaking it all, first to the public, and then to foreign nations. The idea was pretty straightforward, cripple the company from the inside and frame Kit for it. The Shareholders would start to pull out one by one, Sorsha would be sent scrambling to fix the mess, and when she looked for the rat, the breadcrumbs left would lead her straight to her own daughter, and then, of course, the investors would have to find a new place to sink their money, and that's where Lili would come in and save the day, with Hazel as her right-hand man so to speak and she couldn't wait to see the look on Kit and Sorsha's faces when they realized she was alive and they were ruined.
The rest of the time had been spent rummaging through Kit's apartment, looking for some sort of hard proof that Kit truly had been involved in what had happened to her; part of her wondered if maybe there was a chance her sister had been lied to as well, but she'd always ended up dismissing it, Lili's words ringing in her ears.
" Oh Hazel, my poor sweet dear." Lili clicked her tongue sympathetically, lifting Hazel's chin to catch the girl's eye. " I know you think they treated you nicely, but you know you don't understand things like others do, honey. They were so cruel to you; they treated you like you were subhuman, like some little pet they could control and discard when they got bored." She spoke gently, watching the child with sorrowful eyes and wiping away her tears. " Aww don't cry, we're gonna make them pay for what they did. You're gonna show them how wrong they were." She whispered against the girl's hair, holding the child tight as sobs wracked the fourteen-year-old's body.
+
Kit had become very self-sufficient with the years and her annual retreat, each morning, she would get up, and go for a run, usually two miles, then shower and start on breakfast, something hearty, warm with a coffee because without it she couldn’t do anything. Sadly, it was just short of an addiction these days. The small kitchen had a handful of appliances and looked pristine. She looked around and found her journal open on the table by the window. Every year she wrote in it, she made observations of how each year her role grew in importance or how she believed Hazel wanted her to do the job. Her feelings and insecurities were written. This morning, Kit filled a mug with coffee and poured her heart out on the pages.
Dear Hazel,
This year the cabin needed some repairs so I took a crash course on plumbing 101 by reverse engineering a leaky sink. You taught me how to break things and then fix them, and I think you did a fantastic job. I know that next year I will probably have to fix the roof - probably will hire someone for that one, the porch - wood rot is starting to look dangerous on the north side. Hopefully I'll get to decorate a little also. I wish you were here to tackle these projects with me. Looking at the list it reminded me of the times we built forts and you were unimpressed with my taste or architectural choices, but I have to tell you, I really wanted you to have a cool glass office with a view to a garden. My office, well your office doesn’t have a garden but I keep two plants there to remind me of my vision. You know I talk about the office all the time in our letters. Aze.
Jade is doing fine, or she says she is. I know she misses you, but... Gosh Aze she’s so beautiful. Each day she has no idea how much she tortures me with just a small look. I don’t think she would ever give me the time of the day, she’s been talking more and more about getting out there. I want to marry her. No joke. But for that I’d have to tell her I like her and I don’t see myself being able to do that. Some days I want her to save me from this agonizing pain I have every time I realize you’re not there to help me with a decision. It’s still so hard to live without you. Maybe if you were here you’d push me to ask her out… you always knew I liked her. - As her words appeared on the page, she could also see them blurring with the fallen tears. - I hope that from wherever you are you teach me how to be strong, brave and loving. Hazey… I know you loved her but I love her too. And I respected it, for years. I did my best to stay away, I dated around and flirted with other women but she was always there. In my heart. I love you very much, but I know Jade Claymore will be my wife one day and I think It’s time I make a move before I lose her to someone else. I hope you can forgive me. I love her, sis. Always have, more than anything. - She was now weeping at the realization of her love for her best friend.-
Time to get up and do some yoga… it helps my brain. It keeps me calm and I can almost function without meds if I do it regularly. You’re still a stinker, and I will always love you.
Your best sister, Kit.
The cabin was small so she could keep it neat, no need for extra space if she’s just going to make a mess was her main thought when she first acquired the listing. No need for frills when she’d be alone. Simple enough, much like her sister would like, cute enough that if Jade ever wanted to join her she could. She opened the window and could smell the fresh air. Unlike the day she got here, birds weren’t chirping and the only thing that she could hear was the gusts of wind that would sweep here and there. Coffee and journaling, then another run. A book at the end of the day and possibly a light dinner before night yoga and bed. Planned, methodical. Rigid, like she had become in the last few years. No carefree, doing whatever she wanted, painting or dancing. Those days were gone or at least reduced to a minimum of two per year.
+
Jade got up and got ready, quickly sending a text to Kit ‘ join me at the park by the fountain, let’s go for a run we haven’t done that together in a while’
Just finishing her morning routine, Hazel picked up her phone, staring at the text. No part of her wanted to go for a run, she'd never been coordinated enough to enjoy running, she could do it if she had to, but her favorite exercises involved mostly weights, not cardio as was evident in the definition of her arms, something she was mildly proud of.
Setting the phone down, Hazel got herself a glass of orange juice, drinking it slowly as she leaned over the counter and stared at the phone as though looking for answers. Should she say yes and put herself through the torture of trying to stay upright as she attempted to keep up with Jade? Or should she say no and risk Jade getting suspicious? She wasn't even sure what the woman could possibly get suspicious of, it wasn't like it would be out of the question for Kit to turn her down, considering she wasn't even supposed to be in town, but still, she convinced herself she had to say yes, that there simply was no other option. - She didn't want to see Jade at all, it had nothing to do with her, it was simply to keep up appearances of course - ' What time?' It was short and to the point, she left the phone on the counter as she finished off her orange juice, washed out the cup, dried and put it away exactly where she'd found it, never leaving a single thing out of place.
Snatching the phone back up, Hazel made her way over to the middle of the room, placing it on the floor before dropping down into a plank, the phone between her arms as she made a game of holding the position until she got the reply. Outside of working out, occasionally dabbling with her guitar, studying and planning to take down her family, Hazel didn't have much else, almost her whole life since she'd been taken had been driven by a need to prove herself, a need for revenge so potent it was all she could think about most days. She knew how to construct and deconstruct highly complicated weapons and explosives, knew the ends and outs of business dealings like the back of her hand, and could hack into almost any computer system, but she was totally lost when it came to her own personal life, always waiting on other people, learning what she was told to learn, masking what she was taught to mask and discarding almost anything that made her, her. She was practically a robot, lost without instructions from Lili and her people, so giving herself little challenges to push her limits was something she often did, living for the times when she pushed a little too far, enjoying the rush of it, the way it made her feel alive like nothing else could.
‘Can you make it in Twenty minutes?’ Jade’s text illuminated the screen, effectively ending Hazel's self-imposed torture. With a grunt she dropped to the ground, laying there for a second before rolling onto her back and doing a quick map search for Grant park, -figuring that was the best bet since Jade had mentioned a fountain.- seeing it was just fifteen minutes from her hotel she hit reply. ' Perfect, see you then.' Once that was sent, she got up and changed into a pair of gray sweatpants and a black tank top before calling herself an uber, wanting to get there before Jade to avoid any questions about her mode of transportation.
Jade biked to their meet-up place, so she could warm up, arriving with about three minutes to spare. She locked the bike and went to wait for Kit by the fountain, knowing she’d have time to stretch, only she was shocked to see Kit, early and in sweats and a tank top, not her usual shorts and sports bra. “Hey… you fell out of bed or something?” Jade said, approaching the girl.
Slightly offended by the comment, Hazel glanced down at her attire quickly before shooting Jade an annoyed look. " Clearly not." She answered simply, forgetting herself and answering with the first thing that came to mind.
“Alright no need to be feisty, it was a joke” Jade said as she looked at her friend and boss, “you just usually show up in shorts and a bra” She shrugged
Recognizing her error, Hazel softened her expression for a moment, before raising a playful eyebrow at the woman. " If you wanted me in just a bra, you could have just asked." She shot back in a teasing tone, pulling her shirt off in one swift motion and tucking the corner of it into the waistband of her pants. " Better?" She inquired, head tilted with hands on hips as she subtly took note of the outfit the taller woman was wearing, a simple tank top and leggings that complimented her well.
Why did you have to say anything? Of course, she would. Jade tried her best to not let her feelings show, a task that was generally hard but when she looked at the woman’s exposed abdomen and her arms, she felt the earth shake a bit under her feet ”oh there it is… that loving Tanthalos charm.” the woman said smiling “Did you change your routine?” noticing more definition on the woman’s upper body.
Smirking, Hazel followed Jade's eyes. " Is it noticeable?" She asked, the same cocky eyebrow raised as she met the taller woman's eyes, kind of loving seeing Jade off guard.
“Umm yees” the woman said eyeing her “I need the trick” she added, smiling.
" Careful Claymore, this could almost feel like sexual harassment." Hazel joked, motioning towards Jade and the way the woman was checking her out, torn between enjoying the attention and feeling a little uncomfortable, not used to people looking at her in that way, or at all since she was prone to staying alone, but she was Kit, and she was pretty sure Kit would be flirtatious, so that's how she presented.
“Kit, less flirting more running, yes?” Jade spoke as she ran past Kit, leading the way.
Having no idea how to Jog, Hazel took off in a dead sprint past the older woman. " Then stop checking me out." She called back in a playful tone, keeping her eyes focused ahead of her, not daring to look back, knowing she'd lose her footing, it was risky enough not looking at the ground. She'd worked long and hard on her hand-eye coordination, building it up until she was a bit more comfortable, but she still struggled. The last thing she needed was to trip and fall in front of Jade.
“I am doing no such thing” Jade replied “Ease up or your ankle will hurt,” she added as she caught up with the girl.
Confused, Hazel glanced to her right at Jade and tried to slow down, nearly tripping over her own feet a few times in the process until she was finally in an awkward but better-paced jog. She studied Jade's feet carefully to try and copy what the woman was doing, barely managing. " I've been building it." She spoke simply while trying to catch her breath, loathing cardio.
“Ease on the pressure, steady rhythm—we talked about this,” Jade said as she bent over to examine her own knee.
Feeling like the woman was being patronizing, Hazel clenched her jaw, focusing on the path straight ahead of her as she continued running. " Mhm." She couldn't bring herself to speak, not believing for a second that Kit struggled with coordination and starting to wonder if Jade was on to her.
Jade ran faster, to catch up. “What have you been doing lately?” Jade asked not breaking a sweat, trying to make sure Kit could be safe “You should come to mine. We can look at pictures and write letters to past selves, reminisce together? I’ll be good and I’ll cook”
Stopping, Hazel hunched over, hands on her knees as she caught her breath and thought about Jade's proposal. - Getting closer to Kit's head of security could only help her cause after all. Lili would be proud of her.- " I guess I could, that does sound kind of nice." She panted softly, straightening back up and squinting up at the sky, realizing miserably she had forgotten to bring herself a water bottle.
" I've just been sulking at home really" She licked her dry lips and glanced at Jade, letting her eyes linger for a second before starting a slow jog again. It all happened too fast, she stopped thinking out every single step, looked up when she should have kept her eyes down, and tripped over her own feet, sending her sprawling face-first onto the rough pavement, hands just barely coming up in time to cushion the impact, narrowly keeping her face from hitting the ground. " Ow fuck." She exclaimed, groaning miserably, not bothering to get up, needing a second to process what had happened.
“Kit! Kit!” Jade exclaimed as she kneeled down “are you ok?” the woman asked as she touched the girl’s arm.
Jerking her arm away from the unexpected touch, Hazel quickly scrambled to her feet, brushing dirt and rocks off of herself with a disgruntled huff. " I'm fine, just tripped is all." She grumbled. She was so angry with herself she couldn't even look at Jade, her ears going hot with embarrassment, one thing that couldn't be trained out of her.
“Ok, well, maybe we should take a walk instead?” Jade asked “One day won’t hurt us,” she smiled, offering a water bottle from her belt pack to Kit “I see you forgot yours again.”
Noting the reminder that Kit was just as forgetful as she'd been, Hazel shot Jade a searching look before letting her eyes settle on the water bottle, vaguely curious if the woman had drunk out of it yet, thirsty, but not wanting to share. " I'm fine." She repeated in a clipped tone.
“Ok, well suit yourself,” Jade said, pulling her bottle up and taking a drink. “I saw dad last night”
Instantly regretting her decision not to take the water offered, Hazel frowned deeply, stifling an annoyed whine with a bite to her lip instead as she nodded, acknowledging Jade's words. " How is he?" she asked after a second, turning to face down the path again as she stretched her arms over her head, trying to relieve the tension in her back and mentally prepare to start running again.
“Well, you know him. He’s okay. He’s excited about a new artist who will soon open his gallery.
- No, she didn't really know him at all, had met him a handful of times as a child, but that was the extent of it.- " Yeah? That's cool." Resting her hands on her hips again, she brought her eyes back to Jade, and then the water bottle again before wordlessly holding her hand out for it.
“That’s better,” Jade said, smiling and handing the water bottle to the girl. "Yeah, he was asking when you were coming over for family dinner. He said you’re getting too important. Lori misses you too. They’re gonna have a two-year anniversary dinner soon. Dad wants you there.”
Trying to piece together Jade's sentence in a way that made sense to her, Hazel frowned slightly as she uncapped the water bottle, tilting her head back and letting the water fall into her mouth from a distance while her mind still tried to work out the puzzle of Jade's words, not sure if Lori was the man she'd met a couple of times in her childhood, or a woman; somebody new. Putting the cap back on the bottle, she handed it back to Jade, as she wiped her mouth on the back of her free hand. " Does after the tenth work? That's when I was scheduled to be back from my trip so I'll be more ready to deal with people." She suggested, watching Jade to see if the woman accepted her answer.
“Yeah, I will talk to them, see if they can just have their party on their own and save family dinner for later,” Jade said smiling. “Two years and they’re still like teenagers, I am so glad I moved out when they got together,” she said shaking her head.
Finding the thought of Ballantine acting like a lovesick teenager quite bizarre, Hazel scrunched her nose at the thought, laughing softly at the woman's comment. " Yeah I can imagine you are." She knew she should probably feel a little guilty about the dinner party, but figured it wasn't her fault, Kit was always gone the same time each year, and Ballantine had to know that, maybe he was hoping to break Kit of the habit? She didn't know and wasn't sure she cared.
“Enough about my old man… and his husband, you are trying to fly under the radar which to me means your mom is not aware of your whereabouts, which gives us freedom to be carefree for at least a day in the next week. Since she’s out of the country.”
Husband, so it was the same Lori. She definitely wasn't expecting that, but good for him, she thought to herself as they started walking again. " When you say carefree..." She trailed off, glancing to her side, taking in Jade's profile, thinking how lucky Kit was to still have such a good friend.
“Yes I mean… College Kit style, but, please oh please, let’s not attract the media. The team doesn’t know you’re here and I rather not have to pull a full squadron protection circus because you went overboard, so let’s go out to a few bars, be discreet and then be stupid together for one night.” Jade said as she gave the woman a fully approving nod.
She really didn't want to think about what College style could mean, from what she'd read and heard about her sister, she was pretty sure the girl was a lot more wild than she had ever been. She herself had two alcoholic drinks in her whole life, the second being the one Jade had made her just the week prior, she'd also stayed single her whole life, her closest experience to dating, being the few secretive kisses she'd shared with Jade at the age of thirteen before she was promptly snatched from the life she knew. She hadn't had time to party, nor had she been interested, it all sounded like a sensory nightmare and an unwelcome distraction from her goals. Looking at Jade now though, she felt the need to say yes, felt like it was something Kit would do, and really, what could go wrong? She'd go out, maybe have a sip or two of Jade's beer, fake an interest in whatever was around them and then go home, she could scream into her pillow about it later when she was alone. " I can't make any promises." She answered in a playful tone, wearing a matching smile.
“Kit, come on…” Jade said, poking the girl. “For me? I haven’t been out in months! Months!” the woman said “You being my boss is ruining my social life.” She joked as she started running backward in front of Kit.
A little confused, Hazel flinched and clenched her jaw at the touch, raising her eyebrows at the woman. She was pretty sure she'd agreed to go, so she couldn't understand why Jade seemed to still be asking. " Well first I said yes already, and second. I'm ruining your social life?" She asked in a careful tone, happy to just walk at a quick pace, not about to risk tripping again, her hands still stung from where they'd scraped against the asphalt.
“Well, the last few months were very busy with your social agenda for work, I know you don’t see me at the events but I am there, running it you know? So all your board dinners, the boring visits to whatever the hell the PR team organized, that would cut into my social time. I wouldn’t be surprised if I couldn’t communicate with another human being.” she dramatized and looked at Kit, winking playfully, slowing to a walk backward, and then walking beside Kit again.
Shooting the woman a disbelieving look, Hazel shook her head. " Don't be dramatic Jade, I'm pretty sure it's not as bad as all that, and besides, I already said I'd go." She replied, giving the woman a slightly exasperated look, fingers of her left hand fidgeting with her ring anxiously as she tried to figure out if she was missing something.
Looking at how exasperated Kit looked, Jade tried to lighten up the mood fuck I pushed her too hard didn’t I? “Dramatic?! You, you are calling me dramatic?” Jade laughed, “ok, maybe I did over dramatize but I'm just trying to show you, how us, the plebes, live,” she spoke “you sure you ate enough this morning?” she asked, noticing the girl fidgeting, Kit didn’t fidget this bad, so something was up, Jade didn’t want to make assumptions and Kit has always made herself very clear where she stood with drug use. So Jade quickly attributed it to a lack of taking her ADHD medicine,even though the clumsiness was new, she occasionally missed or had spacial issues with walls and counters but not falling, Or tripping over her own feet.
Following Jade's eyeline, Hazel quickly pulled her hands apart, shoving them deep into her pockets instead as she brought her eyes back over to the woman. " Look, I said yes, what more do you want from me?" She snapped, digging her nails into the cuts on her palms, trying to calm her anxiety and the flaring temper it brought along with it, finding the sharp pain often helped clear her mind, bringing a wave of calm after it. " I'm sorry... yes I ate plenty, maybe I just didn't get enough sleep." She added after a second, her hands slowly relaxing and eyes shifting back to the path, focusing on the slightly uneven surface and the small puddles accumulated from that morning's light rainfall. She preferred to study the ground and trees around them, ignoring the different people passing by, finding strangers overwhelming even from a distance most of the time.
Jade felt so bad for fucking up. She looked at the girl “Kit…I didn't mean to rile you up. Enough walking, let’s go to my place, we’ll have a snack, you can nap while I type some reports and then we'll have fun.” the woman said, giving her best friend a winning smile and begging eyes.
Stopping, Hazel placed her hands behind her head, taking a deep breath in, holding it for ten seconds, then letting it out as she thought over her options. She could just say no, catch an uber back to her hotel and meet Jade later that night at whatever hellish spot the woman had picked out, risking raising her suspicions, or the ever-present possibility that Jade would pop by Kit's apartment as some sort of surprise. The other option was far more uncomfortable for her, but it seemed more in the spirit of Kit, it also involved a lot less risk, keeping Jade closer was safer. " Yeah, fine, but we'll need to stop by my place before we go out tonight, I highly doubt sweats and a tank is gonna work for a night out." She scoffed, motioning towards her outfit, the tank top still hanging from her waistband.
“Some girls like it,” Jade said with a playful smile, happy that Kit agreed to at least try to catch up on some rest.
Smirking, Hazel couldn't resist. " Would some girls have a British accent?" She bit her lip and wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
Jade looked at Kit and raised an eyebrow. She’s not flirting back is she? Oh gosh I swear she will be the death of me. Better make sure she doesn’t think you’re hitting on her “Some girls do, some girls don’t, that’s the beauty of it isn’t? Variety?” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Alright hop on”
Realizing she must have said something wrong, Hazel visibly cringed. " No, I... I meant...You, cause your accent, and..." She tried to explain herself, clearly agitated, waving her arms towards Jade as she stopped abruptly, and looked at what the older girl was pointing at, blinking at the bicycle in front of her, wondering when the hell they'd finished the path, why she was looking at a peddle bike, and worst of all, why she was being told to 'Hop On' If she thought a motorcycle was bad, this had to be worse somehow, maybe not for her senses, but for every single other thing. She couldn't even think to form words, she was living in some sort of hellscape, she had to be.
“Kit, hon,” Jade said as she looked at her. “I got the joke, and maybe, the answer is maybe.” She winked back at Kit. “We’ve done this thousands of times,” she said and then smiled. “OK, maybe not in the last five years, but it’s like learning to ride… it’ll be fine. Come on. Put your feet on the pegs and hold on to my shoulders.”
Embarrassment forgotten for the moment, replaced by anxiety, Hazel eyed the bike curiously, looking for the pegs, before her eyes fell on what she could only assume were the things Jade was referring to. She'd seen kids riding on them before, even heard the name a few times at school, but never in her life did she think she'd ever be told to do it herself. Swallowing hard, she looked up at the older woman again. " What about my ankle?" She asked quickly, jutting her chin forward a bit with a smug little smile, pretty sure she'd found the loophole in Jade's plan and very proud of herself for it.
Jade looked at the woman in disbelief. She was not going to get off that easy. “Okay, face forward, step on the pegs upfront, and sit on the handlebars. You can lean on me.” the woman said honestly.
This was infinitely worse, Hazel couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood there, eyes darting between the bike and Jade, feeling like she would lose her cool at any moment. " Jade, you can not seriously be suggesting that the COO of Tanthalos Tech ride on the handlebars of your bicycle right? I mean... do I really need to remind you that I'm twenty-eight, not twelve?" She shot back in a harsh whisper, looking around as though others might hear, trying to adopt what she hoped might be Kit's indignation at such a silly suggestion.
“Kit, you’re still twelve on the inside. The reason people won’t care is because it’s so far from belief that you would, don’t you get it?” she said smiling, carefree. “Come on, let's go on an adventure! It is only three miles, and I’ll be careful.” Jade tried to give Kit’s daring spirit a lift, knowing if life had dealt different cards, the response would’ve been completely different. If she was still with us, you would, come on babe say yes - she thought .
Only, only three miles, she says. I could die in the first three seconds on that damn death trap, but sure, what's three whole miles balanced precariously on a small piece of metal? Nothing at all could go wrong, sounds super safe. Hazel thought, narrowing her eyes at Jade. " You better not fucking let me fall." She hissed, clenching her fists, digging her nails into her cuts again as she took a step closer to the bike, facing it at first and trying to step up that way, before quickly realizing her mistake, flipping around and clumsily hoisting herself up onto the handlebars, sitting very awkwardly directly on the bar, fully upright, with her hands gripping the handles in a backward hold, zero clue how she was supposed to make this work. " Fuck me this hurts." She groaned, squirming to try and get comfortable.
Finding comic relief in how tense and clenched Kit seemed to be, which didn’t really seem much like her, Jade suppressed a laugh and, with both feet still on the ground, she leaned forward to support the girl’s back “ok, that’s ok, but not quite like that, hold on.'' Jade said holding her smile “few things for safety first, let’s take that tank top from your pants, you can wear it or tie it to your arm or to the handlebar to give you some relief. I will move forward a bit, you will move your bottom off the handlebar, your thighs will be on the handlebar, I’ll support you with my chest; sound good?” Jade said, trying her best to be detailed, knowing Kit could sometimes have a difficult time understanding instructions.
Startled by how close Jade suddenly was and unable to picture what the woman was describing, Hazel jerked forward a bit, losing her balance and falling, before Jade could react, narrowly avoiding straddling the front tire as she landed by jumping to the side at the last second, ending up on the pavement again instead. " We haven't even moved and look at what happened already." She exclaimed as she sat up, dusting off her hip and the side of her legs, avoiding looking up, knowing her face was bright red with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
“Shit! Kit! You ok?” the girl asked, immediately coming to the girl’s rescue, noticing how ridiculously accident-prone she was being, definitely not something Kit would do, and her embarrassment was so tangible she just wanted to hold the girl close… like she did for Hazel.
How much mimicking did Kit do during the two months she would be away? Because it was starting to seem like a lot. “Kit, the key here is wait until I am there and then you slide in” the woman said hands massaging Kit’s hips “you sure you’re ok?”
Freezing at the woman's touch, Hazel blinked at her before taking a deep shuddering breath in, trying to calm her nerves and ignore the strange feeling in her stomach. " Mhm." She hummed in a higher pitch tone than normal, swallowing and scrambling back to her feet quickly, the area Jade touched feeling strange in a way she couldn't identify. She never liked being touched, always finding it weird and unpleasant, but something about this was different. " Show me?" She tried not to look scared or confused, doing her best to school her expression to one of mild irritation instead, even as her mind continued to buzz and her hands itched to rub at the spots, desperately wanting to dampen the sensation a little.
Jade watched the way the girl was reacting, and her instinct was a bit intrigued but dealing with one problem at a time, she blinked and then spoke softly “Sure here, look at this picture” she said showing the picture of how she should sit. “Basically I will straddle the bike you will climb and at first sit on the handlebar. When I say ready, you will move down a bit, your thighs will be on the handlebars, your hands will grip here, and you’ll lean against me. Then we will take off”
The picture, combined with Jade's words, finally made it clear what Hazel was supposed to do. " Oh, right, I should have known that." She muttered quietly, still a little lost in her head, not really thinking to try and sound more like Kit or fix her somewhat zoned-out expression. " Let's try again." She spoke, motioning for Jade to get back on the bike before quickly pulling her shirt back on, suddenly wanting as many layers between her and the other woman as possible.
Jade smiled big at the girl and nodded, getting back on the bike ready to guide her through again if she needed. . “Come on princess” she said before she even noticed.
With her back to Jade, she winced at the title, not only not a fan of being referred to by such a feminine title, but it was also a nickname reserved only for Kit, it didn't feel right hearing it aimed at her. " Tell me when you want me to move." She replied, bracing herself on the handlebars again, mentally preparing for Jade to be close.
Jade noticed the way Kit’s voice sounded slightly locked, as if she was holding on tight to something inside, she adjusted and got herself ready “ok lean back” she said in the calmest tone possible, not wanting to agitate or scare the girl, remembering the fall.
Closing her eyes tight, Hazel slowly eased herself back a bit, not quite as much as she was supposed to, not trusting herself not to fall off again. " This good?" She asked, tone nervous in a way she couldn't even begin to hide, the anxiety overriding her ability to mask her feelings.
Noticing that the girl didn’t slide back as much as she needed, Jade spoke quietly, using a soothing tone, “Kit-kat… you need to slide a bit more, sweetie.” She kissed the girl's head, trying to ease her, much like she used to do to Hazel when they were younger. “If you move back a bit more it’ll be good, don’t worry I got you.” In all possible ways, Kit, just let me show…NO focus Claymore…not the time.
Unable to suppress it, Hazel whined softly at the small kiss, bringing her shoulders up towards her ears a bit in a sort of wince before slowly relaxing enough to lean back the extra little bit until her back was pressed up against Jade's chest in a way that made her bite her lip to suppress another small whine, her hands twisting and tightening where they were braced, her whole body feeling like it was on fire for a moment as she adjusted to the new proximity, telling herself she'd be able to get it all out later when she was alone. " Be careful." She warned, eyes still firmly closed.
“Of course” Jade said, tying Kit’s hemet on her before fastening her own. “I will, if you need me to stop, let me know.
" Jade, please tell me you did not just put one of those stupid-looking helmets on my head. This was not part of the deal." Hazel grumbled, opening her eyes as she tilted her head back in some strange attempt to see the thing on her head, hating the way it felt.
“Safety Is part of the deal, besides you look dashing with one on; just think of it as the masks we wore as kids” she tried to soothe Kit’s reaction with a memory. A memory that brought a smile to her lips.
" Masks cover your face Jade, and this unfortunately does not. Now go before I change my mind." Hazel huffed, If only Jade could see her face, she would see just how disgruntled she looked.
“Your wish is my command, princess” Jade spoke softly into Kit’s ear, feeling her shudder a little as air tickled her. Maybe she doesn’t like being called a princess anymore, Jade, she’s 28 for crying out loud! “Sorry, Kit we’re going… and we’re off” the woman said, navigating the streets with ease, while Hazel did her best not to think about Jade's breath hot against her ear, wishing for all it was worth that she hadn't agreed to go back to the woman's place with her, feeling the urgent need to scream, rock, pace, anything to get out the building tension and strange claustrophobic feeling in her body.
Jade pulled up to the modest casita-style community and smiled at her neighbor kids playing before speaking as softly as she could. “ok we’re here, move slowly, take your time, you’ll be a bit asleep as you come down” she informed the girl lightly.
She appreciated the softer tone, but even something about that set her nerves on edge in a way that made her shoulders tense. " Thanks." She didn't know what else to say, she thought of something snarky, but Jade was being so sweet, she knew she didn't deserve that, so instead she just carefully climbed down off of the bike, struggling not to bounce anxiously as she fiddled with the clasp below her chin for a few seconds until it came undone with a snap. " I don't think my legs have ever hurt so bad in my life." She grumbled, handing the helmet over to Jade and giving into the urge to bounce on her toes a little, she wasn't kidding, her thighs were asleep and so was the rest of her lower body, the pins and needle effect was sensory torture.
Everything in jade screamed to help the girl with the little stuff but she shook her head and smiled “come on, let’s relax a bit “ she said locking the bike to the patio.
As they walked into the little apartment, Hazel's eyes took in the earthy tones of the walls, along with the interesting textiles adorning a couple of them, things she could only describe as some sort of interesting knotwork designs. Walking further into the place she saw a few similar items stretched out over the white quartz countertop and coffee table, she ran her finger over one of them, unable to resist the urge to test the texture, finding she didn't care for the roughness of it much she pulled her hand back, her eyes catching on a painting of a cabin, the paint was textured in a similar way to a painting hung in Kit's apartment, only the one at Kit's place was bright, colorful, hard to really make out what it was unless you stood at just the right angle from it, where it appeared to show the outline of a person, it was strange and fascinating, while this one was calming, spoke of the comforts of home, maybe solitude which spoke to Hazel a lot more. " Have I ever told you how much I love this place?" She asked softly, still looking at the painting, feeling a lot calmer in this space. Jade was apparently highly organized even as an adult, nothing was out of place and Hazel appreciated the way it calmed her overstimulated mind.
“One time, but what do you love about it?” Jade asked with a curious look trying to see what the girl would say “we don’t come here often and I did change a few pieces since you came over last time." Jade said, observing Kit’s curious eyes absorbing everything, there was this raw curiosity that seemed to catalog each piece of furniture and detail.
Having not considered that the woman might have changed up some things, Hazel worked her jaw tensely as she continued to stare at the painting with her back mostly to Jade, trying to think about the things that wouldn't change. " The vibe, it's so warm and relaxed, it makes me feel calm I guess." She spoke softly, being careful with her words.
Moving around the room Jade looked at the plants and the accent vases she had added “I am trying to incorporate more green as I go, it’s not perfect and they don’t always survive, but we have great conversations” she said walking over to a bigger potted plant. “Do you like the new placement for the cabin? I always thought it deserved its own wall. It is still Dad’s favorite KTTlos original” she said referring to how Kit signed her paintings.
Her eyes having moved to watch Jade, Hazel quickly moved them back to the painting, searching for a second until they landed on the signature. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed before. Her sister's art, of course it was Kit's. It was good, the woman had a real talent for it. Too bad she wanted my job more. She thought bitterly. " I love it, but I still can't believe you actually put it up." She replied humbly, shaking her head as she looked at Jade again. " The plants are great too, you really know how to make a place feel cozy." She complimented sincerely.
“Your paintings are true works of art, Kit. This one to this day moves me so deeply. The one at your place is phenomenal and the one in your office is so touching, to think you could capture the essence of our years with Hazey in a painting and keep it in the place that she was supposed to be to keep her close and guide you. It’s beautiful. You captured turmoil, indecisiveness and so much pain in the one at your place; and this one... it would've been her happy place.” Jade said standing next to kit, giving her a proud smile
At the mention of her name, Hazel gave a short nod and glanced back towards the painting, making a mental note to take a better look at the one in the office the next time she went. She knew Jade was only repeating what Kit had told her about the painting, but all she could think was how sick it was, almost like a trophy a serial killer might keep. Kit hated her even more than she'd initially thought, clearly enjoying the thought of silently taunting her supposed dead sister even after getting everything to herself.
Shaking her head, she forced a smile, walked over and sat down on the couch, letting her hand run over the cream-colored fabric lightly. She found the texture a lot more pleasant than the other textile she'd touched. " You said you wanted to look at old pictures?" she prompted gently, kind of curious to see them.
“Yeah one sec” Jade said and opened the coffee table, pulling out two books of pictures, placing one next to them and handing one over to Kit “look at those, you see I look at these frequently."
Taking the book, Hazel looked down, opening it almost reverently and swallowed hard. She'd learned how to handle a lot of things over the years, but nothing could have prepared her for how it felt to see her childhood pictures again, pictures she hadn't seen in over fifteen years, memories she'd all but blocked out, save for the unfortunate nightmares she'd have on occasion, but it was easy to chalk those up to false narratives her sleep deprived brain would produce to torture her, easy to ignore them, to pretend none of it had ever been based in reality, but looking at physical proof of a childhood lost, it made her stomach turn, anger burning in her veins like acid as she came face to face with a fairytale she'd once believed in.
A loving Mother, Father and sister, a best friend, a stable life where she was accepted, never shamed for being different, only embraced and loved. In a sort of daze, she took out a picture of Kit, the girl dressed in her soccer uniform, ball under her arm as she looked at the camera, grinning from ear to ear, she traced it gently. I never wanted the position, I never wanted the company or any of it, all you had to do was ask me, I would have given it all to you. She thought, wiping a drop of water off the picture absently, frowning as another replaced it, then another until the image started to blur. She became vaguely aware of somebody repeating words over and over again, the picture long since dropped, as the hands that had been holding it had moved to clutch the sides of her head " I never wanted it... I never wanted the position, I never wanted the fucking company, I never wanted any of it." She sobbed, rocking where she sat, trying to soothe herself as the words kept repeating like a mantra all of the overstimulation of the day catching up to her in a frenzy.
Hearing what kit was saying, Jade approached and sat next to her, dropping a cup of warm chamomile tea for the woman. She saw the picture she had been holding on the floor, and the girl was shaking, she frowned, noticing it was her and not hazel pictured, but figured she was reminiscing on her freedom. She'd been there when Kit got the job, saw the fear of not being enough for a job she never wanted and felt totally unprepared for, saw that fear turn to acceptance and determination as she realized how important it was to her Mother, how being the only person Sorsha had left, meant a greater responsibility, meant leaving her own dreams behind to try and fill the void left in her sister's absence.
She'd heard about the nights when Sorsha sobbed on her daughter’s shoulders, and attended dinners that for years had Hazel’s plate on the table. Jade was there when Kit decided that gone were the days of being a carefree child playing soccer and riding skateboards down the street. She knew how hard it all had hit, but she hadn't seen Kit this broken up in years, which is probably why the girl left every year. The pain in Jade’s chest of seeing this woman so broken up was almost too much, so she did what she knew how and she hugged Kit tightly to stop her from rocking, something she used to do when Hazel was unable to ground herself. She wanted to be Kit’s grounding force. “Kit, it’s ok, I know babe… I know. We both wanted her here.” she said, holding her closer.
Hazel struggled against the comfort for a moment before finally settling enough to bury her face into Jade's shoulder as she cried. " It's not fair." She sobbed, fisting her left hand into the fabric at the front of the woman's shirt.
“I know. It’s not fair she's gone. But Kit you’ve done so well. You’ve been such a great daughter, helping your mom cope, holding her when she’s crying, trying to make Hazel proud. I am sure she’d be proud Kit-kat” she said with a smile.
At Jade's words, Hazel pulled away from her abruptly, eyes scanning the woman's face in a searching manner, looking for signs that she'd been caught, that somehow Jade knew she wasn't Kit and was feeding her lines to try and change her view of her family.
"They're master manipulators Hazel, they've manipulated you your whole life, taken advantage of your weaknesses." Lili spoke, stroking a thumb over the teenager's face gently to catch her tears. " All of them, Jade included. Why do you think none of them encouraged you to get better? They wanted to keep you down. You were too much work for your family and Jade just pitied you sweetie. I know it hurts, but we're not gonna let them win."
"Hazel's dead Jade, I highly doubt she gives a fuck about any of this, in fact I doubt she ever really cared at all." Hazel shot back bitterly, Lili's words still echoing in her mind, as she scrubbed a hand over her eyes almost aggressively, barely containing the urge to drag her nails down her own face, wanting to claw the feelings right out of herself.
Jade looked at the girl, her bitter response sending a huge blow to her chest, the way the girl was almost scratching her face was oddly familiar and borderline shocking as she remembered vividly how Hazel would scratch at her face when feelings were too much, much like when they were thirteen and a kiss sent Hazel spiraling or when they kissed the second time and Hazel didn’t know what to do with her feelings, wanting them to just burst but never able to express them fully. This drew her to focus on Kit’s face, where she spotted a small scar, something Kit didn’t have, right above her right cheekbone. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to remain calm, This. cannot. My mind is playing tricks. She’s not. And if she’s not, who is this? And if she is, why now? why not tell me?.
Jade continued, her voice soothing and calm. “Yes, Kit, Hazel is gone, dead and we all feel it, we all miss her and grieve for her constantly. There hasn’t been a day since she’s been gone that I don’t think of her, that I don’t wish I could hug her. I know that’s how you feel, I know this anger right now is not real. You protected her fiercely. You wrote to her everyday for years. You can’t just dismiss it, Kit.” she said “You are a careful daughter, a devoted friend and a sister that loves so deeply, please let me comfort you.” Jade spoke caressing the girl’s face, this time she let her tears fall because if by some miracle her suspicion was right, she’s been holding Hazel and she wasn’t about to let her go again.
Hazel clenched her jaw under Jade's touch, swallowing hard, resisting the conflicting urges to flinch away and lean into it, desperately needing comfort but too suspicious to allow herself the luxury. " I don't need comfort Jade, I just need to forget." She replied in a tired tone, the bitter edge still coloring her words a bit. " Can you do that? Can you make me forget?" She scoffed, making it clear she didn't think Jade could offer what she needed, blue eyes meeting brown in an almost accusatory way.
In a desperate attempt to confirm her suspicions, Jade touched the girl’s face,ready to kiss her lips but decided against it at the last minute, she kissed Hazel’s cheek lightly insead “I want to erase all the pain, all of the things that made you hurt this bad.” she said speaking to Kit and also to Hazel, her love transcending her doubts.
Managing to temper her reaction to a small sharp inhale, Hazel nodded slowly, eyes turning a bit softer as she started to consider the fact that maybe Jade wasn't playing her, that maybe the things she was saying about Kit were true, perhaps the manipulation came from Lili, but that didn't make sense either, she'd rescued her, shown her proof of Sorsha and Kit's misdeeds, none of it made any sense and it was giving her a massive headache.
“Kit, you need rest, you need to go out tonight with me and try for a few minutes to recapture joy.” she said, tightening the hug for a minute before pulling away and kissing the girl’s lips chastely. “Drink this”
Blinking in surprise, Hazel scraped her teeth over her lips a few times to try and lessen the urge to rub at them, feeling that same strange tingle in them she'd gotten as a teenager the few times they'd kissed before, a feeling she'd grown to enjoy after a couple attempts had gotten her used to it, but was just as overwhelming as the first time after so many years without it. " Yeah, ok." She forced out in a tense tone, uncurling fists she hadn't even realized she'd clenched as she took the offered drink and downed it quickly, savoring how the heat of it replaced the other feeling for a moment.
“Lay down and stretch, close your eyes, rest, I have to take a quick shower and do some online shopping before we hang out. You’re safe. You rode on handlebars again today and you survived, all other threats are off. I got you Kit.” she said as she squeezed the girl’s hand.
Putting the empty mug back on the coffee table, Hazel watched Jade intently for a moment, her eyes wandering to the woman's lips curiously before quickly averting towards the TV as she nodded. " Thank you, Jade. I'm sorry I'm like this. I never wanted you to see this side of me. I guess now you can really understand why I disappear for two months every year, huh?" She quipped with a sheepish look, falling right back into character as soon as her nerves had settled enough.
“Yeah, I can see why letting us see you extra vulnerable may feel embarrassing but Kit, it is not. It’s not. The best thing about you is that with it all you went through you learned to be vulnerable, you showed us like Hazey did. Masking only leads to pain.” she said, showing sequences of pictures. The first one was of the three of them grinning, in the second one Hazel had a frown as Kit smeared cake on her face. The third one was Jade and Kit smiling and hazel with an angry expression as there was still cake on her face, the fourth picture had the two girls wiping Hazel’s face and the last picture was a clean-faced Hazel, with two very covered in cake girls next to her, all three grinning again. “We may not be perfect all the time, but we got each other’s back”
Looking at the pictures, Hazel frowned softly, thinking about how silly it was that at the time, the worst thing in the world for her had been the feeling of cake being smeared on her face, how she'd reacted like the world might be ending. Now it would still bother her, but felt so stupid compared to all of the things that had taken place over the years after. " Masking? Jade... I'm not Hazel. I don't mask, and honestly, is masking so bad? If it allows you to get through situations you couldn't normally handle? If it lets you blend in? What's so bad about it?" She spoke in a tired tone, watching Jade with sad eyes before taking a deep breath and looking over the couch a bit more, trying to determine if she should lay down there or not. She really did hate not being able to do her routines, wishing she had her pillow or could sleep how she normally slept in her boxer briefs and favorite soft t-shirt.
“I know you’re not, Kit.” Jade said , the words a little harder to say now that doubt was in her mind “Because the girl in the picture still had a smile on her face after it all. Because she learned by showing her emotions that she had a support system. Masking doesn’t allow you to process your feelings, it makes them more intense in the end. Hazel was happy, Hazel felt fully, processed it and made a decision if it was worth taking the risk or not. If you mask and then run for the hills to process… it makes a hole, it hurts who you are. Kit, I got you.” Jade smiled “rest. That’s an order” she added as she smiled at the girl
“Or maybe she appeared happy because nobody expected anything from her, nobody cared enough to look closer, or maybe that smile was her masking. She hated when stuff got all over her, that smile probably wasn't real." Hazel shook her head, eyes falling on the pictures again, considering Jade's words as she processed her complicated feelings. She knew the masking did lead to stronger meltdowns in the end, but it also allowed for her to have the time to find a private place to deal with them alone, kept people from staring most of the time and allowed her to live a normal life, or atleast the closest thing to one she was able to manage with the circumstances such as they were.- She didn't regret missing certain hallmark milestones over the years, she'd had a good life with Lili, had been shown her true potential and had made the best choices to fulfill it. She didn't need what other people needed, had no interest in making a life with another person, building a home, having friends, she had no time for any of it, it would have just been a waste; No, she was happy with her life now. She was.- " Ok, I'll rest, but you gotta move if you expect me to lay down." She pointed out, motioning over the couch to indicate she needed the full thing to herself.
“No, you knew her as I did. It was when she was told to hide that it became an issue.” she said as she moved “nap. Now. Tanthalos don’t make me tickle you.”
Crossing her arms over herself in a hug of sorts, Hazel laid down slowly, resting her head back on one of the little throw pillows as she stared up at the ceiling and thought about Jade's words some more, remembering the few people at school who had suggested she hide who she was got met with fierce opposition from both her Mother and father, Kit and Jade too when it came from another child, she remembered feeling thankful at the time, but now she was sure she didn't feel the same, in fact she thought Jade was being stupid, that the woman just didn't understand how hard it was to be her authentic self, the ridicule and subsequent pain it brought along with it, not to mention the fact it left her feeling crippled and unable to do what she was capable of. " Don't let me sleep too long." She mumbled, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep with her thoughts, more exhausted than she'd realized.
Closing the door to her office, Jade let the tears she was holding fall; leaning on the door she held her mouth as she felt like sobbing, she was at a loss for what to think, she was sure she hit her head and woke up in a different dimension. Hazel was dead, that’s what the police found out, she had gone to the funeral, she mourned. There is no way the person sprawled on my couch is Hazel Tanthalos, but what if it was true. What happened back then? Who took her? And why is she back now and pretending to be Kit? Where was Kit? No, no, no… please please please she thought as she jumped to the conclusion that there had been some exchange in hostages. I can’t do this again . Jade thought back over the interactions she had with the person on the couch, the way her mind would mostly refer to her by the last name, would that potentially be her mind’s way of saying something wasn’t right? When did Kit get a scar? Think, think! You've known this woman your whole life, you should know when that scar showed up. Jade pushed and pushed herself to see if she remembered any detail that should confirm this was Kit and not for some reason, her long-lost sister.
Jade Claymore was a lot of things, Kind, fierce, strong, and fearless, but most of all, she was fucking nice; the one thing she wasn't was easily shaken; until now! Most days, Jade was a force to reckon with. She was phenomenal on the soccer field, a bookworm and a badass on the mat, a survivalist, a curious investigator, and a careful, fair person. All of her sides complemented each other but she only let a select few see what she was all about. The thing about Jade is that she’d continuously go to the mat for the ones she loved. And she loved Kit. Desperately. So when the opportunity to join Tanthalos Tech came around, she didn't hesitate. Sure, she could have continued her career as a Criminologist and continued on her path to becoming more accredited and respected in her field, but her best friend needed her, and this way, she would have more time to work on her research, which was her favorite part of the deal.
Adopted by a then-single parent at two, Jade grew up learning about service, duty and justice. She became interested in criminology after the kidnapping. At the time, Jade was fifteen and Hazel was her sorta maybe girlfriend. While Jade had always been in love with Kit, she never knew and still doesn’t to this day where she and her aloof friend stand. So when Hazel showed a bit of interest, Jade decided to take a chance on her own bubbling feelings for the older twin, not because she wanted to make her crush jealous, but because Hazel was almost everything Kit was and she showed an interest, where Kit had never shown more than friendship, Hazel was lovable, kind and blushed furiously under her attention and Jade found herself liking both girls with each passing day.
“I was hoping we could… escape for a minute before practice?” Jade asked, catching Hazel outside her classroom.
" Yeah, sure." Hazel nodded and smiled at the girl, clutching her book bag to her chest tightly.
“Hazel… shit!” Kit said as she ran out the door and ran into them. “I gotta get my notes from my locker, I will meet you outside, the driver is taking us to meet with mom, we need to shop for the fall festival.
Hazel cringed a little worried about how that would work for her and Jade, glancing between Kit and their friend with a contemplative look. " Sure, Jade can walk with me." She reassured her sister, before shooting Jade an unsure look. " Right?" She was hopeful she'd read the situation correctly, figuring if Jade wanted to get her alone, this would be the perfect opportunity, but then she also had a tendency to second guess herself, causing her to feel a little anxious that maybe she'd volunteered the girl for something she didn't want to actually do.
“Yeah, you go Kit, I’ll drop Hazel with the driver and go to practice.” Jade said with a smile, hugging her friend.
“Cool alright, make sure you are able to chat later, I want to show you what we get” Kit said as she ran into another person running down the hall.
“Okay” Jade said and then looked at Hazel smiling and walking side by side with the girl. “For the festival… Did anyone else ask you to hang out?” Jade asked shuffling her feet carefully, not sure if anyone had wanted to hang out with Hazel; a few rumors had spread that she was flirty. And since they weren’t anything official, her insecurity grew.
" Yeah, Kit wants to hang out." Hazel replied with a shrug that brought her book bag a little closer to her chin as she glanced up at Jade, not really understanding the girl's question or her reasons for it.
“Oh ok, no one else asked?” Jade asked as she watched the girl with a shy smile.
" No, nobody ever wants to hang out with me except you and Kit." Hazel answered honestly, a little sad about it, but not extremely bothered, she had Kit and Jade and that was all she really needed, she just wished the other kids didn't like to push her around and make fun of her so much.
“Ok, well I’ll make sure we’ll make it special ok?” Jade said bumping shoulders with Hazel. As they got closer to the door.
Gripping her book bag tighter at the small nudge, Hazel smiled, bobbing her head enthusiastically in agreement. " Cool, ok."
“Alright I am running late for practice but can we video chat tonight?” Jade asked as she leaned in and kissed the girl’s cheek.
Feeling an excitable burst of energy at the older girl's attention, Hazel smiled big, bouncing on her toes a bit, almost losing the hold on her bag in the process. " Shit." She exclaimed, recovering it in time, and giving Jade a more sheepish smile. " Yes please... I mean, yes, yeah." She stammered awkwardly, a blush spreading over her cheeks and ears as she quickly backed into the door to open it without taking her eyes off her friend.
Warming sensation bubbling inside, smile on her lips, Jade watched the way Hazel was cutely excited to get her attention, she giggled as she watched the blushing twin moving towards the door, blowing her a kiss right before she crossed the threshold to the outside, making the decision right there, she was not waiting anymore, she was going to ask Hazel at the festival to go steady.
Seeing Jade's gesture right before the door closed, Hazel forgot about the bag she was holding in her effort to return the gesture, the heavy bag landing right on her feet. " Shit, fuck." She exclaimed, jumping around for a second to try and ease the pain, before glancing around in embarrassment to make sure nobody had seen. Thankfully nobody was around at all, as usual, - she and Kit, almost always the last people out of the building - so she quickly gathered her bag back into her arms and headed in the direction of the waiting car, totally zoned out, thinking about Jade. She'd never had anybody show any interest in her at all, so she wasn't positive Jade liked her as more than a friend, but she was hopeful. Maybe if she'd been paying attention she would have noticed the man watching her from the parking lot, a man who'd been there many times before, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to grab her. One minute she was blissfully unaware, shuffling towards the car, the next she was being dragged off in the opposite direction, her books left scattered on the ground behind her as she fought as hard as she could, kicking, biting and trying to scream into the hand that covered her mouth. She didn't have a chance, the man was too big, too strong and she only had a limited amount of time before the whole ordeal sent her into a meltdown so strong she wouldn't have known where to run even if he'd let her go. The last thing she remembered was being thrown into the backseat of a vehicle, the door slamming loudly behind her, before the car took off fast enough to throw her onto the floor board, the School, Kit and Jade left behind along with the next fifteen years of her life.
Jade could remember that last moment, the smile, the hope, the excitement in her fast beating heart. The last minute she saw Hazel. Snapping out of her reverie and starting to type, She logged onto her computer and pulled out her phone, using the app Kit and her used when she was out of the country, she called and messaged Kit, on a slim hope she had her phone with her.
Jade: come home. ASAP. mayday.
But no answer came, of course it wouldn’t, Kit had made it clear she never took electronics. Jade had to figure this out on her own. Claymore, breathe! What if this is just an illusion and it really is Kit on your couch? Maybe you never noticed the scar before but it was always there. It is very possible, this is a hunch and an unfounded one. The woman thought carefully as she wiped her tears and opened her computer, pulling the investigation files. You have work to do, after tonight you can review and fact check. For now, just read your damn emails. As she silently told herself to keep her guard up as high as she could.
Chapter 4
Notes:
Thank you so much for reading and for the love you've shown us. We have been working hard to get two updates a week, but life got us this week and frankly so did my (ingy) lack of time management.
We have a few new characters mentioned so we will start updating tags.
Leave your theories in the comments!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
Walking into a club of Jade's choosing, Hazel winced internally at the loud, overbearing music, the disorienting dark illuminated only by equally dizzying colorful flashing/strobing lights, almost pulsating in time with the heavy beats and the nose-burning scent of hundreds of people's different colognes, perfumes, soap and sweat, along with the addition of beer and other alcohols all mixing to form one stomach-turning blanket of stench so powerful it made her eyes burn; she was also pretty sure she could taste it, causing her to wrinkle her nose a bit, the only outward sign of her discomfort; the rest she masked behind a determined gaze she'd fixed on a little corner booth across from the dance floor, focusing all of her attention on making it through the mass of writhing, pressing bodies without punching anybody.
She didn't know how people dealt with it all or how they found it fun; she could barely keep her feet under her, shooting people angry glares as they bumped into her from all directions, several beers threatening to spill on her as people danced carelessly around her, all either too drunk or too stupid to notice she was trying to get through. She was also totally mindless of where Jade was. The need to get through to a quieter spot where she could sit too great to let her stop and think long enough to realize the other girl might be an asset.
As another elbow caught her in the side, and somebody else bumped into her back, she realized that this was by far the worst thing she'd encountered since starting this journey into Kit's world; this was truly sensory Hell; in fact, it might have been the real deal. She was pretty sure she'd possibly died and was about to meet Satan himself if the fog and accompanying scent slowly encompassing the place was anything to go by.
Before heading to the club, they'd stopped by Kit's apartment to grab Hazel a more acceptable evening outfit and let her grab a quick shower, something she greatly resented, not fond of having to use somebody else's products and towels. She was very particular about the scents and textures she could tolerate, keeping things the same to take the load off of her senses, allowing her more energy to put into masking throughout the day; those little things were really important to the bigger picture, and stuff like this really threw a wrench in that carefully planned out routine.
After she'd managed to find a couple of products she deemed acceptable, she finished her shower, dried off as best she could without letting the towel touch her too much, and changed into the outfit Jade had chosen for her. A short-sleeved white button-down under a leather jacket with tight black jeans. “ Classic . Vintage,” were Jade’s words when she gave the clothes. It was easier to let Jade pick than risk choosing something Kit would never choose for a club, knowing she was already walking a fine line when it came to doing very un-Kit-like things. - but now, taking it all in, she had no clue what it was all for; why go through the trouble of finding an outfit when the place was too dark to see it, the people too drunk to notice or care, and the constant threat of some disgusting substance getting on it was ever-present. She shuddered at the stupidity. She would have been way happier in her comfortable sweatpants and an old T-shirt. "God, would you move?" She heard herself growl as she tried to squeeze between a particularly obnoxious group of people all huddled together, some standing still while others bumped into them and each other like one of those little desk toys - a newton's cradle?- in what appeared to be some sort of strange attempt at dancing, or maybe it was jumping? She couldn't tell; all she knew was they were blocking her way and wouldn't move no matter how many attempts she made at getting through, several of them knocking into her a few times in the process.
“Excuse me, did you just push me?” A woman said as she pushed back into Kit.
Flinching at the touch, Hazel frowned deeply, shooting the woman a glare before quickly averting her eyes. "No." she dismissed as she went back to trying to push her way between the group, seriously starting to consider elbowing people.
“Yes, you did! You did push me,” The woman accused, tapping on the brunette’s back. “Oooh I am Kit Tanthalos; I get to push everyone around,” She mocked as she followed Kit through the crowd. “Look at me! I am rich, famous, I get to do what I want, take no prisoners.”
Wincing, Hazel squirmed, immediately slapping a hand to her back, rubbing at the spot the woman had touched, trying to dampen the burning pain the unexpected touch had caused; her back was extra sensitive at times; the pain would start small, blooming slowly, until it was like hot coals under her skin, only soothed when she could press a hand to it enough to calm it down.
Unable to make out anything more than Kit's name over the din of the music, Hazel simply pushed on, trying to ignore that the woman had said anything at all. Of course, somebody knows Kit here; why wouldn't they? She thought in irritation, blinking a little as her agitation grew while more and more people continued to crowd her, making her feel like the walls were closing in. She could feel a scream bubbling up in her throat but managed to tamp it down, the fingers of her left hand opening and closing several times in rapid succession, something that drew focus away from her building panic.
Missing the whole exchange behind her for being twenty steps ahead, Jade looked around after a few minutes and noticed she had lost track of Kit. Not that this was a new thing; in fact, Kit tended to disappear on Jade whenever they went clubbing. Mostly to compliment other women rather than to find old friends. Looking back over the crowd, she spotted Kit and a familiar face. She walked towards them a little faster than she normally would, to make up for leaving the woman behind; once she reached them, she spoke, rather, yelled, trying to compensate for the loud music that thumped out of the speakers as a DJ spun his tunes a Mix of late nineties house music and contemporary singers featured in yet another interpolated remix. “Follow me this time.” not waiting for a response, she moved through the crowd with precision, clearing a path and leading them to the VIP area. “Here, your booth,” she said as she lowered the rope and ushered Kit through.
“You can let me get by you, Claymore.” the woman said as she pushed past Jade and stood in front of Kit. “Are you always this inconsiderate?”
“Good to see you too, Danan!” Jade remarked sarcastically with a small smirk on her lips.
Feeling the panic rising again; Hazel's wide eyes darted between Jade and this strange woman a couple of times as she took a step back, trying to create some distance. The idea of being too close to people - especially when her senses were overwhelmed - disgusting her. " Can you please back up?" She asked, holding her hands out in front of her to help create a bit more space between them. She didn't mean for her tone to sound so clipped, she just couldn't control it well under the circumstances; it was like it took too much brain power to focus on anything other than breathing and just trying to keep her cool.
The woman looked at Kit and immediately recognized the panic. She instantly switched into crisis management mode and looked around for a quieter place where she could assess the situation. “Come here, we gotta get you out of this area,” she urged.
Unable to think straight, Hazel glanced at Jade one more time and then back to the redhead in front of her, about ready to protest, before something in the woman's voice made her think better of it. She did need a quieter space, and this person seemed to recognize that. She didn't have time to thoroughly consider whether or not that was actually a good thing; instead, she just gave a short nod of agreement.
“Claymore, get us to a party room” The other woman urged as she motioned her quickly and told Kit to follow, earning no protest from the seemingly dazed brunette; Hazel simply followed her orders.
Jade immediately flipped from indifferent to concerned and got them upstairs to a private party room with a view of the floor but noise isolation in less than three minutes. The room was decently sized and dimly lit, with a large window overlooking the dance floor, a bench that wrapped around the entire back half, and a low table in front of it.
“Deep slow breaths kit.” The woman said looking at the panicked person in front of her. She observed her intently, making sure she was assessing the situation correctly, and trying to rule out the influence of drugs or alcohol in the process.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Hazel shot Jade a worried glance as she followed the woman's directions. She took slow, deep breaths until her eyes closed and her body visibly relaxed, her left hand finally stilling its repetitive motion.
“What’s happening? Why were you yelling at her, Elora?” Jade asked as she tried to understand the situation, not knowing what had happened between them.
“Jade shhhh… working here.” Elora hushed the woman and spoke to Kit again “That’s good. Do you know where you are?” She used an extra kind tone to address the woman earning a raised eyebrow from Jade.
Registering the question, Hazel nodded slowly, her eyes still closed tight. "Yes, the club." She muttered quietly, embarrassment causing her voice to crack a little, the tips of her ears already burning hot under the unwanted attention. Fuck, just what I need. Kit would never do this, Jade's gonna be suspicious. She thought miserably.
“Great, so why were you an asshole, Kit?” She asked, watching the woman “Jay don’t get all up my ass, she pushed me, and I just want to know why” The woman warned and Jade raised her hands.
Opening her eyes, Hazel gave the woman a very confused look. "I wasn't trying to push you." She answered in a slightly higher tone than usual, a little on edge and uncomfortable. She didn't know this woman, but obviously Kit did, and she had no idea what their relationship was or what was expected of her.
“I’ll go get us a few drinks. What are you having, Elora?” Jade offered, trying to give them a little space. Elora seemed to understand what Kit was going through.
“G&T” The woman answered, looking from Kit to Jade and smiling at her “Thanks.”
Looking at the redhead with a look that could make burly men cry, “Don’t kill her.”Jade warned in a playful tone as she left.
Once they were alone Elora turned her attention back to Kit. “When did they start?” She asked carefully, checking and pointing to the girl’s hand.
"What?" Hazel asked, following Elora's eyes down to where the inside of her wrist bumped against her thigh lightly - She wasn't even aware it had started fidgeting again, too focused on answering the woman's questions to notice.- Swallowing hard, she averted her eyes to the leather bench wrapping around the length of the room; trying to focus on anything other than Elora.
“Panic attacks... When did they start?” the woman clarified, looking at Kit. “Kit I know we’re not friends, and the way the Gray stuff went… I get it, but I’m a specialist, I know what I'm seeing; when did they start?”
Gray stuff? What the hell was this woman talking about? Turning her attention back to Elora, Hazel sighed deeply and shrugged. "A while ago. Nobody knows. Please don't tell. This would worry my mother too much; she doesn't need that and Jade... Just please, this is private; I'd rather keep it that way and deal with it on my own." She implored in her most businesslike tone, adopting Kit's usual deeper timber. She fixed the other woman with the steadiest gaze she could muster, her fingernails sinking into the palm of her left hand to ground herself. Elora was a pretty woman, with long auburn hair, delicate features, and a soft, kind voice - At least once the initial anger had worn off - She seemed to be a genuine person, maybe even trustworthy, but Hazel never trusted her own judgment, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Yes, it's fine. Call It doctor-patient confidentiality. It's kind of my line of work.” Elora revealed, looking at Kit seriously. “I would like to help if you allow me.” She added kindly. Gone was the spirited tone from before.
A little thrown off, Hazel furrowed her brow, eyes settling back on Elora curiously. "Right. Thank you. I appreciate your discretion, but I don't know..." She trailed off, chewing the inside of her cheek as she tried to suss out how she thought Kit might respond. - How well did Kit know this woman? She'd said they weren't friends, but she knew her name, and there seemed to be some history there. She truly wished their research had mentioned this woman.- " How exactly would you help?" She finally asked, massaging her thumb over the palm of her left hand lightly, trying anything to ease her tension.
“I can work with you to let the tension out, make sure you're ok,” Elora smiled. “ways to curb those or to ride them out without letting them sweep you.” She continued, “That was why you elbowed me, right? It was too much, the sounds, smells, the people."
Having dealt with plenty of behavioral therapists over the years, Hazel pressed her lips together tightly at the memory of it all, giving the woman a short nod. " I appreciate the kind offer, but I usually have it under control. I'm truly sorry I elbowed or pushed you. I wasn't aware." She replied in a measured tone, offering a polite smile. While she was grateful for all the training, she couldn't imagine enduring it again and was kind of heartbroken she'd failed so miserably at hiding her struggles; she honestly thought she had a handle on it. Lili would be so disappointed in her, a thought that made her look down, a slightly crestfallen look taking over her features as she clenched her fists again tightly, digging her nails in as a form of self-punishment.
"Hey, it’s ok. I am not hurt. I just thought you were being rude, but then I saw…” Elora trailed off, shaking her head. “Doesn’t matter. Here's my card. I promise I am not like those weird people trying to remove what comforts you. I don’t do cruelty. It’s a more humane approach. But I understand the skepticism. How about we hang out tonight? We don’t talk about work, but you, Jay, and I have a good time.” She asked with a charming smile.
Looking down at the card in her hand, Hazel ran a finger over the embossed letters slowly - Elora Danan, Holistic behaviorist - considering the offer, quietly wondering what the woman's approach would be, but also a little skeptical, having lost her ability to trust people over the years. " Can I ask... " She trailed off, furrowing her brow again, eyes still on the card for a second before glancing up to meet the woman's eyes cautiously. " What exactly do you think is wrong with me?" She had to shift her eyes after a second to feel a little more comfortable.
Elora tilted her head and smiled. Why does she say that? She's feeling cornered, ok Elora, don’t screw it up! “I don’t think there is anything wrong with you, Kit. That’s where you’re wrong. You’re perfect just as you are." She said, noticing the woman was not looking into her eyes but rather was looking above them instead. "You may be suffering from high Anxiety, ADHD, or any number of things,” She listed honestly. “Of course, we could also test for things like Autism, but I can’t just make assumptions; I would like to get to know you better.” the young woman spoke carefully, having observed the way the other woman seemed to stim much like her autistic patients did. She noted the way the woman ran her fingers over and over the embossing on the card, the way she expertly avoided eye contact but gave the illusion of it by looking above her eyes instead. Those, coupled with several other cues she'd observed, were all very consistent with Autism.
At the mention of Autism, Hazel clenched her jaw, tilting her chin up in an almost defiant manner. " My sister was Autistic. I have ADHD." She spoke in a clipped tone, clenching her fists tighter at her sides. "It's kind of you to say nothing's wrong with me, but clearly, that's not true, and I value honesty above all else." She added firmly, venturing to meet the woman's eyes with an almost cold look, her nerves on edge. Where the fuck is Jade? She thought.
“Hazel, right? I am so, so deeply sorry about your sister, and I know that these words may not mean much, but I want you to know that I am." Elora replied and looked at Kit with an encouraging smile.
Feeling the panic start to rise in her chest at what she perceived to be an accusation - having misunderstood the woman's wording.- Hazel glared at the woman. " I'm Kit, Hazel was my sister." She spoke through nearly clenched teeth, the panic turning to anger as the walls started to feel like they were closing in again, leaving the once decent-sized room feeling more and more claustrophobic while the strobing lights filtering through the glass in reds and blues started to distort until she could practically hear the police sirens.
Finding it strange that the woman had to confirm her identity, Elora watched the way the girl seemed to tense up with anger and found herself reaching to hold the girl’s hand and nodded, squeezing it. “Breathe, hold, and exhale.”
Too wound up, Hazel jerked her hand away and took several steps back. "Look, I don't know what the fuck you think... but I'm not Hazel, you should go." She spoke sharply, feeling threatened, taking Elora's nod as disbelieving or patronizing, which gave her the very irrational desire to get rid of the woman in any way necessary.
Elora looked confused for a second and then saw there was a misunderstanding. “I didn’t say you were Kit.”
" I know, you said I was Hazel." Hazel shot back quickly, voice raising a little as her breathing increased with her rising panic, again misunderstanding the woman's wording, her guilt eating away at her, continuing to distort how she perceived things.
“Hey, Kit, Focus on my voice. I just meant to ask if that was her name; I didn’t mean to call you by her name,” the woman explained carefully before moving a bit closer, noticing that the woman in front of her looked like a caged animal, confused, angry and frightened in a way that could be potentially dangerous to herself and others. “I’m sorry”
Working her jaw tensely; Hazel's eyes darted towards the door, then back to Elora a couple of times, watching for Jade as she tried to work out how to escape this uncomfortable situation, afraid she might do something bad if she couldn't get distance from the woman. She could barely even register what was being said, only catching bits and pieces. " I didn't hear you. Can you repeat it?" She asked after a moment, doing her best to try and calm her breathing, remembering what she'd been taught and taking a few deep breaths as she pressed the sharp part of her ring into her finger as she often did, managing to ground herself for a moment, the walls receding slightly and the sounds of sirens fading until the lights flashed along to the rhythm of the music again.
“I said I am sorry, I gave you the wrong impression. I was just trying to guess your sister’s name” Elora spoke quietly, taking one step closer to the girl.
Giving Elora a cautious look, Hazel thought back to the woman's words, realizing she had maybe misunderstood - maybe her fear of being caught was starting to make her paranoid - " Oh... I'm sorry, I guess she's just a sore subject. This year, it's been fifteen since... " She trailed off, looking down to convey sadness. "I'm sorry, I'm just on edge. Tonight was supposed to help me unwind, and clearly, that's failing." She scoffed, glancing back up with what she knew was an apologetic look. " Buy you a drink?" She offered with a hopeful and sheepish smile.
Smirking at the idea, Elora spoke softly “I think it is only appropriate since you elbowed me. “ she joked. Feeling her cheeks flush.
Crisis averted, Hazel relaxed and gave the woman a winning smile. " Cool. Later, after you finish the one, Jade's grabbing you." She suggested, tilting her head curiously as she noticed the way Elora appeared to be blushing, realizing with a mild amount of alarm that her offer might have been construed as flirting. Shit! She had positively no idea how to flirt or deal with the consequences of it. She knew how to mimic what she saw and was often told she came across as flirtatious, but it was never her intent.
Kit had this smile and look that was charming, captivating, and thoroughly enticing. Elora nodded and spoke, “Clubs aren't really your scene, huh? Same here.”
Knowing they were Kit's thing, Hazel bit her lip in thought, trying to juggle her suddenly overwhelming desire to answer for herself and the necessity of answering as Kit. She couldn't be herself; that wasn't the plan, and neither was submerging herself this much into her sister's life. She never wanted to run into Jade or go to clubs and run into people who knew her sister; none of this was expected, and it was all getting to be a little too much. " I guess they can be overwhelming at times." She spoke with a small shrug, trying to keep her answer neutral, looking towards the door again for good measure before walking over to the bright red bench and taking a seat, pulling her jacket off in the process and laying it on the table beside her - The place was already hot, and her anxiety made matters worse- "If they aren't your thing, why are you here?" She asked rather bluntly, watching the woman with curious eyes.
“My friends wanted to come; I couldn't say no,” Elora said, looking down to where she'd left her friends.
"Mmm, Jade brought me." Hazel sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes, focusing on the still audible thump of the bass filtering up the stairs and under the door while running the fingers of both hands over the seams of the leather bench, feeling the buttery soft texture, the repetitive action relaxing her.
“I mean, sure, dancing is fun, but why do they fill the place up until you can't move? Am I right?” Elora asked, smiling, her playful tone showing a bit more of her personality.
Feeling like almost any question out of this woman could end up being a trap, perhaps an unintentional one, but still a trap all the same, Hazel lifted her head and regarded the woman carefully for a moment before glancing up to the window that provided a view of the dancefloor below " I suppose that's the point of these places, and it's usually fine when I'm not overwhelmed already." She answered in a measured tone, allowing her eyes to move back to Elora to see if she had bought it.
“Oh, I'm sorry you’ve been overwhelmed”. Elora said genuinely, looking down. “I suppose people don’t often check in to see if your senses are overloaded, it must be hard doing your job”. she said looking back at Kit, her eyes filled with compassion. “I bake.” she blurted, not sure why.
Raising her eyebrows at the whiplash she got from Elora's subject change, Hazel chuckled ruefully, scooting forward on the bench and leaning forward til her elbows rested on her open knees, hands hanging loosely between them as she watched the woman. " No, people don't check in a whole lot, and the job can be stressful, but it's mostly this time of year. I get a bit melancholic, I suppose." She answered, careful eyes studying the other woman, finding herself believing the woman truly cared. "What do you bake? I mean, what's your favorite thing to bake?" She asked curiously, figuring it was safer to take the out provided and shift the subject off of her.
“I didn’t mean to take the focus away from you. I just… well, I meant to say that what I do to help me with being overwhelmed is baking. I bake bread mostly, muffins.” she said. “What do you do to take the pressure off?” Elora noticed that the hands that seemed to move constantly, closing, gripping, and squeezing, now hung loose. She looked at the girl's arms and noticed strong forearms, no doubt from exercise, but now she wondered if the way she flexed her wrist and fingers had anything to do with her form.
Suddenly wondering if she'd done something to make the woman think she was upset with the subject change, Hazel frowned a bit. " No, I... Honestly, I don't like talking about myself much. I think food is a far more interesting subject, but if you really want to know, I paint." She replied easily, offering the woman an affable smile, though a part of her desperately wanted to tell the woman she enjoyed playing her guitar, working out, and doing martial arts, the things she herself would do to unwind, feeling like Elora was actually seeing her and she wasn't used to that. - She kind of liked it - Friends weren't a thing she had, and while Lili seemed to care, it felt like her whole life had been wrapped around getting ready for this mission; like all that mattered was her ability to pull off being Kit, it was exhausting at times, and it felt like nobody truly cared about who she was, even she didn't care most of the time.
“Painting, like baking, is delicate work, I honestly thought you’d say you play an instrument”. Elora said smiling, “I’d love to see your work, and of course, let you taste mine one day if you’d like” She wasn't sure why she felt compelled to share herself with Kit Tanthalos, she’d seen how harsh and flippant the girl could be but this was nice, soft, like a completely different person.
Raising her eyebrows at the woman's observation, Hazel couldn't help the genuine smile that took over her lips, eyes lighting up in an almost excitable way at the desire to share all about one of her special interests; she could go on and on about guitars and how much she loved playing. She had to press her hands together, lacing her fingers tightly to fight the childish urge to clap, frankly infantile, according to Lili . At that thought, a sad look took over her features, eyes downcast quickly. "An instrument would take too much time. Painting can be mindless, soothing." She spoke quietly, trying to remember what she'd learned in her research on the subject, knowing her sister was into art. "I'd be happy to show you some of it sometime." She found herself saying as she glanced up to meet the woman's eyes almost shyly. " And I'd love to taste your muffins." She added in an amused tone, eyebrows going up as a playful smile graced her lips, just trying to look friendly to cover her momentary sadness.
Having noticed the rapid change from almost perking up, seemingly excited as though casual free-flowing, trivial conversation about hobbies wasn't something she regularly indulged in in her day-to-day and perhaps craved - to looking down with a sad expression that quickly turned shy and then playfully flirtatious. Elora frowned and blushed, flattered at Kit's blatant flirtation, but also feeling like the woman was leaving something out. Deciding to indulge the businesswoman, she smiled. “Ah, a fan of muffins! I am sure we can arrange that, now that you have my card” She smiled. “If I may so myself they are delicious, known to be appreciated in small delectable bites” She added softly and continued. “Certain to leave a buttery taste and a need for more on your palate.”
Totally oblivious and suddenly hungry, Hazel licked her lips lightly as she bobbed her head at the description, her bottom lip going out slightly as she raised her eyebrows thinking about the food. "I have no doubt they're amazing." She agreed with a big smile. " Now I'm hungry." She added in an amused tone, sitting up straighter and touching her stomach a bit.
Elora gave the girl a look, surprised that she hadn't caught the innuendo of the situation. “Sorry, I don’t carry samples.” She smiled as Jade came back with their drinks and looked at them with a questioning look
“Everything alright here?” Jade asked, looking at Kit and seeing her hand on her stomach as she handed Elora her drink.
"Yeah, everything's great. Elora here was just telling me about her muffins, and they sound delicious." Hazel replied enthusiastically, eyes falling on the drinks in Jade's hands. God, I hope one of those isn't for me . She thought abysmally, still vividly remembering the way the alcohol burned her throat the last time. " One of those for me?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, jerking her chin towards the drinks with a questioning look.
“Yeah, got a whiskey sour,” Jade answered, handing the girl the cup, “and her muffin sounds delicious?” She looked at them suspiciously. “Looks like you two need a room,” She quipped taking a sip of her drink.
Looking into her cup, Hazel scrunched her nose at the substance. " Muffins." She corrected absently, not getting the reference as she glanced back up at Jade. " Thanks." She lifted her cup with a small smile before glancing around at the space they were in, confirming She would certainly categorize it as a "room" and realizing she had to be missing something, but she couldn't quite figure out what, so she decided not to comment and took a drink instead, clenching her fist to keep from reacting to the horrible burn as it traveled down her throat. She honestly had no idea how people could enjoy this stuff.
“Mhm”. Jade said, looking at the girl and shaking her head.
“Jay, come on…” Elora warned looking at the girl, nodding her appreciation for the drink “Thanks for this. I gotta tell Gray I am still here, he was my ride. I don't want him to think I left.”
So Gray's a person Hazel noted to herself, glancing at Elora over the rim of her cup before taking another drink. - She remembered to take it slower this time. - as she wracked her brain for who it could be, Elora had seemed to indicate Kit would know him. Gray... Who? Oh, Graydon? Was she referring to Graydon? The man Kit had been pushed to date. Elora was friends with him? Yuck. She thought as she idly squeezed the solo cup in her hands, gaze far off, too lost in thought to school her expression.
“I still cannot believe you are friends with him ‘Lor” Jade said, sipping again, a bit more relaxed, more carefree around Elora.
“Jay… he’s nice. Graydon is many things, but Mean is not one, he’s just a pawn in his dad’s game and it sucks that people shut him down like that, you should really get to know him.” Elora defended her friend, one of her best friends.
Listening to the conversation, Hazel silently observed as she continued to sip her drink, starting to find the acid-like burn dulling a bit until she noticed the drink surprisingly tasted pretty good, which only encouraged her to take slightly bigger swallows as her eyes ping-ponged between the two women inquisitively.
“Lor, when we met years ago, you were all about ending conglomerated companies and stopping global warming. Please don’t tell me you sold out.” Jade said, sitting down next to Kit and spreading her legs as she leaned her back and arms over the back of the couch.
Noticing how close Jade was to her, Hazel bit her lip hard to keep from flinching, eyes darting down to the leg that was nearly brushing against hers, and slowly traveling up, taking in the woman's posture, her ears suddenly going hot. Clearing her throat she tore her eyes away from Jade and downed the rest of her drink alarmingly fast, managing only to cough a little. " Swallowed wrong, sorry." She laughed as she continued to cough a couple more times, face hot with embarrassment. So Elora was some sort of environmentalist and so was Jade? She thought after she was able to get her breathing under control again. - This was new information to her, why the hell would Jade work for a company she didn't believe in? - She let her eyes wander back to the stately woman sitting next to her, considering her for a moment. Kit. She realized, of course, Jade worked there only for Kit, but was it because she felt she needed to protect her friend, or was it something deeper?
“We all have our reasons Jay” Elora replied, eyeing Kit. “I didn’t really sell out, you don’t know Graydon well, all you know is his reputation for being a Hastur and that’s unfair, I didn’t give up my beliefs, I protest. I have an NGO, but my daily job keeps me busy more than my other passions. Tonight, I am out here because Hastur… Graydon needed me, things haven't been good with his dad since the efforts for a merger failed. So he asked me to come out and dance, but he found some other friends and Kit here, elbowed me which leads me to this moment. But it’s nice catching up with you. Are you seeing anyone?”
Hearing Elora, Jade took a huge sip, finished her drink, and looked at Kit, would she even care? If I was seeing someone? She coughed lightly, in jest. “No. my job doesn’t allow time for it.”
"Yes, apparently I'm ruining her social life." Hazel joked, lifting her glass towards Elora in a mock toast, a somewhat playful smile on her face as she glanced at Jade. "I guess we're supposed to fix that tonight though right?" She teased, wiggling her eyebrows at the woman.
“Kit!” Jade said looking at Elora and shaking her head “It’s not entirely the whole reason why we’re here, nor do I have a goal to leave with a one-night stand, but been a while since I’ve been out.” She added looking at Kit with much disdain “And yes, we were supposed to try to solve it, as in having fun, not finding me a new girlfriend.” she grumbled.
Elora looked between the girls and smirked “Oh don’t let me stop you… we should go dance; check out some prospects. Kit, what do you say?” she said, extending her hand for Kit to grab.
Remembering a time when she'd need to put her shirt sleeve between her hand and somebody else's, Hazel smiled softly and nodded as she took the woman's hand and stood up, thankful she got to choose instead of the woman just grabbing it for her. " Sure, that sounds fun." She lied, nothing about dancing sounded fun to her, but spending more time with Elora kind of did, so she was willing to try and just hope the amount of people all squished together would be enough to hide the fact she had no idea how to dance; while her sister probably did. Kit was known for going out and partying for several years, so she had no doubt the woman knew how to dance. " Don't act so scandalized Jade, you should have fun too." She encouraged, turning her attention back to her friend, letting her eyes roam over the woman's form for a moment, really taking in the way the woman was sitting, spread out much like she had been, only more so, she found it interesting for reasons she didn't fully understand, found herself wanting to get closer to her, but didn't move, choosing to stay with Elora.
Jade smirked and shook her head. She needs to stop checking me out it’s… a lot “I’m not scandalized Tanthalos… I am about to have a blast… and dance circles around you” she said giving Kit a full check out with her eyes and standing up, being much closer to Kit than she expected. If this was Hazel, she certainly didn’t have all the awkwardness she had as a teen and it was mostly fascinating.
Drawing in a sharp breath at the sudden proximity, Hazel took a quick step backward, bumping into Elora. "Shit sorry." She exclaimed, tugging the woman's hand to help right her a bit with an apologetic look. "Good, I expect nothing less." She managed to get out with a nervous smile at Jade. She blamed the alcohol, it was doing something to her, throwing her off, making things feel fuzzy and a little warm, she didn't like it, and couldn't stand the lack of control it brought.
Trying to keep them moving to avoid what she could sense in Kit, - an impending panic attack- Elora pulled the girl towards the door. “Come on you two let’s go dancing”
Dancing at this point sounded like a welcome distraction. "Yes." Hazel agreed, laughing as she stumbled slightly after the other woman, starting to enjoy herself just enough to think past the overly loud music, remembering how to ground herself by focusing on the lyrics and beats, letting herself get absorbed in the music so it didn't feel like an outside force beating against her skull, but rather something she welcomed in. The music was easy enough to get past, but looking out at all the people squeezed together, she seriously struggled to think of a way to reframe it in a manner that didn't make her skin crawl, unconsciously squeezing Elora's hand in the process. Hugs, tight hugs had always calmed her down as a child, that's what this was gonna be, just a really tight hug. She could do this, it was gonna be ok.
As they moved to the dance floor, Elora walked behind Kit, one of her hands finding the girl’s waist and moving closer to her in the push-and-shove of the crowd, causing her to cave in and start moving to the rhythm knowing the best way to move through a dancing crowd was to dance-wiggle your way.
Startled by the unexpected touch, Hazel jumped a little, flinching and squirming to try and get away from it, finally twisting away and coming face-to-face with Elora. " Oh... it's you." She spoke, wide-eyed and a little apologetic, wishing she could just tell the woman to warn her before touching her, but she knew that was out of the question, Kit wouldn't need that and besides she was being bumped into from all directions, there was no way to explain why a simple touch of a hand would set her nerves on fire.
Elora nodded and smiled. “Yes, you can relax, move with me”. she said in the woman’s ear and smirked “Gonna touch you again ok?”
Taken off guard by the woman's warning, Hazel stilled for a moment eyes wide and almost tearful for a second before she caught herself, blinking to regain some control. What the fuck was that? She thought in disgust, repulsed by the sudden wave of emotion that had washed over her at something so simple as having somebody actually ask her for consent and give her a warning, people didn't do that for her anymore, where it had once been a constant in her life, lately, it was nothing but a weakness to be broken out of her. " Ok." She finally nodded her consent, worrying at her bottom lip lightly as she looked down at her feet and Elora's trying to get a sense of how to move. She liked music and knew rhythm, she could do this as long as she didn't have to take too many steps.
“Good, now so you don’t lose Jade, Hold her too” Elora instructed as she turned the girl around and moved closer in the push-and-pull of rhythmic moving on the dance floor, let me know if it’s too much and we’re out, ok?” the woman said carefully, as she hummed the lyrics and moved her head.
Feeling the woman pressed up against her back, Hazel took a deep breath. A tight hug, that's all. She reminded herself, still chewing her bottom lip as her eyes fell on Jade's back, she knew she'd been told to hold onto the woman, but she couldn't bring herself too, for one she didn't know if the woman would welcome that and for another, she could never manage to touch others, something about it made her feel strange, she'd never been able to without a lot of effort or guidance. " Okay, I'm good though." She called back over her shoulder as she tried her best to move to the music, swaying her hips a bit and drumming her fingers against them unconsciously, a way to stay grounded.
Jade moved back into Kit as the group in front of her blocked her, she swayed her hips as the music picked up speed, enjoying the movement of Kit's hips against hers. dancing and taking advantage of every moment as she moved a bit to the side to find a clearing for them.
Suddenly extra warm, Hazel pressed herself back against Elora in her effort to create distance from Jade, not a fan of the strange way it made her feel to have the woman's body moving against hers, it was foreign to her and she didn't like new things very much until she had the chance to dive deep and get to understand it better. She was very thorough with her research of anything that caught her attention, needing to know everything about it before deciding how she felt about it, but this was not the time or place to figure out exactly how Jade was making her feel, she was however pretty sure she'd felt it before to some lesser extent when they'd kissed as teenagers, but she couldn't be sure, the alcohol was clouding her mind and it was difficult to think or process anything with everything happening around them.
Finally able to find a place with a bit of room for them, Jade moved and turned around still dancing, moving her arms and head to the beat as she leaned forward and pulled Elora and Kit into a circle so they could dance with a bit more space. She twirled in the middle and used her fingers to invite Elora who pirouetted and used her hands to let the feeling of music navigate through her.
Thankful for a bit more room, Hazel watched the two women carefully, bobbing her head to the music and shifting side to side to the rhythm, hands finding a home in her pockets awkwardly, absolutely at a loss for what to do with them, as she watched Elora pull Jade into her space and run her hands over the girl’s arms before moving to her hips and then both broke away laughing, causing Hazel to frown in confusion, she wasn't sure why they were laughing, maybe they'd messed up the dance? She had no idea and it frustrated her. She really should have thought to study what people were expected to do on a dance floor. Sure she'd seen movies and TV shows depicting it, but it didn't help her to know how people were supposed to act with each other. TV and Movies were more understandable since the relationships between people were clearly defined, this wasn't! She didn't know how well Elora and Jade knew each other, didn't know if there was a history there, and had no idea if Kit was more than friends with either woman, there were too many variables to consider.
Elora came closer to Kit and smiled “I wanna pull you in, can I?” she asked without sudden movements, noticing that the girl was curious, and almost micro-analyzing every movement.
Pulled from her thoughts, Hazel blinked and stilled her movements. " Yeah, sure." She agreed with a small smile - still struck by how considerate the woman was - and took her hands out of her pockets holding them out to Elora.
Taking Kit’s hands, Elora pulled her into the middle of their circle and raised them in the air before sliding her hands down the girl’s arms, - watching as she shivered under the touch, her eyes following Elora's hands- continuing down her sides and coming to rest holding the girl’s waist moving them both side to side before searching out the girl’s hands and bringing them to hold her waist as she put her hands back up, moving her hips into the beat, smiling at the girl, seeing her tentative smile.
Hazel felt like a live wire had been drug over every inch of skin the woman's fingers had brushed against, and inexplicably further south, settling in a place she refused to acknowledge. She gulped, tightening her hold on Elora's waist, suddenly very thankful for the loud music, as she was pretty sure she'd made some sort of whining sound at the strange semi-new sensation, her cheeks burning up at the realization. After a moment, she finally got her bearings again and started to move with the other girl, taking advantage of the proximity to follow Elora's lead, so focused on getting it right, that she wasn't paying attention to how she was moving or the way her eyes followed the line of Elora's arms, tracing the length of them up and back down slowly before finding the woman's face again, fascinated by the girl.
Elora smiled and hoped Kit could read lips because the music made it hard to be heard and she was tired of yelling, so she tried to communicate by mouthing “You’re doing great” and kept dancing, completely enraptured by Kit Tanthalos's energy. She expected the flirty side but the awkwardness made her much cuter in Elora’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Jade danced and observed the girls. Kit has a good sense of rhythm. If this is Hazel… she will slip, she will do something, give some sign. That panic attack earlier could’ve been one. Not recognizing Elora… and now these awkward moves… or it could be that Kit was just feeling bad for being here when she's supposed to be grieving… What did I do? I convinced her to come here, you’re an idiot Claymore! The girl’s thoughts were going at the speed of her moves as she spun around to keep an eye on the girls.
Preening at the compliment, Hazel stood up a bit straighter, pulling the woman closer and smiling big, starting to genuinely enjoy herself, the alcohol serving to lower her inhibitions just enough to relax some, as she started letting the lyrics of the song guide her movements until she was dancing in sync with Elora, singing along to the songs she knew, shooting the woman playful looks the whole time, momentarily forgetting Jade was still there.
Jade watched and noticed some of the looks Kit used to give her, and decided to get closer, dancing with them, smirking, and biting her lower lip she pulled Elora closer back into her as she watched Kit let herself loose. Yup, same Kit. she thought, recognizing the girl’s flirty looks and smile.
Noticing Jade, Hazel smiled up at the woman and raised a playful eyebrow. So this was what it felt like to be Kit. She was starting to see the appeal, she'd never let herself want anything like this before, but she'd also never experienced it hitherto and she found it almost intoxicating once she got past the sensory overload of it.
Smirking at the woman, Elora moved to stand behind Kit as Jade moved up and leaned into her best friend dancing, moving suggestively, while checking Kit out one more time, letting her hands explore the girl’s sides.
Feeling her heart rate speed up at the way Jade was touching and looking at her, Hazel licked her suddenly dry lips and pushed back into Elora a bit, looking for a way to ground herself as she gave Jade an amused look, deliberately copying the way the woman had checked her out, trying her best to play off of the woman's energy, but the lack of knowing where Kit stood with her made it difficult for her to navigate the situation.
Moving closer, Jade kissed her cheek lightly, smiling proudly, as she pulled away, and Elora maneuvered, making her way from behind to face Kit again, pushing Jade away as she danced with the girl, turning around and guiding Kit’s hands to run all over her body. Enjoying the feeling of tentative fingers brushing against her body; goosebumps rising in their wake.
Widening her eyes a little in response to the combination of being passed between the two women and the places Elora was guiding her hands, Hazel blushed and bit her lip before pulling her hands back and pumping her fists in the air as she jumped up and down with the next song, letting the excuse of dancing cover her natural inclination towards bouncing and moving when overwhelmed, and the way her body was buzzing with new and vaguely familiar sensations was a bit too much, she had to figure out some way to get the extra energy out, running was not an option.
Elora followed the girl’s directive and started to pump her fist up in the air while swaying her hips to the rhythm as Jade did a hand-cross-pump-swing motion with her arms as she danced with abandon, making mental notes on Kit’s every move, noticing that the girl had quickly changed from dancing in a sexy way into being super pumped, something she had witnessed in her early teens, with Hazel. One minute they would be kissing just a bit more intensely, the next they were running down a field ending up lying next to each other exhausted after this sudden push of energy hit Hazel. Wonder if she wants to run now? Stop, that’s Kit. Right? Gotta be. Jade thought Hazey would get this glow and look of wonder about her whenever she got a kiss from Jade, she’d never seen in anyone before.
~
“Come on… let’s go. I found a quiet place,” Jade said to thirteen-year-old Hazel as she guided her to the back of the school building.
" Are you sure we're not going to get in trouble?" Hazel asked in a worried tone. She held her backpack straps a little tighter as her eyes darted to and fro, checking for any adults who might get angry at them for sneaking around.
“No one comes here, and it’s the end of the school day. Just hurry before we have to get Kit and go home,” Jade replied as she leaned against the wall. She smiled big at the girl, motioning for her to move closer.
"Right." Hazel nodded before awkwardly skip-jogging the rest of the way to the girl and stopping. She rocked back on her heels anxiously as she bit her lip, smiling a little, despite the teeth she still had sunk into her bottom lip, clearly feeling uneasy. " Is this about... The dare?" she asked shyly after a moment, watching her friend with innocent eyes.
Observing the way Hazel was nervously rocking, Jade reached out and held out her hand for the girl to grab. “Yes, it is. But it also isn’t.” She spoke calmly, trying to show the girl there was nothing to worry about.
Looking at the hand offered, Hazel considered it for a moment before pulling her sleeve down and taking the offer. " Oh! How can it be both?" she questioned, clearly confused as she watched the older girl.
Smiling at their joined hands, Jade took a deep breath. “Well, it is related to the dare,” the girl started, “but not because of it. Does that make sense?” she asked as she reached and then moved her hand back, knowing she shouldn’t touch Hazel without warning. “Can I?” she asked as she tried again, needing to brush the hair out of the girl’s eyes.
Furrowing her brow, Hazel tilted her head to the side curiously, trying to process the woman's words, really wanting to understand without needing a further explanation. " I don't think it makes sense to me; I'm sorry." She answered with a deeply apologetic look before realizing she hadn't answered the other question yet, causing her to look down shyly. " Sorry, yeah." She finally replied with a sheepish smile.
Jade gave the girl a soft smile and slowly moved her hand to pin the strand of hair behind Hazel’s ear. “I was curious… Did you want to kiss again?” she asked, being more direct with the girl. “It’s ok if you don’t want to. I just wanted to ask”
Blinking, Hazel looked away as she tried to remember what she'd said to the girl before. She was pretty sure she'd told her she did want to try again, but maybe she hadn't been clear enough. She hated how sometimes she thought she was being clear but people seemed to always struggle to understand her. " I... I think so, yes. Is that a bad thing?" She asked self-consciously, managing to just glance at the older girl, unsure of herself.
Jade watched the girl and caressed her cheek. “No, it’s not a bad thing. We said that when we feel ready, we could tell each other, so… I guess I'm saying I'm ready,” she said with a shy, tentative smile.
Giggling uncomfortably at the touch, Hazel brought a hand up to rub at her face, every small touch leaving a lingering feeling on her skin until she was able to soothe it away with her hand. "Oh, you should have just said that. I'm ready too." She replied with a big smile, eager to try again, momentary discomfort forgotten.
“Good,” Jade said as she licked her lips and slowly took Hazel’s lips on her own, leisurely, feeling the soft lips against her own and giggling into the kiss, causing the younger girl to smile against her lips and pull away.
" That feels funny". Hazel observed with a giddy smile, touching her lips lightly as she tried to process the feeling, this time knowing enough to understand it wasn't necessarily bad, just new.
Giggling at the way the girl smiled at her, Jade asked “Again?” and waited for the girl’s answer.
Dropping her hand back down, Hazel bit her lip in consideration before giving a decisive nod. " Yes, please." She answered, remembering to use her manners, knowing she tended to forget when she got excited about new things.
“I’m gonna get closer now” Jade warned and moved closer and gave her a bit of an open-mouth kiss, raking her teeth on the girl’s lip slowly, testing something she read in a book.
Surprised, Hazel pulled back quickly, looking up at the girl with wide curious eyes. " What was that?" She asked quickly, clapping her hands in an almost eager manner, needing to understand in detail what was happening before moving forward since she'd liked it.
Jade looked at the girl worried and tried to see if she had done something to push her too far, knowing the clapping was usually happy but afraid of overwhelming the girl’s senses.“I am just trying something I saw on TV” she said “Was it bad? Did I hurt you?”
Chewing on her bottom lip in thought, Hazel blushed a bit when she realized it was similar to what Jade had just done. " You didn't hurt me, and I don't think it was bad because I want you to do it again, but can you please tell me what I'm supposed to do back?" She spoke in her most diplomatic tone, her fingers flexing a little, itching for her notepad, really wanting to write down any new information so she could study up on this new subject and get better at it. If there was one thing she hated, it was being bad at something.
“You can move your lips and open your mouth a little; you can try to capture my lips too, like a game,” Jade answered, blushing when describing the things she had read about in a magazine.
A game, that was something Hazel understood. Smiling, she nodded enthusiastically. " Ok, I can do that, but I'm not very sure about opening my mouth. That sounds kind of... " She trailed off, scrunching her nose a little " Gross." She finished, cringing a little as she looked up at the girl to see her reaction, trying to understand why people would do that and if it was something Jade truly thought sounded fun or just something she'd seen others do.
“That’s fair. Do what’s comfortable,” Jade replied, smiling and kissing the girl’s cheek. “I also wanted to ask… can I walk you to class in the morning?” she asked, looking at her feet.
Raising her eyebrows perplexedly, Hazel nodded. Of course, you can; you always could." She answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, not seeing the significance of it. Now, can we try again? I think I'm ready this time." She added quickly, having a single focus. "Oh wait, what do I do with my hands?" she asked curiously, bringing them up to show Jade.
“You can hold my hips or put them around my neck, up to you” Jade answered with a small smile.
" Hips then," Hazel muttered as she carefully placed her hands on the taller girl's hips, inspecting that she had the placement right, before looking up at the girl again. " Ok, now I'm ready," she announced, flashing the girl a big smile.
“Perfect, thank you handsome”. Jade said as she leaned in and kissed her slowly, testing, playfully and then raking her teeth over the girl's bottom lip again, moving closer to her.
Giggling at the compliment, Hazel squeezed the girl's hips reflexively as she returned the kiss this time, following the older girl's lead and repeating the actions, raking her teeth over Jade's bottom lip before instinctually running her tongue over the spot to soothe it like she'd do to her own lips at times.
Realizing what she'd done, she pulled back quickly, wide-eyed and horrified. " Fuck, I'm so sorry... I... ugh." She stammered, bringing her hands up to her face and scrubbing at it angrily, upset with herself for doing something so weird and gross, in her opinion.
Jade looked at the girl and felt her chance slip as Hazel started to spiral; she quickly tried to rectify the situation. “No, no no… it’s not bad please do that again” She said holding the girl closer. Come on Hazey stay with me, stay. Please. She thought hard.
Too upset to hear the girl, Hazel whined and scratched at her face harder, trying to physically remove the embarrassment and other unidentifiable feelings." So so stupid." she repeated over and over again, walking in circles.
“Hey, Hazel… Hazey… please, can you please listen to my voice?” Jade asked carefully, making sure she approached the girl and got ready for the next step.
Finally hearing Jade, Hazel stopped walking in circles but continued to scratch and rub at her face, hyperventilating, unable to relax no matter how badly she wanted to.
Jade then took a step further and hugged the girl tightly from behind, like she’d seen Sorsha and Madmartigan do, like Kit had done like she'd started to do every time she saw the girl overwhelmed. “Hazey, hon… please. Deep breaths, think of three things you can hear.”
Taking some comfort in the tight embrace, Hazel calmed down enough to nod and take a deep breath as she tried to focus on the sounds around her. "Cars." She spoke in a choked tone, finding it difficult to get her words out but doing her best. " Birds..." she paused, squeezing her eyes shut tight as she concentrated harder. " My breathing." She finished with a deep sigh, a little annoyed with herself.
“Open your eyes and tell me three things you can see”. Jade said as she kept her tight hold on the girl. -Come on, haze just come back to me.- “Please, handsome”
Finding the older girl's voice soothing and enjoying the compliment, Hazel leaned back against her more and opened her eyes slowly, blinking to get them to focus. " A fence." She started, shifting her eyes around to try and find something else. " A tree... and the school." She spoke softly, calming down a little more, starting to feel a little embarrassed about her reaction. She hated having meltdowns in front of people.
“Perfect. I don’t want to let go until you really listen to me, think you can listen to me?” Jade asked as she tried to get the girl to respond, her heart pounding knowing that Hazel could match her in strength, but at this time, preferring to think she was stronger.
Trusting the older girl, Hazel slumped a little in her arms and nodded dejectedly, thankful Jade couldn't see her face, as she knew it was bright red with the embarrassment she felt. " Yeah." She grumbled softly, sounding a little bit pouty.
Jade bit back her smile, always loving how the girl sounded when she pouted. “I really liked what you did. Can you do that again, please? If you’d like, of course.”
Tilting her head back to try and see Jade, Hazel narrowed her eyes at the girl suspiciously. " You liked it? You want me to lick you again?" She asked in a tone that clearly showed she didn't believe the older girl and maybe found it a little strange.
“Yes, I did like it, will you please? It felt good.”Jade said as she kissed the girl’s cheek. Soothing, tentatively showing how she felt about it all, intrigued, excited, ready.
Thinking about it, Hazel bit her bottom lip, head still tilted back to try and observe the older girl. " It felt good?" She asked curiously, letting a slow smile take over her features, finally forgetting about her embarrassment as the girl's words piqued her interest. " I guess I can do it again, but you have to let me go first." She added in a playful tone, wiggling around in the older girl's arms to prove her point.
Jade looked at Hazel and leaned until her head was on the girl’s neck. “Mhm. It really, really did,” she said, taking a deep breath; comforted to hold Hazel in her embrace.
Drawing in a sharp breath, Hazel whined softly and squirmed harder in the girl's arms, finding Jade's proximity different in a way she couldn't quite identify. She didn't hate it like she hated some touch, but she couldn't be sure she liked it either, it was too new and kind of made her feel like running laps.
“Oops, sorry, I just really like you close,” Jade apologized with a smirk before letting Hazel go and licking her lips in anticipation.
Swallowing hard, Hazel nodded. "It's ok... It wasn't bad, I don't think." She spoke softly, as she turned around to face the older girl, hands fidgeting as she rocked back and forth on her heels. " I kinda just really want to run around now." She admitted with a laugh, bringing a hand up to rub at the back of her neck awkwardly. " Do you want to run too?" She inquired curiously, biting her bottom lip and watching Jade to see if maybe the older girl was feeling similar.
Feeling every muscle in her body heat up, Jade was so entranced that she forgot to answer the question. Instead, she gave Hazel a gentle smile before she kissed the girl and deepened it by letting her lips dance on Hazel's, tasting and feeling each moment a memory she vowed to keep.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed softly in surprise but didn't pull away, finding herself pushing closer to Jade instead, hands going to rest on the older girl's hips as she returned the kiss with the same eagerness she'd had to run. After a moment, she nipped at the other girl's bottom lip lightly before repeating the same action she'd done before, running her tongue over it in a soothing motion and giggling against the girl's mouth, starting to bounce on her toes a little with how it made her feel.
“Haze…” Jade said, her voice just above a whisper, waiting for her body to stop tingling,
Freezing at the tone of Jade's voice, Hazel pulled back, the giggle dying on her lips. " Hmm?" She asked shyly, letting go of the older girl, taking a step back, and looking down at her fidgeting hands as she chewed her bottom lip hard, not sure what exactly was happening to her.
“You…your kiss is...addicting, intoxicating”. Jade said carefully, gasping at every word as if it were her most well-kept secret.
Looking up, Hazel gave Jade a questioning look. " Is that good or bad?" She asked in a genuinely curious tone.
Jade smiled nervously at the girl. If she confessed now, Hazel may mock her, so she didn’t. She nodded instead because she didn’t trust her words to be measured, and she felt a lot. Looking down, Jade knows Hazel needs words, she needs a full picture, she can’t have halves, can’t wait for her to gather the proper words, she needs to know however it will come out in the moment, so she delivers “It’s… it’s good, very good. Makes me want to run.”
Still watching Jade with curious eyes, Hazel nodded. " Okay, then why do you look not happy?" She asked, pointing to Jade's expression, one she was pretty sure was supposed to indicate being upset. Maybe it was confused? She couldn't quite remember, but she was sure it wasn't happy.
“I’m happy, very happy, but I don’t think there are words in my vocabulary to describe how good your kisses make me feel”. Jade said as she looked at the girl, “Sorry, that’s cheesy.” She looked over and smiled shyly at the girl.
Frowning, Hazel looked around curiously. " What's cheesy?" She asked; eyebrows pulled together almost comically as she regarded the girl like she'd lost her mind, she didn't see any food around, and wasn't sure what that had to do with them kissing. " Wait... are you saying... I didn't eat any cheese today Jade." She mumbled, scrunching her nose at the thought, not too thrilled with the older girl's observation.
“No, that is not what I mean. Cheesy means I am being too romantic. You taste like mint and I really like it, if you must know. Hazel, can we try… what do you know about dating?” she asked the girl quickly because if she didn’t she would lose the courage.
"Oh, that's probably my gum. You kinda taste like vanilla, I think it's your chapstick". Hazel explained in a very matter-of-fact way, having already thought about it. " I know Mom and Dad go on dates, and PJ wants to date lots and lots of people. So I think it's going places with people?" She replied in a questioning tone, shrugging for good measure.
Jade looked patiently at Hazel as she described and nodded. “You are not wrong, that’s why I asked if I could walk you to class.” the girl explained with a smile.
" Oh, so you want to take me to my class? That's a date? I think Mom and Dad usually get food, but ok. Can I walk you to lunch?" Hazel asked carefully, trying to make sure she was getting the rules correct.
“Yeah, you can.” Jade said, “I’d really like that.”
"Cool!" Hazel mumbled, shoving her hands into her pockets and rocking on her heels awkwardly for a second before something occurred to her. " You want a piece of gum?" She offered quickly, pulling out the pack of gum and showing it to the older girl, a big smile on her lips.
Jade smiled goofily “Yeah, sure.” She nodded and waited for the girl to share the gum with her.
Pleased with herself, Hazel smiled even bigger and immediately opened the pack and handed Jade a piece. " You said you liked how it tasted." She explained, dropping it in the older girl's hand. " It's my favorite, it doesn't hurt my tongue or throat. It's called Orbit, sweet mint." She explained, pointing to the light green pack.
Jade carefully opened it and started chewing “Thank you,” She said kissing the girl’s cheek and lips
Giggling again, Hazel pulled back and glanced towards the track. " You're welcome." She replied shyly. " You never answered me before... Do you feel like running too? I'm not good at it, but I really feel like I want to." She spoke quickly, bouncing on her toes and rubbing her hands together, clearly full of pent-up energy.
“Yes, so much!” Jade said, smiling, the giddiness inside
"Good, let's try then, but please don't laugh at me if I fall". Hazel spoke in a serious tone as she started walking backward but quickly thought better of it, turned, and sprinted off, the only way she knew how to run. She had no idea what was wrong with her, she hated running, but it felt like the only way to help her settle at that moment.
~
After a couple more songs went by, Hazel finally stopped jumping to catch her breath, hands on her hips as she sucked in lung fulls of air and glanced towards the sticky-looking tables near the bar. " Hey, I think I'm gonna go sit down for a few." She called to the other girls over the music, pointing towards the tables she'd been eyeing, needing a moment to reset.
Wanting to keep an eye on her friend, Jade smiled “You should go tell Graydon. I’ll be with her” She told Elora and kept her eyes on Kit as she walked. I want to be wrong about this… I absolutely want to be wrong, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled and exhaled as if her life depended on it.
Meanwhile Hazel had managed to get through the crowd a lot easier this time, finding a table in the corner of the room, just off of the bar where she could sit with her back to the wall and watch the people from a safe distance, her hands running up and down the tops of her thighs in a nervous repetitive motion as she worked to process her feelings, trying to find neat little compartments to put them into and store away for a later time when she could truly think on them, a technique she'd learned over the years.
Keeping an eye on the girl. Jade noticed the way her hands were running over her thighs and was reminded of some of Hazel’s mannerisms. Still undecided if Kit was just adopting her late sister’s manners and quirks or if she was facing an impostor or even the real Hazel. I am not going to think it’s a ghost that would be preposterous. She thought. Slowly approaching but taking a seat across from the girl she handed a glass of water. “Drink a bit.”
Tearing her eyes away from the dancing people, Hazel glanced first at the glass of water, then over at Jade. " Thank you." She replied in the quietest tone she could manage while still being heard; picking up the glass and drinking from it greedily, having been seriously thirsty but too anxious to approach the bar and ask for a drink.
Jade nodded and smiled sheepishly “Not as young as before for this huh?” she said leaning in and winking at the girl, always testing, trying to see what she would get away with.
Widening her eyes over the top of her glass, Hazel lowered it slowly to the table. " No, I guess not." She replied in a sheepish tone, eyes lingering on Jade's face for a couple of drawn-out seconds before she went back to watching people dance, while her hands continued to fidget on her thighs and lap.
Jade studied the girl, the lips, the look, the slight smile forming on her face, the strong jaw, the way she looked in the outfit she picked for her, and the way she was now sitting, almost everything spelled Kit, but the scar. Focus on the task! What could you ask her that would confirm my suspicions? She pondered. “Elora's quite the dancer… didn’t used to be so… free”. Jade said trying to see where Kit stood on Elora.
Somehow managing to make out what Jade had said the first time, Hazel let out a breathy laugh as her eyes found Elora in the crowd " Yeah." Her tone was soft, not thinking about whether or not Jade would be able to hear her, too focused on the redhead still on the dance floor. She'd greatly enjoyed dancing with the woman, more than she ever thought she could, it was new and exciting and part of her seriously wanted to do it again, but the more rational side kept her firmly in her seat, the only indication of her restlessness being the constant bounce of her legs and movement of her hands.
“You thinking of making a move?” Jade asked curiously raising an eyebrow, watching her friend for her reaction, eyes fixated on the small moves of the girl’s fingers, the light twitch of her movements a curious sight for the older woman.
Managing to stop staring at Elora, Hazel sighed and leaned back in her chair, pressing her hands into the tops of her thighs deeply to ground her and help with focus. "Pfft on Elora?" She scoffed, voice pitching up a bit as she motioned towards the woman in question.
Jade nodded “She seems willing” She wiggled her eyebrows at the woman who blushed at the implication and pressed her hands against her legs harder while shifting in her seat uncomfortably.
"Jade... it's Elora." Hazel spoke, shaking her head as she shot Jade a disapproving look.
“You’re right, Sorsha would be furious!” Jade said as she got up and pressed her hand on Kit’s shoulder. “Just checking because you two looked cozy”. She added leaning down to press a kiss on her best friend’s cheek “Want anything from the bar?”
Swallowing hard, Hazel looked up at the woman with attentive eyes and nodded. " Maybe another whiskey sour?" She asked, flashing the woman a sheepish smile as she squeezed her thighs hard, nails digging into denim, trying to control the nervous energy she felt all through her body.
“Coming right up, boss” Jade spoke in a teasing tone, feeling her body tingle at the galvanized look Kit gave her back.
"Thank you". Hazel replied in a distant tone, watching Jade with the same charged look for a moment longer, before shaking herself out of her thoughts figuratively and literally as she shook her head and stood up abruptly. " I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'll be back." She announced, not waiting for a response as she turned and marched off in the direction of the single-person bathroom, thankful for the promise of privacy.
~
Finished, Hazel washed her hands and splashed her face a couple of times, trying to clear her head, glancing up, she caught sight of her scar, the one she'd apparently forgotten to cover before leaving the house that morning. Shit! She thought, staring at it long and hard, trying to determine if it was noticeable enough for Jade to have seen. Looking around at the dimly lit bathroom, she concluded that yes Jade had almost certainly seen it by now, but she hadn't said anything. Maybe she didn't pay that close attention to Kit anymore. Or maybe she just assumed it was something that makeup usually covered, she didn't know, but she decided she had to cover her tracks.
Bracing against the sink, Hazel took one more look at herself and let her mind wander. Why am I making this harder than it has to be? Driving myself crazy trying to copy her, when I could be her, nobody would know the difference, I'm already living her life, I've been at her office, in her home, and hung out with her friends, and nobody's the wiser, plus she deserves it, Lili was right. She thought, her expression darkening as an almost sinister smile took over her features at the realization she could finally live a full life, the one she was meant to have, and get even with Sorsha in the most perfect way, all she had to do was take Kit out of the picture permanently; with an unexpected and frankly fortuitous bonus of getting Elora to diagnose "Kit" as autistic, from there on out she would be free to be herself without fear and Sorsha would be stuck with the very thing she never wanted, a less than perfect daughter running her precious company, and this time she wouldn't have a backup plan, she'd just have to deal with it. Yes, it was perfect.
~
"It'll be so easy, nobody will even know she's missing. She's already dead and buried under some headstone that bears your Name. You can have her life" Lili spoke smoothly, smiling at the younger woman across the table from her.
"No, I get it, but I'm not gonna Kill her, I can't do that. I hate her, but ruining them is enough for me. I just want them to know they didn't get away with it. Plus I don't want her life." Hazel replied seriously, feeling a little sick at the woman's very unexpected and honestly unhinged suggestion. She knew what they'd done to her was wrong and they clearly hadn't cared about harming her, but she wasn't them, she respected human life. "She goes away every year for two months, I'll go then, I'll get in and out before she's back, nobody will be the wiser, it's perfect." She spoke in a firmer tone, making it clear there was no room for discussion.
Sighing deeply, Lili tsk'd her tongue at the woman, shaking her head in disapproval. "You've always been too compassionate, Hazel dear, It's your biggest weakness, but I understand. We'll do it your way." She spoke in a sympathetic tone, looking at the girl like she'd already failed, but forcing a small smile.
Seeing the disappointment in Lili's eyes, Hazel looked down, stricken, hating to disappoint anybody, but knowing this was one thing she couldn't back down on. "Thank you... I'm sorry." She spoke softly.
Feeling a renewed sense of purpose, Hazel made her way back to Jade with a more confident stride, picking up her drink and taking a few deep gulps as her eyes traveled to the dance floor, finding Elora almost immediately. She was gonna have fun. " Hurry up and finish that drink Claymore, we're gonna dance." She announced, shooting the older woman a mischievous look.
“Are we now?” Jade raised an eyebrow excited to see Kit’s confidence flare again. Yup, Kit, definitely kit. Hazel wasn’t this way. Unless they were playing their game, ‘knights and princess’
"Most certainly, how else will my knight protect me?" She shot back in a playful tone, hand outstretched in an invitation, finding it a whole lot easier to embody Kit without the added pressure of not diving too far into her life.
Notes:
Thank you for reading. Please let us know what you think, you theories.
Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Notes:
And we made it to Chapter 5. What an amazing ride this has been. Thank you for your patience, your kind words and for sticking with this story. we're slowly knowing more about our characters.
Let us know what you think at the end.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
The night continued for a few more hours; Hazel managing only to get a little bit tipsy before they finally decided to leave, choosing to walk for a while since they'd taken an Uber there, and it would give her time to finish sobering up.
Lost in her thoughts, Hazel studied the looming skyline with vague interest, easily finding Tanthalos tech among them and sighing. "You think we could go visit her?" She asked Jade without taking her eyes off the imposing building, all sharp angles and black glass climbing high into the night sky.
Glancing at Kit and the direction the girl was looking, Jade asked, a little tipsy herself, “The tower? Do you want to go visit the tower?” “Oh wait… oh.” She said, sobering up, “Yes, we can go there.”
" Yeah?" Hazel asked in a hopeful tone, giving Jade her full attention as they continued to walk side by side. The sounds and smells of the fast-moving city assaulted her senses in an only mildly unpleasant way. She was starting to get used to it, even liked it a little, save for the occasional siren or blast of a car horn it could almost be framed as white noise, and there was something kind of comforting about being surrounded by big fascinating buildings like the ones she used to fantasize about designing as a child. She could learn to ignore the people and unpredictability of everything, just like she'd learned to cope with everything else.
“Yeah, it’s not that cold yet. We can make it if you’re up to it. I was there a few weeks ago. I still go there for lunch. I did it just two weeks ago.” Jade shared. “You had those important R&D meetings to prep for that day.”
"Mmm." Hazel hummed thoughtfully, nodding her head to acknowledge, as though remembering the time frame Jade was referring to. "Sometimes I wonder if it's morbid..." She trailed off, deliberately leaving her words vague, knowing Kit visited the grave but unsure about her private feelings on the subject or what she'd divulged to Jade. "Not what you do, I think it's nice you visit her. I... I guess it's just hard." She clarified, glancing towards the lake as they continued their journey. "Let's go, the walk will do me good."
“Yeah, maybe… but it’s nice too, you know? I guess I never tell you what happens when I go there, but I talk to her, I tell her what I am up to, how non-sensical TV and movies have become, and game scores It’s kinda stupid to think she’s listening, but it brings me a sense of peace.”
Flicking her eyes to Jade, Hazel studied the woman's profile for a moment. " It's not, she'd like it." She assured the woman. " It's nice to remember her, I just think maybe I want to start remembering her as she was instead of..." She let her words trail off again, eyes focusing on the sidewalk as she avoided stepping on any cracks. " I think this might be the last time I go there. I'm glad you'll be with me." She finished, glancing at Jade's hand as she worked up her courage, finally taking it in her own and squeezing. It never mattered how much she worked to get past her aversions; she figured they would always be there to some degree, so she'd just have to ignore them.
The rest of the walk was silent. The night was turning cold, a crisp autumn breeze sending a chill through Hazel's bones, causing her to let go of Jade's hand and pull her jacket closed, crossing her arms over her chest tightly, an almost eerie feeling prickling at the back of her neck as they walked under the nearly castle-like gate that indicated the entrance of Rosehill Cemetery. The whispering wind and rustle of leaves only added to the strange ambiance as they ventured further in, leaves crunching under their shoes with almost every step.
Her eyes scanned back and forth, taking in the different headstones and how the perfectly trimmed grass looked under the colorful fall foliage.
Under different circumstances, she might have found it pretty, but that night, with the full moon overhead and the wind still murmuring around them, all she could think about was how creepy and unnerving it all felt; it didn't help that they were there to see her own gravestone, it felt like a strange dream or a scene ripped out of Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol' where the Ghost of Christmas yet to come shows Scrooge how his death will impact the people around him. - That scene always haunted her -
They walked for a while longer in continued silence. The place was massive, and both were seemingly lost in their thoughts until she finally saw it and stopped cold, observing it from a safe distance, maybe twelve or so feet, just able to make out her own name. She moved forward slowly as though in a trance, walking right past her father's grave and stopping again as she reached her own.
Something about seeing it in person made her heart squeeze painfully, the feeling of loss crashing down on top of her like a ton of bricks because while she was standing right there, a part of her was also buried under her feet, the part that had loved and trusted her family more than anything in the world, the part that felt no shame for who she was.
At one point in her life, other people's cruelty hurt her feelings, but she could easily ignore it, confident in the fact they were just mean and there was nothing wrong with her. She'd gone through school with a confident air about her, even while she followed kids around like a puppy, was made fun of, and got pushed around; she never waivered, never let it make her mean. She was still kind to others, always eager to help whoever might need it, and generally everybody's friend, even if they weren't hers, but that all changed after she was taken. She was shown all of her flaws, how her kindness had been nothing but weakness, how the things that made her different were shameful and needed to be hidden to make others more comfortable, they'd been right, of course, but there was still a part of her that mourned the loss, and that pissed her off, disgusted by her deficiency.
Crouching down, Hazel let her hand run over the smooth marble headstone, tracing the indent of her name with the tip of her finger as she glanced down, noticing the nearly fresh flowers, an envelope leaning partially against them, and the stone. Reaching down, she picked up the closed but not sealed envelope, pulling out the letter carefully and letting her eyes run over the words.
Hazel,
My sweet, sweet girl, where do I even begin? Sometimes I feel crazy writing you these letters. I know you can't read them, but a small part of me hopes you get the messages somehow.
I don't know how the universe works. I never believed in an afterlife, but now I find myself hoping there is one and that you're happy and maybe your father is there with you. I love you so much, and Kit does too. She's changed. She does so much to try and fill the void, she wants to make you proud, and I honestly think you would be. She's really stepped up; she took your job, she never wanted it. I think she took it to feel closer to you and to help me. If I didn't still have her, I know I wouldn't be here anymore. She's the only thing I live for these days, but I'm not sure she knows that.
Sometimes I feel guilty, I look at her, and for a split second, I can make myself believe you're there, but then I remember, and I can't look at her anymore; it's too painful. I know she feels it. I haven't been a great mother to her. I've thrown myself into my work.
I always hated the company, and now it feels like all I can think about, maybe because it feels like it's serving a greater purpose. It's ironic, really, I'm the CEO of a company that works in defense, and I couldn't even keep my own child safe. How sad.
I've failed in every way, first with protecting you and now with loving her. I'm so lost, Hazel, I wish you were here. I sometimes try to picture how you would have turned out. You and Kit were so different. You had such different interests and personalities. I know others say you were identical, but you know I could always tell you apart, maybe it's just a mother thing, but I could always tell, and I bet I still could. Oh, how I wish I could test that theory.
Until that Day! I love you with my whole heart, my girl.
Love, Mommy.
Brows furrowed in concentration, Hazel read over the letter again, trying to make sense of the words and make them fit with what she knew to be true. It didn't make sense if Sorsha and Kit had schemed against her. Why would the woman write such a letter? Maybe to have written proof that she wasn't involved? Perhaps she was covering her bases?
She didn't know. She wanted to believe the words she'd read but couldn't bring herself to, it was all just a little too much. If the letter was true, then the last fifteen years of her life had been a lie. It would mean she'd been duped again, the butt of another person's joke like she'd been so many times as a child. No, she couldn't accept it; this was just another one of Sorsha's tricks.
Decided, Hazel clenched her jaw and stuffed the letter back into its envelope roughly before placing it back down and standing up. " This was a mistake. I don't know what I thought it would achieve. I should have stopped coming here a long time ago. She's gone. It's time I moved on". She spoke in a bitter tone, glaring down at the headstone, hating how easily her resolve was shaken, one small thing almost making her doubt her plan. Soon this headstone would symbolize more than just the life that had been stolen from her, it would instead represent a new beginning, and with that thought, her expression softened a little. "Let's go, this is depressing." She huffed and walked back in the direction they came, not waiting for a reply, not caring if the woman followed or not, used to being alone.
Jade subtly observed Kit the entire time, an ominous feeling laying thick in the air like fog eliciting a strange cold sensation to run down her spine. Every time she started to believe it was Kit she'd been interacting with, the woman would do or say something that just didn't add up, like how she'd picked up and read a private letter addressed to Hazel from her mother, something she couldn't imagine Kit ever doing, she wasn't one to invade another person's privacy. Moreover, Kit's reaction to the letter seemed strange and almost disgusted. The thought of Hazel - her presumed dead friend - touching her own grave turned that cold sensation to ice in her veins. What if she brought me here to kill me?
Staying silent where she stood in an at-ease stance, she watched the woman walk off, fighting against the urge to stop the girl, torn between her desire to protect and comfort Kit and her need to figure out if this even was Kit. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right, perhaps it was just the spooky atmosphere messing with her mind, but that didn't explain why she'd felt the same in her apartment earlier, even at times in the club.
Waiting until the woman was far enough away, she reached down. She grabbed the letter, opening it reverently with a whispered apology before quickly reading it, eyebrow-raising at the notion of Sorsha being able to tell the girls apart. If that were true, and not just a heartbroken mother's wishful thinking, she wondered if perhaps she'd still be able to. If she could just get Kit in front of her mother, maybe she'd have an answer, or maybe it wouldn't make a difference at all, but she figured it couldn't hurt to try. Putting the letter back where it came from, Jade let her eyes linger on the grave for a moment, allowing herself to quietly mourn the girl she'd known before setting her eyes on the retreating back of the woman she was starting to seriously believe she'd grown into. Why did I agree to go to a graveyard with her? She thought with a full-body shudder as she quickly made her way over to Kit, hating how the trees seemed to watch her every move, the wind ghosting through them and taunting her with whispered doubts. Why would Hazel want to see her grave? What would her motivation be? This doesn't make any sense, You're going crazy, Claymore.
Jade picked up her pace and jogged a bit to catch up, intending to change the subject to lighten the mood because whoever this person was clearly had strong emotions about this visit and the letter, reactions she hadn’t seen from Kit before, either because she was able to control herself or because she saved those feelings for this time of year. Jade knew she needed to be careful, that she needed to take her time and consider all the theories swimming in her head, all of the possibilities; work a closed case with no hopes of finding anything new. Find leads where no leads were left. So she did what she could to continue to procure answers, she acted like nothing was wrong, and as she often did, she tried a distraction, something she had gotten good at while pining for someone who didn’t really love her. “Beautiful night,” she said as she reached Kit again.
Torn from her thoughts, Hazel glanced at Jade with a disbelieving look, then around at the trees as they bent slightly under the force of the wind sending stray leaves chaotically spinning through the air; It might have been beautiful to a more poetic person, but to her it still felt haunting. No, beautiful wasn't how she'd describe it. "I suppose from a certain perspective”. She answered simply, leveling a searching look at the woman.
"Well, it's not without its eerie charm, but I must say, it's a nice night. Of course, I would prefer if we were in a park and she was with us, but I know Haze enjoyed the breeze and walking everywhere."
"Hmm." Hazel hummed, watching the woman intensely, trying to figure her out, thinking something felt off suddenly. " I think I'd like it more under different circumstances, but this time of year always makes me depressed. I'm sure you know that." She answered in a measured tone. It was true; fall always left her feeling sad; while it had once been her favorite season, the prospect of dressing up as anything she wanted to be and escaping herself for one night thrilled her, but it all changed that night so many years ago. In a way, though, she supposed taking over for her sister was similar, and with that thought, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, causing her to set her eyes back on the path ahead, suddenly embracing the buzz of the air around them.
“Fall is an enchanting time, but it's not the same without her,” Jade answered, remembering the fall of first kisses and the childhood years of trick-or-treating in the few years before it all changed.” She smiled at the memories flooding her mind.
Noticing how Jade went from thinking the night was nice to almost backtracking, Hazel clenched her jaw and fists, taking slightly longer strides, feeling like the woman suspected something. " Yeah, can we just be silent for a while? I'm not really in the mood to talk." She spoke stiffly, keeping her eyes trained ahead. Despite this, she was keenly aware of Jade's every move, tracking her with her peripheral vision.
“Ok, we don’t have to talk; sorry, I brought it up,” the woman said, watching how the girl stepped and the cadence of her steps, committing these sounds to memory.
"It's fine, I'm just used to being alone at this time of year. I do a lot of reflecting, that's all." Hazel explained, venturing a glance at the woman.
“I’m sorry. I know you usually feel and deal with it alone, but it doesn’t have to be that way, Kit.” Jade said, looking in the girl’s direction. “I am always here for you,” she said, placing her hands behind her back.
"I like it that way." Hazel stated as they finally reached the exit, " You want to walk home or grab an Uber?" She stopped walking, leaning up against the stone of the archway and watching Jade scrupulously. Still trying to figure her out, she absently reached into her pocket, pulling out a pack of gum and getting herself a piece, not taking her eyes off Jade even once.
Seeing the girl with the gum; something hit her harder. Hazel was always chewing gum. Jade hadn’t seen Wintermint gum in years, and there it was, right in front of her. She couldn’t believe her eyes. “Can I have a piece?” she asked in a sweeter tone.
With her attention drawn to the pack of gum in her hands, Hazel raised her eyebrows a bit, realizing she hadn't been paying attention to what she was doing. " Yeah, of course." She answered, taking out a piece for Jade and handing it over with a smile. " Wintermint, that's okay, right? I can never remember." She laughed.
Jade looked at the woman and noticed the happy expression on her face. A memory of a similar conversation with Hazel came to mind.
~~~~~
“No, that is not what I mean. Cheesy means I am being too romantic. You taste like mint, and I really like it, if you must know. Hazel, can we try… what do you know about dating?” she asked the girl quickly because if she didn’t, she would lose the courage.
" Oh, that's probably my gum. You kinda taste like vanilla, I think it's your chapstick". Hazel explained in a very matter-of-fact way, having already thought about it. " I know Mom and Dad go on dates, and PJ wants to date lots and lots of people. So I think it's going places with people?" She replied in a questioning tone, shrugging for good measure.
~
“Yeah, that’s fine. It’s just perfect,” Jade replied with a small smile.
" Yeah, it doesn't burn like other mint flavors," Hazel replied automatically, going still momentarily as she realized her slip. Her eyes widened for a split second before she hastily shoved the pack back into her pocket and glanced towards the road. " It was her favorite," she added somberly, thinking on her feet.
“Just mild enough, but refreshing and sweet.”. Jade said, smiling to herself. “I remember.”. She spoke softly at that memory.
Grinding her back teeth lightly, Hazel kept her eyes on the road as though watching for a ride they hadn't even called yet. " Mmm, we should call that Uber." She murmured, crossing her arms over her chest in a protective manner, suddenly very uncomfortable.
~
The Uber ride home was silent. Hazel occupied herself by staring out the window deep in thought, only speaking as she got out. She bid Jade a quick goodnight and headed up to Kit's apartment alone to answer the text she'd gotten from Lili telling her to call when she got a chance.
"Would you like to tell me why I'm hearing reports of Kit Tanthalos out partying in some club and dancing with women? Please tell me you don't have your head in the clouds again, Hazel." Lili answered on the second ring, not even bothering with a hello before voicing her displeasure.
~
"You think I could get a girlfriend someday?" A sixteen-year-old Hazel asked as she stared at the couple on TV while she and Lili ate lunch together in the living room.
Following the teenager's gaze, Lili narrowed her eyes and immediately picked up the remote, turning the television off with a click. " Why ever would you want that? Boyfriends are nothing but a distraction from your true potential." She replied dismissively.
"Girlfriend." Hazel corrected meekly, rubbing at her thighs anxiously as her eyes flicked to Lili, biting back the urge to sigh her disappointment at the TV going dark. She'd never been interested in TV before, but in this new environment where her whole life was learning to be anything but herself, she longed for the escape it sometimes brought. She also understood how wrong that was, Lili was only helping her, making her a better and more complete person, but sometimes she was tired and just wanted to daydream.
Lili rolled her eyes, letting them settle on Hazel's hands for a moment before giving the girl a stern look that instantly stilled them. " Whatever, same thing." She dismissed brusquely, receiving a small frown in return.
"Well, No..." Hazel started to protest timidly
"Hazel". Lili warned, rendering the girl silent, her mouth clamping shut with an audible click of teeth as she looked down shamefully and mumbled out a quick apology. " It's fine, you're still learning." She reassured, her tone softening as she touched the girl's chin, ignoring her flinch and making her look up. " It's the same thing because both are a distraction, and you're not equipped to deal with the emotional ups and downs that go with it. I know it's hard, but it's better for you this way."
At the woman's words, Hazel averted her eyes, trying to hide her disappointment and resist the urge to pull away from the touch " Well yeah, but m-maybe my therapist could t-teach me to handle those types of uh emotions t-too? I mean... I... I..did o-okay when Jade kissed me... I k-kinda liked it." She stuttered, squeezing her eyes shut tight to suppress the urge to blink rapidly, her hands fidgeting in her lap until Lili stilled them with a gentle hand, something she'd learned to allow, even if it made her want to squirm in discomfort most of the time.
"Hey, look at me, focus for a minute. You've been doing so well. Look at what just thinking about things like that does to you. Hazel, some things can't be taught; it would be a waste of time to try, and I know you know that. You're smarter than this; you don't need that type of stuff; it would only hold you back, and you don't want that do you?" Lili cooed gently, ducking her head to catch the girl's eyes before continuing, "You don't want to keep being a victim, do you? People know kids like you are easily manipulated. They use you and make fun of you right to your face knowing you don't get it. " She lamented with sad eyes that perfectly hid her mirth at the irony of it all." They aren't worth your time."
Getting her back up, Hazel scowled. " No, I don't want that." She spoke determinedly, hating the idea of anybody taking advantage of her weaknesses.
~
Rubbing a hand over her face in frustration, Hazel fell back on the couch with a heavy sigh. " Because Kit does that sort of thing. If I'd said no, Jade could have gotten suspicious, I'm just playing the role I'm supposed to play, I have zero interest in anybody, I'm not stupid." She assured the woman as she stared up at the ceiling, trying hard to forget how much fun she'd had that night, she knew she wasn't supposed to like it, knew it was a weakness, but a small part of her couldn't help it.
"Good, because the last thing we need is you daydreaming about some woman and forgetting why you're there. You've worked too hard for this, Hazel. I don't want to see you lose out." Lili's voice filtered through the phone, sounding less upset, gentler, and more concerned than anything. Hazel had learned to pick up on the different changes in tone over the years. Her therapist made her practice over the phone for hours on end until she could properly identify the emotions in a person's voice without visual cues.
"I know, Mom... I'm not gonna screw this up; please just trust me, okay? I know what needs to be done now, but it'll take some time, and I have to play my part fully, so if you hear about me going out or whatever, know it's because I have to, I have to convince them I'm her." Hazel spoke in a sure tone, trying to convince herself that that was truly all it was.
"I do trust you, but I also worry. You mean too much to me, dear, but I apologize if I sounded harsh. It wasn't my intent." Lili replied in a gentle tone, making sure she sounded sincere.
"I understand. It's fine, but listen. I gotta go. I have an early day tomorrow," Hazel said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the tension headache that was starting to set in.
"Right, of course. I trust you'll keep me updated. Have a good night, dear." Lili replied in an easy tone, hanging up before Hazel could reply, eliciting a soft growl of annoyance from the girl. Hazel hated not getting the last word or anything left unfinished, it drove her crazy.
Chucking the phone into the corner of the couch in irritation, Hazel covered her face with her hands, screamed, and sank her top row of teeth into one of them viciously, finally giving herself permission to feel the day and release some of the pent-up stress the only way she knew how.
After a couple of hours of yo-yoing between sitting in silence and throwing full-body fits, Hazel finally left Kit's place and made it back to her hotel room. There, she sped through her nightly routine as fast as she could and collapsed onto her bed in exhaustion, intent on calling Elora in the morning.
~~~~~~
The rest of the ride from Kit’s apartment to Jade’s place was a blur. Jade recapped the night, the last few days, and every interaction she had with the woman as the city lights flashed and faded around her.
Thanking her driver, Jade mindlessly walked to her door; unlocking and closing it slowly, letting out a breath as if she’d been underwater. Shaking her head to refocus, she let her mind drift to Kit’s - or Hazel’s? - face as she took heavy-footed steps down the hall. She thought of the moments at the bar, the curious looks she got from her, the way she was intrigued by Elora, and the sparkle in her eyes at one point as they danced together. Almost irresistible.
The way her smirk reaches her eyes sometimes is…wonderful. Wonderful?! Entering her room, Jade shook her head. How is it wonderful if this is an imposter, someone pretending to be Kit? Getting ready for bed was hard as she could see the girl’s smile clear as day. She thought about her hands running down the woman’s body. Is it wrong? Am I wrong to look and see Kit and wish for Kit while suspecting it's not her? Is it wrong then to desire Hazel for the Hazel I once knew and cared about?
Discarding her bottoms, Jade walked over to her computer. She sat abruptly on the chair, started her browser, and typed a series of keywords. She searched for public images of Kit. Is it wrong to want them for both equal and different reasons? She asked herself. Trying to uncover every possible motive for this return and any potential issues that led to the girl’s anger towards Sorsha she’d seen at the cemetery, Jade looked for clues in the case files, going through their photos until she found a folder Kit made sure to appropriately name Debauchery and Hijinks. Going over the collection of photos ranging from elementary school through college. She needed to confirm that Kit didn’t have a scar. She looked for other signs that the girl looked different. She used to think she could tell the difference, but now she wasn’t so sure. She remained at her desk and stared at a picture of her and Kit, Jade looked a bit of a mess, smiling, uniform on, right out of a game, and Kit was kissing her cheek. No scar. She noticed.
~~~~
“You scored for me!” Kit said with a huge smile on her lips.
“Kit, I scored to win. You just happened to be here.” Jade said, wiping her face and walking towards the locker room.
“Look, we can talk in circles, but I know you scored the winning basket for me; you literally looked at me,” Kit said as if it were the most obvious thing.
“I gotta hit the shower, but whatever makes you happy, Princess. Meet me here after, yeah?” she asked as she kissed Kit's forehead.
“Oh my god, you’re sweaty; go shower!” Kit teased.
“It didn’t seem to bother you when you thought I scored for you,” Jade winked at the girl and ran to the locker room.
Jade looked at a different picture, that one from high school. In it, Jade was smiling next to Kit, who was holding a bouquet.
“You were the best Juliet I have ever seen”
“Really? Better than Claire Dane’s?” She asked, looking seriously at Jade.
“Yes, my princess, you were more vivid and excited, and I truly believe you loved Carlo,” Jade said, bopping the girl’s nose.
“You really mean that? I think I am gonna go for a double major, and ew gross! no, I don’t love Carlo!” Kit said, scrunching her nose. “Think I can do it?”
“Kit, I think it will be tough to tell your mom you will go for a double Arts major, but if anyone can, that’s you,” Jade spoke softly and kissed her cheek.
~~~
The second picture she flipped through was a picture of herself. Surrounded by books at their school library, very much pouting and upset. She bit her lip at that memory.
“Kit! I have to study. I have an exam in two days, I have not read half of the material I don’t have time to socialize.
Holding her hand to her chest, Kit gasped “I am offended! Offended I am that you think this is a social call, Claymore.” the woman said as she took her backpack off and opened it.
“If not, what are you doing here? Your artsy friends didn’t want to hang out?”
“Oh wow, is my precious Jade jealous of her Kitty-bear?” Kit said, looking at the girl.
“Never called you that.” the girl said seriously, looking up from her book.
“Jade, jade, jade. I crossed a huge campus…”
“On a scooter” Jade said with a smile.
“On a scooter, sure, but still, I crossed campus. To see you and to make sure you are staying hydrated,” she said, taking a bottle of water and a bottle of Pedialyte and placing them on the table. “And fed,” presenting Jade food in a bag, “bringing you Healthy, nutritious food to feed your beautiful smart brain. And that’s how you treat me?” Kit said with a huge smile.
Jade shook her head and returned the smile. “I am sorry, Kit. Come here,” the girl said as she made space and pulled Kit to sit on her lap, hugging her. Thank you for bringing me food. I am a bit too worried about this exam. It’s a lot of reading,” she said, leaning her head on Kit’s shoulder.
“One more reason for me to be here.” Kit said, handing Jade her salad “You eat, I read for you, I will quiz you, and you will make it back to the dorms in time to get a great night of sleep before the exam.” the girl said with a beaming smile.
Jade smiled back and hugged the girl tightly “Ok, you may actually be my best friend.”
“The disrespect! I am gonna leave! That’s it… you abuse, abuse my kindness!” Kit said feigning being angered and pretending she wanted to get up.
In a very small and sultry voice, Jade whispered, “Kitty…. You are a good actress, but not when it comes to me. I know all your tells. All of them." She spoke, and when Kit looked at her, she thought she saw something in Kit’s eyes: curiosity, intrigue, and want. It couldn’t be want. Not from Kit. She waited for a second as the girl leaned in; Jade tickled the girl fast. She was never able to believe they were going anywhere.
~~~~~
The third picture shows a flushed fourteen-year-old Jade holding a small cake, Hazel on her right, and Kit on her left. Hazel is leaning in and has a huge grin on her face while Kit is kissing Jade's cheek.
“Girls, come on, let’s take a picture with the cake,” Sorsha called happily.
“You didn’t need to get me a cake Mrs Tanthalos.”
“Nonsense, Jade, you’re family!” the woman smiled tenderly.
" And you have to have cake on your birthday." Hazel piped up in a matter-of-fact tone as she approached to stand beside her friend.
“Kit… Come on, cake time,” Mads called his rebellious 12-year-old daughter.
“Sorry, sorry, I had to grab Jade’s gift,” Kit said as she tried to catch her breath. “I’m here now."
“Alright, girls, get ready.”. Sorsha called behind the camera.
Leaning towards Jade, Hazel gave her mother a huge smile, her eyes squinting nearly closed with the effort. She wanted to make sure it was clear she was happy.
Kit leaned in and kissed Jade's cheek. When the picture was taken, she whispered to Jade, “Happy Birthday, Sir Claymore. You’re my best knight!”
Hearing her sister, Hazel moved to face the taller girl. " Oh Yeah, Happy Birthday Jade." She smiled at her friend, feeling a little bad that she hadn't remembered to say it first.
Jade beamed at the girl and offered a warm smile. "Thank you, Azie... you're truly sweet, my dear Prince."
Delighting in the nickname and title, Hazel's nose scrunched up in amusement as she giggled before nodding in acknowledgment and dashing off to her favorite hiding spot under Jade's bed, a sanctuary she sought whenever overwhelmed during visits to her friend's house.
After a few minutes of looking under her bed, Jade asked, “May I join you, your Highness?”
Peering out over the extra soft blue pillow she had dragged under with her, Hazel shrugged hesitantly. "Y-your... party," she managed to articulate, her voice soft and uncertain. Despite her struggle to convey her thoughts clearly, she hoped her message came across—that Jade should stay with everybody else and enjoy her birthday.
"Everything ok in here?" Ballentine asked gently, stopping by his daughter's room and peeking in to check on the girls, knowing Hazel tended to hide when upset.
“Yeah, we’re okay, Daddy. You can go have fun. Tell Kit I will be out soon,” she said, looking at Hazel.
Watching the girl for a moment, Ballentine nodded. " Alright, but tell the young prince that her favorite cake is out here." He answered with a wink, knowing if anything could get Hazel out of her hiding spot, it would be her favorite treat.
As if on cue, the smaller girl army-crawled her way out from under the bed, giving the man a suspicious look. "Raspberry White chocolate?" she asked eagerly, her voice suddenly found, licking her lips instinctively at the thought, eliciting a chuckle from the man.
" You betcha, but you have to come out to the table while Jade blows out her candles." The man bargained, thankful they knew enough not to light the candles until everybody was safely at the table
At that, Hazel finished crawling out from under the bed and stood up, carefully placing the pillow back on the bed before turning to Jade with an expectant expression. "You gotta blow out your candles," she said simply, a sheepish smile playing on her lips as she attempted to make a joke.
Jade looked at the girl “Ok, but I think I may need my prince to help me,” She said as she looked at Hazel.
Blushing, Hazel felt the heat rise to her cheeks, almost prompting her to retreat back under the bed. However, she resisted the urge as Ballantine cleared his throat, breaking the moment, and offered both girls a patient smile.
"Better hurry, before somebody eats it all." The man warned playfully, causing Hazel to widen her eyes, believing her sister was already eating all of the food.
"Kiiiiit." Hazel yelled and bolted out of the room to stop her.
"You should go before they start wrestling and knock the table over." Ballentine laughed and shooed his daughter out of the room.
“Thanks, Dad,” she said, hugging the man and running “Hazel… wait,” Jade ran out after the girl.
Stopping halfway down the hall, Hazel bounced on her toes anxiously, looking between Jade and the dining room. " But she's gonna eat my cake." She spoke in a worried tone, eyebrows drawn together in distress.
“She won’t do it, I got you. Come on”. Jade said, walking into the room and showing Hazel the cake. “See? Still there”
" Hmm." Hazel hummed softly and shot her sister a suspicious glare as she went over to the table, sitting in her designated chair, the same one she was allowed to have any time she visited Jade.
Looking at her sister, Kit spoke in a playful tone, “I wasn’t gonna eat Jade’s cake," as she took her place at the table.
“See? All intact,” Jade said as she picked up a bit of the frosting on her finger and licked her finger clean. “Yummy want some?”
Widening her eyes, Hazel shuddered and looked down at the table. " No, thank you." She muttered quietly, her ears going hot.
“Kit? Want some?” Jade offered, and Kit eagerly moved to lean over the table and grab the frosting from Jade.
“Really good, thank you”. Kit said and smiled at Jade sheepishly.
“Alright, kids, are we ready for the song and everything?: Madd asked as he looked at his daughters for their answer.
“Yes!” Kit said loudly, “Oops, sorry, Azel,” apologizing for talking too loudly.
Still with her hands over her ears, Hazel glared at her sister and huffed in frustration. Slowly, she loosened her grip enough to hear and nodded. "Ready," she confirmed, looking at Jade with a small smile. Despite her discomfort, she was prepared to sing along as she'd done since she was eight, willing to step outside her comfort zone just to see her friend smile.
Jade beamed at Hazel, her admiration evident as she observed her friend stepping out of her comfort zone. With a big smile, she expressed her support. As Mads started singing, the other adults around began filming and photographing every movement, capturing the momentous occasion.
Hazel followed her Dad's cue and began singing along, her eyes darting to the little flickering flames dotting the cake. As she always did, she watched them with fascination.
Making her wish, Jade looked from Kit to Hazel before blowing out the candles and using her finger to grab some frosting.
“Sure you don’t want some?” Jade asked, looking at Hazel encouragingly.
Peeking at Jade through her bangs, Hazel glanced at the cake curiously. "I'll have some on my piece," she reasoned, her eyes shifting back to Jade as she tried to understand why her friend liked eating the frosting before the cake itself.
Jade nodded and sliced the cake, then handed Hazel a plate with a warm smile. "There you go, Your Highness," she said playfully, using the nickname they had established earlier.
Still blushing, Hazel ducked her head and smiled at her plate. " Thank you." She mumbled, leaning down closer to her food, digging in slowly, preferring to savor her food.
"Kit," Jade simply said, offering her friend the plate with her piece of cake and extra icing. "Thank you all for being here," she continued smiling, addressing everyone in the room. "You make each birthday special."
While keeping the pictures open, Jade opened the investigation files; she had read them. She knew what had happened. If it was Hazel, what was behind it? Why was she back now? Why didn’t she come back sooner? Did she know how much it hurt? Did she remember who she was? If she was Hazel, what had her life been like in the last decade? She kept looking at the list of suspects, trying to find who could’ve taken her. None of it made sense. Not then, not now. She was exhausted. Her mind was reeling.
She checked her calendar. Sorsha was due back in two days - two days to look at a list of all enemies past and present of the Tanthalos family or the company, any logs for threats, anonymous letters, events that disrupted the company’s routine, and anyone who ever criticized Madmartigan or Sorsha for their ambition. I will see her when she lands and think of a way of getting Kit to see her mom to see if the woman still recognizes the differences in her daughters. If this person was, in fact, Hazel.
That night, Jade fell asleep face on her desk in front of her computer, exhausted from reading too many articles about her bosses and their enemies.
~~~~~
The next morning, Hazel went through her morning routine on auto-pilot, her mind racing with the next steps necessary to see her plan come to fruition.
Sitting down to eat a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, she set Elora's card down on the smooth surface of the hotel table - She'd carefully chosen the extended stay room based on her needs - pulled out her phone and texted the number.
Hazel: 'Hey, this is Kit Tanthalos. We hung out last night. I was wondering if your offer to take me on as a patient still stood?' She read the text over several times before deciding it was as good as it was going to get and hitting send.
Never patient, Hazel drummed her fingers on the table anxiously as she stared at her phone, willing for it to buzz in reply. Her food was momentarily forgotten.
Elora: Uh… I have a very vague memory of it. Are you the one with the short hair and leather jacket? Just kidding, yes. I have a spot. When do you have free time? I have a lunch hour spot free today.
Picking up her phone, Hazel narrowed her eyes at the screen, huffing and rolling her eyes at the sarcasm. She never understood the need for it. She was asking a serious question, after all. Today? That she wasn't expecting. She glanced at the time, quickly trying to remember if she'd set up a time to do anything with Jade but deciding she hadn't, she answered.
Hazel: That depends on what time you take lunch.
She wasn't trying to be a jerk, she just wanted to clarify that having the exact hour was crucial. Lunch could mean anything.
Elora looked at her phone and nodded.”Ah, Yes, typical response.” Knowing this need to be exact, she easily typed.
Elora: 12 noon. Does that work for you?
Putting her fork down, Hazel frowned and stared at the screen for a second, trying to figure out if she was missing something. She hated how little context she could derive from messages, even if she did prefer them over phone calls.
Hazel: Noon is fine for me, but won't you miss lunch?
Elora: Oh, don’t worry, I just meant lunchtime in general, because that’s when most people take lunch!
Scowling, Hazel finished her breakfast and took her dishes to the sink before answering.
Hazel: That's confusing. You should just say what you mean. Noon works!
Elora: Yes, sorry, it seemed I could have. Did you get home ok last night?
Not really interested in the rest of the conversation, Hazel washed the dishes and finished getting ready for the day before finally texting back.
Hazel: Obviously. I'm talking to you, aren't I?
She truly didn't understand the question; it made no sense to her. She obviously wasn't dead if she was answering texts, so why ask that?
Elora: Well, yes, but the city holds many dangers. You may have fallen into someone’s arms and gone to their place. See you at noon.
Elora wrapped the conversation, as she was getting too involved, too playful, and needed a step back.
Reading the message repeatedly, Hazel couldn't comprehend half of it and was seriously starting to doubt the woman's credentials.
Hazel: Why would I go home with some dangerous person? And again, I'm clearly ok since I'm texting you!
She finished her message, slamming the phone down on the counter in frustration, before thinking better of it and adding.
Hazel: See you at noon!
Later that day, Elora made sure to have her office in order and that no one else had booked in the time slot. She took a few deep breaths and looked down, filing some charts before her next appointment.
Meanwhile, Elora’s assistant helped Hazel out with the paperwork and motioned for the woman to follow. Knocking on the door, she peeped inside “Dr Danan, your 12 pm appointment is here.”
Elora looked at her assistant and smiled “Oh, thanks, Maggie, you can let her in.” She said, then looked in Kit’s direction. “Kit! So glad you made it. Come on in, make yourself comfortable.
" Thank you.". Hazel replied flatly as her eyes scanned the room, silently comparing it to the therapy offices she'd frequented through the years, noting it had a vibe similar to Jade's house with little plants scattered around various places. It felt cozy except for the green couch that stood out in the middle of the room, the texture looked unpleasant. She decided she would prefer to stand rather than even test it out. " So where's the test?" She asked bluntly, glancing towards the woman's desk.
“Here, take a seat. We will go over test details,” she said as she guided the woman and then sat the test before her. “You have one hour to complete this.”
Frowning, Hazel picked up the form but remained standing. " I'd rather stand. No offense, but that looks uncomfortable." She gestured towards the couch with a small shudder, just knowing the raised rough fabric was going to bother her skin. While she'd learned to ignore things to the best of her ability, there was no use pretending in front of Elora. The whole point of being there was to get diagnosed.
Elora looked at the girl and then tried to find a place for Kit that would provide comfort and a texture she would be ok with. “I get it; how about the bean bag over there? Does that sound like a better alternative?” the woman looked at Kit, curious to know more about her but very aware that they had just changed the nature of their relationship.
Finding the chair in question, Hazel cringed and shook her head. " No, it doesn't... it looks loud." She replied seriously, narrowing her eyes at the shiny, crinkly-looking texture." Can I please just sit on the floor?" she asked in a hopeful tone. Nothing about the furniture looked acceptable.
“Of course, treat this as a safe space; you are free to be who you are,” Elora answered, moving to the swivel chair facing the couch. “If you have questions about the definitions or whatnot; feel free to ask, “Elora said as she observed the woman with a scrutinizing look, ensuring she noted every little detail as she looked through the test.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel nodded and sat down criss-crossed on the floor, taking the test off the coffee table and looking it over for a moment, the whole time thinking about how ironic it was that she literally could not be herself. "Thanks, I think I got it." She muttered, sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated on trying to answer the questions, knowing the test well enough not to need to ask for explanations but still wanting to make sure she answered as she naturally would and not how she had learned neurotypical people would.
Elora doodled on her notepad while waiting for the woman to finish the test. She kept drawing palm trees, small cats, and stick figures.
After an hour had passed, Hazel finally finished the test, stilling her rocking motion and placing it back on the coffee table. "Done,” she announced, glancing at the clock, seeing her time was up. "Thank you for fitting me in today. I know these slots are usually hard to get." She spoke in a businesslike tone as she got up and gave Elora a smile that matched her tone.
“Oh, nice,” Elora said informally. “When do you want our next meeting to be so that I can give you these results?” she asked, looking at the woman with a smile.
Put off by how casual the woman sounded, Hazel frowned, her hands twitching by her sides as she fought the urge to tell the woman that this was not how therapists usually acted. " I think that's up to you. You are the doctor, after all," she pointed out irritatedly. Also, shouldn't we talk? I thought this process took more time. You don't even know me," she added, watching the woman closely.
“Oh, we will talk. Taking the test is one part of three.” Elora started “Any panic attacks lately outside of the one yesterday?” Notepad on a new note, sitting up straighter, she wanted to be a professional even though her caring tone bled into the question.
Grinding her back teeth, Hazel took a slow deep breath to calm her rising temper, feeling extra frustrated with the whole situation. " Outside of yesterday, no. Our time is up. Should I just set up an appointment with your assistant or you?" She asked in a matter-of-fact tone, not mincing words.
Not prepared to let the woman go, “Do you sleep full nights? Or do you wake up often during the night?” Elora asked curiously. What is it like to sleep next to you? Jade knows. ELORA! Shut the fuck up and focus, Patient, she is a patient, nothing more, she’s a patient.
Frowning, Hazel glanced at the clock, puzzled by the continued conversation. Her therapy sessions typically lasted only an hour before she'd be promptly kicked out " No, I wake up a lot." she answered stiffly, her tone guarded as she watched the woman intently, trying to discern her intentions.
“Nightmares?” Elora asked. “Kit, focus on the questions. I know the hour is up, and my assistant is about to interrupt us, but my work here differs from others. If you allow me to show you, I think it can be revolutionary for you”. She said, “My work is not about the rigidity of forced behaviors, like others. It’s about setting yourself free to be you. Tell me, what do you usually do regarding coping mechanisms?” Her interest was genuine and scientific, and maybe she just cared for the girl a bit, but these answers would count towards starting her plan of action.
Blinking in surprise, Hazel glanced at the clock again before turning her attention back to Elora, a bewildered expression crossing her features. "Yes, I guess so. I don't always remember them," she answered prudently, her gaze wary as she observed the woman. She'd never heard a therapist encourage her to be herself, it felt wrong somehow.
"I... sometimes I kinda move my hands or rock a little bit. It helps calm me down," Hazel explained, her body still tense as she spoke. She knew she couldn't fully articulate all of her coping mechanisms, feeling guarded about revealing too much.
“OK, I want you to write down every coping mechanism you use. I also want you to try to be your full self no masking for the rest of the day. The next appointment is in two days. Bring your list and your reactions to the task I gave you.” Elora spoke in a serious tone, showing she was a professional.
Knowing there was no way she could follow the woman's instructions, Hazel nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as it occurred to her she was being stupid. It didn't matter if she followed the instructions. After all, she wasn't truly there for therapy, she was just trying to get Kit diagnosed. "Sure, I'll do my best." She answered in a more relaxed tone, hardly able to contain her amusement. " What time should I be here?"
Figuring she would need some consistency, Elora spoke softly. “We will keep our sessions starting at 12. Does that sound good? If you can’t make it, it’s okay; we will just reschedule. If you’re late, it’s also okay; we can extend the session as long as you keep coming to them.”
" Yeah, okay. Noon works. I'll see you then." Hazel replied hastily and moved towards the door, eager to get out of there and back to her hotel. She had no desire to be out and about if she didn't have to be.
Feeling her phone buzz, Hazel visibly stiffened, immediately on edge about having to answer. Pulling out her phone, she read over the message quickly.
Jade: He, I haven’t heard from you. What are you up to?
Hazel: Sorry. I went to see Elora. She offered me some therapy sessions, and I figured it couldn't hurt to take her up on it. What's up with you?
She tried to keep the tone of her messages something close to how she assumed Kit would communicate, going to a little more effort not to be as blunt as she'd been with Elora.
Jade: I see. Do you feel better? Nothing much. I'm just sitting on my couch watching our school play basketball and wiping the court with these MFs.
Hazel: I guess so. Glad the team is winning.
Hazel didn't care about basketball in the slightest. She only knew of the school because of the information she had on her sister. Leaving the office, she called an Uber and returned to her temporary home. She decided to pack up and switch to Kit's place, figuring she might as well get used to it.
Jade: me too, you should come over. I bought pizza, and I have beer.
An hour later, Hazel had finished packing up the few things she'd brought with her and sat down on the couch to read Jade's message. Biting her lip, she glanced at her suitcase and considered her options. She could stay in, set up in Kit's apartment, and relax, or she could drop her stuff off and take Jade's offer.
Hazel: Sorry I didn't see you'd messaged back. Sure, I'll need like an hour though, if that's ok?
Not waiting for the answer, she quickly called herself another Uber and gathered her things. It wasn't that she wanted to see Jade again; it was because Kit would say yes, she reminded herself silently.
Jade: Yeah, that’s cool. Can you bring some of the candy we like?
Checking her phone on her way down to the car, Hazel frowned. Shit. She thought. There was no way she could guess accurately, this was something Kit would just know. Placing her bags in the trunk, Hazel racked her brain for how to answer. She was still thinking and studying the message even as they pulled up to Kit's apartment.
Hazel: Sure, which ones do you want?
She finally tried, deciding it might not be too suspicious to ask for specifics. She managed to get her bags out of the car and up to Kit's place despite running mostly on auto-pilot, too stressed to think straight.
Jade: You know the ones? We keep them in the least accessible place because they’re so good.
After putting her bags in the closet for later, Hazel took her phone out again and groaned as she read the message. Just what I need, a fucking scavenger hunt. She thought miserably.
Hazel: Right... so you know that alleged ADHD I may or may not have? ( Potentially worse if Elora is correct! ) I haven't been able to find that candy since the last time -_-.
She just hoped that was enough to throw the woman off as she sat on the corner of the bed and stared at her phone in anticipation.
Jade: Fine! Top cabinet on the left. I also put some under your bed last time I stayed over.
Hmm, so she's stayed over. Hazel mused as set the phone down and got on the floor to look under the bed. Finding the temptation too great, she allowed herself to crawl under it for a moment and closed her eyes, taking in the familiar comfort of something she hadn't been able to do since she was fourteen.
She'd spent a full year running and hiding from Lili, but eventually, she was convinced that everything was ok, and that will to hide dampened. After fifteen minutes, give or take, she opened her eyes with a start. Shit. .. She panicked, reaching for her phone and remembering with annoyance she'd left it on top of the bed. Forgetting herself, she went to sit up and hit her head hard. " Fuck." She exclaimed, wincing and glaring at the wooden slats above her before shimming her way out from under the bed and finally grabbing the box of candies she'd gone under there for.
Hazel: Nice, I would have never thought to check there.
She replied as soon as she had possession of her phone again. She figured if it were a place Kit would check, it would just come across as sarcasm. Wandering into the kitchen, she squinted at the cabinets. " To the left of what exactly?" she asked herself, rubbing the back of her neck as she spun in circles, debating which cabinets Jade had been referring to, finally deciding to check every single one.
Jade: did you find them?
Hazel: Yup!
Hazel replied, still standing on the counter, bag of Reese's pieces clutched in her hand. It was in the absolute last cabinet she'd opened and on the tallest shelf possible. She shook her head at her sister's strange decision to put it too high to get without having to climb onto the counter fully. " Dumbass." She grumbled to herself as she hopped down with an audible grunt and closed the cabinet.
Jade: Cool, bring your swimsuit and PJs, just in case.
Whimpering audibly at the request, Hazel smacked her forehead in frustration and marched into Kit's room to gather what she'd need. She packed one of Kit's small bags, grabbing an old T-shirt from her sister's wardrobe that looked and felt like it would be acceptable. She then grabbed a pair of shorts that seemed equally okay. It was not the same outfit she'd worn before, having found it not to her liking.
After that was accomplished, she ventured into the bathroom to gather toiletries, glaring at the toothbrush still sitting there. There was no way in hell she was using any of Kit's personal items, so she made a quick list of the brands and colors of the things she'd need to buy, knowing Jade might find it strange if she showed up with stuff Kit wouldn't normally have.
List completed. She checked her phone again to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. All but snarling when she saw she was expected to bring a swimsuit. She was quite sure she and Kit had different tastes in swimwear, and she seriously didn't want to share that stuff anyway; it would be like sharing underwear. She shuddered at the thought and stomped her way over to the closet once more, eyeing the different options, pleasantly surprised to find that while Kit had bikinis and a couple of full swimsuits, she also had a variety of men's boardshorts and tankini tops, a lot closer to Hazel's own style, though she preferred regular tanktops over her swim tops, she figured she could manage for once with just a bikini top, not liking how the longer tankini's didn't quite go down all the way, it drove her nuts. That decided, she took a few pictures of the stuff Kit owned, checked the brands, and then checked the time. She'd be late, she hated being late, but she had to run to the store; there just wasn't another option.
Hazel: OK, I'll see you in an hour or so.
Exactly an hour later, Hazel knocked on Jade's door, an overnight bag slung over one shoulder, filled with all the items she'd managed to buy.
“Hey, you,” Jade said, opening the door. “Come in, come in,” she said, walking back to her living room.
Smiling at the woman, Hazel chuckled and entered the apartment. " Hey," she greeted as she looked around for a place to set her bag, deep down knowing Kit would probably just set it down carelessly on the coffee table or floor. Her fingers twitched against the leather strap at the thought. "So swimming, huh?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at the woman, still trying her best to be playful and relaxed the way she knew Kit used to be.
“Yeah, it’s bad that the weather is cool, but the pool is heated.” She said smiling “Grab a drink."
Laughing, Hazel shook her head and, against every alarm in her body, set her bag down on the floor. " Jade, you know a heated pool in October just means it's not titanic-level cold, but it’s still freeze-your-ass-off cold, right?" She teased, both eyebrows raised at this point as she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed herself a beer, remembering that's the drink Jade had mentioned in her texts.
“Well, maybe it won’t be that bad, right?” Jade said, looking at the girl, “We don’t have to stay long, and then we can come back and heat up while playing a game or something, you know?” She said as if she was craving the girl’s presence because she was.
"Oh no, I packed a swimsuit. We're staying until you're a popsicle." Hazel shot back as she made her way back into the living room, shooting Jade a playful smirk as she gestured toward the woman with the top of the beer bottle. She fully planned to use this little excursion to her advantage. She'd remembered to cover the scar this time and planned to let the water do its thing until it was evident to Jade that she usually had it covered.
“My blood runs hot, Kit. You know this,” Jade said, wiggling her eyebrows. But yeah, let’s do that,” she laughed, getting up and picking up towels for both of them.
"Mmm, famous last words." Hazel quipped with a playful smile as she grabbed her bag and walked backward towards the door she'd identified as the bathroom the last time she'd been over. "Just gonna go change." She announced, before disappearing into the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
She made sure to hurry, checking herself in the mirror once to make sure the scar was still perfectly covered. Satisfied that it was, she joined Jade in the living room again, leaving her overnight bag on a hook in the bathroom. "Alright, let's go." She waited by the door in black swim trunks and a matching bikini top - one that was more covering than most - beer in hand, a towel slung over her shoulder.
Jade looked over at the girl; her face was immediately red, flustered by the exposed skin. “Ye-yeah, yes, let’s go,” the girl stumbled at her words. Why did she have to be so breathtaking?
Raising her eyebrows at the woman's antics, Hazel tilted her head towards her and smiled. "Are you good?" she asked in an unintentionally teasing tone.
Ahhh fuck, she’s gonna torture me “Yes, yes I am. Just may need to get some water for us”. She said, trying to cover her embarrassment. “You need anything?”
Hazel watched the woman closely for a moment, skeptical, before shaking her head. " Nah, I'm good, thanks." She smiled again, waiting patiently for Jade to gather her things, oblivious to why the woman was acting so strange.
Jade stopped and discarded her tank top, not caring where it landed, leaving her in a smaller bikini top than Kit had. Certain she had gotten all their supplies, she walked into the hall and turned to Kit, hoping the woman shared her excitement. “Shall we?” she asked with a smile.
Eyes instantly drawn to Jade's chest—no! the bikini top. Hazel blinked and looked away quickly, too distracted to think about how the woman had so carelessly tossed her shirt aside. "Mhm." She hummed, tightening her hold on her beer as she fixed her eyes straight ahead, telling herself the pattern on the woman's top was interesting as she joined her.
Jade smirked as she saw the girl’s attention and her grip changing and decided to walk ahead. Opening doors and gates for Kit until they got to the pool “Oh, not as chilly as I expected, good surprise.” she said, taking her large basketball shorts off to reveal booty shorts as her bottoms and getting into the pool.
"Uh-huh," Hazel muttered disbelievingly, eyeing the water reluctantly. She knew it was gonna hurt. She had a high tolerance for cold and heat once she was in it, but the initial shock of cold water always hurt. Deciding to get it over with as fast as possible, she dropped her stuff on one of the lounge chairs and, without further ado, jumped into the water, staying under and swimming the pool length until her body was acclimated. Popping up right next to Jade. " Hey." She greeted with a huge smile, bangs fully in her eyes.
“Hi,” Jade said, moving the hair away from her face. instantly noticing there wasn’t a scar, she blinked and smiled at the girl “There you go. You look so good! New top?” she asked, her hand playing with the top little strap. Where is that scar? What the hell is this, my Kit?
Managing not to flinch, Hazel blushed, her smile not faltering. "Thanks." She spoke softer, letting her eyes roam over the older girl's face, silently memorizing her features. "Not really. I've had it, just don't wear it much." She shrugged, glancing at Jade's fingers and taking steady, even breaths to control her anxiety - practicing what she'd been taught, the urge to flinch and run from even that slight touch was almost overwhelming.
Flustered to a new level, Jade stammered, “It looks really g-g-ood -good, you’re not cold?” Regaining her composure, she smiled seductively at the girl, a little lost in her eyes, but sensing her anxiety, she backed up a bit. Give her room, Claymore. You’re not a predator.
Swallowing hard, Hazel shook her head. Abruptly realizing she hadn't even registered the water temperature since she'd gotten close to Jade. " No, I'm... warm." She replied gently, licking her lips lightly and drawing in a deep breath, both thankful for the extra space and strangely disappointed.
“Yea? Wanna see who swims the fastest?” Jade teased her hand on Kit’s chin, caressing the skin and smirking at the girl.
Smirking, Hazel shifted her eyes down the length of the pool. " I think you already know who's fastest." She spoke confidently, even as her heart pounded in her chest to an unfamiliar rhythm. Swimming was one thing she'd always loved and been good at, one thing she'd maintained through the years.
“Oh, come on, Kitty. You think I can’t outswim you?” the girl teased a bit more as she moved closer and raised her hand to play with her own necklace.
Glancing at Jade again, Hazel allowed her eyes to follow the woman's hand for a moment before looking back up. " I know you'll try, but I just happen to have much more skill in this area." She shot back with a cocky little smirk.
Jade hummed, “Yeah, you may have skills, but I have skills and talent.” She said dove under the water and swam as fast as she could to start her laps.
"Hey, that's cheating." Hazel sputtered and wiped away the water that had splashed onto her face before breaking into a sprint, easily catching and passing Jade to reach the wall first. "What were you saying about having talent? Cause it seems I happen to have both while you do not." She jabbed playfully, arms stretched out behind her over the wall as she leaned her head back and sucked in lung fulls of air, trying to catch her breath.
“Your arrogance is striking, Kit, but I will prevail, " she said, jumping to hug the girl and dunking her. “And the crowd goes wild! Jaade ja de! She cheered as Kit recovered.
Having panicked just a little, Hazel took quick deep breaths as she stared down at the water, trying to regain some composure and not freak out noticeably. "Arrogance or confidence?" She asked as she finally found her voice again, narrowing her eyes at Jade's silly little display. "You're being a lot right now." She added in an amused tone, shaking her head at the woman.
“I’m sorry, should I be shy?” Jade asked, covering her face playfully.
"Nah, but you should accept your loss with grace and dignity," Hazel smirked, feeling a little more comfortable again.
Puffing her chest, Jade spoke confidently, “I accept a rematch if you’re looking to lose again,” challenging the younger woman.
"Dude! I totally stomped you, and you had a headstart." Hazel laughed and motioned towards the woman, breaking character and using her natural speech pattern.
“Nah, I won,” Jade said as she took off again ahead of the count. Swimming as fast as she could, she torpedoed to the wall and flipped perfectly.
Slightly agitated, Hazel crossed her arms over her chest and watched the woman, refusing to play if the girl was going to cheat. " You're a cheater, Claymore!" She called, trying to keep it playful like Kit would but seriously struggling.
“Bleh, you love me, Tanthalos, don’t disguise it." She said, smiling and floating
" Oh, now, who's being arrogant?" Hazel shot back teasingly, shaking her head at the woman. She pulled herself up to sit on the side, leaving just her legs in the water.
“I think I could be a little arrogant.”. Jade spoke, placing her hand on Kit’s thighs and spreading them so she could fit in between.
Pretty sure her brain short-circuited, Hazel stared down at the woman with wide eyes, shifting her gaze back and forth between the woman's hands and taking a deep breath. " Yeah?" She asked, for lack of anything better to say, her voice coming out strained even to her own ears. She knew kicking and running away was not an option, but at that moment, she had no idea what to do with herself; she could feel the energy and need to get up and move, clawing its way up her body at such a rapid pace, she feared she'd give in and blow her cover.
Shit, I can kiss her, yes, you can. Noticing the effect she had on the girl and really not thinking she could, she tried being even bolder “Wanna c’mere for me?” Jade used one finger to ask the girl to lower her head.
Yes! Hazel's mind answered; while she momentarily blue-screened, she was sure she was staring dumbly at the woman, but she couldn't help it; her skin burned and tingled where Jade's hands had touched. Her heart felt like it might beat right through her chest, and she wanted to run and move closer in equal parts; it made no sense. It wasn't something her analytical mind could wrap itself around, and yet despite all that, she found herself nodding and leaning down just a bit closer to the older girl, the curious part of her taking over.
Jade smiled and let their breaths mingle as she stood one inch from the girl. In a moment of pure fever, she let her lips touch Kit’s—gently, softly.
Hazel's arms nearly gave out at the contact, causing her to overbalance a bit and nearly fall onto Jade before catching herself and pulling back abruptly. " Fuck." She panted and laughed awkwardly, rubbing at the back of her neck hard, feeling a blush spread from the tips of her ears down her chest. It was brief but exactly as exciting as she remembered, and suddenly swimming again sounded great. " This time, I get to cheat." She announced abruptly before dropping back into the water and taking off as fast as she could, not stopping when she reached the wall, just flipping over and swimming back towards the other side where Jade was.
Fucking hell, move! Her brain spoke, but she was in a daze, too caught up on how the woman made her feel.
After several more laps, Hazel finally came to a stop a safe distance from Jade, still on the same side as her, but a few feet away as she caught her breath, finally feeling the energy start to dissipate a little. " I won." She exclaimed breathlessly, a big giddy smile on her face.
“Oh yeah”. Jade said, still in a daze. “Because I let you.” She said with a smirk.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night Claymore." Hazel sighed, shaking water off of her hands and looking at her friend, seriously contemplating getting closer to her again, feeling an almost magnetic pull, but resisting, reminding herself how stupid it was to even think about something so distracting and useless. She was smarter than that. Above it, she wasn't her sister, not really, at least.
“Hmm…” Jade said as she slowly got out of the water, making sure the girl watched her feeling her eyes on her body.
Having no idea how to respond, Hazel just watched the other woman closely, letting her eyes travel over her body slowly, assessing her enemy. At least, that's what she told herself. She had no interest in people in that way and pitied those who did as weak and foolish. She wasn't any of those things; she was smart, cunning, and strong, just like Lili had raised her to be.
After a few seconds, Hazel snapped out of her daze and pulled herself out of the pool. Ignoring Jade and grabbing her towel, eager to get dried off and back into more clothes.
“Yeah, I guess we should head back”. The woman said with a quiet smile.
"Mhm, it's getting chilly.". Hazel muttered, keeping her back to Jade as she dried her chest and stomach. Lost in thought.
“Yeah, I can start the fireplace when we get back upstairs. I have some blankets on the floor for us, too,” she said, smiling, a bit sad that the girl was keeping her distance.
" That sounds nice," Hazel mumbled in a faraway tone. She finished drying her arms, keeping herself busy to avoid looking at Jade.
“Kit,” the girl said, looking at her carefully. Wishing her best friend looked at her.
" Hmm?" Hazel ventured a glanced over her shoulder at the woman.
“I am sorry. I shouldn’t have done that without asking; it felt right…” the woman trailed off, closed her eyes, and shook her head.
Taking a deep breath to brace herself, Hazel turned around to face the woman "What are you talking about?" She asked carefully, ensuring she understood before speaking on the subject.
Looking at the woman shyly, “I shouldn’t have kissed you.” Jade answered carefully,
"I didn't stop you." Hazel pointed out quickly, her mouth running before her mind had a chance to process, causing her to frown.
“No, you didn’t.” Yeah, why didn’t you? “ But I get it; you didn’t want to hurt me.” Jade looked at the girl. “And now you can’t even look at me.” Come on, Kit, get past this.
Softening her expression to one of sympathy, Hazel sighed. "I'm looking at you now, Jade." She pointed out, motioning between them and giving a small smile. Not stepping closer, afraid of what she might feel. No afraid of what Jade might do. She couldn't trust Jade, she had to keep her distance.
“Thank you,” Jade said, shaking, partly from the cold and partly from the way the girl made her feel. Kit, you won’t hurt me,” she said honestly. Let’s go upstairs and get warm, please?” she said, smiling at the woman and picking up both of their belongings. Ugh, this is torture.
Watching the woman, Hazel felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She knew Jade was obviously in love with Kit and had no idea she wasn't her. Looking down, she nodded. "Yeah... ok," she mumbled sadly, just a little heartbroken for her own loss. Though she'd never acknowledge it, or the fact that she seriously regretted messing up the one kiss she'd had in over fifteen years—the one chance she had at feeling something she'd missed out on—gone because she was a klutz.
Back at the apartment, Jade let them in “You can shower first. I will get the pillows and some food for us.” she said as she walked towards her kitchen.
" Thanks," Hazel said simply, watching Jade for a moment longer than necessary, as she often did. Catching herself, she shook her head and entered the bathroom.
After taking the quickest shower of her life, Hazel returned to the living room, dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and an old white t-shirt, still scrubbing a towel through her hair as she looked around for Jade.
“You look great. I’ll be right back,” Jade said as she ran to the bathroom.
"Uh... thanks?" Hazel called in a questioning tone, frowning in dismay as she hung the towel on one of the coat hooks and sat down on the floor near the fireplace. She preferred to sit on the floor whenever possible; the fire was the perfect excuse.
Jade returned a few minutes later and smiled, finding the girl on the floor “Blankets work well? I can bring the big mattress pad to make it more comfortable.”
Taking her eyes off the crackling fire, Hazel looked up at Jade, admiring how even in basketball shorts and an oversized T-shirt, she still looked good and shook her head. " You don't have to. This is comfortable, and yeah, the blankets are nice." She answered honestly, a tinge of sadness still coloring her words, as she uncurled her legs, stretching them out in front of her and leaning against the wall so just her shoulder was near the fire.
Bringing food and some drinks, Jade sat down and then looked at Kit “Come here?” she asked as she made room between her legs for the girl.
Looking at the space between Jade's legs, Hazel chewed her bottom lip, contemplating what to do. She knew Kit wouldn't hesitate; her sister had always been affectionate, especially with Jade. But she also knew her own limitations, knew she hadn't ever prepared for things like this. " What If I'm already super comfortable over here by the fire?" she asked in a playful tone, hoping her nerves didn't show.
Jade looked at Kit and smiled. “Then it’s okay; you can stay right there,” she said, moving a bit closer.
Still gnawing at her bottom lip, Hazel nodded slowly as she watched the woman with careful eyes, hands fidgeting in her lap without thought.
Jade moved a bit closer, crawling towards the girl; she spoke softly, “Can I kiss you again?”
Taking a deep breath, Hazel released her bottom lip and nodded quickly, momentarily losing her ability to speak as her eyes stayed fixed on Jade. Kit would say yes, and that was the only reason she didn't hesitate—she had to make it look real.
This is happening. This is really happening. Unable to stop her smile Jade leaned into the girl, and kissed the girl slowly with gusto, making every nerve end explode with glee. Wow.
As soon as their lips touched again, Hazel felt her worries momentarily disappear, replaced by the same wonder and curiosity she'd felt as a teenager. "Hmm". She hummed pleasantly, her hands moving up to hover near the woman's shoulders for a moment before settling back down beside her on the blanket, where her fingers fidgeted with the fabric idly.
Doing what she knew and as a way to get out some of her impetuous energy, she nipped at the woman's bottom lip lightly, soothing it with a gentle brush of her tongue. Unlike when they were younger, she didn't pull away this time, recalling how Jade had liked it in the past, without consideration for the implications. Jade let out a moan, feeling a jolt of electricity cut through her core at the need to deepen the kiss. She couldn’t shake how familiar it felt, how charged with emotion she felt, as Kit’s kiss was so much like Hazel’s that Jade sucked in a breath in surprise, haunted by the memory.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, leave us your thoughts.
Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Notes:
Hey there! We clearly have a hard time keeping schedule. Our 9-5s are kicking our butts but we are here with chapter 6.
This one is a bit longer and I hope you stick with us through it!
Thanks for reading, enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
This feels intense ; Jade could feel it coursing through her entire body, the energy reminiscent of that day and every moment during those months she and Hazel spent together. There was a strong pull toward each other, a sweet and caring dynamic, the tentative kisses, touches, licks, bites—all the little things that made Jade's mind and body reel, and that never felt the same as they did then, were all here. All here, right now. But there was no attempt to escape, no attempt to move away, to temper the feeling, only the reciprocity of a sweet kiss. No malice, innocent, slow, paced. Like Hazel's. Only this was Kit. Supposed to be Kit? She caressed the face of the angel/princess or prince ? She'd cherished for so many years and felt a raised edge. The scar, the scar that she now felt; was visible once again as she pulled away for air, it had clearly been hidden under Kit's makeup. Where did she get it? Jade couldn't assume much; two months away each year was a long time. Time enough to get a cut and have it heal. How long had she been hiding it? How did she get it? Was she hiding it so Jade wouldn't lecture her? Jade knew if Kit ever admitted to a scar, she most likely would never travel alone for two months ever again. No way Jade would willingly let her adventure beyond their safe spaces into a world that would scar her best friend, her boss, her... princess.
“This… is, when did you get hurt? I don’t remember this scar.” Jade spoke calmly, tracing her finger over it.
Visibly wincing, Hazel pulled away from the touch defensively.
~
"Get out now." A man yelled for what had to be the tenth time, losing his patience with the distraught child, as she continued to curl in on herself, making strange whining and grunting noises in her distress.
She'd already tried clawing and kicking her way out of the car, beating at the door until her hands, shoulders, and legs hurt with the effort, only giving up in the last few minutes as she collapsed onto the backseat in a crying heap, pulling herself into the fetal position and rocking herself as best she could.
At his wit's end, the giant of a man grabbed Hazel by the ankles, pinning them together painfully as he yanked her most of the way out of the car. He ignored her screams of protest, only stopping short of letting her head fall to hit the ground. " Now you will listen!" He demanded gruffly, only inches from her face, one of his hands gripping the hair at the back of her head roughly, eliciting more screams from the child as she flinched and squirmed in his grip, trying desperately to get away from the assault on her senses, hardly even aware of what was happening beyond the intense need to escape.
" I guess we'll continue to do this the hard way." He spat as he tried yanking her to her feet, only to have her turn boneless against his hold at her peril. " Fuck this." He grunted, moving his hand to the back of her neck and shoving her forward so hard it sent her face first into the rocks lining the driveway, one of them sharp enough to slice an inch-long cut across the top of her right cheekbone, staining her face and the rocks in blood.
~
Bringing her hand up to the raised mark, Hazel traced it slowly with the tip of her finger, swallowing hard at the memory, before forcing a casual smile as she met Jade's eyes. " It's so stupid... I thought I'd covered that..." She trailed off, shaking her head. " Let's just say... I don't think cats are the right choice of pet for me." She spoke with a sheepish look.
“A cat didn’t like you Kitty? What an offense!” Jade said with a smile. “When? And why hide it from me?”
Looking away, Hazel shrugged. "It was embarrassing. I was just trying to cuddle the stupid thing, and apparently, it wasn't in the mood. Happened like a year ago," she mumbled, peeking at Jade out of the corner of her eye, trying her best to convey a sense of embarrassment.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Jade said softly, reaching out to massage the scar again, "I wouldn’t have teased you.” she added carefully, her tone filled with genuine regret.
Wincing only slightly, Hazel managed not to pull away this time, instead nodding a little as she bit back the urge to cry at the tender touch. "It's not a big deal, just hurt my pride, and you know how much I enjoy that," she joked lightly, offering a halfhearted little scoff. Inside, the memory felt like a reopened wound, still tender and raw despite her attempt to brush it off.
"Yeah, but still," Jade replied, leaning in to kiss the scar lightly before giving the girl a small chaste kiss. "Your pride is safe with me," she added, gently booping the girl's nose.
Taking in a sharp breath, Hazel nodded and pulled away, standing up abruptly, unable to take any more touches. " We should... we should do something..." She trailed off, starting to walk in circles as she tried to think of a reasonable suggestion, knowing she was losing control rapidly.
"Like what? Pillow fight?" Jade offered, presenting the most ridiculous idea ever, but knowing that Kit didn't like feeling uncomfortable and Hazel had pent-up energy, thought it might just be the distraction they needed.
Looking at the woman like she'd lost her mind, Hazel paused her aimless walking for a moment and shook her head. " No, I don't... No?" She replied in a questioning tone, burying her face in her hands and groaning in frustration.
“You don’t seem so sure, Tanthalos” Jade spoke holding back a smirk.
Huffing, Hazel glared at Jade through her fingers. "Maybe I'm just losing my mind?" She asked in a tired tone, still peeking at the older girl through her fingers.
“Or maybe your mind is just presenting you with new opportunities, Kit, let’s go, when was the last time we went to the gym and let it all out on the mat? My pillows are comfy; you chose them yourself. We spent hours at that store ensuring they provided the right amount of fluff for cuddles when movies get scary.” Jade reminded and got closer, but afraid of getting too close, she waited, two feet from the woman. “One pillow fight, winner takes all - by all I mean the bed.”
Finally dropping her hands from her face, Hazel looked at the woman thoughtfully, then glanced at the pillows in question, considering that it actually sounded kind of fun. What could it hurt? "I guess maybe you're right, but I get the bed either way." She shot back with a playful smile, just short of sticking out her tongue at the woman, but held back, biting the tip of it instead, since she never quite mastered the art of that particular playful gesture, finding it felt too awkward.
“Fine, as long as you commit to fun, right? Just being a kid again for the night, we’ve gone through a lot and lately, we haven’t given space for us just to be.” Jade said giving the girl a pillow with a gentle smile.
Turning the item over in her hands, Hazel regarded it carefully, smiling a little as she thought about her sister taking forever to choose such a simple item, it occurred to her it was something she herself might do and it felt strangely comforting. Realizing where her mind was going, she quickly put the brakes on that train of thought with a shake of her head. Looking back up, she nodded. " Fun, I can do fun." She affirmed, more to herself than Jade, but it worked for both.
Jade looked at the girl mischievously and grabbed a pillow. “Ready, set, fight!” she exclaimed, holding her pillow as if it were a sword and assuming a sparring stance ready for a playful pillow fight.
At the once familiar sight, Hazel broke into a genuine grin and mimicked the stance before thrusting her pillow forward in a jabbing motion. Then, quickly pivoting, she smacked the older girl straight across the face—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to throw her off balance. "Gotcha!" she exclaimed triumphantly, jumping up and down for a second in celebration of her quick victory.
“Perhaps, or perhaps, I let you think you can win,” Jade suggested as she rolled back, pirouetting and hitting Kit on the side, then moving to hit her on her lower back as she danced around the girl.
Grunting at the unexpected hits, Hazel flinched and grabbed at her back, trying to ease the shooting pain the pillow had caused. "No cheating, Claymore. I was clearly celebrating and not prepared." She accused, eyes narrowing at the older girl as she straightened back up. The pain started to subside, giving her the clarity to attack again, this time stepping to the side and whacking Jade right in the stomach before grabbing for the woman's pillow and tugging hard, pulling her closer and off balance, then whacking her again over her upper back repeatedly; laughing the whole time.
With a loud ‘oof’ sound, Jade nodded “sure” and quickly kissed the girl’s cheek, knowing that it could potentially throw her off balance.
Shocked, Hazel let go of the pillow and stumbled backward, falling flat on her back with a surprised grunt, the air momentarily leaving her lungs in a whoosh. " Foul...time out." She called, holding her hands together in the classic sign for time out as she glared up at the older girl playfully. " First you cheat in the pool, and now this... what am I gonna do with you, Claymore?" She tsked, much like Lili would do to her when disappointed, only hers held none of the same thinly veiled malice her adopted mother's had.
Jade leaned down and straddled the girl, sitting on her hips, causing Hazel to go still, her smile faltering almost imperceptibly as she stared up at the woman with wide eyes and swallowed hard, very aware of the pressure against her hips where Jade's body met hers, something she certainly wasn't used to and had no idea how to respond to.
Holding the pillow up, ready to attack, Jade leaned down closer and spoke in a calculated low whisper, “Hold me, love me, call me yours forever? Basically, what you’ve been doing for the last…decade or so?” she laughed and sighed, moving back a bit before she got up from her position to stand, “Fine you get your time out but when we’re back. I will win fair and square. Afterall, I am your knight.” she said extending a hand to the girl to help her up.
At the woman's words, Hazel blinked " I... Yeah...." She breathed out, licking her lips slowly, at a total loss, her brain blanking out again like it always seemed to do when she got too close to Jade. She just laid there, staring at the woman's hand, still reeling and kind of missing the pressure against her for a few agonizing seconds before her brain finally sparked back to life, and she took the woman's hand, allowing herself to be pulled up, still with a dazed expression on her face. " You're such a horrible cheater." She grumbled, looking down trying to hide her blush.
Jade regarded the girl with a serious expression, attempting to decipher the emotions behind her dazed expression. Please, say you love me too , she silently implored, hoping for mutual affection. "That's the only cheating I engage in, Kitty, so please, be kind to me?" she spoke aloud, offering a wink before briskly straightening up. "Let's take a two-minute break, then it's two pillows, winner takes all," she declared with a playful tone, setting the stage for their next round of competition.
Looking back up, Hazel tilted her head with a solemn expression as she regarded Jade thoughtfully. Guilt slowly crept into her veins again as she became acutely aware of the fact that they were playing like they often had in their childhood, but with a different dynamic. This time, it wasn't her that Jade saw, but Kit. This realization made her stomach turn. Not because the woman was in love with her sister—She'd always suspected that Jade had liked Kit first—but because, no matter how much she wanted to be indifferent, she couldn't shake her innate kindness. She wanted to see her friend and sister happy, and the bitter sickness at the thought of being the person to cause either of them harm consumed her.
With a deep sigh, she quickly averted her eyes, jaw clenching tightly as she pushed down those repulsively weak feelings and nodded. " When have I ever been anything but good to you, Jade?" She scoffed softly, trying to sound light-hearted but just missing the mark as she busied herself, grabbing a second pillow, and getting ready for the next round.
"Well, I could name a few times. Melanie, Barb, Regina, dare I continue?" Jade retorted, assuming her stance. "Good thing is, I'm still here," she added, taking a deep breath as she locked eyes with Kit, offering a reassuring smile. Memories flooded her mind—times when Jade had shielded Kit from public scrutiny, and instances when the press had speculated about Jade being Kit's girlfriend and her mind drifted to Hazel, and how different things would have been with her. Hazel would never have broken her heart the way Kit constantly did. why do I think Hazel wouldn't have had a trail of women following her? She could've been even worse. NO! Hazel was sweet; she wouldn’t have been careless.
Biting her lip, Hazel nodded. " Touche'" She spoke, waving a pillow in a flippant manner " A girl has needs, though, you can't hold that against me." She added with a small smirk, hoping she was getting it right, as she had zero experience in that area, knew of no such need in herself, and thus couldn't relate in the slightest, - Although ...- No, absolutely not, she was immune to such things and fully intended to keep it that way. At the silent war in her mind, she visibly shivered a bit in disgust, tightening her hold on the pillows and taking her own fighting stance.
“You ok?” Jade asked as she saw her shiver. “Yeah, they were bitches Kit. but that’s fine, as your official bodyguard and best friend, I should’ve stopped them before it happened.” She added, hardening her expression. “Three, two, fight!”
"Ah, Yeah, I'm fine, and since when do bodyguard duties include cockblocking?" Hazel teased, a term she only knew from books and wasn't fully sure applied to women - what would the term be for women? No, she didn't let her mind go there, quickly shaking it off. With a mischievous grin, she laughed as she dodged a blow and smacked Jade with both of the pillows at the same time, sandwiching the girl's head between them quickly before jumping backward to make sure the woman couldn't retaliate.
“When the company’s reputation is at stake, it’s no longer your life, and it becomes my job,” Jade said fiercely, going after Kit, frustrated by the countless times Kit’s friends had made a mess, creating new PR scandals for the company. It was a constant battle to manage the fallout, from arranging alternative routes, to deploying extra security teams to deal with the death threats all because they couldn’t date the girl quietly without trying to make a spectacle of their lives and become famous by association. "We've had this conversation, Kit, a few times. I've been kind, and last time you said you were ready to settle down.
" Hmm, real convenient...and I said I'd settle down a bit, never said I'd become a nun." Hazel laughed, thinking quick, as she got another whack in against the woman's chest, before vaulting over the back of the couch to escape another blow. " Missed, gotta be faster than that Claymore." She taunted, bouncing from foot to foot with a huge smile on her face as she gestured for the woman to come after her.
Shaking her head and not dignifying the woman’s response on the over-discussed subject, Jade retaliated, "You know I am faster, Kit," her tone playful yet edged with a hint of bitterness. "Convenient, you say," she continued, laughing with a slightly darker undertone. With swift movements, she hit Hazel on her left side legs and right side stomach, moving forward and pushing her to fall onto the couch.
" You're not faster; you're just taller, so that's cheating, too." Hazel laughed as she scrambled to get back up.
“Excuse me? How does being tall make me a cheater?” Jade asked, looking at Kit with indignant eyes, playfully squinting at the woman.
"Because you're using it against me," Hazel replied matter-of-factly as she backed away from the couch, creating some distance between her and Jade.
“But you are not truly trying. I am not cheating, why are you calling me a cheater? Jade tried acting offended at the title.
Suddenly second-guessing herself, Hazel stilled, blinking at the woman with a searching look. "I was just playing, I'm sorry." She replied genuinely, suddenly thirteen again and scared of hurting her friend's feelings.
“It’s ok, Kit, I was too,” Jade assured and whacked the woman in the legs, showing no mercy. Way to go, Claymore, she hates you.
"Right, yeah." Hazel laughed uneasily, jumping to the side to avoid getting hit again, thrown off enough that she couldn't think to play.
Jade used her pillows as a shield and pushed the girl onto the couch again.“Oh, you think you’re clever? You think you can outsmart me?” she teased, hitting her one more time before launching into a tickle attack on Kit's sides.
Startled, Hazel yelped at the sudden attack, squirming and kicking, trying to get away. "Ha ow, ow... J-Jade..." She laughed and winced, breathing hard at the mix of discomfort and amusement as she smacked at the girl blindly with the pillows.
Fighting all the pillows, Jade moved from one side to the next, dodging as she continued to move her hands and tickle Hazel, eliciting hysterical laughter from the girl as she squirmed and fought back harder in an attempt to get away, causing Jade to climb on the couch, blocking the girl from hitting her by hugging and pinning her.
Freezing again like a frightened animal, Hazel drew in several deep breaths, squeezing her eyes shut and telling herself to calm down. She'd always liked Jade's hugs and found them comforting, but this only made her nervous; it made no sense to her.
Jade gave the girl a cocky smirk “This is my land; to cross it, you must pay a toll,” She proclaimed mischievously.
Venturing a glance up at Jade through one barely opened eye, Hazel bit her bottom lip. " What's the toll?" She asked softly, worry tingeing her words.
“Today, the toll is a kiss on the cheek, but daily it will vary, and I'll text you with the details. But for a week, you shall pay the toll,” Jade explained with a smirk, proud of herself and her little game.
Opening her other eye, Hazel searched the girl's face thoughtfully for a moment before nodding an affirmative, wincing a little as she waited for the kiss, one eye closing again in anticipation.
“You’re the one paying Kit; you will do the kissing,” Jade said softly as she fixed the woman’s hair.
Of course, she was. Why would she assume it would be the other way around? "Oh." She breathed out quietly, blue eyes finding Jade's for a split second before looking over her face again, trying to work up her nerve. As silly as it was, considering she and Jade had kissed on the mouth, she'd never initiated any kisses and had never kissed anybody on the cheek and the thought of it made her squirm uncomfortably, she knew it would irritate her lips and make her fidgety, but she couldn't see a way out of it. "You cheated the whole time, so I don't owe anything." She finally countered, jutting her chin up with a smug closed-mouthed smile.
“Don’t make me take it from you, Kit. You know well that I am being considerate, but I’ve stolen kisses before,” Jade reminded, smirking playfully.
At the mere mention of anything being forced from her, Hazel bristled, eyes taking on a new sharpness and jaw clenching tensely. "Don't." She spoke in a simple but firm tone, suddenly very willing to do whatever it took to gain control over the situation.
Trying to read Kit's expression, Jade found it unnerving to see a mix of defiance and fear in her eyes. Sensing Kit's desire to maintain control while also curious about how far she could push her,- why does she look scared? Kit and I play like this, maybe she’s not Kit and she will crack if I keep pushing.- Jade decided to test the waters. "Just a little kiss right here," she said, pointing to her cheek.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel let it out in an exasperated huff. " I don't want to." She answered simply her inability to make herself move forward and do what was asked of her irritating her enough to show up in her tone and blunt refusal.
Giving the girl a look over, Jade said, “Hmm, a denial, a true refusal,” and shook her head. She’s fully rejecting me, it can’t be Kit, she kisses my cheek all the time, it has to be Hazel.
Feeling her temperature rise at Jade's continued teasing, Hazel glared at her icily. " I'm not playing! stop!" She warned, taking deeper breaths to control her rising panic and subsequent temper.
Jade looked at the woman, worried about the way this could go. “Kit… it’s a game. I'm sorry.” She said quietly, quickly moving away from Kit and giving her space. Chill Claymore.
The tension leaving her body, Hazel sighed and closed her eyes briefly in relief before sitting up and pulling one of the pillows onto her lap as a sort of barrier to feel a little safer. Finally allowing her eyes to find Jade again, she felt a pang of guilt stab at her heart, hating herself for reacting the way she had. "Fuck... I'm sorry, I didn't..." She trailed off, running a hand through her hair and blowing out a breath. "I'm sorry." She settled on, giving the woman a genuinely apologetic look.
Jade saw the look in Kit's eyes and paused. She took a deep breath and let herself drown in the apologetic stare. “No, I’m not mad. There's no need to say sorry,” she spoke and reached for the girl’s hands but thought better of it at the last second, leaving her with her hands on her own thighs.
Observing the woman cautiously for a moment, Hazel found herself grappling with uncertainty about whether to trust her, but ultimately chose to go along with it. "Okay." She responded simply, her gaze dropping to the floor as she traced the patterns with her eyes
“Kit, please forgive me,” Jade said, moving away again, trying to show she wasn’t a predator. Please don’t think I'm creepy, I just… too many fucking drinks! You’re an idiot.
"Jade," Hazel huffed out, looking up at the woman and rolling her eyes. "I was mean. I'm sorry, okay? There's nothing to forgive; I was wrong." She spoke quickly, fidgeting with the pillow on her lap. The urge to run and maybe find sanctuary under a bed was starting to burrow its way under her skin.
Jade looked at Kit and nodded. “So was I,” she spoke. Thinking of something neutral to help them both get centered, She continued softly, “I want to do something, so why don’t you go put your things in my room and then come back here after five minutes?” she suggested with a small sweet smile.
Her room? Hazel thought, glancing towards the hall quickly as it occurred to her that Jade's apartment was most likely a one-bedroom. Remembering the woman's earlier words about the winner getting the bed, it all made sense. " No, Jade, I'm not taking your bed. I'll sleep here on the couch if I even stay over. Honestly, I think I might just head home." She answered quickly. She couldn't imagine trying to sleep in a house with anybody other than Lili, she hadn't shared with anybody other than her since she'd been thirteen, and the thought terrified her.
Jade looked at the woman with pleading eyes. “Please don’t head home, please just go into my room, I will call you back when I'm ready,” she said with a hopeful look, truly wishing the girl would give her this one last chance for a good night between best friends.
Eyes softening at the request, Hazel's shoulders slumped a bit, and she nodded. "Alright..." She trailed off, moving the pillow aside and standing up, her gaze still fixed on the older woman as she considered her for a moment. Wanting to truly convey her sincerity, she stepped forward. Pressing her lips to the tips of her fingers, she then lightly pressed them to Jade's cheek, as she'd done once before when they were small. - During Jade's fourteenth birthday party, she'd seen Kit kiss the girl's cheek and had wanted to try as well, so found a way around her aversion she hoped would convey her desire to be affectionate too.- "My toll," she spoke softly, letting her voice carry her natural - less deep - timbre for a moment, before turning to go to Jade's room.
Jade was left with a dumbfounded expression and tears in her eyes, along with a poignant memory. Confused. Conflicted. Completely fucked . That was all she could think about as she worked quickly to put things together. She worked fast, precisely, and tried to block the places her brain wanted to go.
~
Walking into the woman's room, Hazel let her eyes first travel to the California King bed directly in the middle of the room, taking note of the soft-looking comforter, and how inviting the bed looked, standing almost tall enough she'd have to jump just to get on it. She chuckled softly at the thought and shook her head as she ventured further into the room, letting her eyes travel over the walls and the many pictures of Jade and Kit in various places all around the world, looking happy and carefree in all of them, a sight that inexplicably warmed her heart at first and then quickly turned it to ice as she let her mind wander to the darker idea of them thrilled to be rid of her, Lili's voice ever-present in her mind.
Sighing, she made her way over to the closet, opened it, and flicked on the light before setting her bag down near the dresser and looking around at the large space. Almost big enough to be a room of its own she mused, a windowless place she could huddle in if she got scared, protected by the layers of fabric hanging from the hangers. She often hid in closets or racks of clothes as a child if frightened, but normally those closets were much smaller, adding to the cozy and squeezed feeling she sought.
Venturing back into Jade's room, she closed the closet door softly and walked over to the nightstand, picking up the framed picture she found there, letting the index finger of her left hand trace Kit's face first, then Jade's and finally her own, noting how cheesy her smile was compared to the other two girls, it looked so forced she thought sadly, lamenting her differences and quietly thanking Lili for getting her the help she'd clearly needed, even if she could remember being genuinely happy the day the picture was taken, the first day of school the year she'd been snatched.
She had a brand new backpack filled with a couple of notebooks and pencils, just the type she liked. Also, a cool new lunchbox she remembered showing Jade and Kit in detail, going over every little thing about it until she was sure they were sick of her, but neither bothered to ask her to stop, just smiled and listened patiently, looking almost as excited as she was at times. She knew now that they couldn't have been, but at the time, it had felt that way, and it felt good.
She hated to have her picture taken, but Sorsha had asked so nicely, and she didn't want to disappoint, so she'd willingly stood as close to the other two girls as possible and given the biggest smile she could for her mother, wanting her to have the perfect picture. In hindsight, she realized that the woman probably only wanted the picture for sympathy later, but at that moment, it felt like a genuine desire to have a picture of her girls and their best friend on the first day of junior high.
Blinking back tears, Hazel drew in a deep breath and let out an audible huff as she set the picture back down where she found it and shook her head at herself.
Deciding to explore a bit more, she made her way onto the balcony via the sliding glass door. It was small, but the view was nice. She smiled, picturing Jade reading a book out there.
Closing the door again, she ventured into the bathroom, noticing it had a tub and separate shower as she preferred, and noting one more time how tidy Jade was, it made her feel safe and comfortable.
Finally making her way back into the room, she let her eyes scan it again, noticing a few souvenirs on the walls and a small desk in the corner of the room, everything had its place and perfectly reflected Jade.
~
After a bit more than five minutes. Jade stepped back and looked at her masterpiece. “I still got it,” she whispered to herself. “You can come back,” She called for Kit, her mind traveling back to the kiss; spiraling. Be cool, be cool, be cool.
Hearing the woman, Hazel took one last look at the picture on the nightstand before quickly exiting the room and joining Jade again in the living area. " You called me, right?" She asked curiously, hands in the pockets of her sweatpants, feeling awkward as she leaned against the wall and looked around, eyebrows raising at the blankets strewn out over the living room in what appeared to be a... Fort? Did Jade make them a fort? She couldn't believe her eyes and had to chuckle softly at the cute gesture. Both she and Kit had always loved building forts, even if she herself tended to be a bit bossy when it came to directing her sister on the design, as her father had often pointed out the many times he'd had to break up an argument. Looking back she could understand why he might have thought she was a tad intense about it, but she truly loved seeing her ideas come to life, and she hadn't had the physical capability to execute them herself, whereas Kit did. It had seemed only natural at the time.
Jade nodded and spoke softly “Yes, I called.” she smiled big at her. Extra excited for the woman to see what she’d been up to and a bit nervous she would think it was childish. But Kit liked it when she was spontaneous, and what’s more spontaneous than a fort for two adults?
" Jade... did you build us a fort?" Hazel asked with an amused smile, pushing off of the wall to go inspect it, walking around the entire thing with a smile so big it almost hurt.
“Yes, I did, what do you think? Hate it?” she asked nervously. Looking at the woman, holding her hands behind her back.
At that, Hazel frowned and shot Jade a questioning look. "Why would I hate it? It's great. I really like the design." She admitted with a new sort of eagerness in her voice, rubbing her hands together, unable to hide her excitement at the small piece of her childhood in front of her.
“Wanna check out the interior?” Jade asked hopefully. Looking at the fort and admiring her creation.
Without thinking, Hazel clapped her hands eagerly in response, bouncing on her toes for a moment before remembering herself. She squeezed her hands together with some effort, stilling her body before nodding. " Yes, please." She answered awkwardly, wincing at her answer, knowing it sounded childish and not like Kit at all. She was screwing this up, she knew it, and it was starting to give her anxiety. " Show me the door?" She asked quickly, hoping Jade hadn't picked up on how uncomfortable she was.
Noticing Hazel's reaction, Jade's heart quickened. She grinned at the woman. "Yes, of course, right this way," she said, guiding Hazel to the entrance of the makeshift tunnel. "There you go, after you," she added with a smile, gesturing for Hazel to enter first.
At the request, Hazel had a brief moment of paranoid fear flash through her mind, wondering if Jade had figured her out and if she had, would turning her back on the woman really be the best idea? She was Kit's head of security after all; it was possible she'd want to eliminate a threat without consulting anybody first, especially if said threat was already supposed to be dead.
Swallowing hard, she pushed the unease down, and gave Jade a quick smile before ducking down to crawl into the fort. The tension eased a bit, replaced by wonder as she observed the little details the woman had put into it. Such a simple thing turned into something extra cool with just a little bit of extra thought, it made her smile and wonder briefly what it would be like for Jade to know it was her, to be able to be herself and sit in the fort together just the two of them, catching up on all the years they'd missed, or even better, what it would have been like if there were no missing years. Would they have gone on to date? Maybe become girlfriends? She knew that line of thinking wasn't healthy, but she couldn't help it as she made it to the center of the fort and sat down with her legs crossed under her, waiting for Jade. " This is really cool, I love it." She spoke in a tone that reflected the awe she felt.
Often, Jade was in a position where patience and smart wit were needed. She never thought using skills acquired as a child would play a roll in the investigative nature of her current job. Building forts wasn't exactly on her list of tactics for solving cases, initiating investigations, or coaxing confessions out of suspects. Tonight she was testing out how flexible her skills could be, connecting emotional core memories to newfound knowledge. She tried to move them forward because she wanted to know if this person with her was her best friend or her long lost ex. She turned on the charm and smiled at the girl as she motioned her arms to the expanse of the fortress “Thanks if you keep going this way, you will find the cinema room.”
"Oh, will I?" Hazel asked in an amused tone and followed the woman's lead, feeling almost guilty for having so much fun. Becoming friends with Jade again was not what she was there for, and it bugged her that she needed to keep reminding herself of that.
“Yes, it's equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and leather reclining chairs”. Jade answered with a smirk.
"Mmm, you build those yourself too?" Hazel quipped, rolling her eyes at the woman playfully.
“Those I imported, camel leather,” Jade stated, proud of her answer. Watching the girl for her reaction.
"Camel leather?" Hazel asked excitedly, fingers twitching a little at the thought of the soft buttery texture she knew they'd have, but looking around, she couldn't figure out a way for any such chairs to fit under the little fort, and now that she thought about it more, there was no view of the tv either. Pretend, it had to be pretend; she was expected to use her imagination, something she often struggled with. " I'm sure they're really comfortable." She spoke in a somewhat unsure tone, still glancing around to make sure there was nothing she was missing, perhaps some entrance that would lead to a bigger space where the chairs really did exist, chairs Kit would obviously know about. The uncertainty made her fidget a bit, fingers tugging at the fabric of her sweatpants to try and calm her nerves.
“Yeah, here, feel them” Jade moved Kit’s hand to the cushions she'd positioned to look like recliner chairs. “feel how exquisitely soft and slick they are.”
Ah, so that's why there were random cushions on the floor. She just figured Jade hadn't found a use for them and forgot to put them back. This made a whole lot more sense. Managing to let Jade guide her hand without protest, Hazel bit her lip, eyes focused on the other woman for a moment. " Mhm, I can imagine." She spoke softly, eyes memorizing the little details of the woman's face, hardly registering the feel of the cushions beneath her fingers. She'd always wondered what it would feel like to touch another person's skin with more than just the tips of her fingers, but that line of thought always abruptly halted as she remembered exactly why she never could; just the thought alone made her feel squirmy in a way she barely managed to hide with just a small shiver.
"It's like a warm embrace in the cold. It kinda molds to you and hugs you close," the woman said, her voice tinged with longing as she ran a hand over the cushion. "It has this massage technique that tightens around your aching muscles and makes you relax. You just melt into it." Jade described the functions of a fictitious chair, more of a dream she wanted for herself, her words carrying a wistful tone as if she wished for such comfort and relaxation in her own life.
Sighing softly at the description, Hazel let her eyes fall on the cushions again as she tried to picture what the woman was describing, her mind conjuring up an image after a few seconds, eliciting a smile. " That sounds perfect." She spoke in a dreamy tone, allowing herself to imagine that she could honestly enjoy something like that, despite the fact she knew she couldn't. Massage chairs always hurt her, sending her scrambling away as soon as they started to move. The sound was too much, the rolling pressure too harsh and they always squeezed in all the wrong places, making her feel claustrophobic. But in theory, the idea of a massage that didn't involve people touching her sounded kind of nice, she was certainly more willing to try that than she'd ever be with a person.
Jade, seated next to the girl, closed her eyes and let out a moan as she pictured the touch of a massage. “It just feels amazing; best investment I made. Outside of my nice computer, of course”. she spoke as she let her legs stretch. “How do you like the fort? I have a cozy room too.”
At the sound Jade made, Hazel glanced at the woman sharply, eyes studying her carefully for a moment, almost missing everything she'd said as her brain tried to process. " Uh, I told you I love it." She answered briskly, taking a quick breath and moving to sit on the cushions, deciding to try and shift her focus back to the little game.
Jade looked down the little hall from where they were, and spoke with enthusiasm, “There's a cozy cave down the hall I don’t think we both fit, we can try, but you can go check it out. I'll meet you there in a minute.” she spoke softly “I made that room thinking of her. She would have loved something like that in a fort when we were kids.” she added.
Unclear on whether the woman was playing or not, Hazel glanced at the woman curiously and decided she was serious. " Mmm, She always designed a small space just for her, I remember I always had to get it just right or she'd get upset." She mused quietly, drawing on the many memories she had of such incidents. She'd never meant to be mean to her sister, she just got overwhelmed easily when things didn't go exactly as she saw them in her head, and got angry when she realized she had to rely on others to help her, and oftentimes that anger and frustration would come out at Kit. Feeling guilty, she looked down at her hands as she twisted her fingers together painfully, almost punishing herself for those moments when she'd lost her control. " She'd love it, Jade." She finally spoke again, tone somber. " Would you look at me differently if I was like her?" She asked softly, keeping her eyes on her fingers as she decided to test the waters.
“I would never. You know that, Kit. I loved Hazel.” she said seriously “She was my first sorta-kinda-maybe girlfriend.” Jade spoke softly. “One of my best friends. She made me better.”
At the woman's answer, Hazel's head shot up, eyes finding her again quickly. " Jade..." She started, furrowing her brow in thought. "I know you cared about her, but... was she your first choice?" She spoke in a sympathetic tone.
“Kit,” Jade warned. “Hazel was kind, loving and she and I had so much we shared. You and I could never be. You never loved me that way.” It wasn’t fair to talk about her feelings for the girl when they would never be reciprocated. “Hazel had feelings but she always thought I loved you, I feel like I failed to show her how special she was to me.”
Nodding slowly, Hazel continued to watch the woman closely, noticing the slight wordplay. " You didn't answer my question Jade... or maybe you did. She was never your first choice, and she knew that. She was a lot smarter than anybody gave her credit for. You can't tell me you don't care about me now, you've kissed me multiple times this last week, and I think you know I always liked you, but you refused to see it. I never really understood that, to be honest. Why didn't you just tell me back then? Why go for her instead?" She asked sincerely, confident that Kit had always liked Jade, not that it mattered if she gave the woman the wrong impression anymore anyway. It wasn't like the real Kit would ever be an issue.
Jade shook her head, pondering why, if Kit had feelings for her, she played with her emotions for so long. “I don't know if you've always liked me, Kit. Honestly, I don’t know if you like me now. I knew Hazel liked me. I knew Hazel was chivalrous and liked me. I knew she had this little smile and way of talking that got to me. Maybe you’re right, but what I had with Hazel was real. It was pure, and my feelings were strong. So while I had a crush on you since we were little, when I fell for Hazel, I was completely hers.”
A little taken aback by the sincerity in the woman's words, Hazel leaned away from the woman a bit, not that they were particularly close, but it made her feel better. " So... if I'd admitted I liked you back then after you were with her. You would have turned me down?" She asked carefully, finding it difficult to believe.
“Yes, the months I was with Hazel, the year after she was gone. I was fully hers.” Jade admitted without shame or regrets. “I would’ve given her everything.” She added honestly.
Suddenly a little sick to her stomach, Hazel swallowed hard and nodded slowly. " That just makes me Lo... Like you even more." She replied in a tearful voice, stopping short of saying she loved her, not wanting to speak for her sister. Even if she truly believed Kit did love Jade and always had, she wouldn't take that from her. She didn't stop to think about how ridiculous that was considering her sinister intent. " But now... If Hazel walked through that door right now... would it be Me or Her?" She asked seriously, meeting the woman's eyes determinedly.
Jade found the question strange, but she knew Kit was insecure. “I’d have to get to know her again if I were to think of her that way. I've changed, and I'm sure she did, too. I've had other lovers. I'm sure she would’ve too. And I fell in love with someone else, so maybe it wouldn’t be in the cards for us now. But if she did, I’d like to see her happy.”
Feeling her eyes well up with tears, Hazel looked away quickly, not surprised by the woman's answer, but just a little bit sad, not that Jade would choose Kit, that was expected, but at the loss of time and the fact at one point it might have been her had things stayed how they were. " I highly doubt Hazel would have gotten with anybody. She was never very interested in people like that. Honestly, I was shocked she showed an interest in you." She finally answered with a small chuckle, finding a small loose thread on one of the blankets and fixing her eyes on that.
“I’d like to think that Hazel would get with someone who is kind and sees her for who she is.” Jade said smiling “I truly think I may have loved her my whole life if things would’ve been different. My Hazey deserved everything good, kind, and loving.” she spoke with tears in her eyes.
Hearing the emotion in the other woman's voice, Hazel shifted her gaze back to her, feeling a desire to comfort her, to assure her things would be ok, but no matter how strong that urge was, her hands and body had no idea what to do, like they just couldn't follow commands.
She was aware that hugs were a common form of comfort for people, yet she struggled to initiate them herself, and even when others hugged her first, she didn't always feel at ease. Understanding and managing other people's emotions was an alien concept to her. "She would have wanted you to be happy. I'm sure of that," she offered in a gentle tone as she drew closer to the woman, hoping proximity would help. "Jade, she knew you cared deeply. You were always there for her," she continued, tentatively reaching out her hand a few times before finally settling it on the girl's shoulder. With light strokes and pats, she offered what she hoped would be a comforting touch, the one gesture she knew how to give.
“Thank you. I still wish I could’ve saved her. Stopped them. Let them take me instead, Kit. I still want to kill those bastards. She was so sweet.” Jade said as she let a tear fall.
"I know, but you shouldn't feel guilty. There was nothing you could have done. You were small, and they were huge. You wouldn't have had a chance." Hazel spoke confidently, still lightly patting the girl's shoulder.
Jade looked at the woman and thought the comment was strange since no one had seen who took Hazel, no size, no description. “We don’t know anything about them… and that's what makes me so angry. If only I had seen her off.”
Silently cursing her error, Hazel's hand stilled, her eyes shifting to a more calculating look as she considered whether or not Jade had picked up on the mistake or if she was too upset to think anything of it. " Jade... we both know that while small, Hazel could put up one hell of a fight over even small things. If you think about somebody grabbing her, you know they did it without warning. You know she would have freaked out. She could nearly take our Dad down when she was really upset, so I think it's safe to say whoever grabbed her was big, a lot bigger than anything you could take on, alright?" She spoke smoothly, eyes taking on a sympathetic look again as she squeezed the woman's shoulder a little harder than intended as she fought against remembering that day in too much detail.
“Maybe. She was a good fighter,” Jade said, wiping the tears. “I hate them,” she said quietly. Can we go to the tiny spot?” she asked, wanting to feel closer to Hazel somehow. She invited Kit to the little cave.
Swallowing hard, Hazel glanced thoughtfully towards the spot for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I hate them too, come on." She spoke softly, giving the woman's shoulder another quick squeeze before crawling over to the small area Jade had built in her memory. It felt perfect, just like she'd always designed it, warm and comforting away from all of the scary things outside of their little fabric fortress.
The cozy room was built with sleeping bags, lots of them together in a roll. It was in a tight spot strategically placed against the wall. Jade looked at Kit inside, “Think I can fit too?”
Having braced herself mentally for the situation, Hazel nodded slowly, recalling the countless occasions when Jade had joined her under the bed, always finding solace in those moments. Despite the bed offering much more space than their current surroundings, she hoped it would be ok.
With Kit's consent, Jade climbed into the space and made sure to meet the girl's gaze. "Can I hug you, Kit?" she asked, mirroring her approach with Hazel; it seemed fitting.
Biting her lip, Hazel nodded. " Yes, please." She spoke softly, finding she craved the contact more than she'd let herself realize or admit. If you asked her, she'd deny it.
As Jade moved to embrace the girl, she surrendered herself to the moment, allowing herself to fully experience the depth of her emotions. Every touch was keenly felt, accompanied by a sharp pang in her chest, a manifestation of her pain for Hazel. Tears streamed down her face as she cried uncontrollably, clutching onto the girl tightly, seeking solace in their shared embrace.
At first uncomfortable with the show of emotion, Hazel stiffened a little but after a few seconds slowly relaxed as the warmth of the embrace reached her heart and squeezed at it painfully until she too was sobbing uncontrollably, burying her face in the older girl's shoulder, mourning who she used to be. She no longer knew herself, the person who stared back at her in the mirror every morning was a poor imitation of her sister, and before that, she could hardly even look at herself. She made herself believe she was happy and ok, let her new purpose drive her and give her a false sense of fulfillment, but in Jade's arms that illusion came crashing down hard, leaving her hollow and alone.
“Sorry, I just miss her,” Jade said, pulling back and wiping her tears. “It’s stupid that I bought a bed that had enough clearance because I thought of her,” she added, shaking her head.
Unable to speak, Hazel just shook her head and burrowed closer to the woman, hands fisting the fabric of Jade's shirt tightly as she continued to cry, too overwhelmed to stop, essentially a meltdown disguised as grief.
Jade hugged tightly and cried with her, letting out the grief. If you’re not Kit, if you’re her, please, please tell me. The woman felt the girl’s grip on her and sighed, wishing she hugged back.
After some time, Hazel cried herself into a fitful sleep in Jade's arms, reminiscent of all the times she'd done the same as a child. Emotion drained her energy completely, leaving only a nap as a respite. Her hands clenched tightly onto Jade's shirt, twisting and pulling with intensity as she whimpered and panted, caught in the throes of a nightmare. In her sleep, she struggled against phantom attackers, running and fighting as she did nearly every night
Jade woke up with the girl’s fitful sleep and held her tight. “Hey, I got you, I’m here… you’re safe. ” the girl said, holding her close, “it’s just a dream,” tightening her grip to keep her safe. To show she was safe.
Unaccustomed to anybody sharing her bed ever, Hazel awoke with a start, screaming, kicking, and struggling in the woman's arms, fully panicking, too groggy to recognize where she was or who was holding her, just knowing something was touching her and needing it away.
“Kit! Kit, relax; it’s just me,” Jade said carefully, lightly shaking the woman’s shoulder to make sure she was okay.
Registering Jade's voice, Hazel stilled for a moment, still sucking in huge lung fulls of air as she looked at the girl, blinking to try and focus. " Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep." She rasped out, wincing and clearing her throat with an apologetic look.
“It’s okay. I napped, too. It was comfy. Are you okay, though?” Jade asked carefully.
"Mhm, I just have nightmares sometimes, but I'm ok. Sorry if I scared you." Hazel replied honestly, shifting a bit to try and create some distance, suddenly uncomfortable in the woman's hold.
“It’s ok I am not mad. You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” Jade replied, carefully moving back a little.
"K," Hazel muttered simply as she squirmed away from the woman some more, getting enough distance to move back into the open space of the tent and hugging her knees to her chest. " Elora thinks I might be like ...her... Hazel" She spoke quickly, making sure she sounded uneasy.
“What do you think? You know nothing changes, right? If you are, nothing changes,” Jade said in a reassuring tone. Is there an angle here? Autistic? Kit? What if this is Hazel trying to cover her tracks and have Kit diagnosed to cover up for her behavior?
"Nothing changes with you, maybe." Hazel muttered, resting her chin on her knees as she regarded the woman carefully. " I think Mom feels like she dodged a bullet with Hazel. Her normal daughter being the face of the business is way easier to stomach than..." She trailed off and looked away. " But if Elora's right..." She let her words trail again, sighing softly.
“Kit, come on, you know that’s not true. Your mom loved Hazel and was fine with her taking over. She taught Hazel from a young age to be herself and to know the responsibility of the job. She never thought that for even a second, gee, by the time she disappeared, Hazel had taken and learned three different languages and was enjoying being part of Model UN because it was going to help her in her career. You know that Sorsha never forced those on her. You know she never forced them on you, either. Your mom is often devastated when we talk about her.” she said, “She will love you just like she loves you today.”
Hazel regarded the woman with suspicion, finding it difficult to trust anything she said. None of Jade's words resonated with her, leading Hazel to believe that Jade had somehow seen through her façade and was merely saying what she believed Hazel wanted to hear.
"Yeah, it's easy for her to say all that now," Hazel retorted, her tone guarded. "Sure, Hazel was smart, and Mom kept her busy with new things to learn, but she couldn't control herself. There's no way she would trust her to handle meetings with important people, where she'd have to shake hands and act normal. The stakes are too high to entrust to someone unpredictable like her."
Her expression grew serious as she continued, "I know I've proven myself, but what if a diagnosis like this makes her doubt everything she knows about me? She might start seeing me as a liability." Hazel watched Jade intently, searching for any hint of hesitation or deception in her response.
"I think you're overthinking this," Jade replied, her voice gentle but firm. "Your mom never doubted Hazel, and she wouldn't doubt you either.." Jade paused for a moment before continuing, "You should talk to your mom to see how she feels about everything. I can't answer all of your concerns, but I know she wouldn't see you as a liability." Jade leaned in closer, her expression earnest. "Go see Elora, sort things out, but also make sure to meet with your mom," she advised, sharing her most sincere opinion
Meeting Sorsha was out of the question, it was one of the main reasons she'd chosen to only go to the office at night, she wanted no possible chance of running into the woman, it had just been a nice coincidence that Sorsha had left town only a couple of nights after she'd arrived " She's out of town for now as you know, but maybe I'll tell her when she's back. I don't really want to trouble her." Hazel answered simply.
“You’re always gonna doubt until you see her.” Jade said looking at the woman “Come, let me make you comfortable for the rest of the night.
" Yeah I know, I'll talk to her when she's back". Hazel reassured the woman, with no intention of actually doing it. " You don't need to make me comfortable Jade, this was great. I'm sorry I fell asleep on you though." She answered sheepishly and then crawled out of the tent, getting up and stretching her back.
“I didn’t mind it,” Jade said, smiling. “But I understand if you want to go home. It’s been a charged day.” She added, following the girl out.
Hazel finished her stretch, lowering her arms back down and giving the woman an apologetic look, honestly surprised but grateful that Jade was letting her go so easily. " I promise I'll make it up to you another time. I'll just grab my stuff." She replied then quickly went and retrieved her things from Jade's room, only pausing by the front door to let the woman see her off.
Following Kit to the front door. Jade spoke with a soft tone. “Kit, you could stay if you want, you know that right?” Jade said carefully, “I didn’t want to assume.”
"Are you asking me to stay?" Hazel asked in a confused tone, glancing down at the bag clutched tightly in her right hand. She was so close to getting out of there, but at the prospect of Jade asking her to stay, she wasn't sure that's what she wanted.
“I Don’t want you to be uncomfortable but I think we both need some comfort so if I can be selfish, I would want you to stay.” Jade answered beaming.
Knowing the woman's request was reasonable and considering the fact she'd actually spent a lot of time packing an overnight bag, buying things, and generally preparing for a sleepover, Hazel decided she should accept the offer. " You drive a hard bargain claymore." She answered with a playful smile.
That decided she held her bag up. " Gonna put this back. We staying out here or watching movies in your room?" She asked curiously, internally smacking herself for suggesting the bedroom.
“The bedroom. It’s comfortable.” Jade answered, taking the woman’s bag and her hand guiding her to bed.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed, staring at their joined hands and just letting the woman guide her, realizing she was starting to get used to it and didn't actually hate the contact. " Did you really have to get a bed this tall?" She complained softly as she finally looked up to regard the bed again, knowing she was gonna look silly trying to hop onto it.
“I told you… it’s comfy down there” Jade said “you can test it” she offered with a small smile.
Frowning, Hazel shook her head at the woman and proceeded to turn her back to the bed, using her arms to brace herself and hopping onto it, her legs dangling off the side, making her feel like a child. " I'm not Hazel Jade, I'm sure it's great, but hiding under beds was her thing." She replied in a tired tone despite how tempting it actually sounded.
"I know, love. I know you're not," Jade spoke tenderly, walking over to kiss the girl's forehead. "Get ready, come to bed," she added, smiling warmly at her. Tonight we sleep. Tomorrow, I'll work on arranging for Sorsha to meet us. I must know.
Ducking her head at the affectionate gesture, Hazel scooted back onto the bed more. " I'm kinda comfy in what I'm wearing if that's ok?" She asked in a sheepish tone, not sure she could handle another change at that moment.
"Yes, of course," Jade replied with a smile, proceeding to undress and retrieve her night clothes. "Okay, I'm ready now," she announced, climbing onto the bed and turning off the lights, while also switching on the TV for some white noise. "Come here," she invited, opening her arms for the girl to nestle into.
Accepting that this was apparently a thing she now did, Hazel internally braced herself and scooted into the woman's arms, letting Jade hold her again, something that only used to happen when she was distraught. " Thank you." She mumbled quietly. If she was being honest she didn't hate the hugs as long as she was warned first.
“Don’t get used to it” Jade said in a playful tone. “Night Kitty.”
Oh, so we're sleeping. " Hmm, goodnight Jade." Hazel sighed softly and closed her eyes, telling herself to just relax and sleep.
The next morning, Jade woke up early, preparing breakfast for Kit before heading off to work. Before leaving, she left a note for her:
"Dear Kit,
Breakfast is served. Take your time before you leave, lock the door behind you, and enjoy your day. I'll message you around 1 pm with dinner plans. I thought we should dress up and go to this upscale place. Don't worry, I made a reservation in my name, so it's on the DL. See you tonight.
Xo,
J."
Upon waking to an empty bed, Hazel scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion, looking around for a moment before getting up and wandering around the apartment searching for Jade, finally coming across the note about ten minutes later.
Thinking it was slightly strange, she shook her head but decided not to think about it too much. She really preferred to be alone anyway and this allowed her to get her barring and start her day on her own terms.
She ate and got dressed as quickly as possible and called herself an Uber back to Kit's place, knowing it would take her a while to settle on an outfit that would work for an upscale restaurant, silently cursing herself for not packing a better variety of clothes for herself. She'd only remembered to pack herself a couple of business casual outfits for when she'd go to the office on the off chance she'd run into somebody. All of her other clothes were casual, everyday wear.
~
Later that night, Hazel met Jade in front of the Cherry Circle Room wearing black slacks, a matching leather belt, and a white button-up shirt, topped with a black waistcoat and finished with men's black dress shoes- the only two items that were hers.- Kit's slacks fit more snugly than she'd normally choose, as did the shirt, but she knew she had to at least mix in some of her sister's wardrobe, but the shoes she couldn't compromise on and the vest just made her feel a little bit safer. " Fancy." She commented with a teasing smile as she looked at the building.
“Wow. I forget how nice you clean up Tanthalos.” Jade said as she gave the woman an up-and-down look. Jade was wearing a simple strapless navy jumper, her hair in thicker braids and she carried a small clutch.
" Yeah? You think? I dunno, I almost wore a tie." Hazel muttered, looking down at her outfit, before looking up and letting her eyes drink in the sight of the woman in front of her for the first time since she'd arrived, having been too fixated on finding the right spot to really pay attention before. " You look... really nice too." She spoke shyly, biting her bottom lip and looking towards the restaurant. " Should we?" She asked, motioning to the door, afraid to look at Jade again, not comfortable with the way her stomach flipped at the sight of the woman.
“Yes. Come on.” Jade said as she held her hand out “Reservation for Claymore” she told the hostess and five minutes later they were at their table “Sorry I couldn’t get a last-minute reservation at Alinea, that’s usually only possible when I say your name, so, maybe next time” she joked as she looked over the menu.
" What? No this is perfect Jade, truly." Hazel spoke with a soft smile, letting her eyes linger on the woman's face for a moment before glancing back down at her menu. She couldn't believe how nice the place was, she'd looked it up as soon as Jade had texted the name, making sure she had a game plan and that she could find something acceptable on the menu, but she wasn't really paying attention to how fancy it was. The food sounded amazing too.
“Good, I hoped it would be.” The waiter came over and took their selections, Jade went with the lamb shank, while Hazel chose the Filet Mignon.
" Jade, you know we could go to Mcdonalds and I'd be happy right?" Hazel spoke kindly, glancing at Jade's hand, aware that this might be a moment where somebody might place their hand over the other person's, but unable to bring herself to do it.
"Yes, Kit, I know, but I wanted us to have a nice dinner," Jade replied with a smile. As she glanced around, she spotted Sorsha passing by. "Sorsha?!" she exclaimed, turning her attention to the woman.
" Jade?" Sorsha asked, approaching the table with a big smile. " It's so good to see you, Dear." She greeted warmly. Kit's back was to her as she first approached, so when she looked to greet the other person, she froze.
At seeing her daughter back early from her annual trip, Sorsha gave her a bewildered look, studying her curiously for a moment - Something seemed different but she couldn't place it - and spoke. " Kit? I wasn't expecting you back til December, is everything ok?' the concern was evident in her voice, even as her studious eyes observed the girl sharply
Looking at her mother with trepidation, Hazel tried to comprehend the wave of conflicting and turbulent emotions swirling in her gut.
She found herself torn between the warring needs of her present self and her inner child. On one hand, she felt the urge to scream, attack, and run; on the other, an equally powerful longing to collapse into her mother's arms and release her tears until there were none left. Despite this internal conflict, her face remained impassive, a perfect mask of indifference. She pressed the sharp part of her ring against her finger so hard that the digit started to go numb, offering a temporary relief for her frazzled nerves.
"Everything's fine, I just thought I'd try something new this year. I still don't plan to come back to work officially until December though." Hazel spoke concisely in a measured tone, making sure she met her mother's searching eyes. She couldn't help but recall the contents of Sorsha's letter, claiming she could distinguish between her daughters, and briefly pondered it's validity. Could Sorsha see through her facade? And if so would it make a difference? Hazel suspected Sorsha would likely dismiss any suspicions as mere guilt plaguing her conscience. She found herself grateful for the public setting, which limited the potential for a deeper conversation, welcoming the distraction it provided.
At the tone and cadence of the woman's speech, Sorsha faltered, reaching up to touch the edge of the table to steady herself, wishing she was sitting. Gulping down her emotions. She sucked in a sharp breath and shot an inquisitive glance towards Jade, trying to determine if the woman was picking up on anything amiss and wondering why they were out to dinner together. She knew they were always close, but seeing them out on what could be construed as a date, when to her knowledge Kit was supposed to be off on her trip was all a little bit jarring. Not that she had anything against Jade and Kit dating, in fact she'd hoped for it for years, thinking Jade's stability would be good for Kit, but her daughter always seemed to have other ideas, preferring one-night stands with questionable women instead.
Narrowing her eyes, Sorsha studied the girl harder. There was no way this was Hazel, she was truly losing her mind. It had taken fifteen years but it had finally happened. While she would often get glimpses of Kit that reminded her of her lost daughter, it would always resolve upon another look, but this time the more she looked, the worse it got. Kit always had a mischievous look in her eyes, carefree as a child and on into adulthood even if it was often shrouded in deep sorrow and a resigned sense of duty. Hazel on the other hand had always had calculating eyes, always searching for answers, even at her most playful she was always the more serious of the two, and while Hazel's voice had been low, Kit's was always a touch lower, her speech pattern more structured, little things that only a mother would really notice, but it was impossible.
~
Sorsha stood, observing her two daughters, both girls dressed alike, their blank expressions mirroring each other perfectly, unintentionally evoking the twins from The Shining.
"Honey, we have to be to the doctor in thirty minutes, and I can't tell them apart. Maybe we should just reschedule? School doesn't start for two weeks; we have time," her husband reasoned from his place beside her, squinting at his girls as he tried to differentiate between them.
Kit had already undergone her physical and shots a couple of days earlier. Today was Hazel's turn, and while she was normally obedient to a fault she adamantly refused to cooperate with anything related to doctors, experiencing intense meltdowns at the mere mention of a medical appointment.
This time was no different. Hazel had cried herself sick the day Kit had her checkup learning hers was scheduled for shortly afterwards. Ever since, she and her sister had tried to devise a plan for how she could get out of it, finally deciding to dress identically and refusing to disclose who was who. To their delight, their dad couldn't discern which one was Hazel, and after fifteen minutes of trying to figure it out, he'd called their mother.
Approaching their girls, Sorsha squatted down in front of them, carefully studying their faces. "We don't need to reschedule," she assured her husband with a small smile, her gaze settling on one of the girls. Despite their matching expressions, she could discern subtle differences. If the circumspect look in the older girl's eyes wasn't enough to give her away, she knew all she needed to do was make them smile to distinguish between them. Kit had an easy, open smile, while Hazel's could either be stiff and forced, or so big she'd end up resembling a chipmunk, a very cute chipmunk, but a chipmunk nonetheless.
"While this is all very clever, you underestimate the super secret powers that come with being a mother, my perfect girl. I'll always recognize you, Hazel, just as I do Kit," she spoke gently, noticing a flicker of worry in the older girl's eyes and giving her a sympathetic look. "I understand you're scared, but I've spoken to the doctor and explained everything to her. You won't be asked to remove anything, and I'll be by your side the entire time." She promised softly as she watched Hazel's jaw clench a little and continued quickly, needing to get her words out before the girl panicked.
"I promise, Hazel, she won't do anything without your consent. I wouldn't subject you to this if it weren't absolutely necessary kiddo. I want you to feel safe, which is why I've communicated our expectations to them. If they break our trust, we'll leave immediately. You've always trusted me, and I need you to trust me now. This will probably take twenty minutes at the very most. It's super fast and simple, and Kit can be there with you," she continued, offering a reassuring smile to her younger daughter before turning back to Hazel.
"You know Kit would never let anything happen to you either," she encouraged kindly, her heart aching as tears welled up in Hazel's eyes. "Hug?" she offered tenderly, receiving a quiet nod of approval in response as tears started streaming down the young girl's cheeks, still a little afraid but mostly just relieved that her mother understood her trepidation and also a little overwhelmed.
"Shh, it's ok, sweetie, nothing to be afraid of. We'll go get ice cream right after," she cooed as she held the girl tight and rocked her until the child stopped trembling.
They made the appointment with no more issues that day, Hazel feeling more confident with her mother and sister by her side and a doctor who actually listened, and afterward, Madmartigan met them for the promised ice cream and an impromptu trip to the twins' favorite park, it had been a great day despite the rocky start.
~
Jade observed Sorsha closely, sensing a subtle shift in her demeanor that hinted at recognition. With growing confidence, Jade became increasingly convinced that it was indeed Hazel she'd been dealing with. Determined to maintain the conversation, Jade continued, "I wasn't aware you were back in town. When did you get in?"
Tearing her eyes away from her daughter, Sorsha swallowed hard and forced a tense smile. "Yesterday. I managed to catch an earlier flight," she replied, her tone steady despite her inner turmoil. She found herself stealing curious glances at the young woman sitting across from Jade, unable to shake off the disbelief. It was difficult for her to accept that this could be Hazel, especially considering the lack of a rational explanation for why Hazel would be pretending to be Kit. This left a lingering feeling of dread in her stomach. Moreover, Sorsha couldn't afford to get her hopes up, knowing she wouldn't be able to take the loss again.
Jade smiled and touched the woman’s hand. “Oh well, that’s good, it gives you time to rest before the next couple of weeks’ dealings. Your team just sent me your schedule for the end of the month, looks intense.”
" Yes, I'm looking forward to the next couple of days. I would like to speak with you soon though; there are some things I'd like to discuss." Sorsha spoke in a meaningful tone with a look that held a question she couldn't state out loud. Meanwhile Hazel observed the exchange closely, studying her mother's profile with cold eyes.
“Of course. With this one on vacation I am at your disposal” Jade said beamed. “Just have your assistant call me with the times or you can reach out.” she replied excited “oh and since this is a social meet, my dad wants you to call him back, he’s being all whiney again, please do something.”
Relaxing a little at the mention of Ballantine, Sorsha chuckled softly and nodded. " Of course dear, I'm sorry I forgot to call him back last week." She answered, patting the woman's hand gently, looking for some comfort of her own. " I'm sure you heard about Callahan/Nockmar trying to get a merger going with Hastur?... I got so busy trying to calm down the stockholders, that it slipped my mind." She explained with a shake of her head, missing how Kit stiffened at the mention of Callahan/Nockmar, the second-largest tech giant in the global security industry.
"Yeah, I've read the papers. Dad is intrigued and wants to know the details on it. I mean, I don't think anyone should be worried. Kit's doing a great job; we've been showing positive numbers all year. I'm just a shareholder, but I don't see a problem. Besides, Hastur is not stupid. I'll talk to Lor, see what she knows," Jade remarked as she squeezed Sorsha's hand. The woman was like a mother figure to her, someone she respected and would protect with her life if necessary.
"I'm not worried, but the Hasturs are corrupt. I wish I'd known that sooner," Sorsha remarked with a shudder, feeling disgusted by her previous actions. "Setting Kit up with that boy was not my finest hour."
"And that Callahan woman, she's a snake. I wouldn't put anything past her. There are rumors she wants to set her own daughter up with Graydon. I wasn't even aware she had a daughter, so I'm sure it's just gossip, but I'd still like to get a better handle on what's going on and figure out their play. Nobody needs global security falling into the hands of vipers like them. All they care about is power and money," she concluded, her expression reflecting her disgust.
Meanwhile, Hazel squirmed uneasily in her seat, her fingers tapping the table in a soothing rhythm as she attempted to digest the information. Lili had never hinted at anything regarding getting involved with Graydon to her; she couldn't fathom where such a rumor could have originated. As far as she was aware, Lili had been friends with Sorsha at some point until uncovering Sorsha's true nature. None of this added up.
"It's sad, really. Graydon is just a poor pawn in this life," Jade remarked with a hint of sympathy. "Gossip columns say you two were close?" she inquired. "You and their CEO?" she added, watching the older woman as she sought to learn more.
Disgusted, Sorsha waved to her friends, signaling she would join them in a moment, before taking a seat. "The gossip columns are full of trash," she began, her voice tinged with frustration. "Lili and I have never been friends. Her mother and mine were close once, but there was a massive falling out. Her mother poisoned her against my whole family, blaming mine for losing her 'empire,' as she called it. Not that my mother was any better; she was just as corrupt as Lili. That's why I've worked so hard to ensure everything is above board. Lili Callahan plays by the same rules our parents did—she'll stop at nothing to try and reclaim her place at the top. She's crazy," Sorsha explained, her tone lowering to a quieter voice, her face etched with a deep frown.
"As for Graydon, yes, I do believe he's a nice boy caught in the middle of a terrible situation. I can only hope he gets out of there soon. I would have left myself if I didn't believe it was so important to have someone who truly cares about people in charge," she added honestly, her expression reflecting genuine concern.
“Well, I’m here for you, and I am sure Kit and I can make it over to the house any day you need us. I won’t keep you from your friends, but do call me to go over arrangements. Tell Dave I won the bet.” Jade said smiling, getting up, and hugging the woman.
"Thank you, dear. What would I do without you?" Sorsha spoke fondly as she returned the hug and turned to Kit, taking a step closer to the girl, watching her expectantly for a moment. " Perhaps you don't think it's proper to hug your mother in a fancy restaurant?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow, opening her arms for the younger woman. " If people don't like it, who cares? I miss you when you're away, now come here." She encouraged.
Gathering her resolve, Hazel rose from her seat, offering Sorsha a pleasant but tense smile. She stepped into her embrace, returning the hug awkwardly, feeling the woman's arms tighten around her as if she hadn't seen her in years, rather than just the week Kit had been gone.
After a brief pause, Sorsha pulled back slightly, her hands resting on the girl's shoulders as she looked at her intently. "My perfect girl. Have I ever told you how proud of you I am?" she spoke softly, her touch tender as she brushed the girl's cheek, meeting her stunned gaze with a knowing look.
Without waiting for a response, Sorsha promptly released Hazel's shoulders and shifted her attention to Jade. "I'll contact you tomorrow. It was lovely seeing you again. Enjoy your dinner, you two," she chirped in a pleasant tone as if everything were perfectly fine. Jade smiled and nodded in response, while Sorsha gave Hazel one last meaningful glance before gracefully returning to her table.
Jade looked at Kit “I bet you’re lucky you’re on vacation, it seems to be a nightmare when the board is up in arms about something.” She said and sat down. My perfect girl. Oh my god. This isn’t Kit. act normal. Claymore, act normal. And when you drop off your stunning ex-girlfriend home tonight you will do some research on the merge. I think I’ve been looking in the wrong place all along.
Still feeling a bit numb, Hazel settled back into her seat and regarded Jade with a blank expression for a moment before offering a nod. She couldn't help but wonder if Sorsha had started using the same term of endearment for Kit or if somehow she knew something. The look Sorsha had given her seemed peculiar, but Hazel struggled to interpret it; her difficulty in reading expressions often left her unsure. It vaguely reminded her of the looks she'd receive when she'd done something wrong, and her mother was giving her a chance to confess. "Yeah, from the sounds of it, I should extend my vacation a bit," she joked, her eyes fixed on Jade, alert for any sign that her facade had been uncovered. She couldn't afford for that to happen. None of this was part of her plan, and now she found herself questioning everything—not just her mother and Kit, but also the woman who had raised her. Sorsha's description of that woman replayed in her mind, conflicting with the story she'd been told.
~~~~~~
As the days passed and the weather shifted, the landscape surrounding Kit's cabin transformed into a winter wonderland blanketed in snow. Kit found solace in the crisp, fresh snow, relishing the opportunity to immerse herself in nature. Every moment spent outdoors allowed her to reflect on her next steps, always with her sister in mind. Kit pondered how she could honor her sister's memory in every action she took, determined to carry her sister's spirit with her in all that she did.
With the snowstorm arriving, she packed the house with supplies to weather it. That was until the fire department knocked on her door four hours before the big storm.
"Good morning, ma'am. We're here to inform you that an evacuation order is in effect. We need to get you out," the woman spoke with a firm but kind tone. "The snow up north has caused some disruption on the roads, limiting access to town. We've been sent to ensure your safety." The woman added in the same professional tone.
Kit looked at the pair of firefighters and thought that it was all a bit of an exaggeration since she had endured storms with larger snowfall forecasted before at the house.“I have enough supplies to weather it. I've been here for years and snow hasn’t stopped me, what’s going on?” she asked, looking a bit wary of these two strangers.
The male firefighter spoke up “I am afraid that if you stay, you will be unable to leave the property and there's a high risk of avalanche from the mountain your property is resting against. It’s not something I can let you have a choice on, ma’am as of right now, the only way out is with us. You have twenty minutes.”
Notes:
Thank you for reading, leave us a note! :)
Chapter 7: Chapter 7
Notes:
This one was on the editing block for a few days. We had a blast writing, and looked at it to the point of being delirious.
Hope you enjoy.
CW /TW: For self-harm. Please take care of yourself.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
Even after Lili finished removing the headphones, stopping the loud, abrasive screeching noise blasting out of them, and untying the blindfold and rough ropes that bound a screaming, thrashing thirteen-year-old Hazel, the child continued to scream. She brought her hands up to the sides of her head, hitting it repeatedly as hard as she could, as though trying to physically rid herself of the intrusive sounds that had been piped into her brain for hours on end as her abductors waited for their boss.
Lili, cunning in the art of manipulation, had found a way to exploit Hazel's vulnerability, using it to facilitate her deceitful scheme. " Hazel, hey, I need you to stop hitting yourself, dear; you're going to hurt yourself." She cooed in a tone dripping with false concern, seizing Hazel's wrists in an attempt to restrain her. However, Hazel's strength in her agitated state proved formidable, eliciting an angry, distressed groan from the girl as she struggled against Lili's grasp. Undeterred, Lili persisted, coaxing Hazel with soothing words. "Hazel, you need to calm down, sweetie. You're safe now. I've got you. You're going to be okay." She added soothingly, wrestling the child into her arms and holding her tight, pinning her arms to her side and squeezing until the distressed grunting and whining subsided and her breathing slowed to a more regular pace as the fight drained out of her. "There, that's better, shh." She crooned, gently brushing the girl's sweaty bangs out of her eyes.
Another thirty minutes passed before Hazel finally began moving again, this time calmer, simply trying to create some distance. "Where's my mom? I want my mom." She spoke tearfully, sniffing as she scrambled away from Lili as soon as the woman loosened her grip. Hazel moved to the other side of the couch, watching Lili with guarded, wary eyes.
Exhaling deeply, Lili observed the young girl with feigned sadness, masking her true intentions behind a facade of sympathy. "Sweetheart, I'm afraid that's not possible." She spoke carefully, calculating the impact of her words on Hazel's fragile state. Seeing the girl start hyperventilating, Lili swiftly continued, wary of the impending meltdown. "Hey, breathe, Hazel. I'm here to help you and I need you to trust me. Listen to me carefully. I will explain everything." She kept her tone kind and expression soft, ensuring it was easily readable for the girl, a strategic ploy to manipulate Hazel's trust. Hazel needed to perceive her as genuine.
Still agitated and terrified, Hazel continued to take deep, sharp breaths, observing the woman. "Why can't I see my mom? I want to go home. Please, can I go home?" She pleaded softly, her voice trembling with fear and desperation, her hope evident in her wide eyes.
Maintaining her deceptive kindness, Lili smiled patiently at the girl and scooted closer to her, disregarding her instinctive recoil. " Okay, I know this will be hard to hear, so I'm going to start at the beginning. I know you're smart, so I won't try and dumb it down for you." She began in a gentle tone, making sure she had the child's attention before proceeding. " Your mother and I used to be best friends many years ago. Because our families are in the same business, we had a lot in common, but after a while, I found out she wasn't a good person, and I broke off the friendship. She was furious at me after that. She tried to ruin me and my family's company many times over the years. She cheated, lied, and schemed until she eventually got Tanthalos Tech to the very top, and she'd do anything to keep it there, which is what brings us here." She paused, studying the child's bewildered expression, aware of the gears turning in her mind. "I know the men who took you, honey; they worked for me before this incident. You see, your mother hired them to get rid of you for her, and she chose them because of their connections to me. She figured if they got caught, I'd be accused of harming her daughter, and it would sink me once and for all." She finished, her voice tinged with a feigned sense of sorrow as she awaited the girl's reaction.
Frowning deeply, Hazel struggled to understand what she was being told. "Mom hired them? For Halloween? To scare me?" Hazel asked innocently, her young mind grasping for the only logical explanation she could conceive. She glanced around the room, half-expecting to see her mother hiding somewhere. "Mom is gonna be really mad at that man who hurt me." She stated with a slight huff, pointing towards the still bleeding cut on her cheek. A scowl creased her brow as she recalled being pushed around.
Frustrated with the child's inability to grasp what she'd been told, Lili took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure, as she firmly grasped the girl's knee. Hazel flinched and whimpered at the unexpected touch, but Lili maintained her grip, determined to convey the severity of the situation. "No, dear, I'm afraid this isn't a trick for Halloween, and your mother wouldn't care that you got hurt. She wanted them to hurt you, sweetie." She started, her voice tinged with sadness and frustration. "Everything I just told you is true; this isn't a game. Your mother paid those men to kill you, Hazel. Remember, I told you she'd do anything to keep Tanthalos Tech on top?" She added, pausing as the child jolted back with wide, fearful eyes, starting to shake her head and bounce where she sat as though physically trying to dislodge the new knowledge from her mind. "Hey, you're okay." She assured dismissively, squeezing the girl's knee before continuing. "You're different, Hazel. She didn't want you to inherit the empire she's built, so she paid those men to get rid of you so your sister would get everything instead. You're alive because I overheard them talking about what they'd done, and I paid them more to spare you, which they agreed to as long as I take care of you and nobody knows you survived. Your family must believe you're dead, or they'll continue to come after you." She finished in a troubled tone, trying to convey genuine sympathy, as Hazel sat there, breathing hard and staring blankly, her mind struggling to process the traumatic revelation.
It would be another full year before Hazel would speak again. As the months passed, Hazel's silence became a constant presence in Lili's life, a reminder of the damage she had inflicted. Despite Lili's efforts to establish a semblance of familial normality, Hazel remained trapped in her own world of anguish and fear.
Lili, driven by her insatiable ambition and twisted plan, took the girl under her wing and gave her her own surname in a twisted display of possession. Behind closed doors, she wrestled with her conflicting emotions, concealing her contempt for Hazel beneath a veneer of maternal care.
Each day was a delicate dance of manipulation and coercion as Lili meticulously orchestrated Hazel's therapy sessions, crafting a facade of trust and camaraderie. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, Lili's patience paid off, as Hazel's guarded walls began to crumble, revealing the vulnerable child beneath. Yet, for Lili, this was merely the beginning of her intricate web of deception, a testament to her unwavering resolve to see her plans through to the bitter end.
~
Kit rushed and quickly packed her bag. She took all her journals and what she could carry that had special meaning to her from her time in isolation, unaware of when she’d be back at the cottage. Once the firefighters got her to safer ground, she started trying to make arrangements to get back home. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had a different plan, and all flights were canceled for at least four days. So, without a way of changing her flight, she stayed in a small hotel. Never one to care for luxury stays, Kit exchanged the fancy king bed for a small anonymous donation to the shelter the rescue team took her neighbors to.
She lay in bed, wondering, as she felt the hard mattress, the squishy overused pillow, and the strong scent of disinfectant if Hazel would've sprung for the extravagant hotel, the soft linens and ideally rotated pillows with an Andes mint on top.
She thought of Jade. She thought of being able to surprise her a few days early and opening her heart, kissing her without a care in the world, because no woman she’d ever been with was like Jade to her, and it was time she was brave enough to go for what she wanted—my precious Jade. I hope you and I have finally found our time. I really need to get home. With that thought in mind, she called the rent-a-car place. The only one open at 1 am was forty-five minutes away, so after having four taxi drivers cancel on her, she finally reached the destination, and by 3 am, she started her journey home.
Typically, a 24-hour drive would be better than waiting another day. The snow wasn’t so bad then, but it slowed her down. This meant that the usual one-day trip was about to become a several-day trip. You impulsive imbecile. You could’ve waited for the storm to pass. You don’t have a functioning phone, you don’t know where you are outside of the GPS in this car, and you have never driven on these roads. What the hell were you thinking, Tanthalos?! That’s what Jade will say when she finds out that you risked your life to get to her and yet took exactly the same number of days as it would have if you had just been patient. She shook her head. That impatience had made Jade so annoyed over the years. Kit was too happy to jump on things head-on without thinking of consequences, all for the thrill of the quest. She had rendezvous with women who wanted to use her status for their benefit, and she just let them because, at the time, it sounded fun to go skinny dipping at the country club.
~
“What’s one paparazzi photo going to cause, Jade? The board doesn’t read social blogs,” Kit said, grabbing the ball from under the hoop. You’re overreacting,” she added, passing the ball to Jade. “No, Kit, they may not, but their grandkids do, and they repost these pictures on social media, and then the guy who works a mediocre job and buys your company stocks sees it, they will write letters to the board members and you will lose your seat at the table. Tarnish Hazel’s legacy, your mom and dad’s work. Not to mention, I have to do all the cleanup. Extra protection, which will drive costs, and that will get the CFO on my ass. Don’t you ever think?!” Jade said, angry, rhythmically bouncing the ball, the sound reverbing around them loudly.
Kit scoffed, trying to be heard over the angry dribble. “I’m young Jade; they have to see that! I do my share; I work hard. Why can’t I have some fun?” Kit said, looking at the woman indignantly.
Jade gave Kit a skeptical look. “Because you’re a woman.” She started huffing in exasperation. “Because, unfortunately, Kit, you have to work harder than Hastur to have the same amount of praise. Because half of the board is made up of fifty-year-old men who have big bellies and cosmetically enhanced bimbos for wives, and the fact that their COO is a young lesbian with an amazing body and great sexual appetite doesn’t sit well since they are all pro-family, faith and all that bullshit old men like to think they are for.” Jade said, shaking her head, thoroughly annoyed at the casual way the girl lived. She attempted to make a shot, but the ball bounced off the rim.
Kit ran to pick up the ball and dribbled it expertly. “So, you think I have an amazing body, huh? Great sexual appetite?” She wiggled her eyebrows at the woman. She shot, made the basket, turned to Jade, and winked before passing the ball.
“Kit, put it to rest. I'm being serious,” Jade said, despite blushing furiously at the suggestion and the wink she received. Without looking, she shot and made it from three-point range.
Going to retrieve the ball, she dribbled back to stand in front of Jade, “Fine, I will do better. No more skinning dipping at the country club.” Kit said in a sad, pouty tone.
“Kit!” Jade said, chastising her and stealing the ball, and with a jump shot, she scored again.
After her run to pick up the ball, Kit looked at the woman and straightened up, holding the ball under her arm. “Ok, no more shenanigans. I will find someone and have a serious relationship. I’ll stop the one-night stands. I’ve been wanting to stop for a while, but I just get super pent up, you know?” she asked, looking at her friend and handing her the basketball.
Jade looked at Kit, and it was her turn to smirk and wink at the shorter girl. “Better make that true, Tanthalos. Women don’t usually like being an afterthought,” she said as she nailed another three-pointer.
~
Once dinner was done, Jade reconsidered her thoughts of heading home and dropping off Kit/Hazel. Realizing for the first time that the woman would have access to everything Kit owned, she wasn't sure of her motives. Restrategizing, she decided to invite Kit/Hazel over for a nightcap. “Just a drink; it can even be hot chocolate.” She said with a sweet smile, letting her eyes study the woman before her. God, you turned out so beautiful. Oh, Hazey! - NO! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, CLAYMORE - you have no idea where Kit is. Hopefully, no one but Kit does. She shook her head, trying to quiet the noise and focus on the present. “Please?”
"I don't know..." Hazel trailed off in an uneasy tone, anxiously tracking their Uber. She'd spent the rest of dinner so tense she could barely taste her food, her mind stuck on her brief interaction with Sorsha and the look the woman had given her. " Besides, we're closer to my place than yours." She pointed out vaguely, her eyes still fixed on her phone. There was no way she wanted to go back to Jade's place. She was already too overwhelmed.
“Please? I have ice cream, and I still have the fort up. We can hide for a minute,” Jade said, leaning into the girl and kissing her cheek. We can process the stuff your mom said. I know you’re thinking about the business.” She spoke softly, trying to sound alluring.
Taking a deep, irritated breath, Hazel looked up from her phone to meet Jade's eyes, briefly trying to figure out the woman's angle. There was no way she hadn't picked up on how weird Sorsha had acted. Jade was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. " I already put my address in first... yours is set second." She argued, showing Jade her phone as proof.
Sensing the evasion, Jade shifted tactics. "Alright then, let's head to your place. I just need to raid your stuff to build a bigger fort." She joked, attempting to maintain a light atmosphere, as she prepared to try and get the woman to open up. "Honestly, I don't want the night to end. I know you'll have to return to work soon, and I've been enjoying our late-night hangouts without worrying about bedtime." Jade said, tugging on the lapel of Kit’s coat.
" Yeah, alright, fine," Hazel grumbled, dismissively waving her hand as she went back to staring at her phone. She was not in the right frame of mind to think about putting too much effort into keeping up the facade.
“Yeah?” Opening a tentative smile, Jade did a quick, happy dance. It's not how I wanted it, but it's still a way in, she thought. Hazey, show me something of yours.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed, clearly not pleased. " Let's go." She muttered as their Uber arrived, avoiding looking at Jade again as she got in the car.
~
Walking into the apartment, Hazel didn't bother turning on the lights, preferring the soft blueish glow cast by the moonlight streaming through the partially open blinds. The night had set her nerves on edge, heightening her senses to an almost unbearable level. She needed to offset it a little, furthermore, she didn't think she could tolerate looking at Jade for another second, the guilt of her actions eating away at her slowly but surely.
Ever since leaving the restaurant, Jade noticed the woman’s uneasy behavior. She had not looked at her and had not turned on the lights. “Kit, it’s so dark. Turn on a light.” She requested as she followed the woman’s movements trailing behind her, focused on getting the girl to talk and hopefully explain her disappearance.
Freezing halfway to the couch, Hazel closed her eyes and tried her best to calm her rising temper. " You chose to come back here with me; if you don't like it, leave." She spoke slowly through gritted teeth, her back to the woman.
Noticing the girl’s altered behavior and harsher tone, Jade tried to soothe her. “Hey… hey Kitty… come on, it’s me. What’s going on?” Jade said carefully, walking past the girl and sitting on the couch. “Although, the moonlight does give a bit of flair to this place."
"Don't call me that!" Hazel snapped at the woman, glaring at her, hoping the darkness would cover up how angry she really was.
Jade looked up at the woman, trying her best to see her through the darkness, catching a glimpse of her piercing blue eyes reflected in the moonlight. “Why not? I’ve been calling you that since I was fifteen,” she said, looking at the girl, noticing she was a bit more agitated than normal but still acting much like her sister.
"Because right now, it's irritating as fuck!" Hazel shot back in the same disgusted tone. " Look, I go away to be alone, and this last week, I haven't gotten to be alone at all. I enjoy your company, Jade, most of the time, but right now, it's just too much. You asked to come here, and the first thing you do is complain about how I didn't turn on the lights. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I just want peace? There's nothing wrong with the dark or silence; maybe try it sometime." She added coldly, fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. She hated herself for losing her temper; she didn't want to hurt Jade, didn't want to be angry at all, but it was just too much.
“I meditate, Kit. I can be in the quiet and the dark. It’s just not usually your style, but I respect it.” The woman said, reaching a hand over. “Come sit with me. We sit together when things get to be too much.” She said, noticing the girl’s hands opening and closing. How did I miss that? She thought as she looked up at the girl, and even with her being as angry as she was, she couldn’t help but notice again how beautiful the woman was in that lighting. She had to bite her tongue not to let herself say it.
"Yeah? And how would you know what my style is for those two months I leave? That's the whole fucking point, Jade, you don't!" Hazel exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration, staying rooted right where she was, not wanting to feel close to the other woman anymore.
The older woman hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "Kit, I don't have all the answers, but I'm here, ready to figure it out together. Only you can show me, right?" Jade straightened up, her demeanor shifting from casual to determined as she approached the conversation with a sense of negotiation. It felt reminiscent of calming Hazel during childhood meltdowns or reining in Kit after high-pressure board meetings—familiar yet intense. "So, why don't you tell me, babe?" She asked softly, extending a kind invitation.
Hazel drew in a sharp breath at the pet name and exhaled quickly as she glanced up at the ceiling, searching for inner strength. "Maybe I don't want to share, Jade," she stated firmly, her tone serious. You're missing the whole point. I disappear, I leave everything behind for two months, even my phone. What part of that makes you think I want to share?" Turning her attention back to the woman, she remained rooted in place, two feet from the couch.
Staring at the woman, Jade wanted to soothe Hazel, but her curiosity got the best of her, and she asked. “The part that suffers from not knowing what happened to your sister? The part that doesn't know what could’ve been growing up with her. Would she still have liked waffles on Sundays like we do? Would she call Sorsha mommy in her late 20s? Would she be proud of you? Of us? Would she miss us if it was us who went missing that day?” She let out the words that were in her mind because, above all, she felt it all, and she wanted to know if Hazel felt it, too.
Rolling her eyes, Hazel shook her head and stomped off to the kitchen. " None of that had anything to do with what I asked you. I asked you what part of me going dark for two months every year would make you think I'd want to share. Yes, I wonder about those things, but I do it privately. My question was, why the fuck would you think I'd want to share it when I've done everything in my power to keep that part private?" She called back to the other woman as she rooted in the fridge for a soda. – She really needed to get around to organizing it if she was going to stay there.
Realizing it was best to show that she recognized the behavior, Jade used the calmest, most patient tone to explain, “Because you’re having a moment that very much reminds me of her when she really wanted to talk but didn’t know how to start. Babe, you don’t have to talk, but please, can we sit?” Jade said walking over and looking over Hazel’s shoulder “Whatcha looking for?” She questioned, looking to try and see what had the girl's attention.
Bristling at the woman's comment, Hazel gave up her search and slammed the fridge door, the slight hum from the light enough to set her teeth on edge. "Fuck!" She exclaimed as she turned around and came face to face with Jade, having been too focused to hear her get up. "It doesn't matter what I'm looking for, Jade. I didn't ask for your help or your opinion. I don't need to hear how you think I'm like her. Elora already thinks that may be more true than I'm comfortable with." She spoke coldly as she pushed herself back against the fridge, trying to get some distance from the taller woman, feeling suddenly very small.
"Kit, if you want a soda, they're in your drink fridge, the one in your coffee table," Jade said casually, knowing the twins' habit of drinking fizzy drinks when upset. She was aware that Hazel might not be familiar with the extra soda supply hidden in the coffee table due to its covert nature.
Shooting a brief perplexed look towards the bare coffee table, Hazel tried to figure out what Jade could be referring to. "No, I was just looking for a snack, but nothing looked good." She covered quickly, averting her eyes despite the dark.
Jade nodded and let a small, amused smile play on her lips. “Perhaps you should try the small drawer. I snuck in a few days ago and replenished your snacks,” she said with an encouraging look. Come on, give me an opening. You know you want to, Haze. I play this game with Kit. I've been playing with you since we were kids.
Horrified at the idea of Jade sneaking in at any point without her knowledge, Hazel made a quick mental check of all of her things, thinking over whether anything she'd left could give her away. Deciding nothing could, she finally nodded. "Right, of course you would." She muttered defiantly, not bothering to move, her back still to the fridge as she stared up at Jade, not wanting to turn her back on the woman when they were so close together.
Trying a different angle, she decided on a more flirtatious approach: "Kit, I've been filling up your fridge for years now. Don't even act upset about that; you love it. No other woman would do that for you." Jade asserted, her tone laced with seduction. Moving closer to Hazel, she couldn't help but admire the softness of Hazel's lips. Placing both hands on the fridge on each side of Hazel's head, she leaned in, her lips tantalizingly close to Hazel's. "I fill both your fridges with goodies, and you give me that kind of attitude... oh... no, bad, bad Kitty." She murmured, her voice dripping with seduction. As she paused, a sudden realization struck her. She loved Kit. She loved Kit, but she ached with curiosity about this person who looked, talked, and even moved like the woman she loved. Her inner thoughts started to spiral with uncertainty.
Suddenly nervous for a totally different reason, Hazel widened her eyes and jolted her head back, smacking it against the fridge door hard with an audible grunt. "Fuck... Jade..." She hissed, bringing her hands up between them as though ready to push the girl back but hesitating, physically unable to touch the woman. "Jade." She spoke again, her voice coming out more of a whisper than anything as she met the woman's eyes, the dark letting her hold eye contact for longer than usual. Her body felt suddenly extra warm, and her heart felt like it might beat out of her chest. She was sure Jade could hear it if she really listened.
Keeping her new tactic, "Yeah, babe?" Jade responded, her gaze fixed on Hazel's eyes. She licked her lips and flashed a playful smile, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes. She felt giddy and eager. While inside, she chastised herself for it, knowing that was not how she’d been taught at the academy. She let herself want it despite her better judgment.
Hazel shifted uncomfortably at the woman's expression as her mind buzzed with a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and sensations, her senses heightened by the unfamiliarity of the situation. "What are you doing?". she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly as arousal surged through her body, unfamiliar and disconcerting. She bit her lip. The sensation of her own desire mingled with the discomfort of uncertainty, leaving her feeling exposed and out of control. She knew she should shove the woman away and make an escape but found she couldn't bring herself to do it; the other woman's presence was almost magnetic.
"Something I've wanted to do for a while," Jade admitted, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness as she leaned closer to Hazel. She struggled with her moral compass, strategy, and carnal impulse, the latter winning. So, with a gentle touch, Jade planted a light kiss on the girl's cheek before daring to brush her lips against Hazel's for a fleeting moment. Stepping back slightly, she watched intently, her heart racing with anticipation, struck by the emotions playing across the other woman's face.
Hazel's breath came in quick, shallow gasps as she scrutinized Jade's features, her mind still racing to make sense of the flood of emotions coursing through her. "Jade," she repeated, barely above a whisper, tinged with apprehension and longing. Her fingers fidgeted nervously, the subtle bounce in her movements betraying the intensity of her inner turmoil.
“Yes?” Jade replied biting her bottom lip as she looked at the girl, brave.
"We shouldn't," Hazel said cautiously, her words weighed down by a sense of resignation. She couldn't continue pretending, not when she knew where Jade's true affections lay. "I'm not in the right headspace," she admitted softly, her gaze dropping momentarily. But maybe in a few weeks when I'm back from vacation... we can try again." She offered a faint smile, tinged with sadness, as she looked back up at the woman.
Jade's senses were thrown for another loop as she gave the woman a stunned look, recalling the rollercoaster of emotions since the restaurant encounter when Sorsha subtly identified the woman as Hazel. Meeting the girl's eyes, she silently acknowledged the truth once and for all: this was Hazel, not Kit. "I don't know if I can come to you like this in a few weeks," she admitted, leaning closer to brush a strand of hair off Hazel's face, admiring the face she missed for so many years, noticing how she turned out, in her mind, Hazel would’ve grown to look different than Kit, but in front of her stood an almost exact copy of her best friend.
Confusion clouded Hazel's expression as she blinked rapidly, her mind racing to grasp the implications of Jade's statement. She bit the inside of her cheek lightly, the nervous habit surfacing in the face of uncertainty. "Why not?" she finally asked, her voice cracking slightly.
“Because I feel like you will be a totally different person once this vacation is over. You may go back to old habits, and I will be left being the best friend,” Jade proclaimed as she smiled sadly. “You’re so incredible,” she said, looking into the girl’s eyes. Looking and saying the words to Hazel. She continued to marvel at the striking looks the woman had carried from puberty into adulthood.
Tensing at the woman's words, Hazel averted her eyes, feeling the intensity of the look even in the moonlight. It stirred something in her again, something she desperately tried to ignore. "That's not really fair, Jade... A few weeks..." She murmured, her voice trailing off as she swallowed hard, grappling with the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. Uncertainty plagued her as she struggled to comprehend why she was pushing Jade away and suddenly concerned about Kit's feelings. Her thoughts grew muddled as the woman's proximity continued to cloud her judgment with unfamiliar desires.
Jade could feel her close to breaking, catching the hint of hope, a spark of feeling. While she felt proud of herself for executing her plan well, deep inside, it felt like losing part of herself, selling her soul, losing humanity because this was Hazel, innocent, –she hoped– sweet and kind Hazel. Not some criminal, not a stranger; on the contrary, Jade knew her soul, maybe not her current intentions – hence the plan – but she knew. She knew and had loved her once a lifetime ago. Looking at the woman, Jade spoke, “A few weeks? What’s the difference between now or a few weeks, love?” she asked, moving another loose strand of hair away from Kit’s- No, Hazel’s- face.
Huffing in frustration, Hazel flinched slightly, her irritation palpable in the air. "I already told you I'm not in the right headspace," she reiterated sharply, a touch of heat coloring her words as she resented having to repeat herself.
“What makes you think you will be in a few weeks?” Jade asked as she rocked on her heel, something she picked up long ago, something she used for comfort because Hazel did.
"Because in a few weeks, my vacation will be over... As I've explained to you multiple times, I'm never in a good space during this time. Once it's passed, I'll be able to think clearly again. Trust me, ok? You don't want this now." Hazel spoke very seriously, trying to make Jade understand it was better to wait, even if she couldn't explain precisely why.
Jade looked down at her hands, pondering what was truly being said. Taking a deep breath, she realized that Hazel was giving her an out due to her feelings towards Kit. She was trying to do the right thing. Feeling caught between her mission, Hazel’s allure, and what was right, Jade considered doing the right thing, saying goodbye and going home, but something, something irresistible, a small voice spoke in her ear, and she couldn’t ignore her mission and why the hell would she? This was her Hazey. Then she felt the moral compass spinning out of control as though caught in a magnetic field. I don’t want to give in, but I also want to know her.
“There’s where you’re wrong. I want this,” Jade said softly. She watched the girl, and each speck of light that illuminated her face reminded her of how much she wanted this.
Swallowing hard, Hazel shook her head, slightly frustrated that Jade wasn't listening to her. "Jade... pretend I'm somebody else, ok? Pretend... Fuck pretend I'm Hazel... You don't want her. You want me, so wait until I'm back in a few weeks. This is not the version of me you want." She spoke seriously, trying desperately to make the woman understand how serious she was, knowing Jade wanted Kit.
What are you getting at Hazel? Are you telling me who you are? Just do it! “Maybe. Or maybe I just always wanted…” she trailed off. “I get it,” she finished, looking down and feeling guilty for being intrigued at the possibility of being with Hazel. What am I doing?
Frowning at the unfinished sentence, Hazel rocked a bit on her feet. " Wanted what?" She asked carefully, looking down at her fidgeting hands.
Still highly conflicted, Jade shook her head, nodded, and then took a leap. “What if I did? What if I did want her?” Jade asked carefully. Glancing at the woman before looking down, consumed with guilt and frustration at being unable to drop the idea of being with her.
Taken aback, Hazel's head shot up quickly, and she leaned heavily against the fridge, grateful it kept her from stumbling back. " Jade... you're... You just told me you want my sister, my dead sister..." She trailed off, not sure where she was even going with it; nothing she could say at that point was going to be correct. If she were angry at that admission, then Jade would give up on the real Kit. Jade could get suspicious if she was cool with it; it would be like admitting she was Hazel. The confusion halted her ability to speak, leaving her staring blankly at the woman, her mind stuck in an endless loop of possibilities.
Jade took the tiniest step toward the girl, saying, “Since you’re on vacation, we can pretend you’re someone else.” She suggested, “I know, you probably think I'm stupid,” the woman said carefully, feeling her heart beating faster. The fact Hazel was standing there, close, real, made Jade nervous, giddy, and heavy with remorse for something that hadn’t happened and was totally preventable, but somehow, she couldn’t get herself to stop it.
Feeling her breath hitch, Hazel shook her head slowly, eyes fixed on Jade's for the moment. "I've never thought you were stupid, Jade." She spoke honestly, knowing that Jade was anything but stupid and that she was playing dangerously close to an open flame. " Should I be offended?" she asked in a somewhat teasing tone, trying her best to sound like her sister.
"No, no... think of it as a game, a thoroughly enjoyable diversion. With me, you're safe., and there's no need to fret about repercussions. We can just enjoy ourselves without any pressure," Jade suggested with a grin. "Yeah, I know it's a bit unconventional," she admitted, stealing a shy glance at Hazel
Pondering over the woman's words, Hazel sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, her thoughts racing as she measured her response. "If we're gonna pretend, let's pretend I'm new to all of this then," she proposed, her voice faltering with uncertainty as she glanced up at Jade hesitantly. In that fleeting moment, she grappled with her own identity, uncertain whether she wished to be seen as Hazel or Kit.
Jade looked at the woman eagerly. The way the woman bit her lip drove a pulse straight to her core. “Like… it’s the first time?” she asked, licking her lips and glancing at the girl, a bit surprised; she always thought that if Hazel were alive, she’d be very popular with women. Hazel was everybody’s friend; some girls were very disappointed she disappeared, they blamed Jade, and that still made her angry. “What name do you want for your character?” No way… absolutely no way, she’s… as innocent as she was. Her guilt flared.
Swallowing hard, Hazel averted her eyes, grateful for the cover of darkness as a deep blush spread across her features. "Yeah..." she trailed off, twisting her fingers self-consciously. She couldn't bear to meet Jade's gaze, the fear of embarrassment weighing heavily on her. "Whatever you want to call me," she muttered, shrugging her shoulders as she fixed her gaze on a beam of light filtering in, illuminating the table. She desperately tried to divert her attention from the uncomfortable topic, feeling painfully bashful.
“Are you sure, princess?” Jade asked and felt her body filling with electricity, a desire to just kiss this woman into oblivion rising with each second.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed softly, her gaze still fixed on the table as she gave a short nod, practically zoned out. Anxiety coiled and clawed its way up her body, its icy grip leaving her feeling paralyzed with fear of the unknown. What was she supposed to do? She'd never experienced anything like this before; she'd let herself be convinced it wasn't even a possibility for her. Yet now, it was being presented to her under the expectation of her being Kit, somebody far more experienced than her in almost all aspects of life, somebody 'normal'.
Noticing the girl was in a trance-like state, Jade smirked, failing to notice the clear signals of Hazel’s heightened anxiety. “Honey, come with me,” She spoke aiming to bring the girl closer.
Not sure what to do with her feelings, Hazel looked down at her hands, trying to get a handle on herself. "K." She replied simply, cringing at her inability to articulate. It was ridiculous; there was no reason for her mind to be so blank; it was just Jade; they were only talking. She tried to convince herself it was nothing more than that as the woman guided her to the couch. “You’re ok, you’re safe, I got you.” She heard the woman's voice as though it was coming at her through a vacuum, distorted and distant. Despite this, she nodded her head numbly, uncharacteristically thankful for the help.
“I’m gonna hold you now, ok?”Jade asked, waiting a beat before pulling the girl into her embrace, gently, slowly like she used to. A pang of sadness hit her at once as she recognized Hazel’s struggles. She tried to remember quickly all the ways she could comfort the girl.
Feeling her resolve crumble at that, Hazel nodded and buried her head against Jade's shoulder, taking deep breaths to try and keep from crying; she knew Jade's behavior towards her had changed, but she refused to entertain the implications, preferring to take the comfort instead.
Jade kissed the woman’s forehead with little peppered kisses. “Shhh… relax, breathe,” she said as she felt as if nothing had changed, like the girl hadn’t been gone for fifteen years.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel nodded and gripped the front of the woman's jumpsuit tightly. It was the closest she ever got to hugging people on her own, and she relished the fabric's sensation beneath her fingers. It was a rare opportunity for her to indulge in the tactile experience, testing the textures of different fabrics that people wore. She was aware that social norms dictated that randomly grabbing at people's clothes wasn't acceptable, so she seized the opportunity provided by the occasional hugs she'd receive. However, those had become fewer and fewer over the years.
Jade felt her whole body heat up and smirked. “I’m gonna kiss you now,” she said as she tilted the girl’s neck and kissed her lightly.
Appreciating how the woman had warned her first, Hazel relaxed slightly, her heart rate quickening with anticipation as her body responded to the sensation. "Mhm," she murmured softly, her senses heightened as she reveled in the kiss, feeling a rush of excitement mingled with apprehension. She was acutely aware of the risk of a meltdown, fearing the consequences of revealing her true emotions and potentially jeopardizing her cover.
Jade gently savored the contact, now aware that Hazel was right at her reach; she moved her body closer, every move a conscientious effort in taking this slow, to reacquaint, to discover; she touched the girl’s face and let a tear fall, feeling the weight and preciousness of the moment. She pulled away and giggled openly, holding the girl’s chin and watching her, getting lost in those beautiful eyes.
Stopping short of chasing the kiss, Hazel stared at the woman curiously, a clear question in her eyes. "What?" she asked, her eyes dipping to follow the path of Jade's tears. Did I?... Are you okay?" she asked apprehensively, catching her lip between her teeth again, afraid she'd done something wrong, though she couldn't imagine what.
“Perfect. Perfectly fine.” Jade answered, laughing and wiping her eyes. “just a bit emotional today, don’t mind me, that was good.” the woman said as she kissed the girl again
"Hmm, tears don't usually mean good, Jade," Hazel pointed out softly as she pulled away just enough to speak, her voice infused with a mix of amusement and apprehension. She found herself reluctant to put distance between them, fearing she might lose the moment. Her eyes once again searched Jade's face.
“I promise you… It’s good.” Jade gave the woman a reassuring smile. “Please, may I kiss you again?” she asked, pulling the girl close, afraid to lose her, afraid this was all a dream, a mirage, an illusion, bad magic, or worse, a ghost from the past. “It’s just unreal… how handsome… breathtaking you are.”
At the familiar compliment, Hazel beamed, her eyes sparkling with delight. Once again, she dismissed the significance of the woman's words. She nodded eagerly and inched just a bit closer to the older woman, her hand still grasping the front of the woman's jumpsuit in an almost possessive way.
Jade kissed the girl more greedily, a bit faster, pulling her closer, caressing her neck, and smiling as she pulled away and asked, “Are you sure you don’t have someone waiting for you, beautiful stranger?” She asked playing their game. “Not a line of women throwing themselves at your feet begging for your sweet kisses?” She made sure to make eye contact in the moonlit room. Haze… why are you back? Where have you been? She thought of the questions she really craved to know the answers to.
Hazel's demeanor shifted abruptly at the woman's question, from eagerly chasing the woman's kisses to pulling back with a stricken look. Memories of loneliness flooded her mind, reminding her of the emptiness she had long tried to ignore by keeping herself constantly busy. Over the years, the pain had dulled, but it still lingered beneath the surface. "I'm sure," she finally spoke, with a deep, gnawing sorrow that she couldn't conceal. She was painfully aware of how people tended to overlook individuals like her, a reality that had been impressed upon her repeatedly. She glanced down at her hands, watching them clench and unclench in the fabric of Jade's jumpsuit.
Jade saw sadness in Hazel’s eyes, and she caressed the girl’s face, wanting to take away all the sorrow and pain she could see. “They’re fools. You deserve the best. I may not be it, but you deserve the most wonderful things.” She said and kissed the girl eagerly again, the girl’s grip on her clothes sending pulses to her core, deepening her kiss in the process.
Any protest died on her lips as she surrendered to the kiss, allowing it to dull her ever-racing thoughts until only a singular focus remained. Driven by an overwhelming need, she pressed closer to the woman, returning the kiss with escalating urgency as if seeking refuge within her. Her grip on the woman's jumpsuit tightened to the point of almost pulling Jade closer, a physical manifestation of her desperate desire for closeness and security.
Jade grabbed the girl’s legs and pulled her to straddle her, moving her hands expertly up and down the woman’s thighs. She held her breath, afraid the girl would reject her at any moment.
Surprised by the switch in position and unaccustomed to such intimate contact, the sensation of Jade's fingers pressing against her through the thin material of her slacks, and the sudden surge of liquid heat that coursed through her core, Hazel froze and emitted a soft whine, a blend of discomfort and unexpected pleasure swirling within her. The intensity of the sensation bordered on overwhelming, yet she found herself unable to resist its pull.
The only word Jade could think to describe the sounds coming from Hazel was delicious. It was instinctive, intense, and exhilarating to hear as she squeezed the girl’s thighs and pulled her closer while nibbling on the girl’s lips, silently vowing not to wake up from this dream.
"Mmm," Hazel whimpered softly into the kiss as she pressed herself closer and squirmed under the woman's touch, her fingers twisting the fabric of Jade's jumpsuit incessantly as she struggled to comprehend the overwhelming sensations flooding her body.
Deepening the kiss, Jade let her hands squeeze the girl’s sides before moving Hazel’s hips to meet hers, guiding her, not sure where it would all lead. Too many thoughts swirling in her head.
"Ahh," Hazel gasped and whimpered louder in surprise, accidentally biting Jade's lip in her shock. "F-Fuck, I'm s-sorry, I d-didn't mean to," she exclaimed, her body trembling with a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment. Despite her discomfort, she remained squirming on the woman's lap, her heightened arousal evident in her actions.
“I didn’t complain, did I?” Jade spoke low and softly, nipping Hazel’s lower lip; she let her thumb roll little circles between the woman’s side and the swell of her breasts, letting out a sound that was a mix of a sigh and hiss, sucking in air to keep breathing as she was entranced with the way this girl made her feel. It had been a year for Jade, a long year without another person weighing on her, without a kiss, and she was pretty sure she might explode with the way the simple action of Hazel gripping her clothes managed to release the floodgates in Jade’s core.
Feeling her body heat up at the tone of Jade's voice and the way she nipped at her lip, Hazel let out another small whine and shook her head. She was at a total loss for what she was supposed to do and starting to feel a little self-conscious. She glanced down at the woman's hand near her chest, watching how her labored breathing made her chest rise and fall so close to the woman's hand as she tried to process the touch, unsure if she liked it.
Glancing up at the woman, she felt too many things: she was turned on, she was in awe, and she was humbled. She took a deep breath to slow herself to appreciate the moment. Fuck, her body is amazing, “Does it make you uncomfortable?” she asked, hoping the woman would share how she was feeling. She seems so inexperienced. Crap. she thought as she grappled with her conscience.
Hazel swallowed hard at the woman's question, her mind racing with uncertainty and desire. "I don't know," she answered honestly, her voice deeper and raspier than usual, betraying the intensity of her emotions. The blush on her cheeks felt permanent at this point, keenly aware of her own inexperience.
“We don’t have to go any further,” Jade said honestly and openly, making sure to keep dialog with the woman. As much as she wanted—and she really wanted to—she felt that the woman was much more inexperienced and didn’t want to just take it without making it all special for her.
Experiencing a sudden wave of disappointment akin to a punch to the stomach, Hazel hung her head and nodded, recognizing the necessity of halting before she lost control and revealed too much. "We should stop," she affirmed quietly, with reluctance, unable to suppress the slight pout that adorned her features as she deliberately avoided meeting Jade's gaze.
“We don’t have to, just...” Jade trailed off, spotting the signature pout on the girl’s lips. “Gosh, you're so damn adorable,” she said, booping the girl’s nose and tracing her finger on the girl’s lip.
Uncertain whether Jade was mocking her, Hazel scowled and flinched back a little, her gaze locking with the woman's as she attempted to decipher her intentions. "I am not," she grumbled softly, bringing her left hand up to scratch at her nose a bit. Her actions betrayed a subconscious desire to remove Jade's touch, a reminder to herself to behave according to her age rather than reverting to the vulnerable thirteen-year-old she felt like again.
Jade smiled at the grumbling Hazel. “You are, though,” she said and kissed her nose lightly, tracing circles on the girl’s back. “Are you okay?” she asked extra carefully, trying her best to ensure the woman wouldn’t get overwhelmed.
Now certain the woman was making fun of her, Hazel's frown deepened as she flinched and squirmed to escape the touch on her back, slapping a hand over her nose to stop the woman from touching it again, all of the desire she'd felt earlier turning to wounded anger. " Stop!" She exclaimed loudly, freezing with wide, horrified eyes as soon as she realized her mistake. "Fuck, Go!" She growled, scrambling off the woman's lap and struggling to straighten out her rumpled clothes, all of her nerves still alight in an uncomfortable way.
“Hey…it’s ok, I wasn’t mocking you. I was just concerned,” Jade said, jumping to her feet, and looking at the woman. I was just checking in; she knew I used to do that. What did I do? Oh fuck! The woman thought as she remembered. Don’t touch or use light touches if she’s agitated. Firm, not light touches. Hugs. Pressure helps soothe. She reminded herself.
" Whatever, Jade. I told you I'm not in the right frame of mind for any of this. You should go." Hazel spoke firmly as she averted her eyes to stare at the partially open blinds, trying to make out patterns from the shadows cast by the soft glow. She felt vulnerable and scared, two things she loathed in herself.
“I’m sorry, Kit.” Jade looked at the woman, her eyes pained as she now felt she would never recuperate what she had with Hazel. “I’ll go,” she said, picking up her clutch and then speaking softly. “Can I please hug you before I go? So I know we’ll be okay?”
Hazel's jaw clenched at the mention of her sister's name, a stark reminder that what transpired was never intended for her. "No," she hissed, her eyes flashing with unshed tears as they turned towards Jade. – Why couldn't the woman have just listened to her and waited for Kit? With a cold stare, she conveyed the bitterness and sorrow arising from the imminent loss she'd inflicted upon herself. Understanding that she'd pushed Jade away – not only intentionally but just by letting herself be herself for a few moments.- Realizing she wouldn't get another chance, Hazel felt a wave of regret and sadness engulf her.
“For what it’s worth, I know I messed up. I suppose the years took away my sensibility, the knowledge that she didn’t like me rubbing her back and that each touch allowed needed to be firm,” Jade spoke softly, “since we’re pretending you’re her, I’d like to apologize. But I want you to know I don’t regret the kisses and more” she said, sheepishly a blush tinting her cheeks.
Grinding her teeth, Hazel took a moment to process the woman's words, hands clenched in tight fists by her side. " Yeah? Well, I regret everything, now get the fuck out!" She shot back bitterly pointing towards the door; frustrated, sad, angry, and a thousand other emotions all building up and threatening to swallow her whole. Jade had to know who she was and had pushed anyway, had tested her out like some experiment, and then discarded her as soon as she got to be too much.- " Get the fuck out!" She finally screamed; Jade was not moving fast enough for her liking. She was seconds away from overturning the coffee table and anything else that got in her way, years of loss and regret serving to fuel the fire of her rage.
Jade took a few steps back, shocked, surprised, and horrified by how the woman was acting. She was a whole new person, displaying anger she’d never seen, perhaps because back then, she knew exactly how to comfort the woman. And now she didn’t. She moved quickly to the door, and closed it behind her. “Oh, Hazel,” she said, sighing as she entered the elevator, the doors closing behind her.
As soon as Jade was gone, Hazel pulled out her phone and threw it at the door as hard as she could, letting herself imagine it was Jade, the rage consuming her for a violent moment before she collapsed on the floor in a fit of tears, clawing at her own face and clothes angrily, feeling like her skin was on fire everywhere Jade had touched her and just desperately wanting to escape herself and the pain merely existing sometimes brought. After a while, she managed to drag herself to the bathroom, where she took a scalding hot shower, punishing herself for being so stupid as to let another person that close.
~
Jade took an Uber home, feeling exhausted, pained, and most of all frustrated. All the play made her feel excited to a level she hadn’t felt in a long time, but at the end of the day, she couldn’t bring herself to do that when she liked Kit and Hazel was about to disappear.
Arriving home, she sat at her computer and jotted some more notes; she checked Sorsha’s calendar and made an appointment to talk to the woman; she undressed, leaving her clothes in a trail from the living room to the bathroom, where she let herself be drenched in the cold water the shower was providing her. Where is Kit? What the hell, and why did I make out with her sister when all I want is her?
~
Later that evening, Hazel sat on the couch, alone, in the dark, her face illuminated by the soft glow emanating off her now cracked phone screen - She'd have to fix it in the morning - as she stared at a text from Lili, informing her that the area Kit was in had been evacuated and she would be home in just a few short days.
She contemplated what that meant for her. Sorsha knew she wasn't Kit, she was sure of it, the look the woman had given her spoke volumes, and if Sorsha knew, then it wasn't far-fetched to assume Jade did as well and everything that had transpired between them all but confirmed it.
Perhaps if the real Kit didn't return, they would eventually let it go, assume they'd been mistaken, and accept Hazel as her replacement, but was that really what she wanted? Biting her lip, she continued staring at her phone long after the screen had gone dark, thinking about the conversation between Sorsha and Jade, specifically the parts about Lili. Could it be true? And if it was, what did that make her? She'd been contemplating killing her sister and had intended to destroy everything her mother had built because of a molten hatred she'd let fester inside of her for years, all based on what Lili had told her.
A monster, that's what she was, what she'd let herself become. If Lili was the liar, Sorsha said she was, then all her hatred had been misplaced, and she'd destroyed her one chance of having her family back. Sick to her stomach, Hazel tossed her phone onto the coffee table and buried her face in her hands, growling into them in frustration as her mind drifted to the other scenario.
It was possible that Sorsha had said all of those things about Lili, knowing Hazel was listening. It did fit the profile Lili had painted of Sorsha, somebody who was cunning and manipulative. If that were true, then Hazel was second-guessing the only person who'd shown her any sort of care for the last fifteen years of her life. She was falling for the lies of a sociopath all because she was too weak-minded to spot deception.
Running her hands through her hair, she tugged on the strands roughly until her scalp went numb. She rocked silently, continuing to punish herself for being so stupid. She didn't know what to believe, but she did know she didn't want to harm anybody; it wasn't her, no matter how bad her temper got or how much she tried to convince herself it was.
The truth of it was that she was weak; all she truly wanted was to be loved and to see others happy. She'd spent so long convincing herself that what she felt for her family was hatred, but the reality of it was all she'd ever truly felt was devastating hurt and a sense of understanding. She understood why Sorsha didn't want her, understood why Kit would see her as a burden or threat, and understood why she wasn't Jade's choice; the only person she actually hated was herself, and she longed to tell them as much. She just wanted them happy, even if that meant her not being in the picture, no matter how badly it hurt, which turned her stomach. A 'normal' person, a stronger person, would still feel rage, not sadness.
Hazel rubbed her forehead as a headache started to form. There was no way for her to know who was telling the truth anymore; there were too many lies, too many possibilities; it was all too much for her. Leaving was her only option; she'd have to disappear not just from her family but Lili too, just recede into the shadows and let Kit resume her life. Hazel had nothing left that wasn't shrouded in a dark cloud of deception.
Knowing what had to be done, Hazel resolved to go to her therapy session with Elora the next day just to close that chapter. Then, she'd go back to Kit's place, pack, and leave without a trace.
~
The next day, Hazel walked into Elora's office right on time, offering her a pleasant smile despite the smothering sadness she still felt. " You said you had some results for me?" She asked casually, sitting down in the chair on the other side of the desk, hand rubbing her face slightly in irritation, hating the feel of the makeup she now had to wear to cover the fresh welts she'd caused the night before. She was not in the mood to explain where she got them to a physiatrist or whatever Elora was; she couldn't remember her title.
“Hey, Kit! How are you feeling?” Elora asked with a smile but immediately frowned. She looked over at the woman and saw a very tired aura. “You seem discouraged. Come tell me how the last few days went for you,” she said, gesturing to the couch where she wanted Hazel to sit. Apprehensive, Elora tried to focus on getting the girl to open up about the sadness she saw in her demeanor.
Feeling like it was pointless to lie, Hazel sighed. "Tired." She admitted, her tone flat, trying exceptionally hard not to think about the restless night she'd had, silently vowing never to try getting that close to another person ever again; it had all been too intense, leaving her in an anguished state that kept her up all night. "Can I just stay here, please?" She requested, eyeing the couch with disdain, the same uncomfortable-looking couch from before.
“Yeah, sure, that’s fine. Whatever you feel more comfortable with. What’s going on? you seem a bit upset." Elora paused. "But before we start,” she said, offering Kit a cup of tea.
Taking the offered mug, Hazel smiled politely but set it down on the desk, not a fan of tea but also not wanting to offend the woman. "Like I said, I'm just tired. I only came for my results and then I'll be leaving." She spoke seriously, keeping her tone professional sounding.
“Hm… okay, well, I recommend first increasing your time horizontally. Second, no matter what the test says, you are more than that, and I will need you just to be yourself,” Elora said, watching the girl.
Suspecting Elora of attempting some bizarre humor, Hazel narrowed her eyes at the woman. "What?" she asked simply, shaking her head dismissively. An idea sparked as she pondered the remainder of the woman's statement. "I know nothing's gonna change; I've been autistic my whole life," she stated candidly, scrutinizing the woman's reaction. It occurred to her that there could be no better method of vanishing than convincing everyone she had never been there in the first place, at least temporarily. Perhaps Kit had simply lost her mind. She mused wickedly, a moment of latent resentment clouding her judgment.
Surprised by the way the woman spoke, Elora looked at her with a quizzical expression. "Kit, yes, but if you knew, why test with me?" She questioned her tone a mix of confusion and curiosity.
" Don't call me that." Hazel snapped in an irritated tone. " I got a call telling me you had results for me; that's all I know. Something my mother arranged, no doubt." She replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“What should I call you?” Elora asked, looking at the woman, thinking maybe she was too agitated and in the middle of a crisis. “I didn’t talk to your mom. At all.”
Hazel looked at the woman with a dumbfounded expression, like she'd lost her mind. " Uh, by my name?" She scoffed before continuing. " Sure you didn't." She rolled her eyes in disgust and turned her attention to the rest of the office in a bored manner.
“I don’t even have your mother’s number,” the woman said calmly. “Can I sit a bit closer?”
Letting her gaze fall on Elora again, Hazel shrugged. " It's your office; you can sit wherever you like." She replied like it was obvious, making sure she played her part well.
Elora stood next to the woman and smiled. “Ok, so what's your name?” She asked, moving closer to the girl.
Hazel frowned at the woman, her expression a mix of confusion and offense. "What? Who put you up to this? You called me, and now you're pretending like you don't know who I am?" She asked, incredulous, as she abruptly pushed her chair back and stood up. "Hazel Tanthalos. Do you really expect me to believe you've never heard of me?" She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief, arms crossed over her chest as she gave the woman an irritated look.
Elora looked at the woman and thought she was having a dissociative moment. “Well, my patient is Kit Tanthalos. So I wouldn’t be calling you for test results,” the woman said, trying to stick with facts. I have heard of Hazel Tanthalos, but it was long ago." What started this? Elora’s concern for the woman grew as she could see the beginning tell-tale signs of a mental breakdown.
Deciding to really drive her little charade home, Hazel stepped back sharply with a look of pure disgust. “Now I know this is some kind of sick Joke. Kit's been dead for years." She spat back angrily. “My Mother will hear about this. You better hope you still have a practice come morning." She called over her shoulder as she marched towards the door.
“Hazel, wait, wait!” she called and walked closer to the woman. “I’m sorry. I feel like we started off on the wrong foot. Please let me make it up to you,” Elora said, watching the woman at the door.
" You call, calling me by my dead sister's name and then suggesting she was your patient, getting off on the wrong foot?" Hazel scoffed. " You're gonna hear from my lawyers." She spoke coldly and exited the room without another look back, leaving Elora to think Kit had lost her mind. She knew it wouldn't stick for long, but it would give her a head start, and that's all she needed. So, with that in mind, she headed back to Kit's place and grabbed her already-packed bag. By 12:30, she was gone, and the burner phone was trashed.
“Daisy, get Jade Claymore on the line now,” Elora called her assistant. Two minutes later, she had Jade on the line, telling her to try to find Kit.
Jade raced to Kit’s apartment only to find it empty. Her next step was to drive to the Tanthalos Estate. She called her team at the office to find out if Kit or, rather, Hazel had been there.
Hearing what happened at Elora’s office, Jade was conflicted, doubt blurring the lines she thought were clear since last night. She didn’t know anymore—was she with Kit or Hazel? Had this all been the beginning of a bigger crisis, or was Hazel playing to ruin Kit’s image?
What if the trip didn’t happen because she was having a breakdown and decided to break her routine? It is said that those things happen in a person’s mid-to-late twenties; she knew this from her behavioral classes at college and the academy. I just told her I sort of wanted her sister. Oh god, what have I done? Jade thought, devastated. Not wanting to be stagnant, she messaged the woman, but no answer came. So, instead, she messaged Sorsha.
Jade: Ma’am, have you heard from Kit today?
Sorsha: No, but we need to sit down and have a serious discussion about her.
Jade: Ma’am, I am afraid we need to make this a priority. I’m at your place; Kit is MIA.
After reading the message, Sorsha didn't bother texting back, choosing to call instead. She waited impatiently for Jade to pick up. " What do you mean she's MIA? Jade, I don't want to have this discussion over the phone or through text, and I think you know what I'm referring to." She spoke in a grave tone.
Recognizing the urgency, Jade ran into the house as soon as the butler let her in. “Open the door, Mrs. Tanthalos; I’m here.” She said, knocking on the office door.
Not bothering to reply, Sorsha hung up and quickly made her way across the room to let Jade in. " I'm sorry, I must have read your text wrong; I thought you said you were at her place. Now tell me, what is this all about?" She asked carefully, trying to get a read on the situation's seriousness. She hadn't slept all night, tossing and turning, the happiness of her oldest daughter being alive tainted by worry and trepidation as she pondered her motives for pretending to be her sister. Was she just trying to see if there was still a place for her? Had she or somebody else harmed Kit? The worst part was that she had no idea how to contact Kit to ensure she was ok.
Catching her breath, she spoke, trying her best to deliver the news all at once. “Kit is missing, well, the Kit you saw last night. What am I even saying?” Jade spoke in an alarmed tone. She shook her head, unable to believe what was happening.
" So you saw it, too. That was not Kit!" Sorsha spoke firmly. She'd never been more sure of anything in her life.
“I suspected it. That’s why we were at the restaurant. I knew you’d distinguish between them, but now I’m not sure. Elora Danan, a friend, called me this morning and said that Kit was having a mental breakdown; for context, ma’am, Kit had told me she was inspired to be more like her sister. She had Elora test her for autism, and when Elora called her for the results, Kit showed up at the doctor’s office and told her that she was not Kit, that her name was Hazel, and Kit had been dead for years. So now I'm baffled, and Kit or Hazel is nowhere to be seen.” Jade summarized and let her tears roll this time because she was conflicted, sad, and frustrated with the situation.
Setting her face in a stern business-like mask to hide her conflicting emotions, Sorsha nodded slowly, processing the woman's words as she silently wondered if it was possible if perhaps the grief and survivor's guilt Kit had always dealt with had finally broken her, would it be possible for a delusion to change one so much, that they would truly appear like a completely different person? The thought chilled her to the bone; there was no way she could handle losing another child, even if it weren't to death this time.
" Did Kit tell you this? Or did Hazel? Jade think! We need to be damn sure that girl was Kit if we're gonna go thinking she's losing her mind. I know what I saw last night. I don't know what kind of changes a mental break like this could cause from an outside perspective, but last night, I would have bet my life that it was Hazel." She spoke in a calm but serious tone.
Taking a deep breath, Jade started answering, “Well, ma’am, it was the same person I was with last night, presumably Hazel, but now I am doubting everything,” she said, letting her head hang low as she felt the urge to confess her indiscretion. “Ma’am, I’m sad to say that last night I did something I’m not proud of, and maybe I have something to do with all of this,” the woman said, looking at the elder.
Not in the mood for tiptoeing around a subject, Sorsha shot the woman a sharp look. " Whatever it is, you need to tell me; this is no time for being coy. Right now, it's highly possible that my previously thought-to-be-dead daughter is out there still alive and missing again, or my youngest is out there somewhere thinking she's her sister and lost, or something horrible has happened to Kit and Hazel has something to do with it and now they're both gone. None of those scenarios are acceptable, so please tell me what happened and when Kit came back. Or rather, when did this version of Kit show up? Because to my knowledge, she was gone starting October sixteenth."
Jade looked at the woman, guilty. “Well, I found Kit or Hazel at the office on October seventeenth.” She explained. “And last night I… kinda acted like a jerk. We almost had sex, and she kinda admitted her identity to me, but I… I screwed up, ma’am.” Jade said, shaking her head.
Out of all the things she thought Jade might say, that was not one of them. Taking a deep breath, Sorsha let her eyebrows rise and fall rapidly at the information and shook her head before schooling her expression to one of neutrality. She'd known about Jade and Hazel when they were younger; she had seen them sneaking off a few times; even if they weren't aware, she knew. It had worried her a little at the time, but she'd trusted Jade and had seen the girl's sorrow after Hazel's disappearance. But over the years, she'd seen a shift, had assumed Jade was interested in Kit and maybe always had been.
She didn't judge her, knowing they'd all been young, but now she was having difficulty not being angry. " I see. How exactly did she admit it to you? Did she tell you who she was? I'm sorry, I'm having a very hard time understanding this right now because I know you're not stupid. While I know you once harbored feelings for Hazel, I suspect you know that her showing up and pretending to be her sister has profound and potentially scary implications." She started, fixing the woman with a disappointed look. " While I'd love to believe she just found her way home and was scared to admit who she was, I suspect it goes deeper than that, and you, being our head of security, should have caught on to it sooner." She added sternly.
“You think I don’t know that?!” Jade asked, raising her voice at the unflinching woman. “I’m sorry, that was out of line. I fell into her game. I didn't see how anxious she was about getting on my bike; I didn’t pay attention to how she fell while jogging, tripping over nothing; Kit would never do that. I was stupid. I knew something was off, but I couldn’t pin it. I thought she had come to her senses, but after kissing her for a few days, and I am sorry, ma’am, for oversharing, she reacted differently than Kit would have, and I was cruel. I fear I made her think that I’d not be with her because Kit was deemed more typical.” she confessed. “I also know that during dinner, she seemed skeptical of the conversation we had regarding the company and your relationship with the competitors. I’ve started looking at the Hasturs and Callahan/Nockmaar.” She spoke with confidence, getting her footing when talking about work. “I’m sorry Sorsha. I loved Hazel so much that I got caught up in the idea of having her back. I should’ve gone home last night and called you.”
Disgusted, Sorsha took a step back, disappointed, with disapproving eyes looking at Jade. "I thought better of you, Jade." She spoke simply, not even trying to hide the sadness in her tone. No matter how Hazel had turned out, she couldn't stand the idea of the girl being hurt for being how she was. "You better hope both of my girls are okay and found safe." She spoke sternly, refusing to accept that Kit might be having a mental break. "Or you can start searching for a new job." She added in a cold tone, allowing some of her fear and anger to turn on Jade, needing a place to channel it and finding Jade was the perfect place.
“I understand, ma’am, and I have two teams on it, but I need everything you have on Lili Callahan, including why she was never a suspect.” The woman said fiercely. “I mean no disrespect, Sorsha, but I have loved your girls for longer than I can even remember; I never gave up, and I never will. I hope we can figure it out together. Now, please tell me the story on Callahan. The whole story.”
Narrowing her eyes at the woman, Sorsha struggled with the urge to kick her out, her pride wounded from trusting Jade so explicitly and having that trust broken. However, she recognized the necessity of accepting all available assistance. Reluctantly, she motioned for Jade to take a seat. "Firstly, you need to decide exactly which of my daughters you love before causing any further harm," she asserted firmly, her stare unwavering. "Lili was under suspicion initially, but the evidence exonerated her. She provided an alibi. The investigation was meticulous; you've reviewed the case files. Perhaps you've forgotten, but the Callahans were among the initial suspects. However, that was very short-lived. Lili cooperated fully, as did her entire family. Eventually, she even offered assistance in the search effort, investing a considerable sum of her own money, as did several of our competitors," she recounted wearily, taking a seat at her desk. "Ultimately, the conclusion was it had been a crime of opportunity; some lunatic saw a young girl alone and snatched her up... All indications led us to believe she was deceased, Jade. You're aware of that." she concluded, swallowing back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
Shaking her head in disbelief as Sorsha spoke, Jade closed her eyes and held her face. "Damn it! Despite all those billions of dollars and contacts, you fell for that?" she said, her fists clenching like Hazel's often did, her nails digging into her palm.“you fell for a textbook tactic; it's common knowledge that oftentimes, kidnappers and serial killers like to stay close to the investigation. It’s like Criminal Profiling 101! Are you serious right now?!” Jade said, tapping her fist against her thigh, trying to center herself. “Ever heard of no body, no crime, Sorsha? Was Mads faithful to you all through your marriage?” Uncertainty gnawed at her. No truth could be absolute until explored now; she needed to know everything.
Stricken by Jade's accusation, Sorsha recoiled slightly, her eyes narrowing with surprise and indignation. "What does my marriage have to do with this? Are you trying to make yourself feel better right now? Is that what this is, Jade?" she retorted sharply. "You want to believe what you did last night wasn't wrong? Well, honey, I have news for you: it was! and you're barking up the wrong tree. Yes, he was faithful to me, not that it's any of your business," she added with a disgusted tone.
"Regarding accepting the professionals' conclusions, I'm not a detective, Jade. I followed every lead diligently, including those provided by your father." She emphasized, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I exhausted all avenues, seeking assistance from anyone willing to offer it. While the absence of a body may suggest no crime, other compelling factors led us to believe she was dead, as you well know. Do you truly want to dredge up those painful details? Because I, for one, have no desire to relive that nightmare," she exclaimed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Perhaps you'd like to have your father recount them for you, remind you how deeply this case affected him, how it shattered his career and even discouraged you from pursuing your own dream of a career in law enforcement; so, don't presume to understand the agony of accepting my daughter's death," she concluded sternly, her voice tinged with the weight of unresolved grief.
Jade heard everything the older woman had to say, nodding along. Ready to answer, she held her head high and spoke confidently, owning her mistakes.“It’s not about guilt, sure I’m an asshole, but that’s my burden, like it's also my burden that I didn’t go outside with her that day, but we have to rethink everything, even things we thought we knew. She probably got taken, brainwashed, and now there are fragments of her in there, but she hates you, and our Hazey didn’t; she idolized you. I may be confused, but I never gave up.” She said “Now, I need everything you still have about donations, payments, and other competitors' involvement in the search party. I need to get to work. I will find her and Kit and I will get whoever took her and they will pay.”
“Were you implying that my husband had an affair and some jilted lover took Hazel as revenge? Is that what you were insinuating?" Sorsha's voice was sharp with indignation, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. "You should exercise caution with your words. He died trying to find her, so I advise against recklessly throwing accusations around." Bitterness laced her words, unwilling to entertain the possibility. She had endured enough heartbreak for one lifetime, and she refused to entertain more.
“Maybe he didn’t, but maybe someone tried to seduce him, and when they couldn’t, they killed him because he was getting too close. Ma’am, you hold a very important position; you have lots of enemies.” Jade stated, stoic. “Respectfully, Seduction is lesson two in law enforcement training. A Honeytrap is how I got in my predicament with your daughter last night while… while I actually indulged, I was also trying to get her to confess.” She explained shamelessly because she had no one to talk to about it, and Sorsha supported her romantic life.
Taking a deep breath, Sorsha closed her eyes and held up a hand. " Please do refrain from telling me of your indulgences with my daughter. While I'm very understanding and love all of you girls, I would rather not think about such things." She spoke seriously, suppressing a shudder. " I hear what you’re saying and understand where you're coming from. I, however don't believe that's what happened. I knew him too well; he was a flirt, yes, much like Kit, but he was also loyal to a fault, much like Kit. If this is anything other than what the police concluded, it must run deeper than a scorned lover, and if that's the case, then the evidence suggesting Hazel was dead must have been falsified, suggesting somebody was paid off." She reminded Jade seriously.
Scoffing at the bit about Kit, Jade nodded. “Which is what I’m saying, ma’am. Throw away all we know and start over.” She said, looking at her iPad. “Cameras caught Hazel driving south from Kit’s apartment. I have an… acquaintance,” She trailed off, looking down at her iPad, blushing before continuing. “At the DOT I'll get access to the cameras and see where she’s headed." She finished.
Narrowing her eyes at Jade's obvious discomfort, Sorsha shook her head, beginning to question why she ever thought Jade was more stable than Kit. "If we're gonna do this, we need people we know we can trust. Money talks; it has to be people who are immune to such things. Whoever did this was able to keep Hazel hidden for fifteen years and make everybody believe she was dead. This is either an extremely long con, or she escaped whoever it was, came looking for her family, and just got scared. Whatever the case may be, we can't trust normal avenues." She sighed, her tone reflecting a sense of urgency. "Also, don't think I missed that little scoff... I know you think Kit is careless and in many ways, she is, but Jade, she's loyal and fair-minded. She's always loved you; anybody with eyes can see that, except maybe you! You were too preoccupied moping about not being able to have her to recognize that you already did. You chose Hazel, and I know you two thought you were really sneaky, but we all knew. Kit saw you two together more than once!" Sorsha's voice was laced with frustration, irritated that Jade hadn't realized it. "You belonged to Hazel, Jade. As soon as Kit saw you two together, you were off-limits! So, if you have any doubts about which of my girls you're truly interested in, figure it out now before either gets hurt more." She finished sternly, her gaze unwavering.
Astounded by the woman’s revelations about Kit and the motherly ultimatum, Jade nodded and tried her level best not to get distracted by the fact her potential-maybe-mother-in-law-boss-figure just plainly shared her best-friend-object-of-affection’s feelings were mutual; she took a calming breath. She got back on task, leaving dealing with her feelings for a later time. “I fully understand. My contacts are solid. Ma’am, you can trust them.” she spoke confidently, exhaling loudly. “I doubled your team for the day; you must go on with your appointments as scheduled. I don’t want to raise any suspicion. If this is a one-off and there isn’t malice involved, great, but I’d rather not take any steps to tip someone off if it is.” The woman said. “I’m sorry once again for being disrespectful, and you can absolutely tell my dad and his fiancee. I just want to understand what is going on.” I should’ve stayed with Hazel last night, not put my foot in my mouth. Get it together, Claymore! She thought, trying her best to focus on the task at hand.
“Apology accepted. We're both feeling the strain at the moment. I'm not pleased with my own behavior either. Let's concentrate on the task at hand. As you suggested, I'll proceed with my meetings as planned. Still, I'll need regular updates," Sorsha replied gravely, struggling to focus on her responsibilities when she only wanted to search for her children. "And Jade... I'm trusting you. Please," she added with a softer tone.
“Every two hours, Ma’am. I will update you every two hours,” Jade said, getting up and closing her suit jacket. She was already typing her next contact into her tablet.
" Good. That'll be all." Sorsha dismissed, stoic expression firmly back in place, needing to maintain some semblance of professionalism, or she'd crack.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, commenting and leaving kudos.
Chapter 8: Chapter 8
Notes:
Hello! Life got in the way, and we missed a few personal deadlines. Next chapter I promise to post some links to visuals for this story.
I hope you are having a good week! Happy Monday/Tuesday (depending on Time zones.)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
Driving out of the city, Hazel kept her music up loud, fingers of her right hand drumming against the steering wheel rhythmically to a playlist of her favorite songs; a mix of tunes she liked simply because of certain sounds in them, the lyrics, or just how they made her feel, and others just for fun. The music blared out until the speakers vibrated with the heavy bass thump. This was her way of drowning out her senses until all she had left to focus on was the road and the familiar tunes. She needed that predictability to not panic at the slightest change in road noise or the sometimes sudden roar of a passing motorcycle.
She loved long road trips, the soothing nature of the open road, and the chance to listen to her favorite songs repeatedly, but her preferred spot was the passenger seat. She tolerated driving; she even liked it at times when it was late at night with very little traffic to worry about, but the city terrified her, trying to time the traffic lights just right so she wouldn't get stuck in that strange limbo between a green and yellow light, the unpredictability of pedestrians just randomly stepping out into the road, the other cars pressing up against her bumper, trying to get her to turn right on a red when she wasn't comfortable. It was all enough to raise her anxiety to an uncomfortable point, pushing her nerves dangerously close to being overwhelmed. No, she didn't like driving in the city one bit, or during the daytime for that matter.
~
She was nineteen when she finally got her license and twenty before she drove alone. After years of being forced into driving school and failing because she'd panic every time, misunderstanding the instructor's directions or being too cautious behind the wheel, Lili had finally gotten an instructor who passed her;- Hazel presumed the man might have been paid off, but she never asked- A year later when she'd still not managed to drive alone, Lili called the house, telling her she was disoriented and needed Hazel to drive to her, giving her vague instructions and hanging up the phone before the girl could protest. This prompted Hazel to walk around in circles, panicking for several long moments until she was able to talk herself down, reminding herself that Lili needed her, that she had to be strong and pull through, and with that thought, she grabbed her keys and white-knuckled it the whole way to the cross streets the woman had given her, praying the entire time to whoever or whatever might listen.
It had been a trick; Lili was fine, sitting comfortably on the patio of the Starbucks, a wide grin on her face as Hazel got out of the car with frantic, terrified eyes. " What did I tell you? All you needed was a little nudge out of the nest." the woman exclaimed, standing up and slapping Hazel on the back, a pleasant smile still plastered on her face as she observed the young woman, searching for even the tiniest flinch.
Hazel knew better, shoved a hand into a pocket, and dug her keys into her thigh hard enough to leave a bruise while laughing good-naturedly and giving the woman a sheepish smile. " I guess it wasn't so bad." She lied, reaching up to pull her uncomfortably damp shirt away from her neck a little. She'd never been so nervous in her life, but if Lili noticed, she didn't say anything, just kept the same big smile plastered on her face as she motioned towards the cup of tea already on the table for the girl, indicating her expectation for Hazel to join her.
~
Flexing and twisting her left hand around the steering wheel repeatedly, Hazel made a last-minute decision and changed lanes, following the signs toward New York. She had fully intended to leave and disappear somewhere and had even contemplated a more permanent solution to her ever-present despair, but she never could stand leaving things unfinished. She had to know if Lili had been lying to her; she needed that closure, even if the guilt of questioning the woman would eat at her the whole time.
Glancing at the stereo clock, she estimated it would take her until well after midnight before arriving home. Was it her home? She frowned and tightened her hold on the steering wheel as she reached out with the other and quickly set her GPS to home with a single tap.
~~
The journey had been slow but a lot quicker than anticipated. Thankfully, the storm changed direction and continued to move up north while Kit drove south. She stopped for a snack and to refuel—she loved big gas station snacks, tornadoes being her favorite. She once argued with Jade about the nature of the snack's name.
~
“What’s this?” Jade asked as Kit started to hand her the snack bag, pulling it away at the last second at Jade’s question.
With a flair for the dramatic, Kit made whistling wind sounds and delivered with a sweeping flourish of her arm, “Cheesy pepper jack TORNADOES!”
Looking in the small paper bag, Jade gave the girl her signature squinty eye. “Uh… you mean rolled tacos? Taquitos?” she said as she watched Kit buckle her seat belt.
“They are much more delicious than that! You gotta admit, Jade, rolled tacos or taquitos do not have the same effect as saying you ate a tornado!” Ever-so-spirited, Kit expanded her hands to show how the name popped, biting into it. “hmm? Come on”
Jade took an extra second to respond, indulging the girl for a second, enjoying her bite and the girl’s curious look. “Hmm… tastes like… a taquito! Renamed something eye-popping for marketing purposes. Gotcha. Kit, these are okay, but I wouldn’t say scrumptiously delicious,” the woman commented, looking at Kit’s lips, causing the girl to blush a little and then look at her tornado.
“How dare you!! Tornadoes are soft and perfectly evenly cooked; their flavor bursts in your mouth. Taquitos are often unevenly cooked, and crunchy,” Kit continued the banter with playful indignation.
“Fine, I know I won’t win the argument. I agree they are tasty, but did we really have to drive an hour and a half outside of town for you to get one of those? With the rest of the security detail following? Couldn’t this have waited until the weekend when the big meetings were over, and we don’t have the daughter of the secretary of state with us?” she whispered, looking back to the younger girl sitting in the backseat, the teenager enjoying her snack and smiling sheepishly at them.
“We have to educate our youth, Jade! Besides, her mom asked me to take her to get a snack; this is a snack.” Kit rationalized.
“These are really good, thanks, Kit!” the girl said, smiling contently.
“See?! She gets it!” Kit said as she took another bite of her food.
~
Smiling at the memory, Kit closed her eyes and willed her brain to dream of Jade for a few minutes, which turned into a four-hour nap.
Once back on the road, Kit turned up the music louder; without her phone, she couldn’t play her favorite tunes; paying for the rental with Sirius XM was a no-brainer so she could at least listen to music, get caught up on the new trends and reminisce with past years hits. Humming along with songs she knew, frowning at Jack Harlow’s strange combination of lyrics, and cracking a smile at songs she listened to with Jade, Kit couldn’t help but enjoy herself.
Thanks to the brave work of the road crews across the midwestern states and their cleverly named snowplows, Kit was able to make it into the city limits in about thirty-six hours. Her progress on the journey had her bopping along, belting to the sounds of Spice Girls' "Wannabe" – chair dancing being one of her talents. She thought of the possibilities of a new beginning.
Making her way to her apartment building, she greeted the security guard, “Hello, Ms. Tanthalos, back at it?”
“Yeah, Mother Nature said I can’t vacation. Hope the family is doing well, Thad.” she smiled politely and entered the elevator. She was super tired, but the emotional build-up and her racing mind wouldn't let her rest, so she quickly changed to go for a run and grabbed her phone out of her safe. Taking a second, she looked around, noticing how neatly organized her apartment was, and made a mental note to thank Jade for doing all the work. She found it strange since Jade never organized; she just kept her cabinets and fridges full.
She hesitated as she glanced at her phone, debating whether to send a quick 'hello, I'm back' message, but ultimately decided against it. Not quite ready to reconnect with the digital world, she shoved the phone into her pocket and opted for her old iPod touch, launching her "Kit 2017-2022" playlist instead. As Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode" filled her ears, she began her stretches in the elevator, mentally preparing for her run. However, her plans were interrupted by the sight of Elora Danan waving frantically, pulling her into an unexpected encounter.
Oh great, the human toothache, and just when I thought my day was going so well. Kit thought, rolling her eyes as she slowed to run in place in front of the woman, taking her earbuds out in the process and draping the cord around her neck. " Ms. Danan, to what do I owe the immense pleasure?" She asked in a tone dripping with sarcasm, a thoroughly fake smile adding to her obvious disgust.
She'd met Elora a few times in passing, usually at events where Kit had been expected to make a show of being there with Graydon. It wasn't that the woman was rude or mean or anything like that; it was actually quite the opposite.
Elora was too sweet, always seemingly looking for the good in things, extra positive, somebody always willing to offer help or ask if you were doing okay; all wonderful qualities. Kit despised it! Perhaps her cynicism stoked the fire of her disgust for the woman, or maybe just the association with Graydon. There was nothing really wrong with him either; he was nice enough if it hadn't been for that unfortunate business of being set up with him - but she didn't really care. It wasn't her fault if she just wanted to stay upset with the world and drown that sorrow in some perhaps questionable ways from time to time.
But she wasn't going to think that way anymore; she was over all that, and now she looked forward to a healthier way of dealing with her sorrow and feelings of inadequacy. Jade had always been there for her, a rock even when Kit had been a terrible friend and boss; Jade had never wavered.
Kit had always loved her, but up until lately, she'd felt strongly like Jade wasn't an option. She couldn't imagine going after Hazel's ex; it would feel like robbing the dead. Plus, if Jade said yes, a small, insecure part of her supposed she would always wonder if it would be because the woman was still in love with her sister, and they just happened to share the same face. Maybe that's why she constantly pushed the limits; perhaps she needed to see how far she could go before Jade ran away and proved all her theories correct. She supposed Elora would offer to help sus out her motives if she'd only let her, and the thought angered her. She could figure herself out; she desperately needed to feel in control of whatever she could, and she had, thank you very much.
"I've been calling you; I've been worried about you, Hazel," Elora said as she got closer. Her voice tinged with concern as she reached out to touch the woman's arm, watching for any signs of distress, but found none.
Glancing briefly at Elora's hand, Kit pulled her arm back; a confused look crossed her face. "You've been calling..." She trailed off as the woman's words finally struck her. "Wait, what?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at the woman. "What did you call me?" She was sure she'd heard wrong; there was no way sweet, ever-careful Elora had just called her by her sister's name.
Elora, too focused on convincing the woman to trust her and relax, spoke rapidly, not directly addressing her question. "Hazel, I understand we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but I want to ensure you’re okay. I didn’t intend to upset you. Jade and I spoke, but she never got back to me." Why are you so hostile? She pondered silently as she saw the woman's expression sour further, noting the differences between the person she'd danced with and this more familiar and ever-so-flippant Tanthalos heir she'd encountered at social functions.
So much for sweet! I guess Elora does have some bite in her after all. Kit thought bitterly, fists clenching at her sides and eyes still narrowed at the woman. "Ah, I get it. You think I've been a dick to you, so now you want to play games? I admire the backbone this took but never call me by her name again. Are we clear? If you want to yell at me for being unpleasant, go right ahead, but this crosses a line." She spoke firmly, standing up a little straighter, channeling some of her mother's energy at that moment.
Great, more of that flippant attitude. Elora looked at Kit incredulously. "Wait, but this morning you told me..." she trailed off, shaking her head. How are you feeling? Do you have a headache?" she asked carefully, concerned about Kit's well-being. Kit just stared at her in open disbelief.
"Mmm, and it's about 5 foot 6, redheaded, and standing right in front of me," Kit shot back with an irritated look. Then, she took a deep breath, put her earbuds back in, and shouldered past the woman, unwilling to entertain any further conversation. She couldn't tell if it was a sick joke or if the woman had lost her ever-loving mind, but either way, Kit had no interest in sticking around to find out.
"Kit!" Elora called, jogging as she tried to keep up with her. "Please... talk... to me," she huffed and puffed, struggling to match the woman's pace. "Look, I know it's scary, but we can build a plan, and you can manage it," the redhead tried to be her kindest self. Fuck! Where is that sweet personality that got me to dance with her? "Can you please slow down?"
With an audible groan, Kit yanked her left earbud out, letting it hang against her shoulder, and stopped abruptly. "Jesus, Elora, try some cardio sometime, will ya? I could hear your heavy breathing over my music," she snapped, arms crossed over her chest as she looked Elora up and down with disgust, silently judging her fitness level. She couldn't understand how somebody who looked so in shape could be so out of breath from a simple run. "I don't need to slow down for you. I'm going on a run; I never asked or wanted you to join. Frankly, the point was to outrun you, but since I've stopped, you have exactly sixty seconds to say your peace. The clock starts now," she added in an irritated tone, making a point to show Elora her watch, poking a finger at it.
Elora frowned at the woman, noticing the disgust in her eyes. She felt a pang of hurt at the familiarity of that expression, the disdain, and the complete disregard. "I want to help you; I really worry. When you left this morning, I was super nervous. Are you okay? Any headaches?" she asked again, genuine concern evident in her voice as she observed Kit.
Positive she was being punked, Kit glanced around her rapidly. " This is a joke, right? Somebody's gonna pop out from behind a building at any moment and tell me I'm on some trashy TV show? Who put you up to this?" She scanned her surroundings, a hint of amusement in her voice. " All right, enough, I caught on." She called out to whoever may be listening, anticipating the reveal.
“No cameras, Kit, but I really want to talk to you,” Elora said, her voice filled with concern. You got tested, and I was delivering results when you said to call you by your sister’s name,” she explained honestly, figuring she might as well put all the cards on the table.
Trying to ignore the woman, Kit continued to look around, hands on her hips as she studied every possible place somebody could be hiding, before finally turning her attention back to Elora, expression changing from mild amusement and irritation to genuine confusion. " For one, what exactly do you call what we're doing? Because last I checked, words are leaving our mouths, which qualifies as talking." She shot back quickly, defaulting to jabs when on edge. " I thought you needed to be smart to be a brain doctor or whatever you are." She added with a dismissive wave of her hand. " I don't know what test you're referring to, but I can tell you this: you're testing my patience at the moment, and this has gone on well beyond sixty seconds, so I'm gonna go back to running, and you can just turn around and go back to wherever you came from." She spoke in a tone usually reserved for children.
“OK, Kit, fine. I'll go, but please do me a favor and come see me tomorrow? Maybe we can clear it up during lunch?” Elora proposed, seeing that the girl seemed to be okay but still wanting to meet and assess, knowing that surprising her at her place may not have been the best plan. “Please message Jade,” she added softly, stepping back.
Still very confused, Kit observed the woman momentarily, considering how to reply. " Elora, look, I think I've been pretty nice considering... But no, I won't go to your office; I don't even know where you work. I've never been there before, and if this really isn't some weird joke, I think maybe you need to have a serious conversation with one of your colleagues because whatever's going on with you." She spoke, making a circular motion, palm out towards Elora's face and body. " It's concerning." She finished, keeping a wary eye on the woman, suddenly wishing Jade were with her as she considered Elora might be delusional.
Ignoring Kit's rude remark, Elora held her card out to the woman.” Here, take my card, and please come see me tomorrow," She urged again, for the first time, giving the woman an up-and-down look, blushing when their hands brushed, still affected by the woman’s pull; only when she really looked at her, something didn’t quite register. " Call Jade. I promise you this is not a joke." She reinforced confidently.
Starting to feel a little frightened, Kit took the offered card slowly, glancing down at it as she processed the woman's words. " Sure. Fine, I'll call her. Thanks for this." She held the card with an uneasy look, convinced the woman was a bit coo-coo. She fully intended to call Jade and have Elora promptly put on a list.
"And if anything changes, call," Elora said with a small smile and a nod, trusting that her words would be heeded, confident that she'd done her best to get through, and just hoping it would be enough to get the woman to her office the next day.
Giving the woman another uneasy smile, Kit held up the card with a quick nod. " Mhm, I'll make sure to do that." She replied in an easy-practiced tone as she backed away from the woman, starting a slow jog as she did so, all the while not taking her eyes off Elora. She wanted to see her leave before she'd dare turn her back.
Elora stood there momentarily, trying to piece everything together herself. “What’s going on?!” she said out loud. It’s like she's a whole different person. Even her aura was a different color. I should’ve cleansed her. Tomorrow! The woman thought as she started walking back to her car, turning one more glance at Kit before getting in and leaving.
As soon as she was sure Elora was gone, Kit did a full-body shudder before returning to her run, finding it difficult to focus on relaxing when all she could think about was the conversation she'd just had. Awesome start to this day! She thought bitterly as she slowed to a stop, resting her hands on her head. She turned to look back at where Elora had been, the woman's words still haunting her. " Fuck!!" She exclaimed with an audible groan as she pulled out her phone and finally powered it back on, tapping her foot impatiently as she watched it go through the bootup sequence. " Could you go any slower?" She grumbled at it, bringing it up to her face and glaring. She really needed to talk to Jade; she wouldn't feel comfortable until she had.
After a minute, the phone finally powered on, and the first thing to pop up was an old message from Jade, sent just a few days earlier, according to the time stamp.
Jade: come home. ASAP. Mayday.
Staring at the message, Kit drew her eyebrows together, worried. " The fuck?" She mumbled, shooting glances down the sidewalk every few moments to make sure nobody was watching her as she started to type out a message before quickly changing her mind and hitting the call button instead, preferring the speed of a phone call and maybe wanting to hear Jade's voice as well.
Lost in a pile of files, Jade didn’t look at the number when her phone rang, but she answered it quickly. “Claymore speaking,” she said, propping the phone with her shoulder, two photos in hand, one of Lili Callahan and another of her security detail.
At the sound of the woman's voice, Kit felt most of the tension and trepidation leave her body, replaced by an earnest fondness and a feeling of comfort; even over a phone line, Jade's calming presence was like none other. "Jade." She breathed into the phone softly, smiling to herself, forgetting her reason for calling for the briefest moment before catching herself and visibly straightening up to make herself feel more in control despite being alone. "Hey, this isn't how I wanted to tell you I'm back, but I just had the strangest encounter with that Danan woman. I really think you need to look into her; I think she's lost her mind, and frankly, I'm a little concerned." She spilled rapidly, her nerves driving the words.
At the sound of Kit’s voice, Jade stopped. She felt her body warm up and she quickly had to check her phone, and there it was, a picture of Kit, so she quickly put the phone on speaker and listened intently. Kit was back, her Kit, not Hazel. She sounded like Hazel but maybe just half an octave lower. “Kit! You’re back!” she exclaimed. Is this a trick? Is Hazel back and pretending to be Kit? Maybe she had her phone this whole time and was starting to pull something else. She quickly calmed down and centered herself so as not to make any risky moves; she needed to be professional first. “Elora?” she questioned. “What did she want?” she asked in a leveled tone, attempting to sound calm and collected as she messaged Sorsha via the company’s Instant Messaging software.
Jade: Any contact I should know about in the last two hours?”
Sorsha: None to speak of. Have you made any progress figuring out where she's headed?
Noticing how Jade's tone shifted from surprised to more business-like, Kit frowned; this was not the reaction she'd anticipated from her best friend; sure, she'd brought her a problem, and Jade was nothing if not professional when it came to anything regarding Kit's safety, but she'd still expected just a bit more excitement. " Uh, I don't really know... I mean, I do, but it didn't make any sense. She wanted me to talk to her at her office, but she kept saying she was worried about me..." She trailed off, furrowing her brow as she tried to recall the conversation, realizing she hadn't really been paying that close of attention, having lost focus almost as soon as the woman's words stopped making sense to her. " She called me Hazel; it was so rude. I kinda wanted to punch her." She admitted after a moment as that bit of the conversation came back to her. " Why would she do that? Like, who calls somebody by their dead sister's name? It was so fucked up. I never would have expected something like that from her." She rambled on, running a frustrated hand through her hair as she started to pace up and down the sidewalk.
Feeling a sense of urgency, Jade knew she had to debrief Kit on the current situation, but selfishly, she wanted time alone with her to see if she could confirm this was the real Kit as doubt still permeated her mind. Deciding against her self-absorbed motives, Jade realized the best way was to move forward, meeting the heiress in a neutral location; if this were her Kit, she would have time to be alone with her later; the task was too important, but she still had work to do, and couldn’t just leave her location just yet. “Where are you?” she asked without first responding to the bit of information. “She called you Hazel? Please tell me you didn’t punch her.”
" Yes! And no, she's lucky we were in public," Kit grumbled, shaking her head at the memory. Feeling her blood boil again as she continued to pace, her hands clenched into fists at her side; she forgot to answer the other question the woman had posed.
“Kit, where are you, though?” Jade asked, a bit impatient; looking at her phone, she saw she had a text from Elora
" Oh." Pausing momentarily, Kit turned her eyes down the sidewalk in the direction she'd been walking, silently trying to estimate how far she'd made it. " Like half a block from my apartment. I was just trying to go for a run when she totally hijacked my alone time." She exclaimed dramatically.
Lora of the Rings: Something is not right. I ran into her, and her aura was a different color. You need to call me ASAP, J.
Jade: So I gather. Go to your office; I will bring her over. Be patient, Lor.
Lora of the Rings: She was NOT sweet like before. But she was surprised I called her by the name she asked me to call her. So, I need some clarification. See you soon.
Jade was feeling whiplash with the double talk. She took an audible deep breath and spoke to Kit, “Oh ok, I'm sorry. Can you please go back to your place and wait for the car I’m sending? Twenty minutes, I need to see you, but I can’t leave work right now. So they will get you, and we will meet; they have the location.” she said carefully. Jade was afraid that it could all be the execution of a plan to harm her and Tanthalos Tech. So, she needed to meet the woman on neutral ground.
Sensing the urgency in the situation, Kit scowled. " Jade, is everything ok?" She asked in a softer tone, already turning to head back to her place, knowing enough to follow the woman's directions.
Jade didn’t know how to answer because she didn’t know who she was talking to. So she took another deep breath and spoke, “Yes, we can talk when we meet. Twenty minutes, okay? And Kit?” She closed her eyes, unsure if this was the real Kit, but she wanted to give her something in case it was.
" Yeah?" Kit asked in the same soft tone, picking up her pace a little and feeling some deja vu.
“I’m glad you’re home,” Jade said carefully and hung up.
" I was, too," Kit mumbled to herself, a little lost in thought, as she returned to her building and waited for the car.
~
By the time Kit made it to the pick-up area, only the car for her remained. She made her way over to it quickly, waving at the driver, who was already standing by the open back door with a big smile on his face.
" Hello, Ms. Tanthalos; late as usual, I see." He teased fondly as he motioned for the girl to get in. " You wouldn't happen to know where your sister is, would you?" He asked curiously as his eyes scanned the grounds, looking for the other child, not used to Hazel being late.
" She's not already in the car?" Kit asked in surprise, peering around the man into the backseat to confirm he hadn't somehow missed her sister getting in. Hazel did have a way of being extra quiet at times, and their driver was often busy looking down at his phone. To her mind, it wasn't out of the question that he may have missed something.
" No, I'm afraid not. Perhaps she waited for Jade?" he suggested, not too worried since both girls tended to wait around with Jade until the very last minute, making them almost always the last two out of the building.
" I don't think so; Jade has practice; she was gonna walk Hazel out," Kit replied thoughtfully as she pulled out her phone and texted her sister. Both girls had been given phones in case they got separated or there was an emergency.
Princess Kit Taramis Thanthalos ⚔️ 👑: Hey, where are you? I'm at the car, but you're not here.
After the text was sent, she waited a couple of minutes, chewing on her bottom lip and starting to pace when she didn't get a reply, afraid her sister had potentially had a meltdown. " I'm gonna go back in and look for her; she might be hiding." She didn't wait for an answer; she just dropped her bag in the back seat and quickly jogged back toward the school. It wasn't unheard of for Hazel to get overwhelmed and hide somewhere, usually a small utility closet or a cabinet, once in her own locker. That had been a nightmare; they'd had to call maintenance to get her out, but it hadn't happened in a while.
She searched the entire school, every place she knew her sister to hide, growing increasingly frantic with each new spot she checked. Running down the halls, she went out to where Jade was practicing, eyes darting all over the place, desperately searching for her sister, praying she'd see her watching their friend. It wasn't something Hazel had ever done before, but it was the last possibility before she had to consider the terrifying thought that the older girl may have eloped; it had been something they'd feared when Hazel first started school, tending to run away when frightened or overwhelmed, but as she'd gotten older her coping mechanism had changed to hiding instead. Kit had always been the one to have to find her, even though Hazel was technically the older of the two. Kit always felt the weight of responsibility for her sister, and she'd taken her job very seriously, so days like this made her feel like a failure. Guilt and terror wracked her body as she ran up to the chainlink fence, calling frantically for Jade. She jumped up and down and waved her arms, needing the stability and calm the older girl provided.
“Kit! What the hell? I thought you guys were gonna go clothes shopping. Where's Hazel?” she said, looking around for her almost-girlfriend.
" I don't know, that's why I'm here; I thought she might have come to watch you play or something," Kit spoke hastily, her tone higher than usual as a deep sense of dread set in. " I think she might have run away." She added distress clear in the wobble of her voice. " I can't believe I let her go alone; I should have stayed with her; what was I thinking?" She scolded herself as she started pacing back and forth, wondering how she would tell her parents what had happened.
Jade glanced at Kit, her expression pensive. "No, she was perfectly fine. She had a smile on her face when she left," she asserted confidently, though her demeanor shifted slightly after another moment of contemplation. She looked down, then back to where the team was practicing, then at Kit. "I’ll go get my bag, and we'll look around the grounds. Call your mom," she said to the girl as she ran and explained to the coach what the situation was before running back over.
" Wait. Was she outside? You saw her leave the building?" Kit asked in a horrified tone, now positive the older girl had run off. " Mom is gonna kill me." She groaned as she pulled out her phone and immediately called her mother, knowing she couldn't waste another minute.
“Hello, Kit, honey. I am in a meeting. Can’t you wait until dinner time?” Sorsha said on the phone as she rolled her eyes, pointed to her phone, and left the room. “You have thirty seconds. You know better than to call me at this hour.”
Swallowing hard, Kit nodded to herself before remembering her mother couldn't hear her. " I know, Mom; this is important. I can't find Hazel anywhere. Jade walked her to the doors, and Hazel walked out, but the driver said she never got to the car, and I've looked everywhere." She spoke rapid-fire, breathing hard to try and catch her breath after. " I'm scared, Mom." She admitted in a smaller tone in a rare show of vulnerability.
“And where were you when it happened?” Sorsha asked, trying her best not to panic. She’s fine, she’s fine. The woman thought.
" I went back to grab something I forgot. Jade was with her. I thought she'd be okay. She hasn't done this since we were eight, Mom." Kit answered, her tone desperate, on the verge of pleading with her mother to understand.
“Kit, I need you to listen very carefully and stay put. OK? Do not move, stay in the school, don’t go outside, stay with Jade, and don’t move a muscle. I will be there shortly.”
" But Mom... There are freeways everywhere. What if she runs in front of a car or something? I can go look for her. She might come back if she hears me calling for her," Kit argued, hating the idea of staying put when her sister was who knows where and most likely in distress.
“You will do no such thing, Kit; you will stay put!” the woman said, gasping at the scenario and picturing it. “Do you hear me, Kit?”
Upset, Kit frowned and took a deep breath, knowing better than to argue with her mother. She saw how Hazel's struggles weighed on the woman at times and strived to comfort her when things like this happened, setting aside her typically mischievous behavior. " Yes, I understand." She spoke in a defeated tone, giving Jade a sad look.
It would take weeks before police determined that it was unlikely that Hazel had run off on her own since there were no reports of a child matching her description on foot anywhere in the area around that time. Kit had struggled with terrible guilt every one of those days and weeks, feeling like she'd let everybody down, most of all her sister.
~
Sorsha: I'd appreciate an answer. Any news?
Jade: My apologies, ma’am. The situation is fluid. I will contact you as soon as I complete a few things here.
Sorsha: Okay, thank you. Please keep me updated.
Jade: yes, will do.
Jade was not ready to tell Sorsha that Kit was back because she herself wasn’t sure it was Kit who was back. I need to see her and confirm her identity, and then I can notify Sorsha. The woman thought as she gathered her documents, she tried to rationalize any motives a deranged Hazel would potentially have against the Tanthalos family and the company. The thought and potential consequences made her nervous.
She left the building on her motorcycle and drove to Elora’s practice. Leaning on the bike, she patiently waited for Kit/Hazel to arrive, having sent the coordinates to the driver. It all sounds like a weird movie.
" Jade, what the hell is going on?" Kit asked urgently as soon as she exited the car. " Where are we? Why didn't you just come to my place?" She demanded as she glanced around at the different buildings, trying to determine where they were going.
“Kit. Hi,” Jade said, smiling as she walked over to the girl and hugged her. “I will explain, promise, but give me one minute to talk to the driver.” She requested, looking at the woman, hoping she understood. It was her job, after all, to command the drivers and security detail.
Still very confused, Kit gave the woman a suspicious look but sighed and nodded. " Yeah, fine, but this better be good." She grumbled, racking her brain for any possible reason for both Elora and Jade to be acting so weird. The fact that both of them seemed to be involved was strange all on its own, but their behavior was beyond disconcerting.
Holding her index finger up to Kit, she spoke, “Just a minute, be right back.” Jade walked to the driver and gave him and his partner strict instructions to rejoin Sorsha’s protection detail since she planned on hanging out with Kit or Hazel. Once the detail was gone, Jade approached Kit. “So you’re back, huh?” she asked the woman with a sheepish look.
"Mhm, it wasn't really my choice. Storms got bad; everybody was evacuated," Kit replied with a shrug, looking away guiltily, feeling a little bad for not wanting to go home and even worse for admitting it to Jade.
"That peaceful, huh?" Jade asked as she watched the woman for any sign that this was Hazel. "You'd stay there forever?" she continued, her voice laced with a hint of pain as she anticipated the answer.
Bringing her eyes back to Jade, Kit sighed softly and shook her head. " It's nice; it gives me time just to be still, but no, I couldn't stay there forever. You know me, I'd go crazy." She answered with a small smile. Maybe... maybe next time you could join me," she suggested almost shyly, afraid of being rejected by her best friend. Jade was the only person who could make her feel off balance.
“Perhaps. But the prospect of being stuck during a squall in the middle of nowhere sounds less appealing when they can kick you out,” Jade spoke softly. “I’d have to ask for vacation days; I have a tough job.”
A little hurt, Kit smiled at the woman. "Of course, I was only kidding. Like I'd invite you to crash my perfect vacation. The whole point is peace, after all." She shot back in a flippant and teasing tone, poking at the woman's stomach lightly, doing her best to hide her feelings.
Jade nodded and studied the woman's face, noticing the appearance of soft skin where the scar once was. She hugged Kit again and smiled. " You know I'd go." She sighed. " I asked you to come down here because I want to explain, or rather talk to you. What time did your flight land?”
Feeling guilty, Kit buried her face in the woman's shoulder. " I drove." She mumbled, letting her words get muffled in the fabric of the woman's shirt, knowing good and well Jade would be upset with her.
She drove, then this is Hazel. She’s just playing me. “You drove,” Jade repeated distantly.
" Mhm." Kit nodded, reluctantly pulling away and looking up sheepishly at Jade. " Look, all flights were canceled for like four days, I was going to be stuck, and you know how much I hate being stuck. I know it was impulsive, and you can yell at me all you want, but if it makes you feel any better, I already listened to you yelling at me in my head the whole way down." She rambled out quickly, wincing and then offering a guilty little smile. " I wanted to see you sooner?" She tried, bringing her shoulders up with an innocent look, batting her eyes for added effect.
Jade observed Kit, noting a hint of her usual playfulness, and that, along with the way she just knew Jade was going to be upset with her, told the older woman this likely was Kit. “I’m just glad you are okay, Kit,” she expressed sincerely, wrapping the woman in yet another warm hug before stepping back. “It wasn’t smart, no, but glad you made it.” She chuckled as she ran her hand over the girl’s cheek. No scar. Hmm, “maybe I also have a reason to ask you not to be mad at me. We’re outside of Elora Danan’s practice. And we’re going in.” Jade informed, scanning their surroundings for any potential threats.
Leaning into the woman's touch, Kit allowed her eyes to close momentarily, a small smile gracing her lips at the content feeling that passed over her. " I'm sorry, I just really wanted to come back. I missed your face." She admitted, looking up at the woman for a moment, her vulnerability briefly evident, before the rest of Jade's words finally registered, causing her expression to sour some as she pulled away. " Wait... why would we talk to her? I told you I think she might be a little..." She trailed off, gesturing towards her head and whistling slightly to indicate her doubts about Elora's mental stability.
"Do you trust me?" Jade asked in a serious tone that conveyed the weight of the moment. She then waited for Kit's response, her gaze steady and unwavering.
Without any hesitation, Kit nodded. " Of course I do, Jade, you know that." She spoke sincerely, watching Jade with worried eyes but not asking any more questions, resigned to following the older woman.
“Then let’s go in. I will explain everything,” Jade promised, smiling as she bumped shoulders with the girl.
Relaxing slightly at the playful gesture, Kit mirrored the move and smiled. "Fine, but you're gonna owe me dinner after this," she teased, feeling more at ease as she motioned for Jade to lead the way.
" I will buy you dinner for a week, princess, if you're just patient with me today," Jade replied, stepping into the building and walking up to suite 102, holding the door open for Kit, who trailed not far behind.
Approaching the front desk, Jade smiled at Elora's assistant, her eyes flicking briefly to the name plaque before she nodded at the woman. " Hi Daisy, is she in?" She asked, to which the woman nodded and quickly guided them to Elora's office door.
“She will see you now,” Daisy said as she opened the door for them to go in.
Elora's demeanor softened as soon as she saw Kit, and she offered an apology. "I am sorry about my abrupt ways earlier," she said, her tone sincere as she met Kit's gaze, analyzing her carefully. " Kit, you remember dancing with me, right?" She gauged Kit's response to see if she was back to how she'd been at the club.
Raising her eyebrows independently of each other, Kit gave the woman a highly disturbed look. " Excuse me? No offense, I'm sure you're great and all, but you're not exactly my type." She scoffed and shot Jade a questioning look, silently wondering if this was all some strange plan to try and set her up with Elora.
Gasping, offended, Elora looked at the woman. “That’s not...” she trailed off, the small attraction she still harbored giving way to annoyance. Always up for a challenge and a good back-and-forth, she looked at Kit and smiled, “What is your type, exactly?”
Without thinking, Kit's eyes shot straight to Jade before quickly darting back to Elora. " I... uh, hot women." She sputtered, wincing as the painfully ineloquent words left her mouth. - She really did hate Elora.
"Lor, I think... can I?" Jade pulled Elora to the side, urgency in her voice. "Look, I need you to be really calm right now, but there are two of them. I'm trying to figure it out, but I believe this is Kit, and the other one was Hazel, yes, the dead one. Only alive?" she paused, thinking about the absurdity of her words, before shaking her head and looking at Elora again with a mix of concern and conviction. "I need to tell her, but I needed a neutral place. I don't know if the other is lurking somewhere," she finished honestly, her tone reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Eyebrows raised, and with a skeptical expression, Elora glanced at Kit, whispering to Jade, "Are you sure this is the correct approach? You don't even know if you're right about your hunch."
While understanding Elora's skepticism, Jade still felt a twinge of offense. "For starters, Hazel has a scar on her face; this one doesn’t. Their actions also differ," she explained, glancing at the redhead, who covered her mouth in surprise. " I think you can tell them apart, too; just observe."
Following Jade's instructions, Elora studied Kit intently, noting her demeanor before expressing her opinion. "Fine, yeah, I like the other one better, J," she remarked, shaking her head with a touch of disappointment.
Inching subtly closer to the two women, Kit tilted her head to hear their conversation better, catching just the tail end. " Other one? What the fuck is going on?" She exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air as she looked between the two women frantically, impatient for answers.
Giving Kit a squinty-eyed look, Jade started walking towards the woman and spoke softly, “You will want to sit down.” She advised, holding the girl’s arm and squeezing her hand.
Starting to feel concerned, Kit frowned and shook her head. " No, I think I've been patient enough. Tell me what's going on Jade." She demanded, yanking her hand back, her rising anxiety fueling her discomfort.
A little hurt by how the girl pulled her hand away, Jade nodded, acknowledging that she was doing the wrong thing again. Exhaling, she started, "There's evidence to believe that Hazel is alive and that she was pretending to be you for about two weeks," she delivered, grappling with the guilt that accompanied this revelation, recognizing the stark differences between the two sisters more clearly now.
Elora sat across from them, monitoring Kit’s responses and analyzing her carefully.
Recoiling, Kit looked between the two women wide-eyed, unsure how to process what she'd just been told. There was no way Hazel was alive, and if she was, what would that mean? She'd dreamed of this moment since the day the older girl had gone missing, had spent countless nights awake staring at the empty bed across the room from her own, had refused to let her parents remove it, needing to cling to whatever tiny hope there was, that maybe one day her sister would be back. Because of that, she'd grown up sleeping on a twin bed.
Her sleep was filled with dreams where her sister was brought back to her and nightmares where she was never found, or worse—her waking hours were filled with silent scenarios of how Hazel would return and how she'd react, running like a constant narration in the back of her mind, prompting her to zone out constantly while teachers yelled at her to pay attention and fast food employees had to repeat themselves more than once as they asked if that would be all.
No matter how different each scenario in her head was, the one commonality was that she'd always ultimately snap back to the cold reality that her sister was truly gone. She thought she'd considered every possibility, but somehow, not one where instead of feeling overwhelming happiness, she felt scared and confused." What the hell do you mean, Jade? What does that mean, 'you have reason to believe she's alive and she's been pretending to be me?’." She made air quotes. " I haven't been here... are you telling me somebody who looks like me has?" She asked quickly, trying to make sense of it all, wondering if it was possible that somebody else just resembled her enough to try and impersonate her, not knowing just how much Elora and Jade had interacted with this person and unwilling to accept it could be her sister.
Observing Kit's state of disbelief, Elora started to grasp the situation's impact on the woman fully and tried her best to be kind in delivering her words." Yes, she also had me test her for autism, presumably to have you, Kit, diagnosed," She spoke from the corner where she stood.
"What?" Kit snapped, her eyes darting to Elora. The hurt was evident in them as she processed the situation. It had to be Hazel, but why would her sister pull such a stunt? What possible motive could there be? And why reappear after fifteen years, seven of which she'd been presumed dead? "Hazel wouldn't do that," she asserted defensively, her jaw tense with frustration. "You didn't know her. Whoever that was, it's not her," she added firmly, desperately clinging to denial like a lifeline. " And where is this person now?" her eyes flashed with fear and accusation as she scrutinized Jade and Elora and finally sat down on the couch, ensuring it was in her own timing.
" Earlier today, she came over, got the results, and caused quite a commotion when I called her Kit, which she'd been happily going by until today." Elora recounted, her voice laced with sympathy and regret. " I am so sorry, Kit," she spoke softly, noticing that Kit had sat on the couch her sister had refused to sit on both times she'd been there.
“Kit…” Jade started and looked at the girl “Yeah, I think she was attempting to make us all believe you had a mental breakdown and left." She explained gently, well aware of the pain her words could cause. “She stayed at your place,” Sorrow weighed heavily in her words.
Angry at Jade's avoidance, Kit fixed a sharp glare on the woman. "You didn't answer me. Where is she now?" she demanded, her tone cutting through the air with urgency, determined to get a clear response.
“I'm afraid she left town, Kitty,” Jade answered regretfully, fixing the woman with a sad look.
"What does that mean, Jade? Why did she leave town? When did this happen? And why?" Kit demanded, her tone filled with desperation as her eyes scrutinized Jade.
“It seems that after she was here, she returned to your place and packed. She left, going south. I have video of her driving out, but I am having a hard time getting the rest of the footage at this time.” Jade measured her words. “She left around twelve-thirty.”
"Twelve thirty? Today?" Kit exclaimed in disbelief. "Jade, that was..." She trailed off, quickly consulting her phone. "Three hours ago," she concluded, rising to her feet and beginning to pace the room in an attempt to process the flood of new information, including the unsettling revelation that her sister had been staying at her place and had access to all her belongings. "Shit... Did she go to the office? Do you have any idea what she wanted?" Kit questioned urgently. "We need to find her, Jade. We have to go now," she continued to ramble, her voice laden with anxiety as she felt like her world was beginning to unravel.
"She was in the office; that's where I met her, and I mistook her for you," Jade confessed, her eyes downcast as she grappled with the shame of her thoughts and actions.
"Oh," Kit exhaled, her gaze dropping to her hands as she absentmindedly toyed with her phone, realizing that if Hazel was at the office, whatever was unfolding likely had something to do with the business. "We have to find her," she reiterated softly, a profound sadness enveloping her as she acknowledged that while she had longed to see her sister again for fifteen years, it was evident that the feeling wasn't mutual.
“Yes, I agree, but Kit, I've only got the bike here, and we don’t know where she went, so we need to wait until I get the info,” Jade said, looking at her phone, checking for an update. “Screw it, let’s go - Elora, if by any chance…”
“She comes back here; I will keep her here.” Elora finished the woman's thought with a nod.
" You mean like you should have done three hours ago?" Kit snapped at Elora, taking her anger out on her instead of Jade, having difficulty accepting that Hazel had been there and she'd slipped through their fingers again.
Elora looked at the woman, hung her head, and looked back up fiercely. “Well, three hours ago, I thought she was you. Would I have been able to keep you here?” the woman asked bitterly.
Ever Stubborn, Kit set her jaw. " Hazel and I are different!" she asserted firmly, believing Hazel had always been easier to control. Because of that, she blamed Elora for not doing a better job—though deep down, she knew she was being unreasonable.
“No shit,” Elora said with a smile. “Let’s not be petty, Kit, go, go look for your sister.” the woman said, shooing them away.
Huffing tiredly, Kit shook her head, ignored Elora, and marched towards the door. " Let's go," she said firmly, looking towards Jade.
" Call Me," Jade urged Elora and exited the office. Turning to Kit in the parking lot, she suggested, " Instead of rushing into anything, let's head back to your place, gather some supplies, and wait for further intelligence before making any irreversible decisions and potentially losing her trail." Handing Kit the helmet, she waited for her response.
Knowing Jade was right, Kit decided not to protest. " So... I'm driving, right?" She spoke in a playful tone, wiggling her eyebrows, using humor as a defense mechanism as usual.
Definitely the real Kit - Jade thought, “Nice try, hot shot, get on the back,” Jade grinned, shaking her head.
" Oh, but Jade, you know how much I hate riding on the back,” Kit whined softly. " Plus, I look totally hot driving." She added with a playful smirk, biting her lip and giving Jade a teasing look.
“No doubt, princess, but I'm already in hot water with your mother; I really don’t need another reason for her to fire me,” Jade said, smiling, loving the girl’s playful attitude, teasing, pushing. I missed her so much.
" Ohh, yeah? And what did my perfect knight do to piss off the queen?" Kit teased, poking Jade in the stomach lightly, not considering that her Mother already knew about the situation with Hazel.
“Well, the Hazel thing wasn’t really my best moment,” Jade answered, looking at Kit. Let’s go,” she urged, smiling weakly.
Her smile faltered; Kit looked down, lightly running her fingers over the helmet. " Right, that." She breathed out, sobering up some. " I guess if driving will make you feel better...." She trailed off with a quick smile before pulling her helmet on and hopping on the back of the bike.
Jade felt guilty for the situation, for teasing and kissing Hazel, and for dumping that information on Sorsha. “Kit, I’m not so perfect. I'm definitely not the knight you deserve,” the woman said cautiously, taking a deep breath and tightening her helmet.
With the visor tipped up, Kit rolled her eyes dramatically. " Oh, please, straight A's, straight-laced, never late, always considerate Jade Claymore, not perfect? I guess we can add humble to that list, too, then, huh?" She smiled flirtatiously, taking a chance at showing her true feelings for a moment before catching herself. We should go," she added quickly, suddenly remembering that her sister was alive and Jade belonged to her.
“You’re going to be the death of me, Tanthalos.” Jade shook her head, climbed on the motorcycle, and started the engine.
" Hmm, funny, when my life is literally in your hands right now,” Kit mumbled as she wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, resting her head against the woman's back. Silently cursing the need to wear a helmet, she wished she could breathe in the comforting scent of her best friend.
“When we get to your place, you need to call your mom. I didn’t tell her you’re back yet,” Jade spoke into her helmet's integrated communication system as they easily navigated the streets.
Tightening her hold on Jade, Kit nodded slowly. " I will." She sighed, not quite sure she was ready to talk to her mother, but knowing it was necessary.
“Kit,” she called, sensing the girl’s touch tighten around her. “It’ll be ok,” she assured carefully.
" Mmm." Kit hummed softly as she considered how much pain her mother was sure to be in. " She's gotta be so devastated." She sighed, knowing her mother well enough to know the woman would be consumed by guilt for trusting the police's conclusion, giving up the search, and missing out on the opportunity to be reunited with Hazel again—feelings Kit herself shared.
Jade turned on the final stretch to Kit’s apartment and spoke carefully. “Yeah, she got to see her. I took her out, and Sorsha showed up at the restaurant. She was who tipped me off.”
Not at all surprised, Kit chuckled softly. " We never could trick her; try as we might, she always figured it out." She spoke fondly, choosing to ignore the slight pang of jealousy that hit at the thought of her mother getting to see Hazel when she hadn't gotten the same chance and at the revelation that Jade had taken her sister out, no matter how platonic she was sure it had been, considering Jade hadn't been aware of the woman's identity at the time, it still hurt.
“Yeah,” Jade said softly as she parked and looked down at her phone. “Looks like I’m getting some reports, so let’s go up,” she suggested, still looking at her phone.
"Anything solid?" Kit asked curiously, pulling her helmet off and glancing over the other woman's arm, trying to see what the woman was looking at, anxious for answers.
“My contact at the Department of Transportation sent me the footage from the area around your place; the cameras have her going south all the way out of town and then onto the east interstate, so cross-referencing this with some of the information I got earlier. I have a suspicion.” the woman said, typing on her phone frantically, “Hey, you meet with many people; what do you think of Lili Callahan? What is she like?” Jade asked. “Do you know anything about her that looks or sounds strange?” Any kids? Husband? Wife?”
" Lili Callahan? I don't know a lot... from what I understand, she's a very strict businesswoman, that's all I know." Kit answered with a shrug, frowning as she considered the question more. " Wait, why? Do you think she has something to do with Hazel's disappearance?"She asked curiously, trying to understand. " Hey.
She greeted the doorman with a smile as they made their way into the building.
“Ms. Tanthalos, Ms. Claymore.” the man smiled as they made their way to the elevator.
Jade waited until they were in the elevator to speak. “Well, it seems like Callahan was a suspect at first but then was highly involved in the search, even helped finance some of it,” the woman said, leaning back, hands on the elevator bar.
" And you think the officials were wrong to dismiss her as a suspect so quickly?" Kit concluded, watching Jade closely. " Why? What would be her motive? Why would she help pay for the search...." She trailed off, biting the inside of her cheek as she considered it. " To control where we looked..." She realized, answering her own question.
“Yeah, something like that,” the woman said as the door opened. “Go on, call your mom,” she said, smiling and kissing the girl’s cheek. “I need to make a few calls.”
" Yeah, ok." Kit agreed as she stepped into the apartment, pausing and glancing around, realizing the organization was most likely Hazel's doing, not Jade's. " Jade... I want to go with you. When you find out where she is, I want to be there. Promise you won't leave me behind." She spoke seriously, turning to look at the woman, needing to be a part of this search instead of having to wait at home like she'd had to do as a child, and honestly not wanting to be in the apartment a moment longer than needed.
Jade pondered the woman’s request, not wanting Kit to feel powerless. “Kit, it may be dangerous.” the woman said carefully.
" Jade... She's my sister; I wasn't allowed to do anything the first time. I've had to live with that for the last fifteen years, on top of the fact I let her go first. I wasn't there with her that day. I can't live that again; I need to be there, or it will kill me." Kit admitted firmly, looking at Jade with pleading eyes.
“Ok, Kit, you can come, but you’ll need to tell your mom and face her fury. I don’t have any brownie points left with her,” Jade said playfully, breathing easy for the first time in a day.
" I can do that." Kit agreed with a reassuring smile, knowing her mother would initially protest but ultimately understand.
~
By ten p.m., they had enough information to know that Hazel was still heading in the general direction of New York.
" We should just head out, Jade... We'll have service along the way, so we’ll be able to get any new updates, which will give us some headway. Kit reasoned with a hopeful look, head resting on her arms over the back of the couch, watching Jade work at the table. " If she left at twelve thirty and she's heading to New York, she should get there around one or two am; if we leave now, we'll get there by noon at the latest with stops." She bolstered her argument quickly, feeling like she was going to go stir-crazy if they waited another minute.
Looking up from her tablet, Jade smiled kindly. “Ok, we can go, Kit. But If we’re right, what will we do?” She asked.
" I don't know, Jade, I'll figure it out when we get there... All I know is I have to try." She added in a tired tone, her eyes silently pleading with Jade to understand.
Jade looked pensive and worried. The slight panic that had come over her the last week was showing itself again, this time sticking around longer than a second. “I just don’t want to lose you, “ Jade said, looking down. So you and I have to have a code for bugging out, “Jade said, grabbing her phone and keys from the desk.
" Jade... You could never lose me,” Kit said earnestly, making sure her expression showed how serious she was. " And I agree, choose a code word, and that'll be it," she assured, wanting to make sure Jade didn't have to worry, knowing how stressful the situation was.
She'd lost Hazel. They hadn't had a plan, and while it might not have made a difference, she'd sworn she'd never let something like that happen again and wasn't about to take a chance on losing Kit the same way.
Knowing that trying to stop Kit from doing anything would only stir her rebellion, Jade decided on a compliment. “You’re the creative brain; I just execute, “Jade said. I’m just the muscle of this operation.”
" Mmm." Kit hummed softly, lips pressed together as her eyes instinctively traveled towards Jade's arms, admiring the well-defined muscles straining against the fabric of her shirt sleeves. She found herself zoning out for a moment before snapping out of it and quickly clearing her throat. Turning to sit upright on the couch, she faced away from Jade. " Um, how about tornado?" She asked quickly in a playful tone, laying her head back until she looked at Jade upside down and gave her a knowing smile, fully intending to stop for her favorite snack.
Jade looked at her with a feigned annoyed expression and nodded. “ok, fine, but they are NOT the best snack you can have on a road trip, Kit, they’re not!” she said, shaking her head and giving the woman a genuine smile, one-hundred percent smitten by the woman.
" You just have no taste." Kit huffed and stuck her tongue out at the woman, head still lying over the back of the couch at an awkward angle. “But I was suggesting Tornado as a code word, not asking to get one.” She clarified in an amused tone. “ We will be stopping for one, though, no discussion.” She finished in a decided tone, a playful look still on her face.
“That tongue will get you in trouble, Tanthalos,” Jade laughed at the girl’s ridiculousness. Also, I understood you, Kit, and I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re currently hungry. Your word choice is a dead giveaway.” The redhead snickered, giving her best friend a bit of attitude back.
" Half the time, that's the idea." Kit shot back with a big grin, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “ And I’m always hungry.” She finished with a wink, pushing boundaries a bit.
“Only half?” Jade gasped, “I see that we’ve abandoned all decorum.” She paused, tsking at the girl, “But worry you not, Kitty, your knight will provide.” she left her words providing the ambiguity she needed,
Cocking a surprised eyebrow at the woman, Kit nodded, enjoying this more flirtatious side of Jade.” Ok, maybe slightly less than half,” She smirked, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she teased the other woman. Moving swiftly, she hopped up from the couch and approached the table. Resting her hands on it, she leaned towards Jade and tried to peer at her tablet. " Can we go yet?" she asked like an impatient child, giving the woman a pouty look, enjoying the way their playful banter kept her mind off the more serious business at hand.
“Yes, let’s go, " Jade agreed as she got up, grabbing her bag and a few drinks for them.
"Yay, road trip!" Kit exclaimed eagerly, trying to muster excitement despite the turmoil she was feeling inside. She watched as the other woman collected things, determined to pretend it was only going to be a fun trip, as though her whole world hadn't just been turned upside down.
~
After a couple of fuel/snack stops slowing her down slightly, It was one thirty in the morning by the time Hazel pulled into the garage of the house she'd grown up in. The house was more of a mansion really, cold and uninviting; sometimes it reminded her of an old scary castle, all cold stone, and sharp edges, a very gothic-looking design, several towering peaks of varying heights, one resembling a watch tower with a slightly shorter one just a little in front of it and to the side, each brick a slightly different variation of earth tones with plenty of windows all around, making it easy for somebody to watch you from nearly all angles without easy detection behind the ornate designs ordaining each one.
The first few times Hazel had caught a glimpse of movement behind the glass of one of the high peaks, she'd squinted to try and figure out what it was and eventually saw Lili waving at her with a big smile on her face; it had been nice, it felt like somebody cared, even if the woman wouldn't come down and play in the grass with her, ' because she was a busy woman.' it had made her feel a little bit less alone. Still, as she got older, it started to feel a little bit suffocating, like maybe Lili was scared to take her eyes off of her for fear she might find a friend, as though the property wasn't on sixty-seven acres of private land.
She just assumed Lili was lonely; she never saw her with anybody other than assistants and employees of varying nature, but never a friend. Hazel was honestly her only friend, as the woman had repeatedly reminded her. ' Hazel, what would I do without you? You're my best friend, my whole reason for living.' the woman had said on many occasions in different ways but always with the same general meaning. It made Hazel feel loved, as if she had a purpose, and the truth was that Lili was her only friend, too.
They built such a strong bond that Hazel came to accept Lili as her mother after a few years, cherishing the nights when the woman would wake her up late at night just to sit and chat over a cup of hot chocolate or a soda. She'd share all about the business, ask for her opinions, teach her her religious point of view, instruct her on how to stay pure and guide her on how to avoid getting hurt. She'd tell of her own mistakes and the mistakes of others, warn about the dangers lurking outside the safety of their house, and make sure Hazel understood she was only looking out for the girl, terrified somebody might try and snatch her again. Because of this, Hazel grew up in a constant state of fear, terrified she might say or do the wrong thing that would get somebody's attention and get her taken from her mother again.
After years of the same conditioning, she got great at sneaking, learning not to speak more than was necessary, and shying away from new people instead of running up to them with a smile and an announcement of her name as she'd done before. She no longer sought to be everybody's friend; instead, she viewed people as dangerous and unnecessary. She had all the friendship she needed in Lili, and there weren't many reasons to leave the property. However, Lili had encouraged her to do so as she'd gotten older, telling her she feared Hazel was becoming a hermit, and though people weren't to be trusted, it was still good to venture out and do little things like occasional chores.
It hadn't been Lili's fault; Hazel just wasn't comfortable going many places; she was just anti-social, which seemed to worry the woman genuinely. ' Hazel dear, you can't just rely on me; you must do some things yourself. What will you do when I'm dead? It's not like I'm going to live forever sweetie.' Lili had meant well, Hazel was sure of it, but the reminder that the woman could die at any time was ever-present. Lili constantly complained of debilitating headaches and dizziness, calling upon Hazel to bring her things and help her get around when one would hit, reminding her it could be an aneurysm just about to burst at any moment and explaining what to do in case of her demise, It was another thing that made her fear venturing too far.
Between the crippling fear of her mother dying and the ever-present threat of other people finding out who she was and trying to snatch her again, Hazel's senses were in a near-constant state of fight or flight, prompting her to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
As she made her way into the house, she cringed a little at the narrow hallways and dim lighting, remembering being terrified of the place as a child, scared of getting lost; however, the older she got, the more she preferred the tight squeeze of the walls around her, feeling safer within them, but time spent at Kit's apartment with its open floor plan and floor to ceiling windows had made her feel like she could breathe for the first time in years, it had been a strange sensation at first, like taking that first breath of air after swimming just a bit too deep and accepting you might not make it back to the surface, it was both a huge relief and terrifying.
Telling herself she'd get used to it again, Hazel cleared her mind and moved further into the house until she reached the dining area. She was not surprised to find the kitchen light on and Lili sitting at the table pouring over necessary paperwork, glasses perched on her nose in what reminded Hazel of a granny. However, Lili hardly looked old enough to fit that title.
" Hazel, my dear, you're home," Lili exclaimed with a huge smile, setting her glasses down before standing up and pulling the younger woman into a tight, familiar hug, effectively constricting Hazel's heart until tears welled in her eyes. She returned the embrace, nearly breaking down right there, her resolve crumbling beneath Lili's arms as the guilt of her doubt in the woman engulfed her.
She'd been wrong to ever consider that Lili could have had bad intentions; Sorsha was indeed a master manipulator. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to falling for the evil woman's tricks, and now she was sure Jade had been in on it, too. " Yeah... I got what we need, and the emails are set to go out as soon as Kit is officially back in office." She spoke quietly, thinking about the pen drive in the pocket of her jeans. She'd taken it for security, but until that moment, she'd had no intention of actually using it; she had planned to crush it as soon as she found what she needed on Lili, but not anymore, And like an anaconda slowly squeezing the oxygen out of its prey, Lili tightened her hold on Hazel, her wicked intent going undetected.
Notes:
How do we think Kit will react when she finds out what Jade's been up to?
P.S. Just to clarify... While they're all rich and could fly, they chose not to for various reasons. Kit at first because of the weather... Hazel because she wanted to avoid detection, and finally Jade and Kit because Kit is impatient and didn't want to just sit around and wait and they couldn't fly until they knew for sure where Hazel was going LOL.
Chapter 9: Chapter 9
Summary:
Here is Chapter 9!
The Epic Roadtrip chapter.Thank you for reading thus far. Dropping and running away!
Notes:
Hope you all have a great weekend! Thanks for reading.
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
The first few hours of the drive had been mostly quiet, both people seemingly lost in thought as they let the music fill the space around them. Kit would occasionally turn a song up and sing along loudly, miming a microphone in her hand and holding it in front of Jade's mouth to encourage her participation as well, to which the older woman would shake her head with a small amused smile, refusing to give in at first until Kit's relentless insistence finally broke her resolve. For those brief moments, things felt almost normal, but after the song and their inevitable laughter ended, they'd fall back into a comfortable silence.
Pulling her eyes away from the stars outside her window, Kit turned her attention towards Jade, watching the concentrated look on the woman's face as she kept her eyes on the road ahead, both hands on the steering wheel. Kit preferred being the passenger whenever they went places together. She enjoyed having full control over the radio and the ability to chair dance to her heart's content without the fear of crashing, a very real danger for her at times.
Kit desperately wanted to know what the older woman was thinking but found herself terrified to ask. Whenever she'd considered opening her mouth to do so, she'd let herself get distracted by a song. This time, she reached over and shut the radio off, earning a questioning glance in her direction.
"I just wanted to thank you for agreeing to do this. I know it seems ridiculous. I know we could have waited and flown, but I don't think I could have just sat around waiting; this at least makes me feel like I'm doing something," Kit spoke softly, explaining before Jade could even ask. As she waited for a response and tried to gather the courage to start asking questions, Kit tore her eyes away from Jade and stared out the windshield instead. "'Sides, you know how much I hate that damn Private Jet," she mumbled as an afterthought, never able to stay silent for long.
From the moment they got in the car, Jade had one focus: getting to Hazel. She planned to question her and find out what motivated her to take her sister's place. Were her intentions nefarious? Did she feel like the Tanthalos’ gave up on her? Was she trying to get noticed? Jade occasionally glanced at Kit, making mental notes of the girl's micro-expression, noting how distracted she seemed. She understood that distraction was Kit's way of evading her feelings. Despite her curiosity, Jade refrained from questioning Kit further. Instead, she focused on distancing herself from thoughts of kissing Hazel or being around her without realizing she wasn't Kit. Because the difference between the two women's behaviors was blatantly clear, Jade observed that Hazel's demeanor was less playful and flirty, which should have been a clue. The way Kit's eyes squinted every time she smiled and how she held eye contact was different from Hazel's almost always open and unflinching look, always looking a bit above your eyes, mostly behind. How Kit's touch was firm and decided, rarely hesitant and how Hazel's touch was always softer, tentative until she was gripping Jade’s jumper. This emotional rollercoaster left Jade feeling both frustrated and intrigued.
"Private jets, luxury stays, anything that reeks of privilege, well - not everything; we're driving a McLaren, after all," Jade quipped, lightly poking Kit's stomach while keeping her focus on the road. "I got your back, Kit. Always," she said with genuine warmth, recognizing Kit's inclination to forge her own path rather than rely solely on her family's wealth and status.
" Yeah." Kit chuckled ruefully. The nice car was one of just a few things she allowed herself to indulge in, but it still made her feel guilty. Turning her attention back to Jade, she smiled to herself. " You always have." She sighed softly and looked down, knowing she shouldn't let herself entertain any more feelings for the woman but finding it difficult to push them aside now that she'd fully acknowledged how strong they were and how much she wanted to be with her. " She must be a lot like me, huh?" She finally asked, needing to know more; plus, talking about Hazel was a great way to remind herself that Jade could never be hers.
"She's eerily similar to you, a tad awkward with the humor," Jade replied. "And she's incredibly organized; your office piles are now meticulously sorted," Jade added, her guilt palpable as she realized her oversight in identifying the woman.
"Hmm, sounds like Hazel," Kit mumbled thoughtfully, her gaze fixating on the endless stretch of road ahead as she lost herself in thought. She knew it hadn't fully sunk in yet, that at some point, the shock and subsequent adrenaline of the situation would wear off, and she'd be left to deal with the cascade of pent-up old and new emotions that were sure to follow, she wasn't ready for that. " What does she drive?" She figured it was easier to start with a simple question.
Gripping the steering wheel a bit more firmly, Jade said, “The car we are looking for is a Subaru WRX blue. While she was pretending to be you, she usually opted for Ubers or hitched rides with me. Once on my motorcycle, once on my bicycle,” she explained. “She never used your cars.”
Wincing slightly at the thought of Hazel so close to Jade again, Kit nodded slowly and mentally chastised herself for the intrusive thought, recognizing its irrationality. Jade was always Hazel's anyway, she reminded herself sadly. "Of course, she'd drive a Subaru," she remarked with a smirk, her gaze briefly flickering towards Jade. "How'd you manage to get her on either of your bikes? The Hazel I knew would never..." She halted mid-sentence, swallowing hard as the weight of realization settled in."Nevermind." It occurred to her that she didn't know her sister at all anymore, not a single thing, and the thought was devastating.
Jade laughed and nodded. "Definitely had some issues. She panicked a bit about the motorcycle, and the bicycle took a bit of coaxing. I thought you were just feeling off because when I found you..." She hesitated, correcting herself promptly. "I mean Hazel. When I found her at the office, she gave me a story about how she wanted to get in Hazel's head. It was how she'd explained the organization, so I just thought you were still trying to get in her head. How stupid!" She explained, looking ahead, her knuckles turning white as her grip tightened around the steering wheel.
Catching onto the self-deprecating tone, Kit reached over and rested her hand on Jade's thigh in a comforting manner. "Jade... let's face it, she could have told you she was Hazel, and you probably would have thought I was just losing my mind. We were told she was dead. Nobody's first thought would be to suspect the evil twin theory." She laughed and reassuringly squeezed the woman's leg,
Jade looked down at the girl’s hand, taking a deep breath to regulate her bubbling emotions. “I'm your best friend, Kit. I'm highly trained in law enforcement; although I left, I got the training and hold a high-security clearance job. I got fooled. What does that say about me? How can I protect anybody if I don’t even recognize my best friend? If I can’t differentiate you from your sister?" she said with a bitter edge. "Your mom is right. I don’t deserve my job. I let my emotions muddle it." Her voice wavered slightly, betraying the weight of her self-doubt and regret.
"Jade, there's a reason people don't allow professionals to deal with cases involving loved ones. You could be the most highly trained person in your profession, the best of the best, but if a case comes across your desk involving a family member or anybody close, they have you step aside. You had no way of knowing what was going on. Like I said, as far as you knew, she was dead, and you know this time of year is always hard on me," Kit started, her voice tinged with empathy as she squeezed the woman's leg again. "What would you do? Accuse her of being a dead woman? Risk looking like you'd lost your mind? You're not that careless, Jade, and I have a feeling that on some level, you probably did think something was off, but you're level-headed; you go for the logical explanation first, and there's nothing logical about assuming Hazel would even be alive, let alone posing as me. You gotta stop beating yourself up. It's not healthy," she finished, her tone softening as she leaned forward, trying to catch the woman's eye for a second. Jade looked over and nodded, her frustration palpable. "Thanks, Kit, you’re right. It just fucking makes me mad I could’ve stopped her from leaving somehow," the woman admitted, her tone edged with anger. Her gaze shifted to the girl’s hand still on her leg. "She wasn’t as touchy as you… that could’ve been a tip, too," she mused, shaking her head as she reflected on missed cues.
Following Jade's eyes to her hand, Kit quickly pulled it back with a sheepish look, having never really considered how touchy-feely she was. "Sorry," she mumbled, uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden. She also couldn't help the slight feeling of hope she got from the revelation that Hazel hadn't been touching Jade, even in an innocent way- at least that's how she interpreted the woman's comment.- not that Hazel was prone to touching people in the past, but she had gotten more comfortable with Jade and Kit wondered if the possible change meant something deeper. Maybe Hazel had moved on from Jade. Perhaps she had found someone else or built a life of her own. "What do you think she's like? I mean... do you think she has a family or anything? Or a job?" she asked curiously, trying to sound casual while attempting to gauge Jade's feelings about the other woman.
“Oh no, hon, it’s okay,” Jade said, smiling warmly as she grabbed Kit’s hand and held it, trying to be brave and show the girl she enjoyed her touch. “I don’t think she has a family, like kids or a girlfriend. I think after being kidnapped, she was kept under wraps, so all of her knowledge and work experience is third-hand or virtual roles. I think she’s inexperienced, sweet, kind. A scared cat when faced with intimacy,” she spoke with a hint of fondness in her voice, letting a small smile show as she remembered her time with Hazel. “Her job is probably something technical.”
Listening to Jade's words carefully, Kit let her eyes find the woman's face again, noting the small smile she saw there and the way she'd spoken about Hazel. It felt like Jade knew more than she should from just hanging around the woman. " You got all that from just two weeks of hanging out with her?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow and a nervous laugh.
Sobering up, Jade glanced at Kit. "It's a hunch. We saw each other occasionally, but I thought she was you, so I didn't really have the chance to ask questions before she left. From my understanding and suspicion of what this could be, I think she's been living under a different last name. Possibly even a different first name," Jade said, squeezing the girl's hand. "Whatever it was, she was probably highly coached for this mission. She never flubbed under your name," she spoke somberly, not wanting to dwell on the factors of her proximity with the woman, trying her best not to repeat her mistakes with Sorsha.
" Awfully specific for just a hunch, Jade." Kit pointed out thoughtfully, scrutinizing Jade more thoroughly as she pulled her hand away, resting it back in her own lap.
"Why do you say that?" Jade questioned. " I think I had more of my wits about me the last day I was with her, the same night as the dinner where we saw your mom. I was more focused and able to pick up on things better,” She added, sensing Kit's tone change, already missing the warmth of the girl's hand in hers.
"Because she's twenty-eight, and you seem very sure she doesn't have anybody waiting for her. You thought she was me; you had no way of asking her those questions, so what would make you so sure? What would make you believe she wouldn't have anybody, especially if she could be operating under a completely different identity? "Kit questioned, her tone bordering on accusatory, laced with a hint of jealousy."Why would you think she's sweet? Or innocent in any way? What about her deception, infiltrating my workplace, and trespassing in my home for two weeks makes you believe she's morally upright, Jade? And why would you assume she's inexperienced?" She continued incredulously. "A scared cat when faced with intimacy is how I believe you put it," she mocked with narrowed eyes.
Closing her eyes and realizing she had already fucked up, she spoke softly. "Kit, come on, there was just something missing. You tease me day and night; we went to a club, she didn't like people around her, she got into an argument with Elora, she could barely dance, Elora got in her face, and she flinched. You would've taken it as a challenge, probably seduced her, slept with her, and laughed about it the next day. She looked like a deer in headlights. Among other things," Jade said, reflecting on Hazel's advice to wait a few days. Now, Jade would probably have to wait forever. Nothing would ever happen between her and Kit; she didn’t like and would hate her if she knew Jade tried to honeytrap her sister.
"Wow," Kit scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared straight ahead, hurt by the woman's take on how she was. It was clear to her that Jade had chosen Hazel because of how different she was from her. Hazel was sweet, innocent, and kind, while Kit was brash, argumentative, and apparently promiscuous in Jade's eyes.
"Kitty, you're a menace—or at least you were. I noticed no one has come around in the last six months,” Jade remarked carefully. The way she was with Elora was almost guarded. She wanted her, but the body cues were all wrong as if she were fighting it," Jade mused. And she didn't know our move." She finished, giving the girl a slight smirk.
Huffing, Kit turned her head to look out her side window, thoroughly annoyed. "First of all, Jade, the very fact you think I'd ever dance with Elora Danan, let alone try and seduce her, shows just how little you know about me," she spoke tensely, still staring out the window. "I can barely tolerate that woman, and I don't use people like that. You think I just fuck women and discard them like some sociopath with zero feelings. That really hurts, Jade. I've read that in plenty of gossip magazines and heard it whispered, but I never thought you would think so low of me," she added bitterly, clenching her jaw and taking a deep breath through her nose, willing herself not to cry.
"Ah, so you were in love with all the women you paraded around in front of me for the last ten years, Tanthalos? Interesting. I'm surprised you don't have a wife and four kids with all the true love emanating from what you had with all of them. Oh, I bet Stella Rebecca was your soulmate all along," Jade said bitterly. "I am not saying you're a sociopath, or you're discarding women, but you are known to bite off more than you can chew when it comes to your flirtatious ways, and Elora... let's face it, she's a bit too much for you."
Shooting Jade a sharp look, Kit had never felt the urge to slap her best friend before in her life, but at that moment, it was all she wanted to do. She felt like screaming at her, to try and knock some sense into the obtuse woman. "I never said I was in love with them, Jade... I have sex with people just like you do. It's not my fault people know me and want to get close, even if it's just for a night. I'm not saying it's the greatest thing in the world, but I've never mistreated anybody; I don't just use people. I can't say the same for all of those women, however, because ninety percent of them were trying to use me," she spoke in a measured tone, trying hard to keep the anger and hurt out of her voice, almost succeeding. "At least I don't sneak around. I've always been honest. Can you say the same, Jade?" She challenged, leveling a cold look at the woman.
"You want to bring up my junior high romance with Stella; how about we talk about yours? You know... the one with my sister? The one you tried to hide from me and everybody else? Why is that, Jade? Were you using her? One could say she was pretty damn vulnerable; maybe you didn't want people to know you were into a kid like her? Or maybe you were experimenting with her because you knew she didn't know any better," she accused bitterly, knowing the words were cruel and uncalled for but unable to stop them from spilling from her mouth.
"That’s not fair! It’s not fair, Kit. I loved your sister. Hazel wasn’t some consolation prize for me," Jade started. "She disappeared because I couldn’t bother to go outside with her. But I loved her; we didn’t tell anyone because she had this wild idea that you were into me! Poor delusional Hazel," She continued, white-knuckling the steering wheel.
" Ah yeah, Hazel never could read queues correctly." Kit scoffed, flinching as the words left her mouth. " You didn't love her, Jade; you were fifteen, and you kissed a few times behind the damn school." She dismissed in a disgusted tone; even though she'd always believed that Jade was, in fact, in love with her sister, she couldn't let Jade feel ok about herself, not after what she'd just accused Kit of.
Jade spoke with a mixture of regret and sincerity in her tone. "Fine, it was kid's love, but I was fond of her," she confessed, her voice softer now. "She was afraid your mom would be mad and stop us from seeing each other. She knew we were best friends and didn't want you to be mad at us, too. I was going to make it public at the festival." Jade paused, taking a deep breath. "I think you will find a woman who loves you madly one day, Kit. Someone you'll never stop thinking about, and you'll have the adventure of a lifetime with the romance. I truly believe that, and I hope for that." She extended her hand tentatively. "Truce? At least until our emotions calm down. We're both high on adrenaline and fear, and I know I suck, but I don't want to fight with you." Jade glanced at Kit, hoping for some sign of acceptance. "As for my observations of Hazel now, I have a gut instinct, and I also erroneously freaked her out by playing the games we play. In full transparency," she admitted, focusing as they crossed another state line, one hand still extended toward Kit.
Glancing at Jade's extended hand, Kit shook her head with a scoff. "I'm not in the mood for a truce at the moment, Jade. You don't get to accuse me of exploiting women and then expect me to move past it," she stated seriously. "As for me finding genuine love... That ship has sailed," she confessed honestly, giving Jade a brief, pained look before lowering her gaze. "If we're able to locate her and your assessment is right, maybe you should try rekindling something with her; she might still have feelings for you,” she suggested with a sigh. "And I doubt you unsettled her. She was probably just confused if you flirted with her as me; it might have just hurt her feelings or something," she reasoned quietly, the anger morphing into hurt. She understood that Jade would engage in playful flirting, as would she. It was their dynamic, just light-hearted banter. But the notion of Jade engaging in the same with Hazel stung.
"No, I can't," Jade said honestly, truth on the tip of her tongue. "I... my heart has a 'closed for improvements' sign. I can't inflict any more damage on others. However, I have the keys to give to someone one day. But they have to be willing," she stated, her tone carrying a sense of resignation. "Kit, I’m sorry if I made..." she began but was abruptly halted by her phone ringing. Kit began to respond but quickly clamped her mouth shut, gesturing for Jade to answer the phone instead, a silent acknowledgment of the urgency of the call.
"Claymore speaking," Jade answered the call, her tone confident and businesslike, ready to tackle whatever awaited her on the other end.
"Hey J, I just wanted to touch bases. The plates you asked me about just entered New York and are heading upstate," the caller informed Jade.
"Hey Jen… thank you, that’s super helpful," Jade replied, looking over at Kit, who appeared to be listening intently. Jade hoped she was just focused on the information and not on who the person on the other line was.
"I'll send you the coordinates shortly. Also, my State Trooper contact confirmed that the car belongs to Hazel Callahan. Details like the address are on their way to you as we speak. And don't forget about our coffee date next week," the woman continued, providing Jade with additional information and reminding her about their upcoming plans.
Jade visibly paled, “Oh y-yeah, we will go for coffee. Thanks for the info, Jen; if anything else crosses your wire, please let me know; thanks,” she responded hastily, swiftly ending the call to avoid any misunderstandings with Kit... She'd had a short-lived relationship with Jen in college; it had ended amicably, and they'd remained friends since.
Noticing the change in Jade's demeanor, Kit squinted at the woman. " What? Something wrong?" She asked curiously, still angry but eager for answers, thinking maybe Jade had picked up on something she hadn't.
"Nothing's wrong, just some confirmation," Jade replied tersely, her expression hardening. "Lilli Callahan... she was the one, that bitch!" She glanced at Kit, who nodded in understanding. "Go ahead and open the tablet. Let's check the information they provided. The password is 03-04-20."
Kit winced at the reminder, nodding slowly as she retrieved the tablet. The information started to sink in, leaving her with a nauseating feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I don't get it..." she trailed off, her thoughts racing. As she watched the screen illuminate, she entered the password almost mechanically, still grappling with the revelation of Lili Callahan's involvement. It was disturbing to realize that Hazel had taken her last name without any other changes—it almost seemed like she wanted to be caught, yet no one had caught on. "March fourth twenty-twenty," she murmured to herself, the date holding significance. It had been the closest thing to a date they'd ever had. Jade had taken her on a picnic and then for a sunset stroll on the beach. Kit had thought it felt romantic then but had brushed it off, knowing Jade didn't reciprocate her feelings. Now, she found herself reconsidering as she glanced at her friend again.
“What do you see?” Jade asked, looking at the girl to see if she'd unlocked the tablet.
Kit blinked at the sound of Jade's voice. Snapped out of her momentary daze, she cleared her throat and turned her attention back to the tablet. She opened the new message and gasped softly as a picture that looked strikingly like herself appeared before her; if it wasn't for the big New York State stamped across the top of the license, she could have sworn it was her.
"Fuck," she exclaimed softly, studying the picture slowly. Hazel appeared to be wearing a white t-shirt with a black vest over the top of it, similar to her style as a kid. Her hair was still short and shaggy but slightly longer than Kit's own, and there appeared to be some mark across her cheek; her expression was more of a smirk than a smile, unlike every picture they'd ever taken as children where Hazel would smile as big as humanly possible anytime she saw a camera pointed in her direction. "I know it's her, but she seems so... different," she spoke quietly, gently tracing a finger over the image and shaking her head. "There's an address here. 700 N Broadway Rd, Tarrytown, NY 10591."
Jade glanced at the girl and spoke softly. “Different, like how? What else does it say?" She asked, trying to grasp the information the girl was reading. “Let’s get the GPS routed there and think about how we can intercept her. We gotta call your mom.”
Kit nodded and set the tablet down momentarily as she typed the address in. "It says her name is Hazel Callahan. They changed her date of birth to 10/12/98, so this would put her at twenty-six. Eyes blue, height 5'2, sex, obviously female," she listed in a monotone as she went back to staring at the picture, feeling like it was all too surreal. "We can't tell Mom yet. Nobody has looked into this for a reason, Jade. Lili is powerful and well-connected. If we make a big deal out of this before we have Hazel, she'll have this information scrubbed. We need Hazel. Without her, there's no real proof," she spoke seriously, knowing how money could make almost anything disappear.
"That's the date she vanished," Jade remarked, pressing harder on the gas pedal.
"Whoa, don't get us killed before we get there," Kit admonished, her voice laden with concern as she cast a wary glance at Jade. "Yes, same date, different year... this woman is bold. It's like she wants to rub it in everybody's face," she mumbled thoughtfully, pondering the implications of their discovery, her eyes flicking back down to the tablet in her hand.
"Making her younger would dissipate the questions," Jade remarked, meeting her friend's gaze with a determined expression. "We're gonna catch her, but I need to call your mom. Go ahead and forward this to her and [email protected]." With a sense of urgency, she instructed her phone to make the call. Ignoring Kit’s earlier remarks, Jade was determined to keep Sorsha in the loop. “Siri call Sorsha Tanthalos.”
"Mhm, and Hazel at that time could have easily passed for two years younger," Kit sighed, as she suddenly found herself questioning whether Hazel had been allowed to attend school—it seemed entirely plausible given what they were learning. "No, wait!” she exclaimed, swiftly terminating the call and fixing Jade with an intense glare. "Do you want to get her killed? Are you not listening to me, Jade? Think about it—Lili isn't scared at all. She gave Hazel her surname, didn't change her first name, let her get a driver's license, and listed her date of birth as the same day she was kidnapped. It's like a game to her. She has powerful people in her pocket. If anybody shows up at her door, she'll get rid of Hazel. No body, no crime, remember? This will all be scrubbed. Anybody can make a digital version of a license; there would be no proof any of this existed. We have to get to Hazel first. If we can get her, then we have our proof because it's all circumstantial right now, and you know that. You're the one who taught me all of this shit. Think, Jade. Mom won't wait; she'll call everybody she can," she spoke urgently, hoping Jade would listen.
Jade initially gave Kit a skeptical look, but then her expression softened as she absorbed Kit's words. "How are we even going to get her attention?" she asked rhetorically, acknowledging the complexity of the situation they were facing.
Seeing that Jade seemed to be listening, Kit breathed a sigh of relief and furrowed her brow as she studied the picture again. "I don't know... but I'll wait outside of her house and kidnap her myself if I have to," she declared with an air of determination, her mind already formulating plans. She briefly wondered if the house belonged to Hazel or Lili. She hoped it was Hazel’s, as it would make it a lot easier to find her.
"Hmm... We need to get more info on this property. Can you do a quick internet search for me on the address?" Jade asked, her gaze focused on the road ahead as she accelerated slightly.
"Mhm," Kit nodded as she followed the woman's request. “I can hear you accelerating, Jade," she noted with a touch of amusement, her attention remaining on the tablet. “Alright, it looks like it belongs to Lili... and it's massive. The lot is sixty-seven acres," she remarked in a concerned tone. She knew the woman was rich, but she hadn't actually considered what they might be walking into until that moment.
"You're wrong, I'm not," Jade joked back. "Definitely not having you waiting outside that. She has her team; they will be armed. It's not safe," Jade spoke, her tone serious. "See if you can find a record of Hazel Callahan. Anything helps. Open a browser, and let's see what we find," the woman encouraged. "Anything from where she was born, to dates, schools she frequented, friends, pictures, anything, a digital footprint. The DMV info is fine, but whoHazel is as a person or what she's done over the years will be in the records," Jade spoke confidently.
"I highly doubt there are any public records of her, nothing Googleable at least. They would have found something back then had she been this bold," Kit replied confidently while doing a quick search to make Jade happy. "And you are speeding," she added in a knowing tone. To which Jade laughed and slowed down, mumbling something about barely going two miles over, or was it the speed limit times two? Kit was too focused on her research to hear the comment fully. "Yup, nothing," the younger woman confirmed with a small groan, knocking her head back against the headrest several times as she pondered their options, stopping abruptly as she thought of something. "I think I know what we can do, or... what I can do," she announced, watching Jade expectantly, ensuring she had her full attention before suggesting her plan.
“I’m listening,” Jade replied expectantly.
Adjusting her position to face Jade more directly, Kit started, "Alright, I need your word that you'll listen fully and not freak out at me." She waited for confirmation, watching the woman with big, expectant eyes.
“You have my word,” Jade promised, giving the woman a nod and a smile to show her support.
"Thank you," Kit exhaled in relief. "Alright, what if I pull a Hazel? Take her place for a few hours. It would be super easy. If she could fool you, I can fool Lili; I can wear a body cam or something," she proposed quickly, watching Jade with hopeful eyes, convinced her plan would work.
"Uh… yeah, no," Jade said quickly, her voice firm with a hint of concern. "That's too dangerous," She added, shaking her head decisively.
Kit frowned at the woman in irritation. " But Jade... " She trailed off and took a deep breath. " Look, I'm doing it whether you like it or not. The only difference is that I’ll have your support one way, and you can monitor it; the other way, I go in alone. You choose." She informed firmly, crossing her arms to look more imposing.
"Kit... I need you to be cautious. That woman is dangerous, and I can't afford to lose you," Jade urged, her voice exuding worry and fear. She hesitated momentarily before continuing, "I'll allow you to proceed, but please, don't underestimate her. Stay safe."
"And you won't... nobody would question me, Jade, just like you didn't question her. All I need is like thirty minutes, and I'm sure I can get something useful," Kit assured, practically pleading with the woman to agree. "That place is so big; she could be home, and the security guards would just think they missed her leaving. I'd slip right in without an issue," she added confidently. She was also a little excited about the prospect of getting to do a little undercover work, always up for an adventure, even under the terrible circumstances, it reminded her of the childhood games she would play with Hazel and Jade and somehow brought her a little comfort.
"Kit, I can’t extract you if you run into trouble," Jade warned, acknowledging Kit's inclination for going off on her own.
" I know," Kit replied resignedly, giving Jade a look that conveyed her determination, regardless of the risks involved.
"If we do this, you need to get her out too," Jade insisted, her mind racing with the audacity of the plan and the potential consequences. Fear gripped her chest, but she pushed it aside, knowing they had to do something.
Raising an eyebrow, Kit gave the woman a perplexed look. "Of course," She affirmed confidently, her expression determined. "If Hazel's inside, I'll do everything in my power to get her out. And if she's not, we'll figure it out as we go along. Maybe we can intercept her before she gets back." She shrugged, acknowledging the uncertainty of the situation. Kit wasn't one to meticulously plan things; she preferred to dive in headfirst and adapt to whatever came her way. It was a risky approach, but it had gotten her through challenging situations before.
Jade took a moment, analyzed the plan more thoroughly, and swiftly dismissed it as impractical. "Kit, I'm afraid this plan won't work. As I said before, If Hazel is present, the risk of an accidental encounter is too high, jeopardizing your cover. Unlike Hazel's calculated actions, your approach lacks the advantage of knowing her whereabouts," Jade explained, her tone conveying a sense of logic and practicality. "As for gaining entry into the house, the absence of a key makes it highly unlikely that the doors would be accessible," she continued, her assessment grounded in rational analysis.
Frowning deeply, Kit huffed back against her seat and crossed her arms like a petulant teenager as she momentarily considered the woman's words. "I'll just ring the doorbell... Tell her I lost my keys," she grumbled.
“And if Hazel answers?” Jade challenged abruptly
"Then I conk her over the head and drag her out of there," Kit retorted quickly, still frowning as she looked at the older woman. "Why are you making this so difficult? Can't you just trust me? I'll ring the bell and move away from the door until I see who answers it. If it's Hazel... I don't know, I'll trust my instincts in the moment, and if it's Lili, I'll follow through with my initial plan," she argued, knowing it didn't make any sense, but persisting nonetheless.
"Yeah, solid plan, Tanthalos," Jade replied, her tone laced with sarcasm as she contemplated ways to to prevent Kit from carrying out her reckless scheme and devise a safer approach to lure Hazel out and ensure their return to Chicago without incident.
"Do you have any better ideas, Jade? I don't hear you coming up with any plans. At least I'm trying," Kit huffed indignantly, frustrated by Jade's lack of constructive input.
"Yes, create a diversion to sneak in unnoticed," Jade suggested her chest swelling with pride at her strategic thinking. " Hmm, a diversion might work..." Kit trailed off as something dawned on her, causing her to sit up a little straighter in excitement. " This is still Hazel. She might have changed some things, but she was rigid with her routines, insistence on safety, and being prepared. She always kept at least two spare keys hidden outside of our house. Mom was always trying to find and get rid of them cause she thought it was dangerous, but Hazel insisted it was smart in case we got locked out; she was paranoid it would happen one day. I bet she's still like that; I would bet you almost anything there's a spare hidden somewhere near the door." She spoke triumphantly, sure she'd figured it out. " Tell you what? I get past the gate, I check for the key, and if I find it, I go in really careful, but if there's no key, I leave, and we do it your way, deal?" She proposed, extending her hand for Jade to shake.
"You're right; maybe we can count on her old habits. She might have hidden it in the potted plant," Jade said, firmly seizing Kit's hand. "Please promise, if anything goes wrong, you'll come back to me," she pleaded, her eyes revealing a surge of emotions, adrenaline fueling her urgency. "Please, baby?" Jade pressed, her tone conveying a mix of desperation and anxiety.
At the term of endearment, Kit's eyes flicked to Jade's briefly. She resisted the urge to dwell on how her heart swelled in response, unwilling to let herself hope; she nodded. " I promise," she replied softly, withdrawing her hand to allow Jade to return hers to the steering wheel. “I think this will work, though," she added confidently, adjusting to stare straight ahead again.
"Alright, let's look at the floor plan," Jade suggested, her doubts lingering.
"Right, good idea." Kit agreed quickly and worked on it, thankful for the distraction.
~
Hazel rolled out of bed at ten a.m., earlier than she liked but later than Lili preferred for her to get up. With a tired groan, she rubbed a hand over her face slowly, pressing her thumb and forefinger into her eyes to try and rub the sleep out of them as she stumbled into the bathroom to prepare for the day.
After an hour, Hazel was finally done showering and getting dressed, having chosen a more relaxed but still well-fitting pair of jeans that rested low on her hips, the waistband of her boxer briefs peeking out just enough to make the brand visible, and a roomy brown sweatshirt, with a white t-shirt peeking over the collar and a thick chain resting against the base of her neck. Her hair towel dried and tousled into a messier style than she'd worn in the last couple of weeks, bangs slightly in her eyes.
Glancing at the mirror, she breathed a sigh of relief at the more familiar visage staring back at her, and with that, she gave herself a couple of quick sprays of her favorite cologne and made her way down to the kitchen where she grabbed herself an apple, not even bothering to look around for Lili, already knowing the woman wouldn't be around. Lili was hardly ever around in the morning, despite somehow always knowing when Hazel woke up late, a thing Hazel had learned not to question over the years. Lili just knew things.
Deciding it was best to get back into her regular routine, Hazel grabbed her keys and left the house to get herself some healthy snacks and whatever Lili had put on her weekly grocery list, which was now twice as long as usual in the wake of her absence. It was going to be a long day, she decided as she checked her phone.
Hazel hated grocery shopping but had learned precisely where everything was in the store and had taken to re-organizing the list into sections, basing it on what was closest to each other and the most efficient route through the store; it made it easier to pop her Airpods in, noise canceling turned on as she navigated the route she'd planned out. It was only an issue when the store randomly rearranged everything. Nothing aggravated her more than that. The first few times it had happened, she'd gone and had a long talk with the managers, trying to figure out why and what kind of system they had for their new designs so she could route it out. Needless to say, management wasn't thrilled with her, but some had learned to accommodate her quirks over the years to the point they'd send her a text when something in the store was about to change.
She never told Lili about this deviation from her efforts to look ‘normal'; she liked the accommodation; needed it even, but Lili would have never understood, so she didn't bother her with it. Instead, she just thanked the kind employees profusely, going so far as to tip them handsomely in cash when she saw them, something they had refused at first until she’d explained how it made her feel better, and they'd reluctantly agreed. Part of her just wanted to thank them for their kindness and, in a way, apologize for being a burden, but another part of her hoped that if she paid them enough, they wouldn't quit their jobs and would continue to be able to provide that little bit of relief for her weekly routine.
Needing time and a quiet, private place to rewrite the list, Hazel drove to the nearby Scenic Hudson RiverWalk park. With a notepad in hand, she pulled the grocery list out of her pocket and sat down on one of the many benches facing the water. She took a moment to think about the past two weeks' events, contemplating everything that had brought her back to New York and what came next.
Feeling the familiar tickle in her eyes that indicated the welling of tears, she quickly pinched them away between thumb and forefinger and got to work on the list. - One of the managers of her favorite grocery store had texted her earlier that week, telling her the whole store had been re-arranged. It was going to take her at least an hour just to rework the list, but she didn't mind; it just meant a peaceful hour to herself doing one of the things she actually enjoyed: Organizing, making order out of chaos; it was comforting, even if she resented it terribly. With tongue poking out the corner of her mouth, she quickly got to work, drawing lines and labeling the sectioned-off areas before starting to categorize each item into its designated box as she listened to the sound of the lapping water and the occasional patter of passing pedestrians.
~
The rest of the drive was spent with Kit doing research most of the time, with only the occasional pause for fuel, snacks, or a quick nap here and there to break her concentration. By the time 11:30 A.M. rolled around, they were pulling into town.
They stopped at a park about five minutes from the house and analyzed the floor plans together as they made last-minute adjustments to their plans. " Kit, when you look at this, what room do you think Hazel would've chosen?" Jade asked, trying to gauge Kit's ability to emulate her sister's behavior effectively.
"It's kind of hard to say because Hazel always liked having her back to a wall; she didn't like the idea of things being able to sneak up behind her and startle her, so that makes me think she would choose the one at the very end of the hall," Kit began, her eyes scanning the floor plan. "But she also got scared easily and liked to be able to make quick escapes, which makes me lean towards the one nearest the stairs," she continued, indicating the room with her finger. "This is, of course, presuming she was even allowed to choose her room. This house has been in the Callahan family since it was built in 1833, so it's possible those rooms were already spoken for; there's just no real way of knowing for sure," She finished with a frustrated sigh, hating the constant reminders that she knew absolutely nothing about her sister now; not her personality, how she grew up, or where she slept, nothing.
"We should assume they tried to break her habits. So she should be in the opposite of what she’d be comfortable with," Jade reasoned, idly tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. "The Hazel passing for you didn’t get bothered by most things our Hazey did," she spoke with knowledge, glancing out the window at passing pedestrians. "Only the extreme triggers got her on edge.”
"Okay, then she'd probably be in the middle room, where things could come at her from both sides. It would have driven her nuts as a kid," Kit commented decisively, her finger jabbing into the center of the tablet to mark her guess at Hazel's room.
"When you go in, you need to be aware that identifying her room might be difficult," Jade cautioned, her gaze shifting between Kit and the surroundings outside the car window. "Everything could be the opposite of what you'd expect. I truly believe this person made a full attempt to take the autistic out of her. So all you'll get is little clues, but I doubt they'll be easy to spot." She sighed. "Which, in turn, is what made it hard for me to spot her," she continued, her eyes returning to meet Kit's. "You have to be precise, and you have to get whatever incriminating evidence there is and get the hell out without being detected; that's the most important part, ok?"
Wincing at the idea of anybody trying to change Hazel, Kit shook her head, not wanting to dwell on it further. "So she is a lot different then..." She trailed off quietly, her gaze still fixed on the tablet, the weight of sadness creeping back in. "Does she act like me? Is there anything I should avoid doing?" Kit asked in a concerned tone. "If there's anything really different about her, you gotta tell me now, 'cause I plan on going in there, and I fully intend on talking to Lili if she's there. I need to know how she treats Hazel. I have to know for my sanity, and I think it'll help us get through to Hazel in the long run if we understand how they brainwashed her if that is, in fact, what they did." She reasoned, finally looking back up to meet Jade's eyes.
"She's a bit less passionate, moves like she's thinking two steps ahead, and if it comes down to a footrace, she's not your girl," Jade mused, finding it hard to describe the nuances. "We might have some footage from the elevator and garage at the office. Could help you see her in action, get a feel for how she moves and talks, if you're up for that?"
Kit drew in a deep breath at the prospect of watching a video of her sister, pondering the idea before swiftly deciding she needed to see it. "Yes, show me," she requested, handing the tablet to Jade. "Also, if I end up doing any running, it'll probably be because I'm running away from someone in that house, and if that's the case, it'll be because they've already figured out I'm not her," she added with a nervous laugh, attempting to ease the tension within herself and lighten the mood.
"And if that happens, you better run fast," Jade remarked as she rifled through her files, eventually locating the one she was after. Queuing up the video, she extended her hand, silently requesting Kit's hand to hold as she prepared to hit play.
Swallowing hard, Kit gave a short nod as she took Jade's hand and squeezed it tightly, grateful for the small comfort. She focused her eyes on the screen, knowing the footage might not be the best quality, but it would still show her sister.
Elevator footage:
" Am I ever?” Hazel quipped, her tone sounding cocky and flirtatious to Kit's ears, Hazel's expression almost a knowing smile as she appeared to glance at Jade. Kit moved closer, squinting at the tablet to try and make out her sister's expression better. Kit's eyes tracked how Hazel hung Jade's helmet off her arm by the chin strap, almost as though it irritated her to keep holding it.
" With you, it's generally a three out of five thing," Jade appeared to joke, causing Kit to glance her friend's way. A slight pang of jealousy made its presence known despite it being clear Jade had thought she was talking to Kit. They teased each other and joked around all the time.
Kit continued to watch the video, noticing how Hazel leaned back against the wall and gripped the bar, looking almost dizzy for a moment. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that, Claymore," Hazel grumbled as she appeared to fix her eyes somewhere above the elevator door. Kit could only assume she was watching the numbers.
Garage Footage:
As the footage transitioned to the garage, Kit squinted to try and see what was happening; both Hazel and Jade appeared a little further away, but from what she could make out, Hazel seemed nervous and reluctant to take the jacket Jade had handed her, holding it by the tips of her fingers like it was disgusting, or perhaps like she was testing it's texture, something she knew Hazel liked to do.
"I'm gonna drown in this," Hazel spoke, seeming to look the jacket over slowly before glancing up and appearing to freeze, her eyes fixed in the direction of Jade's motorcycle for a couple of moments before she started fidgeting with a finger, or maybe it was the ring, Kit couldn't quite see for sure, and then Hazel made some humming noise that could almost pass for clearing her throat, except Kit recognized it well, knew how Hazel often tested her voice by humming a little in the back of her throat, it had irritated some of the kids at school, but Kit had learned to find it almost comforting.
As Hazel stepped towards the bike, she spoke. " I don't think I'll ever get over the fact you drive one of these." her tone came out amused sounding, almost flirty, and what appeared to be an easy smile took over her features."You were always the responsible one." Hazel continued to speak, Her tone still sounding flirty to Kit's jealous ears. She watched intently, studying how Hazel ran her finger over the bike, another thing Hazel was prone to doing as a child, testing how things felt to get comfortable with them. It was clear to Kit that her sister still had the same habits but had learned to make them look less noticeable; they flowed more naturally but served the same purpose. She also noted how Jade's jacket hung loosely over Hazel's forearm, right next to the helmet, as though she was avoiding putting it on.
" Is that your way of reminding me I’m the boring one?" Jade asked as she poked Hazel on the arm and took the jacket from her before opening it for her to get into. At this, Kit couldn't help shooting Jade another sidelong glance before shaking it off and turning her attention back to the screen as the video version of Jade spoke again, “Once Sorsha said no to you getting one, I had to get it, and I do not regret it. Chicks dig it." She laughed and zipped Hazel's jacket for her, an action Hazel only seemed mildly uncomfortable with as she appeared to watch Jade's fingers work, tilting her head up only briefly before looking right back down, An action Kit interpreted as an attraction.
Kit stopped the video, noting how Hazel seemed to flirt with Jade easily. Nothing like a frightened cat, as Jade had indicated, totally ignoring the other nervous-looking behavior, her judgment clouded by her emotions. " You helped her with her Jacket and stuff... she didn't seem too scared of you being close... she even sounds like she's flirting with you at times, " She pointed out with a raised eyebrow as she shifted her eyes to her best friend, studying her closely, feeling like there was something Jade wasn't telling her.
"Yeah, that was the first day," Jade admitted honestly. "She emulated your playfulness well, enough to fool me. Notice how she keeps fiddling with the ring; that was a bit unusual, but you wear a similar one," she said, playing with Kit’s ring to illustrate her point.
Allowing Jade's actions to distract her momentarily, Kit glanced at her ring and nodded. "The video is too distant for me to make out what she was doing; all I could see was that she was fidgeting with her fingers. You know it's the ring because you were there," she stated earnestly. "I don't think she looks scared at all, not the way you made it seem." she reiterated in a suspicious tone, her eyes fixed on Jade with a challenging look.
"The night of the dinner, after your mom recognized her, I attempted... and I'm not proud of it at all. I tried to honey-trap her into confessing, but she wasn't okay with it. The doubt crept back in because she rejected me, and I didn't think Hazel would." Jade confessed cautiously, deciding it was best to be honest.
Feeling deceived, Kit retracted her hand abruptly, the air thick with tension between them. "So much for it being just a hunch then, huh?" she challenged. "Did she reject you, Jade? Is that truly what happened? Or did she react like she used to?" she accused, her eyes narrowing as she studied Jade's expression for any sign of deceit.
"She turned me down," Jade admitted, her gaze shifting to Kit as she felt a pang of embarrassment. "She said she wasn't in the right headspace and asked me to wait a few weeks before trying again."
" Yeah? And that was that?" Kit persisted, her eyes boring into Jade with a mixture of suspicion and resentment. She couldn't help but wonder if Jade's chosen tactic had more to do with her desires than with the task at hand. It stung to think about and only fueled Kit's rising anger.
"You're right to be mad at me for trying that, but I wanted her to panic and confess. I didn't think she'd let it go so far. We kissed a few times, but it hit me then that I was wrong," Jade said carefully, her gaze fixed on Kit, searching for any sign of understanding or forgiveness.
Kit took a deep breath, her eyes closing briefly as she processed Jade's admission. "You kissed a few times... that night, Jade? Or before?" she demanded, her voice tinged with accusation as she looked the woman dead in the eyes. "And when you say you didn't know she'd let it go that far... how far exactly, Jade? Because none of this sounds like she's any sort of scared cat; it sounds like she's perfectly capable and knows exactly what she's doing," she added bitterly, her frustration boiling over at the deception. "Just how capable is she, Jade? Because I'm about to go into that house to try and save my supposedly innocent sister, but I'm starting to believe my first thought was correct. She's calculating now, and maybe she's not worth saving," she finished in the same bitter tone, her anger masking the underlying hurt and uncertainty, though deep down, she knew she would never abandon Hazel, no matter what.
"Just that. We kissed a few times before that night, everything very innocent. And that night, we made out a little, but nothing... nothing graphic happened. Mostly flirting like you and I do at times. She told me I should wait until she was in the right headspace again in a couple of weeks, which I think she meant when you were back. I am not proud of it, Kit," Jade sighed softly, her brow furrowing slightly. "And honestly, I think Hazel could be interested in someone we know. I don’t think she's cunning; I think she’s innocent."
At Jade's confirmation, Kit glared at the woman. "A few times before that night? Before?" She raised her voice, her eyes flashing with anger. "So you were kissing her thinking she was me? And you never once thought maybe something was off? You didn't recognize her? 'Cause we both know you kissed her before." She spoke, poking a finger against the woman's chest in irritation. "And you still didn't answer my question. I asked if you stopped when she suggested you stop, and you didn't answer me." Her voice quivered with a mix of hurt and betrayal. "How much of this was to get information, and how much was for your own selfish wants, Jade?" Her glare intensified, burning with the intensity of her emotions.
“It was different when I thought it was you,” Jade said carefully. “I fucked up, and maybe my curiosity peeked to see if we would’ve survived transitioning, and when I found out it was her, I was curious to see If any of the feelings from the past still lived, if we would’ve lasted if she never disappeared. I wanted to know… how she’d feel under my touch, but she was too innocent; she asked me to stop, told me off, and told me to leave, and I went. I shouldn’t have left; I am positive she had a meltdown, but I thought she needed space. I thought she was experienced because of all the flirty stuff, but it turns out she wasn’t. So, she probably didn’t know or understand what was happening.” She rambled, panicking and giving way more details than she’d intended. Knowing she couldn’t take it back, she took a deep breath and tried not to look as guilty as she felt.
Confused and sad, Kit stared at the woman in disbelief momentarily before giving a short nod. " Why did you ever kiss her if you thought she was me?" She asked carefully, trying to understand Jade's true intentions.
“I… I guess I was curious to see what it was like, call it a moment of weakness; I know we always flirt and play; I thought about trying it because I’ve been… lonely, so yeah, I am a monster.” Jade said, “I wanted to know if there was substance to your jokes. Well, the joke’s on me because it wasn’t you at all.” She looked away, embarrassed and not wanting to discuss it further.
Clenching her jaw tightly, Kit watched Jade for a moment, trying to think past the devastation and find some words, anything at all to say. "So you thought you'd try me out, and then when you figured out it was Hazel, you were perfectly content to try her out too?... and then you left her to have a meltdown because you couldn't handle what you started?” She asked incredulously. " And here I thought you were supposed to be all noble and good. So much for that, huh, Jade?" She scoffed and got out of the car, slamming the door behind her angrily, unmindful of how close to the house they were.
"No, Kit, wait," Jade called urgently, hurrying after her. "That's not true, I wasn't... FUCK!" she cursed loudly, then glanced around at their surroundings. "Dammit, get back here, we're too close.”
Stopping abruptly, Kit turned to face Jade momentarily, her eyes flashing with defiance. "Don't order me around, Jade. You lost that right the minute you tried to... ugh," Kit trailed off, her voice filled with disgust as she shuddered at the thought. "I can't believe you ever thought I would be your consolation prize. I'm nobody's second choice!" she called over her shoulder as she turned and marched toward the house, feeling like the five-minute walk might help her cool off.
"You are not..." Jade yelled, then fell silent. "What do you mean?" She asked, addressing no one in particular. Her head shook in bewilderment as she watched Kit walk off. After a moment, she reached for her phone, texting the woman to ensure that her phone and camera were ready.
Jade: I didn’t have time to give you the mic, keep your phone on and recording.
Kit: You have the camera, that's enough.
Kit sent the message and shoved her phone back into her pocket as she confidently strode up to the security booth at the front gate. With a charming smile and a casual nod, she motioned for the guard to open the gate. "Just needed some fresh air," she explained casually, hoping the man would just find it odd she was on foot but not question her further.
“Of course, Ms Callahan. It's a beautiful day out there,” the security guard said with a smile. The man had been too busy watching a football game on his phone to really pay much attention to anybody leaving the property.
Resisting the urge to shudder at the last name, Kit maintained her charming smile and nodded confidently. "Sure is. Thanks," she replied smoothly, giving the guard a small wave as she strolled past the now-open gate. Making her way to the house, she glanced up at it, feeling a mixture of awe and dread, sensing a coldness emanating from the structure. It lacked the warmth of a true home. Reaching the front door, she quickly scanned the surroundings for a potted plant but found none. Of course, why would she have plants? She thought in irritation; her eyes then landed on what appeared to be a decorative rock nearby. With a smirk, she checked underneath it and found a key, just as predicted. Bless Hazel and her routines.
Armed with the key, she confidently strode back to the door, her movements purposeful and determined. Inserting the key into the lock, she felt a rush of adrenaline as it clicked open, granting her access.
Entering the house, she took in the ominous atmosphere—the dark walls, the matching dark wood furniture, the deep red, rough carpet, and the walls adorned with portraits, likely of Lili's ancestors. The dim light from the ornate chandelier cast eerie shadows, adding to the sense of foreboding. Undeterred, she ventured further into the house, her senses on high alert. Pausing at the base of the stairs, she surveyed her surroundings. Contemplating her next move, she debated whether to risk going upstairs to find Hazel's room or to explore further and locate Lili's office. Feeling bold, she proceeded down the narrow hallway to the dining room and kitchen. With each careful step, she felt a surge of anticipation as she listened for approaching footsteps and wondered at what secrets the house held. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat as Lili emerged from a room just off the kitchen, catching her off guard and halting her steps.
"Hazel, late start today, huh?" Lili remarked, her eyes scanning the girl with a judgmental air, contrasting the almost pleasantly teasing tone she had used. "Hmm, I would have thought you would have stopped dressing like her," she commented, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“I'm still getting used to being back," Kit answered, briefly meeting Lili's gaze before averting her eyes as Hazel might, trying not to raise suspicions. “I'm glad to be back. It was strange."
"Remember, eye contact," Lili interjected firmly, reaching out to grasp Kit's chin and forcefully directing her gaze squarely into her own. “You must have missed being home," she probed carefully, studying the girl's face simultaneously, observing for any flicker of discomfort or hesitation.
" Right, I'm sorry," Kit responded, meeting the woman's gaze. She took a deep breath and mimicked her sister's habit of fiddling with her fingers. " It's good to be back. It felt strange,” She admitted
Satisfied, Lili relinquished her grip on Kit's jaw and stepped back, though she remained uncomfortably close. "You'll have to fill me in. You arrived so late last night... we haven't had a chance to talk properly," she remarked, gesturing for Kit to sit at the kitchen island. She poured them a glass of tea, a beverage she knew Hazel disliked, a subtle assertion of her dominance. "Here you go, dear," she said with a smile, sliding the glass toward Kit.
"Thanks," Kit nodded, hopping onto the counter, a habit she remembered Hazel had from their father, always picking them up and placing them on their counter. Taking the glass, she took a sip and tried her best to react the way her sister would, without exaggeration, knowing Hazel hated tea but recognizing the need for subtle reactions around Lili.
"Hazel, get down this instant... Pretending to be your sister has given you bad habits again, I see," Lili barked, coming around the counter and grabbing the girl by the wrist, physically pulling her off the counter. "You haven't done that since you were fifteen, and I won't have you going backward," she added in a less angry tone, shifting it to one of profound disappointment instead, a tactic that had always worked on the girl.
"I'm really sorry," Kit said, a hint of fear evident in her voice as she almost dropped the tea. Her heart raced as she realized her mistake.
"I'm sure. Just don't let it happen again, yes?" Lili reminded, clicking her tongue at the girl. “Now, tell me. You mentioned you found everything we needed. Was the flash drive the only thing? Or did you come across anything else?" She inquired with curiosity as she sat down at the table, her eyes fixed on Kit, calculating.
"Barely anything. Kit's a mess; her handwriting looks like a chicken's squabble. I had to tidy up her whole place just to make sense of it, but there was zilch besides a few meeting notes." Kit shrugged. "So yeah, the flash drive was the jackpot."
"Ah, perfect. I just wanted to ensure we didn't overlook anything else," Lili responded with a friendly smile. “How about a snack?" she offered, already getting up to fetch some cheeses. “I took a long lunch today. I thought we could go swimming; I know it relaxes you, and you must be all wound up after the last two weeks," she suggested, presenting a platter to the girl and motioning for her to start eating.
"I'm not very hungry. I need to change out of these clothes. I'll go swimming, but can we do it a bit later?" Kit asked, not quite looking at the woman, attempting to convey her discomfort with eye contact.
"Hazel," Lili spoke, tapping the girl's jaw again to redirect her gaze. "I won't repeat myself, dear. You've worked hard to overcome these bad habits, so let's not regress, okay?" Her gentle tone barely masked the underlying threat. "Now, go change into your swim clothes. I mentioned I took a longer lunch; the least you can do is spend some time with your mother," she added, her tone firm as she fixed the girl with a challenging look.
"Sure thing, Mother," Kit said with a nod, waiting for the woman to move away first so she could sneak off to find Hazel’s room. The rage inside her burned hotter than ever as she contemplated the torment her sister endured. This fucking monster has been torturing my sister! Oh, I'm gonna get her so good. She seethed silently, plotting her revenge.
Raising one perfect eyebrow at the use of Mother rather than Mom, Lili fixed Kit with a skeptical look. "Go on, go change. What's gotten into you?" She questioned, her expression shifting to one of heightened suspicion as she scrutinized Kit's appearance. Her eyes zeroed in on the girl's cheekbone, searching for the scar she knew was supposed to be there. "Since when do you wear makeup?" She motioned towards Kit's cheek, her suspicion evident in her tone.
"I just didn’t wash my face…" Kit replied hastily, trying to cover her tracks. "I’ll meet you at the pool," she said, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness as she hurried towards where she hoped Hazel’s bedroom would be.
Lili's suspicion grew as she observed the woman's behavior, prompting a frown to form on her face. "You sure you'll be able to find it on your own, Kit?" She called out, her tone playful but with an underlying hint of scrutiny as she tested the woman.
Kit's spine tingled with unease."That's funny. Yes, of course. And don't call me that," she replied with a hint of frustration, her tone sharp and dismissive. "She's a spoiled brat who doesn't appreciate what she has." With a determined gait, Kit pressed on, relying on her twin intuition to guide her correctly. I've already made one mistake. I can't afford another.
Watching the woman walk away for a moment, Lili nodded to herself, satisfied that she was indeed dealing with Hazel. She supposed her own scheme had made her slightly paranoid, an unfortunate side effect. Returning to the kitchen, she retrieved Hazel's favorite mug and prepared hot chocolate, the girl's favorite drink. With a smile, she dropped two Rohypnol tablets into it, humming pleasantly as she stirred it thoroughly before carrying it to the pool area. Setting it down on the table, she removed her swimsuit cover-up and waited for Hazel to arrive.
Kit found Hazel’s room and was shocked at how unlike Hazel it was. The room lacked personality with its dark ambiance. However, the wardrobe seemed to reflect some aspect of Hazel's personality, filled mostly with jeans, button-up shirts, t-shirts, sweaters, sweater vests, and waistcoats in varying blues, blacks, and browns, with occasional hints of white and grey, mostly from vintage shops. Picking up her phone, Kit decided to call Jade and update her. “Jade, Jade, this is a nightmare; she’s cruel to Hazey. I have to get her out, but she’s not here. Lili wants me to go see her at the pool; something's not right; if there's anything you can think that can help me, please tell me now,” Kit spoke urgently.
At Kit's words, Jade felt chills. “Kit, slow down,” Jade replied. “Ok, well, I forgot to mention that Hazel has a scar on her cheek. Right side.” Jade spoke carefully. “From now on, stay on the call. I’m going to record on my end, and I'll be able to hear what's going on in real-time.” had you not walked away, I’d have state-of-the-art equipment to gather the evidence, but nope, Tanthalos’ are going to be Tanthalos’! She thought, shaking her head.
“Yeah, I know about the scar; I remember from the DMV picture that's why I'm wearing makeup. Hopefully, it'll look like she got into the habit when pretending to be me." Kit spoke quietly. "OK, I'll leave it on. Please stay alert; I'm a little worried.” She added quietly and started to get dressed. Changing into Hazel’s clothes felt strange, surreal even that they fit the same clothes. After getting dressed, she took a few pictures of the bedroom and went to the pool, trying to look awkward like her sister.
"Oh, there you are. I thought you might have gotten lost," Lili teased, gesturing for the girl to join her at the table and offering her the mug of hot chocolate. "I made your favorite to celebrate our victory. Soon, the Tanthalos name will be in the dirt, and you'll have your vengeance," she grinned at the woman.
Kit chuckled. “Thank you, I missed hot chocolate! They didn’t have any in that cold apartment,” she said, approaching the table and looking at the woman. “To victory and the fall of Tanthalos Tech.” Kit raised the mug and pretended to take a sip, giving herself a bit of a mustache. What the actual fuck why does she want to destroy us? Hot cocoa is still her favorite; Kit thought as she looked at the woman.
"I bet... drink up," Lili smiled and clinked her mug against Kit's before motioning for her to drink more. "To victory and the fall of Tanthalos Tech," she repeated with a big smile, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as she watched the woman over the rim of her mug.
Kit found the woman's behavior awfully suspicious and took a smaller sip from her drink before deciding she was just being paranoid. Lili clearly thought she was Hazel, or she wouldn't be openly discussing her plans to destroy the Tanthalos family.
Lowering her drink, Lili eyed the woman carefully, her smile hiding a hint of tension as she glanced towards the girl's cheek again thoughtfully. "What's the matter, dear? You usually down hot chocolate before I can even take a few sips. It's warm the way you like it," she spoke, her tone betraying a touch of concern. "You've been acting different... did they do or say something?" She prodded, her gaze piercing, again searching for any sign of deception.
Kit did her best to suppress a nervous gulp as she played with her finger, then took a longer gulp of her drink. "Oh, just thinking," she began, trying to sound casual. "How unfair that Kit has all of those things. I guess I’m still a bit tired from the drive; I barely slept," she explained, downing the hot chocolate, having decided it was safe. She reflected on the scene, finding it oddly sweet that Lili and Hazel shared drinks by the pool.
"Oh, you think Kit has more than I've provided for you?" Lili asked, her expression shifting to one of hurt as she sat back dramatically. "And I'd hardly say you barely slept, dear. You didn't get up until at least ten," she observed with a knowing look and dismissive chuckle.
"Well, no, mother. She’s just wasteful. Yes, I slept in a little, but the last two weeks were taxing, and then the long drive," Kit answered, her tone apologetic as she looked at the woman, placing her mug down. “I'm very thankful for all you've given me."
"Yes, well, I'm sorry for the horrible circumstances that brought you into my life, but I'm certainly happy I got to raise you," Lili smiled and got up, watching the woman thoughtfully. "Race?" She asked, nodding towards the pool, knowing Hazel could never turn down a challenge, especially when it came to swimming; it was the one sport she thrived at, if you don't count Taekwondo, and Lili didn't. "And since when do you call me Mother instead of Mom? I like it, but you've never done that before," she pointed out in a curious tone, her eyes narrowing slightly as she observed the girl.
“Oh sorry, I guess it’s a habit from how Kit talks. I had to call Sorsha mother,” Kit explained quickly, thinking on her feet and nodding with a bit of a determined pout, much like her sister would. She continued, “Ready to lose?” what circumstances? You fucking kidnapped her! she thought and got ready to take on the woman as she knew Hazel did as a child, never turning away from the opportunity to win at something.
" Mmm, that must have been so awful; I'm sorry, dear." Lili sympathized, giving the woman an apologetic look. "Also, I wouldn't be so sure; I've been practicing." She added with a smile as she got into the pool and waited for Hazel to join her.
"She was very unpleasant. You were swimming without me?" Kit exclaimed with mock shock before jumping into the pool. She couldn't help but wonder about Lili's intentions. Was this playful banter a common occurrence between them?
Lili chuckled at the girl. "Of course she is, and you've been gone for two weeks. I figured I'd pass the time in a productive manner. It kept me from missing you," she replied sincerely, her tone warm despite her sinister intentions.
"Yeah, two nightmarish weeks," Kit replied with annoyance. “I swam daily; there was no way I was going running each day," she added, recalling Jade's advice about Hazel's aversion to running. Her gaze darted around the pool area as she spoke.
"Really? I thought you hung out with that Jade girl... didn't she find it weird that Kit wasn't doing her morning run?" Lili questioned curiously as she stretched her arms over her head, her gaze lingering on the younger woman before shifting towards the clock hung on the wall.
"Not every day. We hung out, but mostly in the evening," Kit answered with a hint of distraction. "My mornings were mine to exercise." She frowned slightly, feeling an unusual lethargy creeping over her.
"Ah, I see... well, I must say again how proud I am of you for resisting your unnatural urges with that girl," Lili smiled and moved forward, patting the girl on the cheek almost fondly. "Now, on the count of three..." She started, holding up three fingers and dropping one and then another.
"Thanks," Kit answered, pondering the 'unnatural' urges the woman referred to and recalling what Jade had told her, causing her to turn red slightly. "Yeah," she said weakly. She watched the woman’s fingers and got ready to push off the wall.
"One," Lili announced, holding back and letting Hazel take off first as she glanced up at the clock again, aware that the drug should fully kick in around the time the girl reached the middle of the pool, based on the slightly out of focus look in her eyes.
Kit took off fast, starting strong, but the further she got, the more she slowed down. Despite her best efforts to keep her arms moving, she eventually had to stop for a moment as she tried to catch her breath, struggling to keep her head above water.
" You ok, dear?" Lili called out as she got out of the pool and watched the younger woman with a faux concerned look, barely containing her smirk.
" No... tired,” Kit answered weakly, feeling the heavy weight of exhaustion pushing her down. What the fuck did the bitch put in my drink? Come on, Kit, swim. She thought as she slapped at the water uselessly, trying to stay moving to keep from passing out as she kept swallowing mouthfuls of water.
"Oh no, you better swim harder then. We wouldn't want you to drown. I've heard it's a terrible way to go," Lili taunted with a knowing smile as she watched the girl struggle in place, getting nowhere fast. "If it's any consolation, you did do a fantastic job, but you should have killed Kit as we talked about... there's not room for two of you, I'm sure you understand, dear," she added in a flippant tone, as she waved her hand dismissively.
Kit continued to struggle, trying as hard as she could to get herself moving forward, but only managed to take in more water, her mouth and nose filling with it with each new gasping breath. " Help, Mom." She choked out desperately, sputtering around the water in her mouth. Fuck she's trying... I can't, don't die, don't die. Don't die, not without throwing this bitch in jail for trying to kill your sister. Fight Kit, Fight. She told herself as she moved her arms with more determination but still got nowhere. " What's happening? Help... Please Help?" She called desperately, terrified, the edges of her vision darkening a bit as the drugs took a stronger hold.
"Oh, Hazel..." Lili trailed off, shaking her head. "Just relax; it'll be so much easier if you stop fighting it," she called out to the girl, her voice soothing as she took sick pleasure in the girl's suffering.
With no fight left in her, Kit sputtered desperately, one arm reaching up in a final plea for help as she sunk below the surface, her mind starting to replay memories like a movie had been clicked on, beginning with all of the times she'd played with her sister and Jade, to good moments with her mother and finally her dad, almost like she could hear his voice saying it was ok to let go, that she was going to see him soon. Her lungs burning, she couldn't hold her breath any longer and with one final gasp her lungs filled with water. She caught one more fleeting glimpse of Jade, her mother, and Hazel, and she silently asked for their forgiveness for being so impulsive and reckless as her vision slowly went dark and her mind shut off, her eyes closing as she sunk to the bottom of the pool.
Chapter 10: Chapter 10
Summary:
Chapter 10 - We pick up where we left off. Lots of emotions in this one.
Notes:
Hope you enjoy how this unfolds
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
After an awkward encounter with the security guard, who seemed confused by her return, Hazel finally made it past the gate and into the house. She painstakingly put the groceries away in the most disorganized way possible, struggling against her overwhelming need to categorize each item. It physically pained her to look at the mess once she finished. With a shudder, she closed the fridge door and glanced around, looking for signs of Lili. The woman was usually still on break, waiting to share a snack or drink with her. "Mom?" she called as she wandered through the house, stopping by the natatorium as she thought she heard voices and noticed the door was ajar. Entering the room, her eyes instantly fell on Lili, who stood by the pool, looking into the water with a satisfied smile on her face. Following the woman's eyes, Hazel squinted, noticing what appeared to be a person in the water. This sight caused her to run forward, trying to get a better look. "Kit?" she exclaimed in a horrified tone, any hatred she'd felt for her sister dissipating instantly, replaced with a deep sense of love and the urgent need to protect her.
" Kit?" Lili parrotted, shocked and confused. She looked at the woman in the water and then over to Hazel, who yelled for her to call 911 before diving into the water, fully clothed.
Hazel had taken no time thinking anything out; she had simply acted on instinct as she dove into the water, wrapping her arms around her sister and dragging the younger girl out of the pool. " Call 911..." she repeated desperately as she laid Kit down and looked around frantically for Lili. Her eyes finally landed on the woman who started to walk closer, a sad expression on her face.
" No, we're not gonna do that. Move away from her, dear." Lili spoke soothingly, motioning for the girl to back away from Kit, deciding to just roll with it. Killing Kit was her original plan anyway, if it hadn't been for Hazel's unwillingness to go through with it.
" What? No, she'll die." Hazel shot back in a panicky tone as she shoved two fingers against her sister's neck, checking for a pulse and finding none. " Shit..." She whimpered, looking down at the lifeless form of her sister, her hands hovering just above the girl's chest as she tried to get her mind to calm down enough to remember what to do.
" She's already dead, dear," Lili spoke in the same calm tone, startling Hazel as she slapped a hand on the girl's shoulder and squeezed. " This is what you wanted, remember? Now it's done. You take her place, and nobody asks questions." She proposed, painting the picture for the young woman who shook her head hard and raised her hands to her ears as she started rocking. " Hey, what have we talked about?" Lili snapped, grabbing Hazel's wrists and wrenching the girl's hands away from her head.
" Stop it." Hazel snapped, lunging at the woman's legs, knocking her to the ground. " Stop fucking touching me!" She screamed, scrambling back to Kit, her senses overwhelmed by a combination of conflicting emotions and the uncomfortable way her soaked clothes clung to her. " No no no no no no..." She whined, sitting back on her heels and examining Kit urgently, trying desperately to get her brain to function, knowing time was running out." Mom?" She called desperately. " Please, help? She can't die, she's my sister... I don't care what she did. I love her, please," she pleaded with the still-shocked woman, who observed Hazel as if she were a wild animal.
"Enough, Hazel. She's dead. Let her go and come with me. Her team is likely waiting outside. We must have the body disposed of," Lili urged, regaining her composure and offering her hand to Hazel. "Come on, dear. If they catch you over her body, you'll be accused of murder. Imagine prison—You'd never survive; The strip searches, random people touching you, shared bathroom and shower, no privacy." She listed, drawing nearer as Hazel zoned out. "Come with me. Marco will handle the body," she reassured, snapping Hazel back to attention.
"Her name is Kit!" Hazel snapped at the woman before pressing her hands firmly on Kit's chest and initiating compressions, her focus razor-sharp. "No... you... don't... get... to... die... on... me," she huffed each word with determined force, synchronized with the compressions, then continued counting the beats until Lili intervened, grabbing her shoulder and trying to wrench her away from Kit.
"Hazel, I'm not going to repeat myself; leave her," Lili urgently commanded, recognizing the criticality of preserving one of them. If Kit disappeared, it would trigger a massive search. Hazel needed to replace her sister now.
"I said stop fucking touching me!" Hazel snapped, lunging at the woman again and plunging them into the pool. As soon as they hit the water, Hazel was already scrambling to get back out to reach Kit, almost making it before Lili's arm wrapped around her throat, dragging her back down.
Hazel clawed desperately at the woman's arm, her movements fueled by pure adrenaline as she fought for her life. With a surge of strength, she managed to break free from Lili's hold, twisting her body to deliver a powerful punch to the woman's nose, knocking her back and allowing Hazel to scramble out of the pool.
Without sparing a glance at Lili, Hazel rushed back to Kit's side, her focus solely on saving her sister. She resumed chest compressions, counting out each beat before delivering two rescue breaths. "Breathe, Kit... You have to breathe," she demanded, her voice strained with urgency. She repeated the process tirelessly, refusing to give up until finally, Kit coughed and choked, expelling the water from her lungs.
Relief flooded through Hazel as she rolled Kit onto her side, ensuring she could breathe freely.
"Kit." Hazel cried out in relief, rubbing the girl's back soothingly as she watched her sister cough up copious amounts of water. "You're ok, you're alive." She spoke quickly, trying to comfort the struggling girl. She'd been so focused on helping she hadn't taken the time to notice the fact Kit was wearing her clothes, nor had she had the time to contemplate how or why Kit was in her pool or why Lili had been there, seemingly doing nothing to help. With a sinking feeling, Hazel realized Lili had not only tried to kill Kit on purpose but that she herself had entertained the same type of thought just days before. Consumed by guilt, Hazel instinctively recoiled from her sister, scrambling away and getting up as quickly as she could, her eyes instantly drawn to the pool where Lili floated face down, blood tinting the water red around her, and thoughts of prison filled her mind, urging her to jump in and pull the woman out, desperate to save her, fueled by fear and guilt for what she'd done.
"Kit! Kit!" Jade exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic, as she burst into the room and rushed to Kit's side, kneeling beside her. "Kit! Talk to me. Are you okay?" she asked urgently, her heart pounding. When she received a pained and groggy groan in response, relief washed over Jade, allowing her to finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was only then that she took in the full scene.
"Hazel, are you okay?" She checked in, noticing Hazel struggling to pull Lili out; Jade moved to help. She knew she had to act swiftly, intentionally, and with urgency, but she stood there for a second longer, observing Hazel like she was seeing her for the first time, still incredulous that both twins were in the same room. Finally snapping back into action, she reached out to offer a hand slowly, somehow skittish of doing anything too quickly, shocked by the scene before her.
Too overwhelmed and feeling a deep sense of shame, Hazel ignored Jade, focusing instead on dragging Lili the rest of the way via the shallow end, having already checked to confirm the woman still had a pulse.
Eyeing Hazel’s neck, Jade noticed clear bruising appearing where Lili had choked her. Fury churned inside the redhead, mixing with hurt and confusion. She couldn't understand why Hazel would reject her help, especially while trying to save the woman who had caused so much devastation. I would’ve let the bitch drown. She thought fiercely. But seeing how exerted and weakened Hazel was, she took a deep breath and decided to help by pulling Lili by her side and tugging her clothes."Hazel, hey, it's okay. Talk to me. Are you okay?" Jade asked urgently, concern evident as she helped get Lili onto a leveled surface. "I called 911. Can you tell me what happened?"
With a steely gaze fixed on Lili, Hazel clenched her jaw and continued to ignore Jade's presence, silently willing her to leave them alone.
Jade glanced over to the girl, her voice maintaining its gentle tone as she spoke softly. "I have it all recorded, but my priority is ensuring you're safe," she assured before returning to Kit's side. "Kitty, baby, are you okay?" she asked, enveloping the woman tightly as she started to regain consciousness.
Hearing the pet name Jade used for Kit, Hazel shot her a small glare before turning her attention back to Lili. "Mom... y-you gotta w-wake up." She mumbled quietly, struggling to get her words out and frowning in frustration, angry at her ineptitude. Running her hands over her soaked jeans, she couldn't help but grimace at the discomfort. Trying to calm herself down, she started rocking slowly.
Jade gave another sweeping look at the scene, anger boiling inside her; she had the twins, she had Lili looking as unconscious as Kit, who'd almost died, and suddenly it was too much. She turned to Hazel and ignored the urge to control herself, to use a kind tone, and to be understanding. All she could see was deceit and embarrassment for being fooled by the woman. Turning vicious, she spilled venom, careless of its consequences. "She's not your mom, but you know that, don't you?" she spat, her words sharp and accusatory, her gaze unwavering. "Why did you pretend to be her? Why did you... kiss me?" Her tone dripped with resentment, demanding answers as she confronted Hazel about her actions, anger still surging.
Unable to handle the accusation in Jade's voice, Hazel slapped her hands over her ears, whining loudly to drown out the other woman, refusing to acknowledge her in any way.
Witnessing the impact of her words and immediately feeling remorseful, Jade's brain entered a cycle of self-flagellation as she recognized the need to comfort Hazel, to rectify her previous oversight at Kit's apartment, and do what she deemed as the right thing. "No, that's not okay," Jade asserted, moving back to Hazel and pulling the girl into a tight embrace. "You're okay. I know a lot is happening, but I need you to focus on staying present and breathing," she instructed firmly, holding Hazel tighter and humming in her frequency to provide comfort and reassurance. Despite the temptation to yield to Jade's comfort, Hazel forcibly disentangled herself from her hold and bolted away, nearly tripping in her haste to escape the whole situation.
“Hazel,” Kit called weakly.
Hazel froze at the sound of her sister's broken voice. With her back still turned to the woman, she grappled with uncertainty, unsure how to react. The unexpected encounter with Kit stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within her. For fifteen years, Hazel hadn't heard Kit speak to her, and the sudden reunion left her feeling unprepared. She realized she had spent more than half her life believing she hated her sister, only to discover nothing could be further from the truth.
“Hazel. Please,” Kit called, coughing louder.
After taking a deep breath, Hazel turned around slowly, her gaze coming to rest on her sister. With cautious steps, she made her way closer to the woman, her movements deliberate and expression dazed. She felt torn between conflicting emotions. She grappled with the internal conflict of wanting to offer help and feeling the
urge to flee, struggling to reconcile the beliefs ingrained in her upbringing with her instinctual feelings.
"Please don't leave," Kit pleaded, extending her hand towards Hazel. "She drugged me," she uttered incoherently, her voice trembling with urgency and distress.
At Kit's words, Hazel's eyes darted towards Lili, torn between her love for her sister and her allegiance to the woman who had raised her. With Kit appearing to be okay, Hazel's attention remained on Lili, who was still unconscious.
Meanwhile, Jade spoke on the phone with Sorsha, relaying the situation. "So I'm in. We found her. And she's safe," she said truthfully, casting a glance at the twins. “How soon can you be here?"
With Jade's voice providing a backdrop to the unfolding situation, Hazel's mind raced. She considered their options carefully, knowing she had a very limited window of time to get them out if they wanted to escape.
"Three hours tops. They're already fueling the jet as we speak; I just have to get to the airport," Sorsha replied quickly as she hastily gathered her things and silently instructed her team. "Thank you, Jade. Make sure my girls are safe, and don't let that woman escape," she added firmly.
"You're welcome. It seems Hazel made sure she couldn’t. Ma’am," Jade said, glancing over at the scene again. "When I got here, Lili was unconscious, but I haven't been able to get the whole story yet."
"That's my girl... can you put her on the phone?" Sorsha requested, anxious to talk to her oldest, needing something tangible to hold onto until she could get there and see Hazel for herself.
"She's currently with Kit, and she's also in a bit of shock. I'm not sure it’s a great idea right now, ma’am," Jade explained hesitantly, nudging Lili with her foot to see if the woman was reactive.
"Jade, let me speak to my daughter," Sorsha ordered firmly, not one to accept no for an answer regarding either of her children.
"Ma’am, she's not speaking to me, but sure, I'll put you on speaker so you can talk to her," Jade said as she walked over to where the two girls were and placed the call on speaker. "Okay, ma’am, you can talk to them now."
Unsurprised that Hazel wasn't speaking to Jade, Sorsha sighed softly before speaking. "Hazel, dear, are you okay?" she asked gently, prompting Hazel's eyes to flick briefly to the phone. However, she still refused to acknowledge that she'd been spoken to, instead shifting her gaze to the still form of Lili. Feeling guilty for even considering answering Sorsha, her internal conflict was evident in her expression.
Getting no response, Sorsha pinched the bridge of her nose, wishing she could already be there to better assess what was happening. "Jade, what's going on over there? Tell me what's happening right now." She insisted, sure the woman was leaving some vital details out.
Deciding to stop trying to shield the woman, Jade answered."Well, ma'am, Kit's recovering. She's been drugged; it appears that Lili was attempting to drown Hazel, mistaking Kit for her. From what I can gather, it seems Hazel intervened and subdued Lili," She recounted honestly, providing a detailed account of the situation as she understood it, unaware of the angry glare Hazel directed her way. "I'm currently waiting for paramedics; there are approximately ten security personnel on the property. I'm hoping they'll allow the ambulance through without any issues." She finished in a professional tone as she watched Kit attempt to lift her arms, reaching for her sister but appearing too dazed to accomplish the task. "Hand. Hazel," Kit murmured.
Tearing her eyes away from Jade, Hazel's expression softened slightly as she looked down at her sister and shook her head. She continued to contemplate fleeing as she glanced at Lili once again, pondering if she could carry the woman out. Hazel knew that interacting with Kit would weaken her resolve. Despite her love for her sister, she still perceived Kit as her enemy. The betrayal instilled in her by Lili ran too deep to ignore.
Horrified by the revelations Jade had finally shared, and the weak sound of Kit's voice calling to her sister, Sorsha carefully composed her expression and joined her security detail in the elevator, determined to set aside thoughts of nearly losing Kit. The notion was too devastating, and she knew she needed to remain strong for her children. "Alright, but what's happening right now, Jade?" she clarified, emphasizing the urgency of the current situation. She knew she could obtain a more thorough debriefing later once she was certain both of her children were safe. She also wasn't sure what they were dealing with regarding Hazel and was unwilling to overlook any potential danger the girl potentially posed, fearing it could put Kit at risk.
"Kit's asking for Hazel, and Hazel's looking over at Lili's immobile body. She seems like she's about to flee," Jade narrated carefully, her gaze fixed intently on Hazel.
Her fears confirmed, Sorsha spoke in a calm but firm tone. "Take me off speaker phone Jade." She knew that Hazel would be listening intently, even if she appeared zoned out.
"Yes, ma'am, it's done," Jade confirmed after she had taken Sorsha off speakerphone.
"Jade, you know how she is. Do not let her leave that room, no matter what. Keep her there, understood?" Sorsha demanded firmly, fully aware of Hazel's inclination to flee when faced with overwhelming circumstances.
“Yes, Ma’am” Jade said as she saw Kit call for her sister again. Hazel still only responded by looking at the girl with a somber expression.
"Thank you. I'm leaving the office now, but I'll be there as soon as I can. I'll have Elora with me." Sorsha spoke and hung up the phone as she got in her hired car, not giving Jade time to reply. She was well aware that Kit wouldn't be happy with Elora's presence, but she felt that everybody could use some emotional support.
As soon as the phone clicked off, Jade looked around and swiftly collected the mugs with the hot chocolate before walking closer to Hazel. “You don’t have to talk to me, but please let me help you,” the woman offered. “And can you help me with Kit?”
Observing Jade and then glancing down at Kit, Hazel contemplated her feelings and concluded she no longer felt comfortable around either. Deciding that Kit would be safe with Jade, she began to retreat slowly, keeping her eyes firmly on Jade, unwilling to risk turning her back on her. "Mom," she called loudly, attempting to wake Lili up, longing for the familiarity of the only person she had truly known for the past fifteen years.
"Hazel, please, she doesn't love you; she hurt you," Kit pleaded, her voice faltering slightly.
Choosing to ignore her sister, Hazel crouched beside Lili, gently shaking her shoulder in an attempt to wake her up. "I'm sorry I hit you; please wake up," she pleaded tearfully, clinging to what she knew. Her mind supplied excuses for Lili's actions, rationalizing that the woman had only been trying to protect her from Kit. Lili hadn't really intended to harm her when she choked her in the pool; she'd only been trying to prevent her from saving someone who wanted her dead. "Please wake up," Hazel sobbed, laying her head on Lili's chest and wrapping her arms around the woman as best she could at the awkward angle.
“I remember the search went on for so many years; Kit and I went on a couple of field searches,” Jade spoke softly, her voice filled with sorrow. "We looked everywhere. Daddy didn’t sleep for months, so much red tape. When the search got called off, my dad was so crushed.” She wiped a tear. “This woman did all that for some petty money grab; she hurt your sister earlier in the kitchen. Does she have a habit of hurting you too?” Jade asked as she looked down at Lili and kneeled closer to Hazel. Clenching her jaw, Hazel continued to stare at Lili, noticing the subtle flutter in the woman's eyes. "Mom?" she spoke softly, squeezing the woman's shoulder gently, clinging to the belief that Jade's words were nothing but lies. In her mind, Lili had always been her savior and protector, molding her into a stronger individual. She'd learned to hate and resent herself and her differences over the years. In her mind, Lili had helped her overcome them enough to tolerate herself. She trusted the woman implicitly even when faced with evidence that should have shaken that trust; it was easier to hold onto a familiar lie and accept it as truth than face what had been stolen and confront the conflicting emotions that came with it.
Jade looked at the girl, noticing clear signs of Stockholm syndrome, then turned her attention to Kit and saw she was struggling.
“Count…counter, ask her… sit on the counter,” Kit said as she went in and out of consciousness.
“Hazel, when was the last time you sat on the counter? You remember?” Jade asked, “What happened?”
Frowning at the question, Hazel kept her eyes fixed on Lili stubbornly, recalling instances when she had been scolded for getting on the counter a few times after forgetting Lili's rules. She also acknowledged that Lili had a right to be angry; after all, she had broken the rules and knew better than to do that.
"Remember when you were at home, and Mads put you on the counter to cook with him?" Jade asked gently, "When was the last time you were able to organize things like you did at Kit's apartment?" She continued, pressing the issue in an attempt to reach the girl on a deeper level.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel shook her head once as though physically trying to brush Jade's words away. She hated the compulsive side of herself that insisted she organizes everything around her and thrived when she was forced not to give in to it. "Mom, wake up," she demanded bitterly, her anger towards Jade showing in her tone as she shook Lili again desperately, feeling the urgent need to distance herself from Jade's attempts to confuse her. She received a pained groan in response.
"She drugged your sister thinking it was you; she betrayed your family. I know you remember being able to just be yourself without reframing your way of thinking," Jade spoke quietly, her words weighted with accusation. "Did she let you have any friends? Remember how many friends you had at school?"
At Jade's words, something snapped. Hazel's eyes blazed with fury as she directed a scathing look at the woman. "Friends? What fucking friends? You mean those assholes I followed around like a lost puppy just hoping to be included? Are those the 'friends' you're referring to, Jade?" she spat out the word "friends" with venom, using her fingers to denote air quotes around it. "My 'family' betrayed me. She saved me when my 'family' tried to have me killed. She tried to kill Kit because Kit took everything from me," she added bitterly, her resentment palpable.
Jade bit the inside of her cheek, upset for causing the woman to escalate, her tone causing the redhead to take a step back; appalled by the blatant lies the woman was told, she took a deep breath and spoke, "That’s not true. I'm your friend. I have proof she hired those guys to grab you," Jade argued quickly, desperation lacing her words.
" Oh yeah, is that what you are, Jade?" Hazel shot back bitterly, grinding her jaw angrily.
Jade looked at the girl and nodded, “Yes, Hazel, I’m your friend. Distance doesn't change that. I was going to ask you to be more that day, but you were taken. It's my fault; I should've walked you to the car." She spoke with conviction. "This bitch took you, hid you, and changed your name. She doesn't love you. We do, and we all miss you, Hazey." She spoke softly, deeply upset that the girl defended Lili, clearly trapped under the woman’s influence. "You were never my friend, Jade. You're nothing to me. You tried to use me just like everybody else," Hazel bit back in the same resentful tone. "You asked me why I kissed you... why the fuck did you kiss me? I told you to wait, I fucking told you to wait, you knew... You knew I wasn't Kit, and you pushed... You knew, and as soon as I...." She trailed off, breathing hard, feeling herself getting overwhelmed again, tears burning her eyes. "I hate you, Jade," she hissed, averting her eyes down to Lili as the woman groaned again and placed her hand on Hazel's knee to draw her attention, looking like she wasn't quite sure where she was.
"I am your friend and Hazey; I love you. I kissed you because I wanted you to tell me; I had to know… I had to know for sure it was you. Hazel, I don’t want to lose you," Jade said earnestly. "Why would I drive all the way here to find you if I didn’t care? Why would I be nice to you after you committed a crime by impersonating your sister? After you fooled me, flirted, and played with me?" She challenged, her guilt twisting the events a little.
At the mention of a crime, fear seized Hazel so hard she went mute, stared at Jade for a moment, and made her desperate choice. Rising swiftly, she lifted Lili over her shoulder in a fireman's carry, prompting a startled yelp from the woman, which Hazel paid no heed to, far too focused on getting them out safely and avoiding whatever punishment awaited her. She bolted out of the room, careful not to stumble in her haste. Growing up in the labyrinth of a home had its advantages; she easily navigated the familiar twists and turns, knew every hidden passage and secret escape route by heart, and fully intended to exploit them.
Recognizing her careless words had struck the wrong chord, Jade chased after Hazel, fueled by adrenaline and too caught up to be cautious. “You think she’s nurturing? Hear this,” she called out assertively, playing the audio she obtained from Kit’s phone.
As the audio began to play, Lili spoke up, her voice steady despite the circumstances. "Ignore her; she's just trying to confuse you. Now put me down, I can walk on my own," she stated, attempting to reassure Hazel while concealing her concern.
"But, you were unconscious for a few minutes; you might have a concussion," Hazel argued as she set the woman down carefully until she was standing. Her eyes darted between Lili and Jade, watching Jade for any sudden movements, fully prepared to defend herself and Lili. "You stay back!” she ordered, pulling out her phone and pointing it at Jade. "I already committed one crime, I have nothing to lose at this point, and this whole fucking house is rigged," she warned darkly, a hint of menace in her tone, as she subtly shifted her stance into a defensive position, earning a worried look from Lili who knew just how capable Hazel was.
Jade, taken aback by the revelation, stepped back and raised her hands. “Hazel, please, let’s work this out. Come with me; let’s talk just the two of us about what your life has been like here. You can ask me all the questions you want about everything, and I will tell you, honestly," she urged. Glancing over to where Lili was standing, she scowled at the woman. “I will be fully transparent, unlike her."
"There's nothing to talk about... call off whoever's coming; nobody is getting into this house," Hazel growled and held up her phone again. "Now, you have about 10 minutes to get Kit out of here." She warned, waving the phone a bit. "You have the same amount of time, Go," She added as she turned her attention to Lili and jerked her chin towards a door directly to their left, one that she knew led to a quick escape. Lili watched her for a few seconds before deciding it wasn't worth arguing about. She quickly made her escape, easily leaving Hazel behind.
"There’s no one coming," Jade spoke quickly, her tone tinged with desperation. "I made it up. You didn’t commit a crime; impersonating your sister is a cruel joke when we’ve been looking for you, but it doesn’t classify as a crime. I'm an idiot, but you already know that from the last two weeks," Jade said, her voice trembling slightly as she glanced back at where she left Kit, her heart racing with uncertainty.
Glaring, Hazel shook her head. " Lying does seem to be what you're good at,” she sneered. " Time is running out, Jade. Go get Kit and get out of here." She spoke in a tired tone, not about to risk the chance that Jade could be lying again; she couldn't bear the idea of getting in trouble.
“Hazel, I swear, I drove here without any backup. You can check my phone,” Jade said, sliding her phone to Hazel. "I just want you and your sister safe. Please come with me; show us the faster way out.”
" I don't actually care Jade. That’s what you don't get. Now stop talking to me, you're wasting time. 8 minutes left." Hazel replied in a defeated tone, showing Jade the timer on her phone. If there was one thing she knew, it was that she'd never know who to trust, and she'd always feel guilty for loving her family and Lili at the same time.
“Let me care for both of us. I know right now… I know you don’t trust me, but I didn’t try to strangle you; please let’s go, Hazel,” Jade implored urgently as she sprinted to get Kit, hoisting the girl over her shoulder. She screamed, “HAZEL PLEASE,” as she rushed as fast as possible back into the room she'd left Hazel, Kit unconscious over her shoulder. “I can prove it to you; she was behind it to destroy your family and all they've built.”
Swallowing hard, Hazel shrugged. "It doesn't matter..." She replied simply, defeated, unwilling to accept all the time lost to a potential lie. "It doesn't matter what you say or try and show me; I'll never believe you." She doubled down, steadfast, despite deep down knowing Jade was probably correct; it made sense on some twisted level. Of course, she couldn't spot the deception, just like she'd never been able to tell when kids were laughing at her and not with her. It was cruel and exhausting, and she had no fight left to give. "7 minutes." She continued to count, watching Jade with an emotionless expression.
Jade felt panic building in her chest, and she fought hard against it. “I know, Haze, I know you can’t tell, but you know what? In the years that have passed, a lot has changed. I can see you live a very suppressed life, but you don’t have to. Come home. You'll be able to be your authentic self. No masks. Remember what Elora said that one time? She told you to just be you, right? I know you barely knew her. But she and her colleagues have this awesome program. It helps you live your life without masking or suppressing who you are. Please come with me. There’s more than what Lili told you; there is more than constant correction. Kit and I have friends who are on the spectrum. They live plentiful, authentic lives. We meet for games and drinks. I know you’d love them. Please give yourself a chance.”
Clenching her jaw, Hazel took a deep breath. "I don't care about you and Kit's little pet project... You want to make yourself feel better by hanging out with people you pity like you pitied me? Fuck you both. I don't want to live that life, I hated it. I hate being the way I am, and the only person who cared enough to try and fix it was Lili. I was nothing but amusement to you and Kit, so spare me and get the fuck out before you kill her too." She hissed bitterly.
“I never pitied you Hazel! I loved you. When you left, I was devastated. I didn’t have a stable relationship, afraid I would mess up and they would disappear. I don’t have pet friends; I hang out with them because they are good people, genuine, nice, interesting, and fun,” Jade said earnestly. “Did her fixing help? Because I could tell, you craved the way you were when you were with me at Kit’s place. I know all about Lili’s torturous game of correcting behaviors. It doesn’t work; your meltdowns are harder. You probably self-harm to stop them now. Hazel, please! come with me,” she urged again, tears free-flowing. “What you're calling care is abuse. Let me show you what love is like.”
Chin quivering slightly, Hazel clenched her jaw harder and shook her head, eyes darting to the phone in her hand as she contemplated the woman's words. "It helped... I..." She trailed off and swallowed hard. "You didn't love me, Jade; you used me. I was a poor substitute for Kit, and you know it... and at her place, you... You used me again, you knew I wasn't her, you knew I was telling you to wait for her, and you pushed... You can say you wanted answers all you want, but you already had your answer. You knew who I was, and you pushed ahead anyway, and you... it wasn't good for me, and you had to know that, but you didn't care; you couldn't help but use me just one more time." She spoke through tears, her anger giving way to hurt. "And then you had the nerve to ask me why I kissed you, as though I kissed you first. Was that for Kit's benefit, Jade? Or do you actually lie to yourself that quickly?" She challenged.
Looking defeated, Jade laid it all out. “I'm not proud of being confused. I'm not proud of leaving you that night. I wanted to hold you. And Hazel… I know, ok? I know what it looked like, but when we kissed, I was inundated with memories of us and with the potential of what we could’ve been.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I was so upset, needing someone to talk to, that I even humiliated myself; I told your mom. She knew about us, by the way; they all knew, apparently. So much for secrecy,” she laughed weakly. “That night, Hazel, I wished we’d never stopped. I thought you had lived this life where you had many girlfriends. When you said you didn’t, I felt like a jerk. I couldn’t, and after I left, I realized you may not have known what to do with it, and that crushed me. Your mom, she's mad at me. She'll probably fire me because I made a mess by falling for both of her daughters, not because they resemble each other but because they are uniquely wonderful in their own way. So no, Hazel, I didn't kiss you to hurt you. I did it to stop the hurt,” the woman finished sadly, adjusting Kit on her shoulder to ease the strain a little.
"Except you didn't leave when I told you I had no experience, you still kissed me. Still... " Hazel trailed off and shivered lightly. "You didn't stop until I acted like myself, until you saw me and not what could pass as Kit... that's when you stopped. Say what you want, Jade, but you left because the parts of me you liked were the parts that remind you of Kit, the rest... what makes me me, that's too much, just like it's been too much for everybody my whole life, including me. Now you have less than four minutes; run fast." Hazel sighed and jerked her chin towards the door Lili had gone through. " It's the fastest route." She offered.
"Hazel, I left because you asked me to. I’m not proud of my behavior, but I would’ve stayed that night. I would’ve taken you; I would’ve given you all because it was you if you had just told me. I didn’t want you to pretend to be someone else, not for something that important. It wasn’t because you reminded me of Kit; sure, you look like her, but your grip, your hands, your kiss, those are uniquely yours, and I knew. That night, I’d chosen you and me, but you told me to leave, and like an idiot, I did. Please come,” she said, looking at the girl, her heart breaking with the sound of her truth. She was conflicted before, and when Kit came back, she thought she was sure, but with Hazel standing there, being herself, Jade couldn’t help but feel her heart beating for the girl. Would this be love or longing or just simply friendship? She wasn’t sure, but she needed the girl to survive. “You deserve better; you do, but I want you to know. You have a huge part of my heart.”
"You would have taken me where?" Hazel asked in a confused tone before shaking her head. I said we should stop because..." She trailed off and glanced towards Kit. " You need to go, Jade; please go," she pleaded, stepping aside to let Jade go past.
“We would’ve had sex,” Jade shared honestly before an idea struck her and she decided to move fast and swiftly. “Because what, Haze?” She asked quickly as she moved towards the door, now close to Hazel.
Startled, Hazel widened her eyes and glanced at Kit to confirm the girl was still unconscious, inexplicably worried about what her sister would think and not really sure what she herself thought. Had that been what she'd wanted that night? Had the thought even crossed her mind? No, she was sure she hadn't, she wouldn't... she just liked kissing, that was all. " We..." She started, licking her lips uncomfortably and deciding not to finish that thought. "Because I wasn't Kit, and it was about to be very obvious. I knew you knew, but... I couldn't handle it; I couldn't face it. I knew once it was obvious... you'd leave." Hazel replied sadly, forgetting about the timer in her hand for the moment.
“I wouldn’t. That’s where you’re wrong." Jade said as she got even closer. “I wanted you, Haze,” she said, crowding her and trying to get her to move to the door. “When we were young, that night. You. for years, you. I sat by the grave begging for you to come back.” She recounted, “I chose my career because I wanted you to be proud; I almost joined the force to look for you, to be your knight.” She spoke truthfully, heart in hand. Catching the girl off guard, she pushed her towards the door, locking her in her arms, using some kind of supernatural force to push the three of them through the door.
"Hey... Let me go, Jade... " Hazel demanded with a startled cry as she realized the woman had tricked her yet again, suddenly wishing the timer in her hands was real and not just some decoy to scare them out of the house and give her an easy escape route, not that she was bluffing about her lack of care for her own existence, or that the house was rigged, both were true, but she'd never actually triggered it. " I will fucking bite you." She threatened in what she hoped was a menacing tone, trying to lean to the side enough to bite the woman's arm since the only places within actual biting distance were the woman's Neck, shoulder, or chest, none of which Hazel thought would be useful, and while she had many other options at her disposal there was something comforting about being wrapped in the woman's arms.
“I will like it,” Jade said, smirking. “Hazel, listen to me, please listen to me. I mean it. I mean it all. And everything you and I felt and had that night was real, and I hadn’t felt that way in a long time. And it’s not because you were pretending to be her; it was because you were you. Here,” the girl said, pulling her closer so she could hear her heart. “You hear it? Feel it?”
"Yes, Jade, you have a heartbeat. Congratulations; you're not a vampire," Hazel shot back sarcastically. Now, let me go," she demanded as she pushed against the woman's chest hard, trying to pull away from her grip.
“No,” Jade gripped her hard against the other shoulder. “Yes, you’re the vampire, trying to bite me,” she said jokingly. “Give me a day. I showed you how my life is now; show me how your life is, stay with me for the day, talk to me, show me the real you, and I can let you go, but for now, you’re gonna get in the nice safe and definitely lesbian car you have, and we’ll drive away from here before this thing blows. And not with the explosives but with Lili’s detail.” Noticing the timer would’ve ended by now, Jade raised an eyebrow at the woman. So she was bluffing, she thought, and let out a deep sigh of relief.
Irritated, Hazel resisted the urge to point out how bad Jade was with time as she glanced at the now zeroed-out timer on her phone, huffing a little. Her plan should have worked like a charm: give them just a few minutes to get out so they'd hurry up and leave, but no, Jade had to go and decide to chat, and it didn't help that she fell for it. "I don't want to give you any time; leave me alone." She grunted. "And my car is not a lesbian car... it's practical and sporty... also safe." She inexplicably defended, not sure why the hell that was the thing her mind decided to harp on as she continued to struggle in Jade's hold, nearly wiggling free.
“It’s hot, really. Kind of what I expected you to drive, but really, with all the stuff you liked, I figured an outback was more your speed, so we'll have to talk about this later, can you please at least get us through security? Your sister’s car is a bit flashy, and I had to park five minutes away.” the woman said. “Also, Haze, I am genuinely curious, and I'm talking to you now. Do you know how long I've waited to talk to you?”
"No, you're kidnapping me from my own home! Now let me go, Jade." Hazel growled and finally decided to take advantage of her position, biting Jade's shoulder with a little bit of force. She wasn’t actually trying to hurt her, just trying to get the woman to let her go and give a warning of sorts.
Jade took a deep breath, letting out a moan. "I told you I’d like it. Also… you do see the irony, right? I am trying to save you from your kidnapper and her goons," the woman said, concern evident in her voice. "Your neck is purple, Hazel; she tried to kill you," Jade added, watching Hazel closely and holding her firmly, her arms looped tighter around her.
Blushing at Jade's reaction, Hazel hid her face against the woman's shoulder and shook her head, feeling the fight leave her body. "She's all I've had,” She mumbled against the woman, trying to keep from crying as she thought about helping Lili escape.
Desperate to comfort the woman, Jade gently ran a hand through Hazel's wet hair. “You have us; we're here for you now. I need to know what else she told you all these years to make you hate us,” Jade said, her voice filled with concern as she looked at the woman. “She doped your sister; she was going to drown you and her. I could’ve lost you both today! What did she tell you?” She tried her best to remain calm, not wanting to escalate the situation further.
Feeling her resolve harden as she remembered all of the warnings she'd gotten from Lili, teaching her the countless ways people might try to trick her and separate them, Hazel shook her head. "You just want to know what I know so you can counter it. I'm not stupid, Jade; I know how it works now." She spoke defiantly and started struggling again, resisting the urge to do anything that could actually hurt Jade, not wanting the woman to drop Kit.
Jade shook her head, seeing that Hazel was becoming combative again “No, actually you know what? Don’t tell me anything about that. Because I kinda think I know but instead tell me about you. You drive a Subaru, which I love, by the way. Got any other toys? Do you go camping?” She kept her tone positive.
Still breathing heavily, Hazel shook her head and cast a glance at Jade's shoulder once more, briefly considering biting harder, but one look at Kit led her to decide against it. "No, I work out and study," she grunted in irritation. "Let me go, Jade. I just want to change. I'm soaked and miserable," she pleaded, appealing to the woman's sympathy as they neared the exit.
“Yes, I can tell you work out,” Jade said, looking at Hazel's arms. “I want to let you change, I do, and I kinda want to put your sister down. Do you think we can get to your room without the big, bad ghouls your fake mom employs hurting us?”
"Jade..." Hazel started, her voice faltering as she paused her struggle and glanced up at the woman. They're probably miles away by now... She thought I was serious. She knows what I'm capable of. She wouldn't have taken that chance,” she confessed candidly. “I wasn't bluffing... at least not about the house being rigged," she continued, nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders.
“I don’t think you're bluffing either. But okay, fine, let’s go. My right shoulder needs a stretch, and I need to check the other to see if I got a hickey,” Jade teased. “But Hazel, please, talk to me. No games; I'm not playing any,” the woman said, her tone serious and sincere.
At Jade's words, Hazel glanced at the woman's shoulder with wide eyes. "I didn't mean to do that... I mean... I meant to bite you, but I forgot that's what it is." She stammered, embarrassed, not understanding it was a joke. "Look, let me go. I'll take Kit. She can rest on my bed. Paramedics should be here soon. Then... " She trailed off and hung her head against Jade's chest. "I didn't mean to commit a crime, I... thought about committing one, but I didn't think it was bad to pretend to be her... I wasn't planning on staying in her house; I was just going to go to the office and stea…" She trailed off with a whimper as she really considered some of what she'd been there to do.
Jade let her head rest on Hazel’s. “Steal important documents. Yeah, I figured Impersonating your sister wasn’t a crime, Haze,” she said. She kissed the woman’s head, showing some affection for her. “I didn’t mean… you’ll come to find out I'm an idiot,” she said, holding the girl closer. “I didn’t want to scare you; I just wanted you to stop and see we just wanted you back. I got desperate.”
"I don't know if I can believe you, Jade... I don't know who to trust and you don't have the greatest track record with honesty anymore." Hazel admitted softly, keeping her face hidden. "I can't handle prison, Jade; please, if you ever cared about me at all, please don't let them take me away. I promise I'll stay out of everybody's way; I can just leave now as I planned and go back to being dead." She promised, looking up at the woman with tearful, pleading eyes.
“I won’t let anyone take you away anymore. And I know I don’t deserve your trust. So trust Kit when she wakes up. She won’t ever lie to you.” Jade said honestly. “I would never send you to prison. Hazel. “
Taking in a shuddering breath, Hazel squished herself closer to Jade, her hands clinging to the woman's shirt tighter. " I'm not a good person anymore, Jade." She admitted quietly, knowing all of her thoughts over the last thirteen or so years of her life had been centered around harming her family and not much else. “I think you are. Whatever bad is there, it came up because of what you were told and went through; you’re still good. Still kind and sweet.” Jade said with a smile. Kissing the girl’s forehead.
" Hmm... can you please let me go now? You're very close, and I'm really wet, and it's starting to be too much." Hazel admitted, noticing how uncomfortable she was as the adrenaline died down.
“Yeah, and now I'm also really wet,” Jade said, laughing, noticing she had both girls dripping on her. Let’s dry off.” She suggested, “Promise you won’t run, okay?”
"I promise I won't run." Hazel sighed and glanced towards the exit, contemplating it for a brief moment, but despite being more comfortable with it, lying really wasn't her strong suit; the two weeks she'd impersonated Kit had nearly broken her. " I won't." She reiterated in a firmer tone, giving Jade a decisive nod.
Deciding to trust the younger woman, Jade relented, “Ok, let’s get you dried off,” releasing Hazel. “You lead the way, but I don’t know where we’re going.” Please, let’s start over. She thought.
"Right," Hazel nodded, stealing a quick glance at her still unconscious sister before gesturing back towards their original direction. "This way," she muttered, leading them back into the house and up to her room. Opening the door, she gestured for Jade to enter first with Kit. "I have some clothes that might fit her... She looks to be about my size," she deadpanned as she waited for Jade to step inside.
Jade laughed, “Oh, really? I didn’t notice you had similar body types,” she joked back, and it felt familiar—a bit too on the nose, but familiar. “Your room… is… neutral, no posters? Pictures?” she asked, looking at it and remembering what Kit had described as she lowered the girl onto the bed.
Glancing at Jade, Hazel took a second to determine if the woman was joking or not and decided she was, so she chuckled softly. " Mhm, dark colors are less overwhelming; it makes it easier to focus." She explained casually as she grabbed a pair of shorts from her dresser and a plain black t-shirt from her closet and tossed them on the bed near Kit. " Dry clothes." She mumbled somewhat uncomfortably, still having a hard time being so close to either woman without a heavy cloud of guilt hanging over her.
Jade noticed the girls’ chuckle and her discomfort. “I'll change her quickly; she won’t wake up for a while,” she said, her smile faltering slightly. She was worried about how strong the dosage may have been.
Glancing at Kit again, Hazel briefly wondered if she should offer to change her sister, but she decided she couldn't handle it and that it was possible Kit would be even more uncomfortable with that. Despite their identical appearance, it almost felt like they weren't related. "Yeah, but maybe you should see if you can wake her up a bit first, ya know?" She suggested somewhat awkwardly, rubbing at the back of her neck a little. "I, uh... Boxers are in the dresser, too, if she needs them... I don't know how much wet clothes bother her or if she'd be upset wearing mine, but if you need to grab a pair, you can..." She supplied in the same awkward tone as she hung by the door, unaccustomed to people in her space.
“Thanks. I'm sure she will thank you for the dry clothes. I guess I could try to wake her,” Jade said and shook Kit’s arm. “Kit, Kit, can you hear me?” She tried the girl’s shoulder as Hazel watched carefully. She desperately wanted to change but felt a bit protective of her sister, not wanting to leave her alone with Jade.
“Hmmmm? Jadey,” Kit answered with a sly smile on her lips.
“Yeah?” Jade answered, “You ready to get out of these clothes?” she asked as she watched Kit stretch.
"You should change. You're all wet; it can't be good for you," Hazel interjected uncomfortably, still watching from the doorway, almost bouncing on her toes a little as she fought the urge to bolt again, realizing she was actually talking to her sister and Kit was awake to hear her.
“Yes, she’s right,” Jade said, watching Kit’s smile grow. “Azey?” Kit called.
Swallowing hard, Hazel took a step back into the open doorway. "I uh... I should change..." She stammered and pointed out of the room, despite there being a bathroom in her room and the fact she'd failed to grab herself a change, something she was seriously regretting.
“No. Stay,” Kit said as she tried but failed to hold herself on her elbows.
“Kit, we’re gonna start changing you, ok?” Jade said as she pulled the girl's shirt, rolling it with difficulty to the girl’s stomach.
Watching closely, Hazel frowned and took a deep breath before purposely marching over to her bed. "I'll do this; you wait outside." She ordered Jade in a brave tone, trying to keep her nerve up. She wanted to help her sister, wanted to protect her in case Jade had ill intent, but her constant struggle when it came to being close to people in any way meant it took every ounce of strength she had to force herself to help. Nevertheless, she felt she had to.
Trusting that Hazel truly wanted to help her sister, Jade decided to let the girl try and see how it turned out. “OK, if you need help, you can call; I’m just by the door, ok?”
Not wanting to lose her courage, Hazel waved her hand at Jade dismissively. "Yeah, fine... just go now, please." She huffed, gnawing on her bottom lip as she looked her sister over carefully, trying to figure out the best approach that didn't include touching the girl; she really did not want to have to touch her. " Kit, wake up, you gotta help." She spoke firmly, watching the younger girl expectantly.
“Hmmm, yeah, arms!” Kit said, trying to move her arms on her own.
Watching Kit's arms carefully, Hazel frowned. " What about them? You gotta sit up, Kit... and lift your arms; I can... I'll try and pull your shirt off for you." She instructed, already cringing at the thought of touching the wet shirt the girl was wearing or accidentally touching her. The thought was almost enough to have her bolting for the door, but she managed to stand her ground, determined to do her duty as a big sister.
“Ok,” Kit agreed as she sat up and lifted her arms. “Thank you,” she said, her mind groggy, unsure if it was all a dream.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Hazel nodded and focused on the task at hand; grabbing the hem of Kit's shirt, she pulled it off the girl in one swift motion and flung it across the room as though she was dealing with a hot potato. " Ugh." She groaned and shuddered, instinctively reaching out and placing a steading hand on Kit's shoulder as the girl dropped her arms and swayed. " You ok with me putting a dry shirt over that wet bra, or you need that off too?" She asked in a concerned tone, doing her best to keep her mind focused on helping and not freaking out about being near another person that wasn't Jade.
“It’s wet. I don’t like wet. Wait,” Kit, in her grogginess, giggled like an immature teenage boy. “Off, please.”
Confused, Hazel blinked at the girl a little. " But you told me to wait, so you do want it off? Or you don't?" She tried to clarify, glancing around the room to find something that might help her accomplish her task.
“Off yucky wet.” Kit said, shaking her head, “Off, please,” much like she used to talk as a child, her brain mush.
" Right, yeah." Hazel gave a determined nod and looked her sister over thoughtfully for a moment before glancing towards her bathroom. " Right, ok, so stay here." She instructed redundantly, letting go of Kit's shoulder- forgetting she was steadying the girl -and quickly retrieved a robe from her bathroom. "Here this is...Shit, Kit... I'm sorry." She winced, realizing she'd let the girl fall back on the bed. " Fuck, I'm so bad at this; look, I got you a soft robe; you just gotta sit up for me again, ok?" She urged, setting the robe down beside her sister and, against her natural inclination to avoid touch whenever possible, offered Kit her hand.
“A Robe?” Kit chirped in a high-pitched tone. “Shiiiit… you dropped me for a robe?” she asked in a drunk-sounding voice.
Looking a little sheepish, Hazel glanced at the item in question. " Uh, a really soft robe?" She offered awkwardly as she brought her hand up to the back of her neck, rubbing it lightly. " I'm sorry, but the bed isn't hard, so you didn't get hurt or whatever; I'm just trying to help you, and you're being impossible." She added with a small frown as she shuffled to stand closer to the head of the bed so Kit would be facing away from her when she sat up again. " Let's try again. You sit up and take the bra off, and I'll help you pull a sports bra on from back here." She suggested, happy with her plan to preserve her sister's privacy while also accomplishing their goal.
“I am bery, bery possible. Only you and Jade think I’m impo… possible,” Kit pouted sitting up, her head weighing forward.
"Hmm, you're such a pain in the ass," Hazel muttered softly as she watched her sister, a fond smile taking over her features for the smallest moment as she reached forward and grabbed the younger girl's shoulder again, deciding to fully ignore her own discomfort in favor of helping her sibling. "Can you get it off on your own? I can help you pull the new one on, but I'm not sure I can get yours undone; my hands..." She trailed off with a deep sigh, frustrated that she couldn't do even the most basic tasks at times; despite countless hours of working on things like dexterity, it had only helped a little; she still struggled in situations when she was already overwhelmed or on a time clock.
Tilting her head back, Kit smiled at her sister, who shook her head in response, barely containing her own amused smile. “I got it… don’t worry, Aze; I can always help,” she assured confidently and removed the bra. “Wooooo,” she exclaimed, spinning it over her head in a helicopter motion. “Oh, uh..." Hazel held up a finger in protest, wincing as Kit let go of the bra, sending it flying across the room, where it hit and slid down a wall with a wet thud. Hazel supposed she couldn't really blame Kit; she herself had flung the girl's shirt away, but now that she was thinking about it, she wasn't looking forward to picking up the wet items later. The disorganization of it all had her skin prickling more uncomfortably than it already was under her own soaked and heavy clothes. Hearing a quiet voice ask, “Where am I?” she dragged her eyes away from the discarded clothing item and down to Kit, who was looking around with a very confused expression, and sighed, not ready to answer the girl's question. "Thanks," Hazel spoke instead, choosing to only acknowledge the girl's assistance as she grabbed the robe and wrapped it around Kit's shoulders. "Here, put your arms through; we'll get your pants and stuff off and dry you under this. Then we'll get the new clothes on," Hazel explained, having already devised a plan.
“Okay, cool, thanks, Azel.” Kit tried to look at the person next to her. “Are you real? Cause if this is a dream, it’s a cruel dream,” she said in a sad tone.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel shook her head to herself, still standing just behind Kit's shoulder. " Arms through, please." She instructed softly, tapping the girl's shoulder to get her to put her arms through the robe.
“Arms through,” Kit said as she looked at her sister. “You’re not real… I wish you were.” She said as she started to cry.
Feeling her heart constrict, Hazel clenched her jaw and reached around the younger girl to pull the robe closed for her, tying it loosely around her waist before grabbing her legs and spinning her so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. " Come on, Kit, up." She sighed, patting her shoulders to indicate for Kit to hold onto her, reminding herself she'd picked up Lili and drug Kit out of the pool; she could do this one task for her sister correctly.
“It feels real…” Kit said, holding onto the girl. “I’m not even mad Jade kissed you if you’re real,” she said honestly. “Why am I wet? Is it raining?”
At Kit's words, Hazel's eyes darted to meet her sister's, feeling suddenly even more guilty than she already had. " I'll explain later, but for now... Up." She muttered, heaved the younger girl to a standing position, and double-checked that the robe was fully closed. "OK, can you get your pants and stuff off? The robe will keep you covered and warm, and I can help keep you standing,” she offered, trying to figure out the best way to accomplish their goal.
“OK, here,” Kit said, removing her pants and underpants and wiggling out of them at the legs. “All done,” she announced, almost falling, causing Hazel to tighten her grip on the girl's waist a bit.
" Good, almost done. " Hazel sighed in relief as she sat Kit back down and ran her hands up and down Kit's arms over the robe quickly to try and warm her up. " Feel better?" She asked gently.
“Yes. Thanks,” Kit said as she wobbled from side to side. “That’s nice.”
" I'm glad." Hazel sighed, bringing her hand up close to Kit's face for a moment, tempted to brush the hair out of the girl's eyes, but finding it was one thing she couldn't quite manage, dropping it back to the girl's shoulder instead. " Right now, you kinda look like you did when we were thirteen." She spoke fondly, ducking her head to try and get a better look at her sister's face, letting herself absorb just how much she'd missed the girl over the years, something she hadn't acknowledged to herself in a long time.
“Yeah? Well… You too!” Kit joked. “But how’d you get the scar? That wasn’t there!” she asked, touching her sister’s scar. “You’re very handsome.”
Flinching at the touch, Hazel cast her eyes downward and stood up straight. " Doesn't matter. Can you manage to sit on your own for a moment without falling?" She asked tensely.
“Yes, sorry,” Kit said, feeling bad about the scar. “I'm sorry for asking; I just… It was rude; I just want to know you.”
" Look in a mirror." Hazel shot back bitterly as she retrieved a sports bra and pair of boxer briefs for her sister and tossed them at the girl unceremoniously. " There, sorry, we have different tastes." She muttered, looking anywhere but at her sister.
“These are cute. Azel… Please forgive me,” she said as she put on the underwear. “Oooh, comfy too. Maybe I should switch to these”
" Yeah... they're comfortable, more covering," Hazel muttered quietly, starting to feel a little bad for snapping at her sister. " You seem to be more awake, you feeling better?" She asked carefully.
“Not sure… dizzy still and don’t feel my muscles well, what happened?” Kit asked, looking at her sister, feeling a bit disoriented
" I'll tell you later, for now just finish getting dressed. I can help you if you need, but we should hurry... You're probably not gonna be awake for too long, there were tranquilizers in your drink." Hazel explained quietly, looking down as she let herself truly absorb what had happened.
“Oh no…” Kit exclaimed softly as she looked over and finished getting dressed. “All done,” she said with a smile. “How long was I out?” She asked as she started closing her eyes again, feeling drowsy.
" It's probably been about thirty minutes," Hazel answered with a concerned frown, noting the absence of the paramedics. "You should rest." She suggested, her gaze lingering on her sister, taking in the sight of Kit in her clothes, a mirror image of herself in almost every aspect, same dark hair, same strong jawline and high cheekbones, same perfectly white teeth, everything all the same, except, as she met her sister's equally blue eyes she came to a realization: that it hadn't been a darkness in Kit she'd seen in her own reflection that first day she'd taken her place, but in herself. It had never been her resemblance to Kit that made her flinch; it was the parts of herself she still saw shining through, the stuff she couldn't tolerate and wrongly cast onto Kit. Looking into her sister's eyes, she saw nothing but love and kindness, nothing like she imagined, and she had to look away. " I'll wait outside now." She spoke softly and motioned toward the door before turning to leave.
“Azel,” Kit called with her eyes closed. “I’m glad you’re real.” She smiled big and let the sleep take over.
" Hmm, that makes one of us," Hazel mumbled to herself. She watched the younger girl for a moment longer before pulling the door shut with a soft click and resting her forehead against it.
“Is she ok?” Jade asked from where she'd been waiting, leaning against the opposite wall.
" She's dressed in dry clothes and resting. She seems okay considering." Hazel replied simply, not wanting to talk very much. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on the wall opposite Jade, looking off to the side as she reflected on the events of the last thirty minutes. Noting how cold and wet she still was, she felt it was worth it to make Kit comfortable.
Recognizing that the girl was still drenched, Jade took the initiative to step in. "You're still soaked. Go get yourself dry. Do you like soup?" Jade inquired softly.
" My bathroom is in there, so are my clothes. I don't want to disturb her again. I'll be fine." Hazel replied softly, gesturing towards the room she'd just exited. She glanced at the floor, wincing at the puddle forming at her feet. The sensation of wet clothes against her skin was something she loathed, especially the squelch of wet socks and shoes. However, she reassured herself that enduring it was worth it; she could deal with the fallout later.
"She'll sleep like a log for a long time. Go get some clothes; I'll make us soup," Jade spoke openly as she swung the door open. "Please, or I will go get them myself," she asserted, emphasizing her willingness to assist the girl.
Rolling her head to the side dramatically, Hazel cast her eyes at the room and gave Jade a disgruntled look. " Seriously? You could wake her,” she whispered sharply. “Look, I… I'm okay; I'm already in it. If I change clothes, the temperature difference, the contrast, it might be too much right now, and I really need to keep my head about me," she explained in a somewhat embarrassed tone.
"Okay, but I don’t want you to get sick," Jade said, expressing genuine concern. She swiftly grabbed a towel from a nearby bathroom and wrapped Hazel in it, running her hands over the material around Hazel's arms to warm her up. "Okay, soup then?" she proposed, trying to provide a comforting suggestion.
"I... K,” Hazel muttered, slightly startled by the woman's sudden proximity and the way the pressure on her arms was making the water squeeze out of her sweatshirt and run down her hands unpleasantly. She knew Jade was just trying to help, so she kept her mouth shut, much like she'd learned to do with Lili. She was back in her own home now; she could do a better job of hiding her discomforts.
Noticing the slightest flinch from Hazel, Jade stopped moving her hands and spoke softly. “Sorry, I’m making it worse. I don’t want to, and you don’t have to accept that,” she said gently as she moved her hands away. “Soup, yup, soup. Come on,” she encouraged, trying to shift the focus.
" It's fine, Jade. It's not a big deal. I can handle it." Hazel grumbled defiantly, not fond of the pity she thought she heard in Jade's voice. “You should call 911 again; it's been way too long," she pointed out, not moving from the wall.
“Yes, I know you can, but you can’t stop me from worrying. Also, I noticed they were taking a while, so I called while you were with her. It seems they were told it was a prank call, and they got sent away,” Jade explained. She then curiously asked, looking down, “Can you show me the way to the kitchen?” She felt bad for making the girl grumble; clearly, she had messed up.
"Hmm... Good you called them back," Hazel acknowledged with a nod, silently seething that they'd been sent away. “I'm seriously fine, Jade," she continued in a clipped tone, glancing at the door to her room. She was not willing to admit it, but she didn't want to leave her sister alone. She knew all too well what it was like to wake up in a room you didn't recognize, all alone and scared.
“Okay, I'll find it and bring it over. It's nonsense not to eat,” Jade said, getting an idea of why Hazel was reluctant. "Paramedics should be here shortly."
"Right," Hazel mumbled simply, hugging herself a little tighter as she stared at the ground. She made a mental note to take a shower when the paramedics got there, wanting to avoid them seeing her neck and insisting on checking her out, too.
“Are you okay? I know you’re not comfortable, but physically, is everything okay?” Jade asked with genuine concern, considering Hazel's well-being amidst the sounds of an approaching ambulance.
" Mhm, I'm fine, Jade." Hazel muttered as her eyes darted towards one of the many windows that dotted the hall. “I'm gonna go grab that shower now," she informed urgently, pushing off the wall and entering her room to collect a change of clothes.
“Okay, I’ll let them in,” Jade said, swiftly coordinating with Sorsha via text message, utilizing the in-flight wifi available to Sorsha to ensure prompt communication.
" The front door is just down the stairs to the right, through that first hall," Hazel called to the woman before disappearing into her bathroom and starting the very slow and miserable process of peeling off all the layers of soaking wet clothing, shuddering uncontrollably almost the entire time. As predicted, the temperature change and the mere act of having to deal with drenched clothes nearly sent Hazel into a meltdown. She paced the bathroom for a few moments, trying to collect her thoughts long enough to make her executive function kick in and show her how to pick up the mess of wet clothes and get them laid out to dry in a way that wouldn't hinder her or make a mess. With a loud groan, she eventually gave up, opting to hop in the shower and deal with the issue later, another thing that had her nearly crawling the walls with discomfort, hating having to put anything off until later.
It would take another hour and a half before she was finally calm enough to leave the bathroom, dressed in a new pair of blue jeans and a simple white t-shirt, hair still wet and in her eyes, but everything else dry enough she felt like a person again. She'd opted to lay her wet clothes out over the tub and just not look at them, contemplating just throwing them away to get rid of the problem but deciding against it in the end, at least for the moment.
Jade sat next to Kit, watching her breathe in and out. They had given her fluids to flush out the medicine and lessen the sleepiness, but they decided a trip to the hospital wasn’t warranted since she could rest—at least until Sorsha got there. Jade wanted to tell Hazel to pack what she could, but she understood things needed to be delicately talked through.
" She alright?" Hazel asked, jerking her chin towards her sister as she leaned against the doorframe to the bathroom.
“Yeah, she’s gonna be fine. They gave some fluids, but her lungs are clear, thanks to you and her vitals are stable.” Jade spoke and nodded towards the desk “Got you a sandwich. Eat something. She’s okay”.
Deciding it couldn't hurt to eat, Hazel nodded and retrieved the sandwich, discreetly checking under the bread to ensure nothing was on it that she couldn't stomach. "Thanks," she mumbled, lifting the plate in thanks after confirming it was safe to eat.
"Of course, no mayo. Mustard and other sauces, okay," Jade nodded, understanding Hazel's preferences. She glanced at her phone before asking, "How long do you think it will be safe for us to stay here?"
Stopping mid-bite, Hazel looked up at the woman and shrugged. " I guess once she's sure the house didn't blow up, she might send somebody back to check it out... maybe til tomorrow morning,” she reasoned after swallowing her bite. " Look, I'm glad she's ok, but you two should probably head out soon, just in case she comes back earlier," Hazel spoke up, placing her empty plate back on her desk and watching the woman.
“So… I was hoping you would come with us; I made a reservation at the castle hotel and spa,” Jade implored, looking at Hazel with pleading eyes.
" Jade..." Hazel started softly, her shoulders sagging a bit. " This is my home; I don't know anything else. I don't fit in with you all anymore, and I'm comfortable here; I have everything I need." She answered carefully, motioning around her room to indicate her things.
“You don’t have us,” Jade pointed out, motioning to Kit.
" No, and I haven't for fifteen years. I've been ok, Jade." Hazel replied in a somber tone.
Wanting to avoid an escalation, Jade decided to take it down a notch. "Okay, we'll leave soon, but we still have to wait until they message me about the room, so for now, we'll stay," Jade said, trying not to dwell on Hazel's chilly demeanor. "Tell me a few things about yourself." She implored. "Kit said you wear cool underwear," she continued, her nervous tendency to overshare earning a horrified look from Hazel. "Now, don’t worry, the paramedics had already left," she reassured quickly, trying desperately to fix her error. "She woke up a few minutes before you got out of the bathroom."
Sighing deeply, Hazel shook her head. " Awesome, glad she's telling you 'bout my underwear." She huffed and shot her sleeping sister an irritated look. "There's nothing to really tell Jade... I suppose cool underwear is about as interesting as I get." She shrugged, disinterested in herself as she collected the plate and left the room.
Jade got up and followed her around. “I bet there’s much more than that,” She said as she looked at Hazel. “Your style is amazing, for one.” She complimented, taking a moment to admire the woman’s retreating form before continuing to follow.
Glancing down at her outfit, Hazel shook her head and bounded down the stairs as quickly as possible, one hand on the railing to ensure she wouldn't stumble. " Jeans and a t-shirt don't qualify as style Jade." She shot back on her way to the kitchen. " I studied a lot and work out like I already told you. I swim... and sometimes I dabble a little with guitar, that's about it." She listed off with a deep sigh as she started washing her plate, embarrassed to admit most of her life had been spent resenting her family and plotting revenge with Lili, and she really didn't care to share any of the important details.
Jade smiled and hopped up on the counter, “You play the guitar?” she asked, almost immediately swooning.
" Hey, get down from there." Hazel snapped, eyes flicking to Jade sharply with a mix of anger and fear, pausing with the dish only half-washed.
“Oh? You don’t sit on the counter anymore?” Jade asked as she jumped down quickly. “Sorry. We loved to do that when we were kids.”
" Yeah, well, we're adults, and we weren't trained properly,” Hazel shot back with a sneer. She aggressively finished washing her plate and slammed it into the drying rack in irritation as she retrieved a dish towel.
“Sorry, Hazel, I got excited about you playing the guitar. I kinda want to ask you to play something for me,” Jade said, looking remorseful, hoping to get the girl to open up and show more of who she was.
" I don't play for others, just for me,” Hazel replied simply, drying the plate and putting it away. “Look, I don't want to talk, okay? You and Kit should go." She spoke clearly, wanting them gone before Sorsha showed up.
“I’m not an other…” Jade said, feeling hurt by the girl’s cold rebuke.
“Hazel? Hazel!” Kit called from the room, the terrified sound traveling down to Hazel and Jade, prompting Hazel to drop the dish towel she'd been holding and bolt back up the stairs, taking them two at a time without much care for herself. " Kit... it's ok." She called in a reassuring tone, making it to her sister in less than thirty seconds. " What happened? Are you hurt? What's wrong?" She asked in a worried tone, eyes scanning Kit quickly for any sign of injury.
“She tried to drown you!” Kit said, crying and hugging her sister tightly.
" Ah, Kit..." Hazel exclaimed, holding her arms straight out uncomfortably as her sister clung to her. Too taken off guard to know how to react, she was also a little afraid of what would happen if she gave in and finally hugged her sister. She wasn't sure she could handle the reality it would force her to face. " Kit, I'm fine... you can let go now," she assured.
“Are you? Fine?" Kit asked, looking up at Hazel, checking closely, noticing the deep purple bruise on her neck and her bloodshot eyes. “You don’t look all fine. There’s a bruise. Did she do this? I'm going to kill her!” She said, huffing as Jade showed up and motioned from behind Hazel to tone it down. “Sorry for the hug. I had a dream, and she was after you, trying to hurt you… and I lost you again,” She apologized, letting go of Hazel.
" It's just a bruise, Kit; it's nothing bad,” Hazel replied softly, very disconnected from her own injuries. " I'm just not great at hugging, I'm sure you remember." She muttered, looking away, feeling bad for the lame excuse.
“It’s a big bruise, your voice is raspy, your voice isn’t raspy… and yes, I remember Azel… I remember everything,” Kit said in a sweet tone, hoping her sister remembered something from their past, closing her hands to avoid throwing her arms around her sister again.
" Heh, my voice kinda is raspy now actually," Hazel admitted with a sheepish shrug, another reminder of how things had changed over the years.
“You told me you’d tell me what happened. Can you tell me now?” Kit asked, confused and small. Kit was all bravado. Hazel was her big sister; she truly listened to her. She was the only way to control Kit at times, evident in the way Kit ran rampant in Hazel’s absence.
" Hmm, I thought that stuff would wipe your memory." Hazel quipped and gave her sister a slightly annoyed look. " Lili... she thought you and Sorsha were the ones who had me taken, thought you both wanted me dead, so I guess when she saw you, she... she tried to kill you. She drugged your drink, and I guess she convinced you to go swimming with her or something. When I found you, you were..." She trailed off, tears filling her eyes despite her efforts to control her emotions. " I thought you were dead, Kit... I... I've never been so scared in my life." She admitted, voice breaking as she looked down at her fidgeting hands, trying desperately to keep herself from hugging the younger girl.K
it observed how easily Hazel could justify Lili's motives, feeling enraged at the woman's hold on her sister. “I’m glad… you saved me… I just remember I had the phone so Jade could hear and record us. And that Lili; she gave me hot chocolate.” she recounted matter-of-factly, glancing at Jade, who pressed play on the recording, as Kit reached for Hazel's hand. She was horrified by the older twin's willingness to make excuses for the woman who had terrorized them both. The woman who had attempted to end her life.
Glancing down at Kit's hand, Hazel smiled softly and shifted her eyes to Jade, listening to what the woman was playing for a moment. However, her smile quickly faded as she registered what she was listening to. " No, stop it... please stop it." She pleaded, yanking her hand away from Kit's as she covered her ears and rocked where she stood. " Please just stop." She sobbed, finally breaking down completely as she was forced to face the harsh truth. The woman she thought cared for her like a mother, whom she'd grown to trust implicitly, had actually attempted to kill her, nearly succeeding in murdering her sister. Hazel grappled with the reality that she could have reached out to her family at any time rather than harboring resentment and hatred toward them. She lamented the lost years, wishing she had been more discerning.
Jade paused the recording and enveloped Hazel in a tight embrace from behind, utilizing the same comforting technique that had always calmed Hazel in the past. She hummed softly into the girl's ear, exerting gentle pressure until her screams subsided. "It doesn't matter what happened before today. Thank you for fighting back and getting out of the pool," Jade said as she continued to hug and rock Hazel while Kit attempted to mimic a calming noise.
"No, no... I'm so stupid, I'm so fucking stupid!” Hazel shrieked, pounding her head with relentless force, oblivious to her surroundings as she fought against Jade's hold, nearly kicking her sister. Her sole fixation was the dreadful sinking sensation in her stomach and the unsettling way she didn't feel quite right in her own skin, just wanting to rid herself of it and escape the pain of existing in it.
“You’re Absolutely not!” Kit managed to stand from her place on the bed and hugged the girl with Jade, so she was embraced in a tight squeeze from both sides. Kit held on as tight as she could, like bracing for a rodeo. “Mmmm,” she whispered and hummed and rocked with the other women.
" No, please, it hurts... it hurts so bad." Hazel cried, struggling but not as hard, her breathing starting to calm a little as she gave into the fact she couldn't really move, accepting the comfort it brought. " It hurts." She repeated tearfully, leaning back into Jade heavily.
“It doesn’t have to hurt anymore,” Kit said. “I will never let anyone hurt you like that again,” she assured as she continued to hold on. “We got you, and you got us, okay?” she soothed while Jade hummed in the girl’s ear.
" It always hurts." Hazel choked out between a couple of gasping breaths. She closed her eyes and, for a moment, focused on Jade's humming, finding it comforting.
Jade kept humming and gave the girl a tighter squeeze, pulling them all back towards the bed. She made them all lay down, providing more comfort and points of pressure for Hazel. “What does?" she asked quietly in between hums. Oh, sweet Hazey!
" E-Everything. M-my ch--chest." Hazel whimpered and pushed herself back against Jade extra hard as though trying to burrow into the woman.
Jade moved them so she had her back against the wall, allowing Hazel to lean as close and tight as possible. “Do this with me; breathe in for four, hold for four, exhale for four. Ready?”
" Mhm." Hazel nodded and followed the woman's instructions, silently berating herself for losing control and needing Jade's help. Tears came harder as she remembered needing Jade just a couple of nights before and being all alone to deal with her meltdown.
Jade pulled her tighter. “You’re doing great. Hmm, now let’s do it again, and I'm sorry for all the times I couldn’t be there for you, that we couldn’t be with you,” she added gently, feeling sorrow, guilt, and a genuine desire to make the girl feel better. “Now one… two... three… four.”
Squeezing her eyes shut tighter, Hazel nodded and did as she was told, taking deep breaths with Jade until she eventually fell asleep in the woman's arms, emotionally and physically exhausted.
~
Having been assured the house was secure, Sorsha let herself in with the key Jade left outside for her and followed the woman's instructions up to Hazel's room, where she found Hazel wrapped in Jade's arms with Kit asleep in front of her. She gave Jade a worried look but refrained from saying anything for the moment, not wanting to wake them up just yet, knowing they had to be exhausted. "They're asleep." She whispered, glancing back at Elora with a finger to her lips, indicating to be quiet.
“So what do we do? Don’t we have to remove them from here?” Elora asked carefully, peeking into the room and seeing Jade firmly holding Hazel, Jade’s back against the wall. She felt a surge of emotion that resembled jealousy in her chest. You don’t even know this girl! Why? There’s no need. You're here for her mom, be smart! She thought as she finally noticed Kit sandwiching Hazel, snoring away. Elora's gaze darted nervously from side to side, half-expecting to be startled at any moment.
"Soon, but we'll let them sleep for a few more minutes while my people sweep the house for any evidence of what's occurred here. We'll leave shortly." Sorsha assured in a quiet voice.
Chapter 11: Chapter 11
Summary:
We pick up where we left off. High emotions, an introduction, and an overnight stay. Mama bear to the rescue!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
Sorsha let the girls sleep for another thirty minutes before gently shaking Hazel's shoulder. "Hazel, sweetie, it's time to wake up." She called soothingly, resisting the urge to reach out and wipe away the tear stains marking her daughter's face as the girl blinked blue eyes open slowly, startling a bit before seeming to recognize where she was and settling back down with an almost fearful and wary look. "Hey there, sleepy head." Sorsha smiled affectionately, glancing at Kit as she stirred a little, knowing it was best not to watch Hazel too closely, having been briefed by Elora on the best way to deal with somebody who'd been traumatized.
After a moment, Hazel finally wriggled out of Jade's arms and sat up slowly, watching her mother with the same wary look the whole time as if she was trying to figure her out. Unbothered, Sorsha continued to speak in soothing tones, recounting how much she'd missed the girl, how happy she was to finally see her again, and how proud of her she was, only briefly glossing over how thankful she was the girl had saved Kit, afraid if she made a huge deal of it, Hazel could interpret it wrong. The entire time she spoke, Hazel remained quiet as though unmoved, the unshed tears shining brightly in her eyes being the only indication of her true emotions, ones the young woman seemed to be struggling hard to contain, as though she was afraid to show them. " Hey, it's ok to cry... can I have a hug?" Sorsha asked gently, opening her arms for the girl.
" I'm twenty-eight." Hazel shot back defiantly, using a tone that normally would have stung, but Sorsha understood and just gave the young woman a patient smile in return, throwing Hazel off. It was really hard to hate a woman who was being so kind.
"Yes, and age doesn't change the fact that you're my child; neither does time or distance. You will always be my child, no matter how old you get or how far away you live... Age also doesn't change the fact you're allowed to have emotions and feel them deeply," Sorsha firmly asserted, scooting a little closer as she reached up and dried a tear off the girl's cheek. "And show them," she continued in a soft, knowing tone, pulling Hazel into a tight hug as the girl broke down in tears again, clinging to her mother as though her life depended on it. "That's it... I've got you now, my perfect girl," she whispered, kissing the side of the girl's head and rocking her as she allowed herself to cry as well, her eyes falling on Kit, who had woken up at some point and was watching with a small child-like expression, looking a little unsure. "Come here, sweet girl," Sorsha spoke, opening an arm for Kit to join the hug.
Kit's heart throbbed with pain as she moved closer to her mother and sister, seeking comfort in her mother's arms. She felt an overwhelming urge to envelop her sister tightly, shielding her from the world. The sound of Hazel's tears cut deep, each sob a dagger to her heart. Holding onto her family, Kit whispered words of affirmation, reassuring them of their safety. Glancing at Jade, she felt a twinge of resentment, then buried herself in her mom's shoulder, her cries filling the room.
Unsure of how to accept Kit's affection now that she was thinking clearly, Hazel whined softly and burrowed closer to her mother. " Kit, you're squishing me." She groaned in an irritated tone, causing Sorsha to lightly smack the back of her head playfully.
"Oh, hush, we haven't been able to squish you in fifteen years; you can handle five minutes." Sorsha admonished affectionately, smiling at the small grumble she received in return, knowing the girl wasn't really in any distress. Finally, she gave her full attention to Kit, pulled her youngest closer, and kissed the top of her head. Feeling her resolve start to crumble, she allowed herself to think about what had almost happened. " And you..." She started, catching Kit under the chin to make the girl look at her. " Don't you ever do something like this ever again, do you understand me? If I'd lost you today..." She trailed off, eyes burning.
"I wanted to talk to her, to save her mom… she was gone because I forgot my stupid book," Kit admitted what she truly believed to be the truth, her eyes darting between her sister and her mom, tears streaming down her face. "I won't make that mistake again."
"You could have gotten yourself killed!" Sorsha scolded, her anger flaring the more she thought about it. The relief of Hazel being safe wore off until all she was left with was the thought of how reckless Kit had been with her own life. "Do you think so little of your own life? Do you not know that losing you would kill me? You’ve been the only thing that's kept me alive these past fifteen years; I knew I couldn't leave you, Kit. I never once blamed you for what happened, not once. Do you hear me?" She continued, still holding the girl's chin, her grip tightening ever so slightly, needing the girl to understand how serious the situation was. "I know I haven't been the mother you needed. I've been a ghost of the woman I wanted to be, and I have failed to tell you how proud of you I am and how much I love you; that changes today. I love you, Kit; I love both of you so much." She finished, relinquishing her grip on the girl's chin and pulling her back into a tight hug as she held her daughters, not ready to let go.
Kit gazed at her mom, fresh tears streaming down her face at the woman’s revelation. Her mom had endured so much suffering, and seeing her regain her strength was a relief. “For saving her, it would've been worth it,” Kit declared, turning to Hazel and squeezing her shoulder firmly. “I know you’ve been in pain, Mommy. I just wanted to help; I wanted to bring her back to us. I couldn’t give up on her, on our family,” she continued, addressing one issue at a time and deliberately avoiding thoughts of the unsettling words she'd heard earlier or acknowledging Jade's presence.
"Without you, this family would have remained broken, Kit. I would have lost one to gain another. Your life isn't something to bargain with; I need both of my girls," Sorsha replied emphatically, pulling Kit's head against her other shoulder as she took a deep breath. Silently, she thanked the universe for reuniting her family, though a sharp pang of sorrow pierced her heart at the absence of the girls' father, a loss that would never be reconciled. She pushed the thought away and forced herself to focus on the miracle rather than the anger she felt towards Lili still being free. While Sorsha wasn't a violent woman, every part of her wished Hazel had left Lili in that pool.
Considering the woman's words, Kit nodded, though deep down, she knew their family would never be whole again. “Daddy…” Kit murmured, looking at her mom with a mixture of sadness and resignation evident in her expression.
"He's here, Kitten. He lives in both of you, and he's so happy right now." Sorsha soothed using the nickname her husband often used for their youngest, brushing hair out of the girl's eyes. "And he's very proud of you both." She whispered, turning her attention to Hazel with a sad smile as the girl cried harder at her words.
Kit hugged Hazel tighter, feeling the weight of their family's past and the absence of their father. She saw the shadow of who her father was before he disappeared, glimpses of the sadness and despair in his eyes. Holding onto Hazel, she acknowledged the truth in her mother's words, knowing the difficulties they faced in the years without their father. Nodding, she summoned her strength for both her mom and sister. “He loved us so intensely. I want to be like him,” she said, her voice filled with determination. She glanced at Jade briefly - who smiled faintly in return - before continuing, “Azel… you’ll never feel alone again if I can help it. I’ll be like a teddy bear,” she added, recalling a comforting childhood game their father used to play with them.
Not missing the look Kit had given Jade, Sorsha sighed softly and smiled at her daughter. "You're so much like him, Kit... You have his spirit, his unwavering loyalty, his ability to love fiercely, and most of all, his kindness; you're the best of him." She assured and mouthed. ' She's just overwhelmed.' afraid Kit would be hurt by Hazel's lack of response, the older girl just continuing to cry softly to herself.
Kit nodded resolutely, reflecting on the past and looking towards a future where her family was reunited. “I… mean… it,” she spoke quietly.
Hearing her sister's broken tone, Hazel finally managed to look at her sister. "I know." She replied quietly, her voice cracking with emotion and the struggle to form words. "Thank you." She added with a small sigh, knowing the words weren't right; nothing felt quite right. Wanting to show some sort of affection, Hazel kissed the tips of her fingers and pressed them to Kit's cheek carefully in the way she'd learned to do, watching her sister with an expectant and apologetic look.
Feeling the girl’s touch, Kit immediately stopped crying and smiled big at her sister, knowing Hazel was bursting with feelings she couldn’t express well. “Th..thank you. I love you too.”
Relieved that her message had gotten across, Hazel let a shy smile take over her features and nodded silently, feeling like she couldn't articulate any words at that moment.
Jade let her tears fall freely as she observed the family reunion, a smile gracing her lips as she felt thankful that things had turned out well. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut.
Once Kit’s sobs subsided, Elora peeked into the room and asked, “Hey… is it okay if I join you now?”
"Yes, please, come on in." Sorsha welcomed, letting go of her daughters long enough to motion the woman into the room. Hazel turned to see who had spoken and quickly hid her face against Sorsha's shoulder as soon as she recognized Elora, humiliated by how she'd acted the last time she'd seen the woman.
"Hi, Hazel," Elora greeted softly as she stood beside the three women, maintaining a modest distance to avoid startling them. A small smile played on her lips as she spoke. "Kit," she nodded in acknowledgment when Kit turned to her, then directed her attention to Sorsha.
"What's she doing here?" Kit asked as she eyed Elora suspiciously, confused by her presence.
"Don't be rude," Sorsha warned, giving Kit a knowing look. She knew how her daughter could be and knew Kit couldn't stand Elora. “She's here because she's good at her job, and everybody here could use extra support." She explained, casting a pointed look down to Hazel—who hummed softly to herself, face still hidden against Sorsha’s shoulder—hoping Kit understood the need for mental support.
"Funny, I didn't know she was on everyone's speed dial," Kit remarked, her tone tinged with sarcasm as she glanced at Jade, who shrugged and rotated her hands upward in a "beats me" motion, indicating her lack of knowledge about Elora's presence.
"Like I said, she's good at what she does. I've spoken to her many times over the years." Sorsha admitted, giving Elora a thankful look.
Kit shot her mom a look, a sense of betrayal creeping into her expression. "You never bothered mentioning Danan unless it was for some social gathering with Graydon, ugh," she remarked with clear disdain.
" Yes, well... I had hoped maybe you'd become friends. I knew you'd never talk to anybody." Sorsha admitted in a somewhat guilty tone, having encouraged Elora to try and get to know Kit at one point, knowing the girl never took care of her mental health. Her plan had backfired spectacularly. Kit disliked Elora immediately, refusing to be little more than barely pleasant any of the times the young doctor had so much as spoken to her.
Kit fixed Elora with an untrusting gaze, her suspicions running deep as she silently questioned the woman's intentions, unwilling to let her guard down.
Looking around the room, Elora quickly saw how much suppression had been in Hazel’s life. She looked at Jade and silently asked her if she was okay. She received a thumbs up; nodding and looking back at the three women on the bed, she saw Kit staring at her, skeptical. She looked at her with pleading eyes, silently asking for Kit to let her try. Receiving a curt nod from the younger twin, who clearly followed her mom’s instructions, “Hazel, I wanted to apologize for our last encounter; I hope you forgive me for being rude to you,” Elora apologized. “I’d like to properly meet you if that’s ok?” she said carefully, knowing that this moment had both girls almost in a regressive state; they looked younger in their mom’s arms.
"No, thank you,” Hazel mumbled against Sorsha's shoulder and shook her head. Sorsha gave Elora an apologetic and embarrassed smile before narrowing her eyes at Hazel.
"Hey, that goes for you too. Don't be rude." Sorsha scolded, honestly a little bit surprised by Hazel's childish behavior.
"I wasn't trying to be rude; I said no thank you,” Hazel replied in a confused tone, earning a deep sigh from her mother. The older woman had no idea what to do. She was afraid to get too pushy but also desperately wanted the girl to have somebody to talk to, understanding the need for mental support after such a terrible ordeal.
"It's okay," Elora replied simply, her voice quiet, her tone warm and friendly. Attempting to break the ice. "Well, I'll just reintroduce myself. Elora here. You know I'm friends with Graydon Hastur, but I also went to school with Jade... my unpolished gem," she said, directing a warm smile at Jade, who responded with a warning glance. Elora faltered, realizing that Hazel might already be aware of their connection. "Well, I guess you learned that when we were dancing. Anyway, here's something new: I'm terrified of jellyfish. I mean, what are they? Jelly? Fish? They're so cute and so dangerous," she continued, attempting to lighten the mood with a bit of self-deprecating humor. What's going on? I'm a professional and phenomenal at my job, but I can't talk to a woman. she reflected internally, feeling slightly flustered by the situation.
Kit looked at Elora with a raised eyebrow. "Really? Is this how you do small talk with your patients?" she questioned, her tone edged with sarcasm and disbelief, unimpressed by Elora's attempt at conversation.
Hearing Jellyfish, Hazel's ears perked, and she reluctantly glanced over at the woman, watching her for a moment before she couldn't resist any longer. "Jellyfish, or simply Jellies, are the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, which is a major part of the phylum Cnidaria." She spoke up, giving the Wikipedia definition of her favorite sea creature. "They're Invertebrate and are most closely related to corals, sea anemones, sea whips, and hydrozoans. They're super cool and really misunderstood; in fact, jellyfish are one of the most misunderstood creatures of the sea; they have a reputation for being dangerous because of myths about how they are and their sting. Jellyfish don't attack humans; they can barely push themselves along in the water; they mostly just drift with the current, and contrary to the belief that they swim underwater waiting for their prey, they stay close to the surface, which makes them easy to identify and avoid.” She continued to explain studiously, excited to get to talk about one of her passions. “Also, just touching their body doesn't harm you; you have to actually touch a tentacle. People are just dumb and hate anything they don't understand." She finished sadly and then looked down, realizing she'd let herself get carried away. Angry, she gripped her forearm, pinching hard.
"So they’re not dangerous? Just cute?" Elora asked, surprised that jellyfish got Hazel talking, observing the self-harm and quickly trying to get her to talk. "I like to learn about things I don’t understand. Don’t want to misjudge the jellyfish," she added in a very interested tone, hoping to keep the conversation going and distract Hazel from her distress.
Loosening her grip on her arm a bit, Hazel glanced back up and nodded. " They can be dangerous, but not intentionally, and some aren't at all, and yes, super cute and fascinating, really." She spoke in a slightly less eager tone, trying to curb her enthusiasm, embarrassed by it. "It's good you want to learn about things you don't understand; that's different than most people." She observed quietly as she watched the other woman with curious eyes, taking a moment to really look at her. The lighting in the club hadn't made it very easy to actually look at the woman properly, and the two other times she'd seen her, she'd been too focused on selling herself as Kit, but now she noticed the girl was pleasant-looking and appeared kind. Her kindness was the one thing Hazel had noticed before, and it made her feel more comfortable despite her usual inclination toward guardedness.
Nodding and listening intently, Elora waited a bit after Hazel finished and then asked “Do you have a favorite one?” standing closer to the group she decided to sit on the floor to appear less imposing, aware of her taller stature, “I would like to see them up close, I’ve never been to the Chicago aquarium. I wonder if they have them there.”
"Oh, I like them all, but the Attola one is super cool looking; it's red, and it flashes when attacked. It's nicknamed the alarm jellyfish because of it." Hazel spoke eagerly, finally getting up and moving to sit on the floor across from Elora, often preferring the floor.” You want to see a picture?" She asked quickly, already getting her phone out and entering the search. "They wouldn't have these at an aquarium; they live way too deep, but they have really cool pictures." She explained, watching Elora to gauge her interest.
“Really? That sounds cool! Yeah! Dude, I’d love to,” Elora said excitedly and looked up at Hazel expectantly.
Feeling like Elora seemed genuinely interested, Hazel grinned at her and flipped her phone around to show the woman. "See? Super cool, right?" She spoke eagerly. “I mean... you don't have to think they're cool. Maybe you'll like a different kind, but I think they're cool." She backtracked, swallowing hard and looking down, upset with herself again.
Elora looked at the girl, truly finding her interesting and cute, almost like the jellyfish. “These are different but so uniquely beautiful. Thank you!” she said, extending her knuckles for a fist bump that Hazel cautiously returned. “Are there any other fun jellies out there?” she asked, focusing solely on Hazel and mapping her features, feeling a new excitement in this interaction.
“Oh, loads, but these are the ones I know the most about. The best part about them is they're not known to be poisonous; they rely on their bioluminescent and deceptive tactics to ward off predators instead of venom." Hazel continued to explain, a thoughtful expression on her face. "They also put on really cool light shows, kinda like a dance club for the sea." She added with a big grin, taking her eyes off the picture to look up at Elora. "They say it's mesmerizing..." She trailed off, a blush gracing her features as she recalled dancing with the girl and quickly looked back down uncomfortably.
Kit observed it all with a skeptical look, shook her head, and then looked at Jade, who had gotten up and was typing away on her phone. Shifting her focus to her mom, who seemed to be observing the two women, Kit wondered if she was buying Elora’s fake interest in Hazel’s jellyfish passion, harboring a deep-seated cynicism toward all forms of therapy.
Less jaded than Kit, Sorsha smiled at the interaction, knowing Elora was genuine and pleased that Hazel seemed comfortable talking to her. However, the girl's shy demeanor caused the older woman some pause, briefly wondering if perhaps her daughter could be interested in the young doctor, something that would make a professional relationship impossible.
"They are certainly fascinating. I wonder what it would be like to dance around in a room filled with them," Elora remarked, briefly glancing at the girl and noticing her rosy cheeks, her own cheeks coloring slightly in response.
"Probably pretty trippy and cool," Hazel muttered, smiling at the picture she had up, before quickly locking her phone, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, silently scolding herself for getting carried away with an obsession. "Sorry, you asked." She added, slightly defensively, projecting her own feelings of disgust at herself onto Elora and answering in kind before the other woman could admonish her for carrying on too long. Getting up, she stretched her arms over her head til her arms and back burned slightly, savoring the discomfort of it.
“Absolutely! Count me in for a mind-bending dance with jellies,” Elora exclaimed before noticing Hazel's hesitation. "Hey, no need to apologize. That was fascinating. I'd be thrilled to learn whenever you want to delve deeper into it or teach me. You just opened my eyes to the wonders of jellies,” she said, keenly perceiving the signs of someone who's been repressed and understanding the apologies of someone who's endured abuse. “I genuinely mean it, Hazel. Jellies are super dope,” she reiterated, emphasizing her sincere interest as she stood up, ensuring Hazel understood her enthusiasm.
Sighing, Hazel dropped her arms and gave Elora a tired look. "You're a shrink; you have to pretend to be interested; that's your job." She replied dully, her interest-fueled joy fading fast, replaced with what she deemed reality.
“You're not wrong about my profession, Hazel. I am a shrink. But like I told you in my office, you’re not my patient,” Elora said with conviction. “You may not believe me, but my interest is genuine,” she reiterated, sensing Hazel's skepticism. “I can discern things that my profession equips me to notice, but that doesn’t diminish my humanity, my desire to connect with another person,” she expressed, feeling a hint of hurt without fully understanding why. Technically, when Sorsha called her, she had accepted due to her professional relationship with the woman. However, deep down, Elora knew she didn’t want a professional relationship with Hazel; she craved her friendship.
Jade noticed the hurt in Elora’s tone, and it caught her attention. She wondered what her old friend was feeling, feeling a surge of protectiveness toward Hazel as she observed the interaction. Returning to her phone, she wore a scowl, lost in her thoughts.
"You're right. I'm not your patient, but you're here because of your profession. Sorsha thinks I need to talk to somebody, but I don't. I've talked to lots of people for years to work through my family wanting me dead, so...." Hazel trailed off with a cold look. "I'm really not stupid, contrary to popular belief." She added bitterly, turning on her heel and marching out of the room.
"Hazel..." Sorsha called in a worried and hurt tone, abruptly getting off the bed to go after the girl.
"Hazel," Elora called out quickly, urgency evident in her voice as she held a hand up to Sorsha, signaling her to pause. "Let me," she spoke before swiftly running after the girl, her emotions driving her actions. "Actually, fine. I am here for emotional support for your mother, but I came because it was you!" the girl exclaimed, her feelings bubbling to the surface. "Yeah, I barely know you, and truly, it beats me why I would want to be subject to Tanthalos Twin hatred. Mothers know I already deal with Kit’s insolence from time to time, but I thought we had a connection on the dance floor that night; it made me want to get to know you," the woman expressed, her tone tinged with frustration and a longing for understanding.
Stopping to look at Elora, Hazel set her jaw defiantly and crossed her arms. "I was pretending to be Kit. I don't dance... I'm sorry you misunderstood." She spoke firmly, frowning just slightly at the small sinking feeling she got as soon as the words left her mouth, and bit her tongue to resist taking them back.
"Yeah, that was not convincing. Kit doesn’t dance like that. Look, cut the crap, alright?" Elora said straightforwardly. "So on with it, just go on and say what you were taught to say to distance yourself from people that want you to just be you. I'm sure you have a speech in there, but I will warn you, it won’t work. I won’t take you on as a patient; I want you… your friendship," she stated rapidly. Woah, where did that come from?
Caught off guard, Hazel's eyebrows shot straight up under her bangs. She opened her mouth to start arguing but quickly clamped it shut, her eyes darting towards her open bedroom, suddenly feeling a ridiculous longing to hide behind her mother like a caught child. Steeling herself, Hazel stood up a little straighter and brought her eyes back to Elora defiantly. "I know I can't dance, but had you fooled, didn't I?" She shot back with a small smirk, one eyebrow cocked in an almost flirtatious way in her efforts to look confident.
“Yeah, you did. It was very cute,” Elora said with a slight smile, intrigued by the girl’s confidence. “You know, fascinating like that jellyfish. Kinda wish I knew more about them,” she said, her curiosity sparked by the conversation.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed softly in reply and looked away, unsure what to do with that information.
“Look, I'm on your side.” Elora said simply, “No judgment, no reprimand, I just want you to be happy and be yourself. Because I have a feeling you’re like my favorite word,” with her confident smirk.
" I'm not pretending to be Kit anymore, so I am being myself." Hazel replied with a confused look, her eyes studying Elora for a moment before giving in to her curiosity and asking, "What's your favorite word?"
“I mean, stop repressing and suppressing. Just allow yourself to be free. My favorite word is phenomenal, as you are,” Elora said with a grin, her words carrying a hint of encouragement.
At that, Hazel couldn't suppress a laugh. "You're so weird." She exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. She wasn't sure what to make of Elora; she'd never met another therapist like her; they were usually cold and stuffy, nothing like the vibrant woman standing in front of her, certainly not as cute. Dismissing the intrusive thought, Hazel dropped her arms, adopting a more relaxed stance. "What now?" She asked with a sigh as her eyes darted around the hall, taking in the dark wallpaper she was now familiar with as she contemplated the fact she was expected to leave this place behind. It wasn't that she'd ever really liked it, but it had become home to her, and she hated change; no matter how much she tried to deny it, she never stopped struggling when things changed, and the thought filled her with dread.
“Baby steps, but for us… how about this? Hi, I’m Elora Jean Danan. I like to dance barefoot on Sunday mornings around my house. You can buy me a coffee, but I would like it better if you made me a cup of tea,” she said, extending her fist for a bump.
Biting her lip, Hazel nodded slowly. "Ok, should I tell you my name and stuff now too?" She asked curiously, bumping Elora's fist lightly, just because it was offered, though she had no idea why the woman seemed to like doing that.
“Yes, we're getting to know each other. I’d like to know your name and a new fact about you,” Elora said with a smile. “Oh, and I do fist bumps because I'm not sure how comfortable you are with handshakes. Remember? I don’t have a file,” She smiled.
" Oh, so I should have waited to bump your fist until I was done telling you my name then, huh? Or... should I have like... left my fist touching yours as I told you?" Hazel asked, eyebrows drawn together as she contemplated the ins and outs of proper fist bumping etiquette.
Elora eyed her and smiled. “Ah, glad you asked! Well, like shaking hands, you bump a fist when offered. I wouldn’t mind keeping them touching, but what would you like to do?” she asked, wanting to know the girl’s inclination.
"I don't know; it seems weird to keep them touching... I can shake hands. Sometimes, it doesn't bother me, but sometimes It does, so I used to cover my hand with my shirt to keep it from ever bothering me. That way, I wouldn't have to pull my hand back and upset people, but I don't pull my hand back much anymore; I learned how to ignore it." Hazel explained proudly.
“What’s more comfortable for you? Bump? Shaking hands? Of course, I will still need you to introduce yourself, stranger.” Elora smiled, showing she was open to whatever greeting method Hazel chose.
"We can shake hands. It's normal," Hazel replied simply and held her hand out for Elora. "Sorry, my name is Hazel Callahan, and I... I hate tea. Sorry. Also, I don’t like being without shoes. I find feet gross, so I don't dance barefoot. Also, I don't really dance at all. I'm not good at it." She introduced herself quickly, wincing apologetically for not liking the same things as Elora.
Nodding, Elora smiled, showing the woman there was no problem with their superficial incompatibility. “Well, Hazel Callahan, I respect that; we don’t always have to like the same things; now we know you should see me on Sunday afternoons instead. Looking forward to our visits.” she smiled, shaking the girl’s hand. “Look, about the others, I say, why don’t you show your family how and where you grew up? Let them get to know Hazel Callahan before they show you the rest of the things that await Hazel Tanthalos.”
Hazel flinched at the mention of her real last name, much like she had the first time she'd had to say it. "I'll try..." She trailed off and took a deep breath. " Our visits? I thought you didn't want to be my therapist?" she questioned curiously. “I wouldn't really mind, I guess; you're not so bad," she added with a shrug.
“I don’t, and it’s not on you. It’s because if I'm your therapist, I can’t be your friend. I was hoping you’d make social visits on Sundays or Saturdays. I don’t know…whenever if you want to,” Elora said, blushing at the compliment and for messing up.
"Oh, right. I guess it wouldn't be bad to have a friend." Hazel agreed with a small shrug as her eyes drifted back towards her room, thoughts of Jade and Kit filling her mind. "But... can you still, like, give advice or whatever?" She asked curiously, glancing back at Elora hopefully.
Elora observed the girl and nodded. “Yeah, totally, dude, that’s what friends are for,” she spoke and immediately wanted to slap herself at the stupid way she said that.
"Right, ok... so uh... back a couple of days ago, the night before I left, Jade... she kinda... we... I don't know what to do. I think my sister likes Jade, but Jade and I used to kiss, and I think maybe Jade still likes me. But it's really confusing cause she kissed me and stuff but left, and now she told me she would have stayed, but... I don't know." She rambled, not making a bit of sense as her face went through a myriad of expressions, her hands moving animatedly as she tried to get her thoughts together.
Elora felt herself deflate a bit; she knew the history but thought Jade was in love with Kit. “oh… you kissed again, but didn’t…” she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
" No, we did," Hazel replied confidently, thinking Elora was still talking about kissing. "It was definitely kissing." She reiterated, "I know I was still pretending to be Kit, but she knew it was me, she did... but I told her we should stop, cause I was afraid I'd... well, that I would start acting too much like myself, and I didn't want that...and she agreed and left, so I thought she didn't like me, ya know? I thought she was just using me or something, but when I talked to her today, she told me I misunderstood, and I don't know if I can believe her or not, or if I should give her another chance, because like I said, I'm pretty sure Kit likes her, and I don't want to hurt her." She explained, slightly calmer, starting to find her words more easily.
Elora repeated the words in her head. “But you didn’t have sex, right? Just made out?” the girl asked carefully. “I can kind of try to figure it out, but would you want to date her? If Kit wasn’t in the way?” she asked directly, trying to gather the girl’s thought process.
"Ew, no, we just kissed." Hazel cringed and shuddered a little before reigning in the disgust she'd been raised to feel. "I think so? I don't think I've ever dated anybody before; she was the closest... but I don't know if we were considered dating, you know? We never really talked about it and after that..." She trailed off, hanging her head. "Dating is ok; I just never found anybody, but Jade's nice." She added. "or at least she was... she used to make me feel safe, now I don't know." She finished with a small sigh, wishing it was easier to understand emotions.
“Oh, yeah, I mean, you’ll get to know her again, and then you can make a decision. Don’t rush it,” Elora said, watching the girl, committing her to memory, every single detail. “Tell her you want to get to know her again, be her friend, see if you can trust her. If the feelings are there, they will… blossom again,” Elora advised, though she didn’t want to. “Protect your heart too. Dating can be fun, all of it can, but you need to protect yourself.” Her advice came from a place of concern, and she hoped Hazel would take it to heart.
"Right, but how would I know if the feelings are there if we don't kiss?" Hazel asked innocently. Since that was how she'd discovered her feelings for Jade in the first place, that one stupid dare enlightened her in a way she never expected. “I really like kissing her; it's... good." She added candidly, unintentionally smirking as she gave Elora a look that could only be interpreted as suggestive.
Blushing at Hazel’s smirk and suggestion, Elora cleared her throat. She reflected on their conversation. “Kissing is good!” she indulged and smiled. “So you never dated, you kissed in the past, then she kissed you now… but she was your only experience with any of it? No kissing or anything else with anyone? Only Jade?” Elora asked, trying to figure out a few things, mostly doing selfish research, but this girl was yet again off limits
Embarrassed, Hazel looked down as she fidgeted with her fingers. "Mhm." She nodded. "Nobody else." She frowned, bracing herself for the inevitable laughter she knew would follow.
Secretly finding it adorable, Elora bit her lip and then spoke softly, “Hmm. It's definitely a lot of pressure for Jade, being the only one.” unable to avoid the flirtatious impulse, “of course, it means that you should definitely venture out,” she advised.
Surprised she didn't hear laughter in the woman's voice, Hazel glanced up tentatively. "Venture out? You mean... kiss somebody else?" She asked curiously, glancing towards the bedroom again, feeling a little guilty for seeking advice for her personal life with all the chaos that had just unfolded hours earlier, but she couldn't help it; Jade had confused her, and she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since that night. "I don't want to kiss anybody else; I don't know anybody else, for one." She added with a shrug.
Elora gave the girl a pensive look before speaking, “You will eventually. A few weeks ago, you didn’t know me; now you do. Give it time,” she encouraged, smiling, "but I’d give it a day to talk it out with J. Today has been a lot."
"Well, yeah, but I wouldn't kiss you." Hazel laughed, totally oblivious
“Ouch, and why not?” Elora asked, feigning hurt, knowing Hazel was probably oblivious.
Realizing what she said could be taken as hurtful, Hazel widened her eyes. "Oh no... it's not that you're not pretty, cause you are... super pretty actually, but... I don't know you very well, and you're a really nice person. Jade's nice, too; I wouldn't have kissed her... I don't just kiss people. I was dared to kiss Jade, and then she told me she liked it, so that's why I could kiss her." She rambled off quickly, looking like she might be sick.
“So you’re saying I have to dare you to kiss me? I shouldn’t just make you want to do it on your own?” Elora said in jest, trying to understand the woman’s thought process.
Confused, Hazel jolted back a tiny bit and blinked at the woman, a flustered blush making its way to her cheeks as she considered the woman's words. "I... um... I wouldn't want to do it... on my own. I... I'm not like that..." She stammered and rubbed awkwardly at the back of her neck, the blush deepening as she looked down at the ground.
"Like what?" Elora inquired carefully. "Don't worry, I won't dare you," she said, retracting her statement slightly to alleviate any potential fear in the woman. However, she noticed the blush, a sign she took to mean she'd made an impact.
"Like... I don't just kiss people like I said... I don't want to kiss people. I mean... I don't..." Hazel trailed off with a deep frown, realizing she really had no idea what she was trying to say. "You could dare me; I don't care. I just meant..." She trailed off again, sighing in frustration as her eyes darted up to the woman, anticipating the pitying look she was sure to find
Elora looked at the woman and smiled, “Not until I know you. After Sunday visits,” she spoke softly, “or you get sorted. With everything you have to catch up on.” Elora spoke of Hazel’s situation with Jade and reconnecting with her family.
Not sure what to make of the woman, Hazel tilted her head to the side a little, watching the girl for a moment before speaking. "Does that mean you plan on daring me? Why would you do that?" She asked curiously.
“I’m not a planner, Hazel; I ebb and flow with what the universe brings me,” Elora said, smiling. “I want to be your friend. That’s what the universe wants of us.”
Scrunching her nose at the woman's answer, Hazel glanced around them a bit as though looking for something tangible the universe might be using to communicate with Elora. "Uh huh..." she started slowly, looking at the girl like she might be a bit cuckoo. “I like plans; I don't like ebb and flow. Plans are smart; they make things predictable." She explained honestly, finding Elora's way of dealing with life concerning.
“Yeah, and I gave you a plan, didn’t I?” Elora said, smiling. Feeling like she’d laid a foundation to grow whatever they’d decide to become, and it all started with a friendship. While a free spirit, the nature of her profession also made her a very good planner.
Raising her eyebrows, Hazel nodded slowly. "I guess you did?... you want to be my friend and hang out on Sundays?" She asked, trying to see if she'd understood correctly.
“Yup, exactly, and that’s where we'll start.” Elora leaned in and kissed Hazel’s cheek, eliciting a surprised squeak from the girl, who flinched back and yanked the collar of her shirt up to wipe her cheek with a disgruntled look.
"Your mouth is wet," Hazel grumbled with the same disgruntled pout.
“I’m sorry. Let me fix that.” Elora smiled and procured a tissue from her pocket, wiping her lips on it before kissing the girl’s cheek again with dry lips. “Better?”
Not sure what to do with herself, Hazel gave the woman a dumbfounded and searching look as she stepped back, trying to lessen their proximity. "I guess." She muttered shyly, shoulders twitching a little in a nervous tick, feeling uncomfortable, but not in the usual way, something about the woman made her nervous. "You're kinda close." She pointed out softly, averting her eyes back to the ground as she remembered how close they'd gotten while dancing.
“Sorry, I'll keep my distance,” Elora spoke calmly, taking a step back.
" Yeah, okay," Hazel muttered, watching the woman warily for a second before turning and abruptly marching back into her room where the others were. She decided it was better to have more people around.
It had taken some serious persuading, but between Kit, Sorsha, Jade, and Elora, they finally convinced Hazel to leave with them after assuring her she could pack a couple of bags so she'd have at least a few comfort items. Mostly clothes, her toiletries, a couple of pillows, her favorite blanket, and finally her guitar.
~
Later that evening, they all checked into the hotel Jade had booked. Sorsha was in a room to herself while the other women shared. Jade and Elora in one room, Kit and Hazel in the other, and security peppered throughout the building and in their hall. Hazel had begged for a room to herself, had desperately wanted the space, and had protested wildly at the prospect of having to share with her sister to the point she could make out the hurt on her twin's face, even past her struggles to identify people's emotions from a mere expression, Kit sometimes wore her emotions so plainly Hazel could interpret them with little effort. It had been a relief when they were children, something Hazel found comforting, but not this time, this time it pained her to see the other girl's emotions, to be able to read them so plainly and know she was the cause. She hated hurting people; she couldn't stand being the cause of another person's pain; despite the number of years she'd spent working on distancing herself from her emotions, it never worked; she cared too deeply and hated herself for it. She wanted to like hurting people the way she'd been hurt; she longed for the ability to be so cold; to her, it represented strength, control, safety, and the ability to keep herself safe. She was sure if she could only master it, she'd finally be able to keep her heart safe, finally be the one holding all the cards, but try as she might, she was too weak, too powerless, too everything she resented. So when she looked at Kit and saw the hurt she'd caused, her heart broke as it always did, and she gave in with an apology and an explanation of how she just wasn't used to sharing anymore; it seemed to help; Kit had nodded in understanding and offered a small smile. Hazel had been weak again; she had given in when she hadn't wanted to, but her sister was happy, and that's what mattered; she could deal with herself later, the one person she could always take her anger and resentment out on without feeling even a shred of guilt.
Staring at the one King-size bed in the middle of the room, a giant suitcase in each hand and guitar over her back, Hazel frowned and shook her head in distaste, all agreeableness going out the window. " I thought we asked for two beds." She muttered in irritation, doing her best to keep her tone even and not as upset as she felt. The bed was big, but not big enough. She didn't want to be in the same room as her sister, let alone the same bed. Kit probably wasn't the bad person she'd grown up believing her to be, but years of belief in that false narrative made it hard not to be afraid, and Hazel hated being afraid just as much as she hated being weak and felt both in that instance.
Kit looked at her sister, shaking her head. Knowing the woman was at the front desk earlier and had heard the discussion, she started collecting the pillows from the bed under one arm. “We did, but Jade says they sold out. We can make a barrier,” Kit said and quickly made a pillow wall. “Does it help?” She asked, fluffing the last of the pillows, a goofy smile on her face, much like when she built forts under Hazel’s clinical eye as a child.
Scrunching her nose, Hazel shook her head and huffed as she set her bags near the closet and turned to face the bed. With her hands on her hips, she scrutinized what Kit had done. "Now we don't have any pillows to sleep on." She pointed out in an irritated tone as she motioned towards the pillows lining the center of the bed.
Wanting to fix the situation, Kit picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. “Hi, can we get four pillows brought up to room 434, Tanthalos, and four more to 436 as well?” she requested, giving Jade’s room number as well. “Perfect, thank you so much. Please add a note to the pillows for 436; it should say to divide a bed, nighty night, and Kit. Thank you,” she said and hung up. “Done.”
Frowning at the uneven room numbers, Hazel shook her head and crouched next to her bags, pulling her own pillows out of one. "I have my own, but I still think it's stupid you took all of the provided ones. What if I didn't have my own? and what if room service didn't want to give us any?" She complained at her sister as she tossed her pillows onto what she'd chosen as her side of the bed, nearest the air conditioner.
Kit looked at her sister a bit incredulously, assuming that Hazel was no stranger to throwing money around to have things done for her, considering Lili's reputation.“Then, we’d make them buy them, Hazel. Or we could have asked Jade’s team to go get them.” She answered, “You need to have your wall for privacy.”
" No..." Hazel trailed off, getting on the bed and punching her pillows to try and get them to the right level of fluffiness for her taste, then peered over the barrier at her sister. "What I need is my own room; then, I'd have all the privacy in the world." She continued and narrowed her eyes at her sister.
Kit smacked a palm to her face, having stated the reasons before, and snickered.“You're right, but we don’t because, apparently, the whole world has found out about this hideous town. So we improvise.” Kit explained, making big gestures as she went on.
Wincing at Kit's description of the city she'd grown up in, Hazel huffed. "We don't have that because you people want to treat me like a damn prisoner." She accused and flopped back down onto her pillows, effectively hiding behind the barrier Kit had created between them.
“Hey, now, you’re not a prisoner. I know you probably think I'm a horrible person, a spoiled brat, but if I were in charge of the reservation, we’d stay at the Radisson down the street,” Kit protested.
"If I'm not a prisoner, why can't I have my own room?" Hazel protested back, still staring at the wall of pillows from where she lay, not wanting to see her sister.
Kit pinched her forehead, trying to comprehend why Hazel couldn’t let this go. “This place doesn’t have any other rooms tonight. I'm sure you wanted to share a room with Jade; that’s why you’re pouting,” Kit said with bitterness in her words.
Irritated, Hazel lifted her head enough to peer over the pillows again and glared at Kit. "You're not a very good listener, are you?" she scoffed. "I said I wanted my own room." She spoke slowly, emphasizing each word clearly as though speaking to a baby.
“ADHD, remember? But also… Also! How dare you? I’ve been explaining to you! You’re the one not listening.” Kit said, looking at the girl who rolled her eyes in response, clearly not believing Kit's diagnosis or agreeing with her assessment of the situation. “Look, we have to make do. If I could, you’d have your own room, and I would have mine. This is why you get your own room at my place when we get home. Since you liked to live there while I was away.” she spoke, almost hopeful, and Hazel scoffed.
" Why did Sorsha get her own room? She could have shared with you. You two know each other; I shouldn't have to share with anybody." Hazel continued to protest, stopping suddenly as Kit's words fully sunk in. " No! No, I'm not staying with anybody; I'll find my own place. I don't even think I want to live in Chicago, and besides, I didn't like your apartment at all; I never wanted to stay there. I had a hotel room; I only stayed at your place because I was afraid Jade would drop by and figure out something was up if I was never there." She explained in an irritated tone as she got up and started pacing the room.
Noticing how cool and distant her sister made herself from their mom, Kit spoke, “Mom snores. I would not sleep in the same bedroom as her, and she called before Jade, so it’s not like J knew.” Kit said, sitting up. “Wait… that’s offensive, just until you get your place, of course, not forever. I’m being nice,” Kit said, looking at her with a frown. “I do like my space, you know, to bring girls,” she said pointedly.
"Gross!" Hazel exclaimed, looking up at the ceiling and shaking her head in disgust. I don't need or want your kindness, Kit. I like my life the way it was." She added coolly, looking at Kit again with contempt.
"Hazel... I apologize. Maybe you had something special with her, but I couldn't bear the thought of my life without you," Kit admitted with frustration, lying down. "What lies did they feed you to make you despise me and treat me like garbage?" she inquired, her tone betraying a mix of hurt and resentment.
Clenching her jaw, Hazel stared at her sister momentarily, feeling all of the anger and resentment she'd felt for the girl over the years creeping back in. "Yeah, well, you always were clingy." She sneered. "Maybe I just never liked you; ever think of that?" She added with a raised eyebrow, regretting the words as soon as they left her mouth but too stubborn to apologize; instead, she just kept cold eyes on her sister.
Kit turned into the fetal position and looked up, sobbing quietly. “I deserve it.” she said softly, “for going back for that book, I deserve your hate.”
Hating the show of too much emotion because she didn't know what to do with it or how to help, Hazel clenched her fists at her side. "You going back for that book was the best thing that ever happened to me." She shot back with venom, unable to control the cruel words, startling even herself.
Kit closed her eyes and clenched her fist, trying her best to stifle her response. She knew her sister didn't like the sound of her crying, so she took a deep breath and held it in. "I love you, Azel. I will never waver. It doesn’t matter if you hate me; I'm your little sister and will always love you. I'd risk my life for you again any day because, no matter what, you're a part of me," she expressed, pouring out all she felt before closing her eyes.
"That's not my na...." Hazel trailed off, stopping short of delivering that final blow and instead taking a deep breath to try and control her own out-of-control emotions, knowing enough to recognize the anger she felt was mostly from being overwhelmed, and she was taking it out on the only other person in the room, instead of internalizing it like she'd learned to do over the years. "I don't know you anymore, Kit. I'm sorry, I'm not used to this." She sighed and looked down.
Kit nodded, “It’s okay. Sometimes, I don’t know myself either. You’ll have time to get used to it again. You’re overwhelmed. It’s been a big day. We both almost died,” she said, sitting up again. “Can you come here for a second?” she requested, patting the bed.
"You're not gonna hug me, are you?" Hazel asked in a wary tone as she approached the bed, watching her sister with an unsure look.
"I wasn’t planning on it, no," Kit said, shaking her head. "Just wanted to talk closer," she added, her tone revealing a hint of curiosity. "I paint—I guess you know that since you were at my place. You play the guitar?"
Hazel took a deep breath and looked away at the reminder of her intrusion into Kit's life. "Mhm." She nodded slowly as her eyes landed on her guitar case. "Look, if you want to play catch-up… I'm gonna need a drink. I'm kind of thirsty. Do you think you could grab us a couple of sodas from the machine down the hall?" She asked quietly, shifting her eyes to her sister and giving her a hopeful look.
“Yeah, sure,” Kit agreed contently, excited about the prospect of sharing about her life with her sister. “If you want anything to eat, we can order room service,” she offered as she got up, secretly hoping her sister wasn’t trying to scheme her out of the room.
"No, I'm not really hungry; just the soda will do. Thanks," Hazel assured me with a small smile. In response, Kit nodded, quickly got up, and left the room.
As soon as Kit left the room, Hazel flipped the extra lock into place and went to take a shower, feeling bad but knowing Kit would adapt. Her sister had always been able to adapt to new situations, unlike Hazel, and she had no doubt this time would be no different. She didn't allow herself time to feel guilty about her actions; she just drowned out her emotions with the scalding hot water of the shower.
Returning to the room, Kit tried her card and immediately figured out her sister was not to be trusted. She knocked on the door a few times, but when she didn’t get an answer, she went to Jade and Elora’s room.
“Kit? What? We got the pillows—unnecessary, but thanks. What are you doing?” Jade asked as she looked at the woman and saw her red face.
Still hurt by Hazel's actions, Jade's words stung. "Yeah, it seems I'm pretty unnecessary all the way around these days,” Kit spoke bitterly and turned to leave, deciding to try her Mother's room instead.
“Kit, wait, that’s not true. what’s going on?” Jade ran out of the room in basketball shorts and a top. “Where’s Hazel?”
At her sister's name, Kit spun around and glared at Jade. " Why don't you go ask your little girlfriend what happened? I'm sure she'd love to tell you all about it." She snapped bitterly as her eyes traced over Jade's outfit briefly and she took a deep breath, letting it out in an irritated huff. She refused to find the woman attractive.
Elora heard the commotion and approached the door. “Hey, Kit, girlfriend?” she asked, glancing at Jade and then back to Kit. “Hazel locked you out, huh?” she figured out, seeing the two sodas the woman held.
Looking at Elora, Kit got an idea and openly checked the woman out. "Yes, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She clearly has no problem lying." She answered in an irritated tone and shrugged. "Guess I was stupid for trusting her." She added with a rueful laugh. "You thirsty at all?" She asked, holding up one of the sodas and flashing the woman a charming smile, ignoring Jade's presence entirely.
Jade looked at the way Kit looked at Elora and immediately felt her stomach turn.
Elora, for her part, looked at the girl with a scrunched-up face, puzzled. “I could have a drink.” the redhead answered.
Knowing Kit’s methods, Jade looked at them. “I’m coming too. She’s not my girlfriend, and she won’t open the door for me, so nope, I will not be roomless,” she said, watching Kit with daggers in her eyes.
"Suit yourself, Jade." Kit shot back with a raised eyebrow before brushing past the two women and entering the room. On her way past, she caught Elora's hand and pulled the woman with her.
“Wait… what?” Elora said as she felt herself being led inside by Kit, giving Jade a helpless look, to which the woman huffed and closed the door. Cursing Hazel for playing such a childish trick.
“Kit, want to tell me what happened with your sister?” Elora started by giving Kit the cups from the minibar.
"Not really; I'd rather not talk about her at all. I want to give her space if she doesn't want me around her. Honestly, I think she's just pissed she didn't get a room with Jade." Kit replied with a shrug as she took the offered cups and poured them a drink. "They used to be an item, you know." She added as she tossed the empty bottle across the room. "Score." She announced, throwing her hands up triumphantly as the bottle landed in the trash can.
Hearing Kit’s accusation, Jade scoffed on her side of the bed. Kit shot her a look but quickly turned her attention back to Elora.
"Nice shot," Elora complimented. "Yeah, she mentioned, but not girlfriends," she said, taking a drink. "How are you? Today was really intense for you," She observed, her concern evident in her tone. She took another drink and then glanced at Jade, curious about her reaction.
Grinning at the woman, Kit nodded. "I have a lot of skills." She answered, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively before sobering up. "Sorry, when I'm around a pretty girl, I can't help it." She admitted in a sheepish tone, glancing down at her drink as though embarrassed. Jade replied with a loud scoff, shaking her head, earning a hurt look from Kit as though she couldn't understand Jade's disgust. "I'm really sorry about how I treated you before. I was upset, and I took it out on you, and that wasn't right." She continued, turning her attention back to Elora with an apologetic look. "You're right. Today was a lot, and I guess it made me realize I've been a real jerk to you, so I'm sorry. I really appreciate how you were with Hazel today. You're really good at what you do, and I should have given you a chance earlier." She finished in a sincere-sounding tone. The jealous and petty side of her deciding if Hazel could take Jade, she'd try for Elora, suspecting the young doctor liked her sister, and it was what Jade expected of her anyway. If Jade thought she was capable of flirting and sleeping with just anybody, she supposed she might as well be.
“That’s awfully sweet, Kit; I do my best,” Elora said, blushing slightly.
"Seems your best is pretty damn good." Kit smiled and winked at Elora before lifting her glass to the woman and taking a drink. "Just be careful with Hazel... I know she doesn't call Jade her girlfriend, but the only reason they didn't sleep together was because Hazel misunderstood Jade and got embarrassed. She'd be Jade's girlfriend in a heartbeat." She added with a casual shrug and shot Jade a knowing look.
At that, Elora felt her face fall a bit and looked at the girl. “Are you… involved with someone?” She asked, trying to play Kit’s game.
" Not yet, but I'm hoping to change that here soon." Kit flirted, opening a wide smile to the woman and giving the same flirtatious look Hazel did, the only difference being she knew exactly what she was doing; despite having no real interest in Elora, she could appreciate that the girl was pretty, and she was too angry and hurt to care about the potential hurt she could cause, in fact at that moment it was her goal.
Surprised by the similarities between the twins, Elora blushed and bit her lip, her heart racing slightly. "Ah," she said, nodding, her mind spinning with thoughts. "That’s nice, Kit," she said, taking a large gulp of her drink, trying to compose herself. Seeing through Kit, she spoke with unwavering honesty, "While I think you're very attractive, sleeping with me will not solve the trauma you went through today or the fact you are mad at your sister. You can stay, and we can talk. I’m not a bad person, and I think we could be friends." Her words were sincere, and she hoped Kit would understand her intentions.
Not used to being rejected, Kit's smile dropped, replaced by an irritated frown. "No, it might not cure everything, but it would sure go a long way towards distracting me from dwelling on it... plus, if you think I'm attractive, and I think you’re attractive, what's the problem?" She argued, trying really hard not to look at Jade, knowing if she saw the smug look that was sure to be on the other woman's face, she'd snap or just die of embarrassment. Her reputation as a player was about all she had when it came to guarding her heart, a near-constant defense mechanism whenever she got hurt. She couldn't afford for Jade to see any cracks in it now that it was obvious Jade would never love her; she couldn't stand the thought of looking pathetic or needy; she had always made it a point to show how much she didn't need anybody else because she desperately wanted to look stronger and braver than she actually was.
“It’s not a problem, really. You are very attractive,” Elora said with a kind smile, “but I'm afraid I must reserve my heart for a person whose main intention isn’t to upset someone.” She looked at Jade and then at Kit, explaining herself. “I used to sleep around, and it just made my life more complicated,” she shook her head at the memory of her free-love era.
"By someone, you mean my sister... Isn't it unethical to try and sleep with a patient?" Kit shot back bitterly as she got up and shook her head with a disgusted look, for once in her life truly resenting Hazel. Maybe she didn't actually want Elora, but the rejection stung, and to be rejected for the same person Jade had rejected her for was like rubbing salt in an open wound. It didn't matter that she'd never actually told Jade how she felt; she was sure Jade knew and had chosen Hazel when they were kids, and again, as adults, it hurt and made her feel small, and she hated feeling small.
“I never said it was your sister, and I’m not her doctor. Kit, you’re gorgeous… but you’ve been through a lot today. Sex would be like taking advantage of you in a vulnerable state, and I don’t vibe with that,” Elora explained, checking the woman out and biting her lip, seeing that she indeed was gorgeous mostly because she resembled her sister. She was human, after all.
" You didn't have to say it was her... Oh yes, please tell me more about some random Jellyfish; I'm super interested." Kit mocked in a higher tone, moving her hands excitedly as Elora would, and rolled her eyes. "Please, you're so obvious it stinks, so don't patronize me... I'm an adult; I think I can decide when I want to have sex; I'm not drunk; I'm just horny. So it can be you or some random woman I find in some club; either way, I'm gonna fuck somebody tonight." She shot back bitterly. "Bonus for you; I look just like Hazel." She added with a sneer and shot Jade a look.
"I was actually interes... " Elora started to argue but realized it was pointless. "Kit, come on, you can, but you shouldn’t do that to hurt others or yourself," she said honestly, her voice tinged with concern. "Jade, some help here?" She called out urgently, hoping her friend could offer some guidance in the situation. Jade was jealous, angry, and once again confused. “Kit, you can’t be serious; going out tonight? After all that happened today?” she asked as she moved to sit next to Kit, “we can go to the gym and wrestle this energy out of you.”
Sensing the rising tension, Elora quickly exited, silently closing the door behind her, hoping to avoid further escalating the situation.
Looking at Jade, Kit swallowed hard at the thought of being that close to the woman. "Elora doesn't want me; you certainly don't want me, so why not? What's the worst that could happen? Somebody mistakes me for Hazel and grabs me?... I'm starting to think that would make everybody happy. You'd both have her; maybe you could talk her into some weird threesome, and Mom would have her favorite back." She shot back quickly, forgetting to measure her words.
"Did you want me to want you?" Jade's question held a hint of longing, her eyes betraying a glimmer of hope that Kit might share her feelings. But as she saw the girl's anger, her hope faded, replaced by a sense of resignation.
"No, but you're the only other person in this damn room... so options are slim." Kit sneered, saying the exact opposite of what she felt, just wanting the woman to hurt as badly as she hurt.
Jade scoffed. “Glad to know I'm your last resort,” the woman said, looking around the room, feeling her blood boil. “You’ve always been so independent. I guess I should’ve known. Now, why did you feel it was necessary to send us a pile of pillows, huh?”
"Oh, you're one to talk, miss...' I would've taken you'" Kit shot back with a glare. "Oh yes, that's right, Jade, I could hear you... really classy, by the way." She huffed and turned to leave. "They were for you to make a wall with, but I'm sure it wasn't needed; maybe you would have ' taken her too,'" She added in disgust, one hand on the door handle. "Oh, and there's nothing wrong with being independent, Jade... it's not my fucking fault you’re so insecure. You need to feel useful all the time to be happy." She finished with a sneer.
Jade looked at the girl indignantly. “Yeah, well, talk is one thing; as you know, I haven’t taken action; on the other hand, you can’t say the same,” she said as she looked at the pillows. “Elora is a friend; we’re adults, and while appreciated, the pillows aren’t necessary,” she spoke softly. “She’s not my type. You call it independent, but it’s really just because you’re afraid of commitment. I don’t think it’s my insecurity that should be in focus here,” Jade rebuked and looked at the girl. “I can’t tell you just how many times I’ve tried Kit. But you just go your own way.”
"Tried what Jade?" Kit asked in a challenging tone and then held a hand up. "You know what, no... don't answer that. I'm not afraid of commitment; I just don't need one. I like my independence, it suits me." she finished with an angry look, before leaving the room, letting the door slam shut behind her.
~
"Can I try?" a seven-year-old Kit asked, pointing to Jade's bike as the girl set it down on her front lawn. Hazel shook her head beside her.
"No, Kit, you'll get hurt, and Dad said he'll teach us this weekend." Hazel reminded the younger girl. "Hi, Jade." She smiled and waved at the older girl, then frowned. "Kit, no, don't." She called to her mischievous sister, the younger girl already running to pick up Jade's bike.
“Kit! Let me help you,” Jade said as she turned around and followed the girl to the bike.
"No, I got it," Kit asserted confidently as she got the bike standing and slung a leg over it with a concentrated look. Hazel ran up and put her hands on the handlebars, standing in front of the bike.
"Kit, no, you'll get hurt." The older twin protested again, a determined look on her face.
"Hazel, move, or I will run you over," Kit threatened, narrowing her eyes at her sister as she put her foot on a peddle and pushed forward. This caused the older girl to squeal and jump away in fear, fully believing that Kit would, in fact, run her over. "Thank you." Kit laughed and proceeded to try to get the bike moving, only making it for a few seconds before crashing hard.
"Kit... " Hazel exclaimed, running over to her sister, hands ringing nervously in front of her as she looked between Kit and the bike she was all tangled up in, frowning in confusion at how Kit just laughed and pulled herself free from the bike, seemingly ready to try again.
Jade gasped at the impact and ran over to check on the girl. “Kit, are you ok? Let me guide you so you don’t fall again,” She offered, afraid the girl would break something the next time she fell.
"Ugh, I said I've got this. Go play with Hazel; I swear you're just like her sometimes." Kit groaned and shook her head, feeling like her sister, and Jade babied her.
"I just want to protect you, make sure you don’t fall," Jade said, her frown conveying a sense of urgency and possessiveness as if she considered herself responsible for the girl's safety above all else.
"Falling's how you learn." Kit shot back and proceeded to do just that.
Sighing, Hazel shook her head as she watched Kit try and fail to get the bike going several more times, falling each time until she eventually got it going with a triumphant whoop. "You think you could teach me?" Hazel asked, looking up at Jade with a hopeful look. She desperately wanted to be able to do everything her sister could and also wanted Jade to know she was appreciated and needed.
~~
Jade was seventeen, and Kit had gotten her learner's permit “We can’t go out without an adult.” Jade protested, shaking her head at the younger teen.
" Jade, it's fine... not a big deal; if you're scared, just get out. I can do this." Kit spoke confidently, shaking her head at Jade.
~
At nine, Hazel and Kit sat on the lawn of their house, trying to put their kites together while Jade was already flying hers.
"I can't do this." Hazel sighed defeatedly, dropping her Kite onto the grass with a disgruntled pout. She glanced to the side, feeling slightly better as she noticed Kit was struggling almost as bad, though her sister would never admit it.
“Oh, come on, Hazey. Don’t talk like that,” Jade said, tying her kite to a lamppost and coming over to the girls. “Bend the wire a bit; you’ll get it,” she instructed, holding the kite open for Hazel.
"I was trying; I couldn't keep a hold of it very well,” Hazel explained, as she got up on her knees and tried doing as the girl said, managing it with Jade's help, a huge smile taking over her features as she finally got it. "Hey, it worked." She exclaimed excitedly, looking to the side to try and show Kit, but her sister had moved to the other side of the lawn, working alone as always. "She might need help, too,” Hazel suggested with a small shrug.
“Ok, Kit here, let me help you with yours,” Jade said as she went over to help the girl, seeing her struggling.
"No, I can do it myself. Just go help Hazel; she needs it." Kit muttered, her eyes still firmly on her task. She was determined to do things on her own and prove how capable she was, not wanting Jade to think she needed help. It would take her another fifteen minutes, but she finally got her Kite working and felt proud of herself for doing it on her own.
~
At twelve, Kit and Hazel stood at the top of a snowy hill with tubes under their arms, watching as Jade trudged back up to them with a huge smile on her face. Hazel was already shaking her head in trepidation while Kit bounced excitedly beside her, eager to try.
"I don't think I can do this... that looked really scary,” Hazel spoke fearfully, backing up before Kit caught her around the shoulders and grinned.
"You'll do great. There's nothing to it; just jump and hold on." Kit spoke confidently despite having never done it herself. "Right, Jade? Tell her," she implored.
“Well, you have to make sure to steer and keep your eyes out for trees,” Jade said. “but you can do it, Hazey; I believe in you.”
"Eh, there aren't that many trees... if you see one coming, just jump off,” Kit instructed in an amused tone, as though steering didn't matter at all, earning a concerned look from Hazel.
"Jade said to make sure I steer... I think it's important, Kit." Hazel spoke softly and glanced up at Jade. "I don't know how to steer. Can you show me?" she asked with a small look, causing Kit to sigh and shake her head at the girl.
"Look, it's super simple. Come here," Kit said, grabbing the front of Hazel's jacket and pulling the girl back up to the top of the hill. "Here, put this down here," she muttered, grabbing Hazel's tube and putting it down in front of her. “And then you just fall onto it," she instructed.
“Let me help you with that so you don’t get injured falling. I can hold it for you as you sit,” Jade offered.
"Jade, stop worrying so much, she'll be fine... it's not rocket science." Kit laughed and shook her head at Jade as she pushed Hazel lightly, causing the older girl to grab onto Kit as she lost her balance, both girls toppling onto the tube and whizzing down the hill too fast and out of control to steer.
"Kiiiitttt,” Hazel screamed, slapping a hand over her eyes and wincing the entire way down, terrified they were gonna hit a tree, which thankfully didn't happen, instead they hit a particularly high bump that sent both girls tumbling off the tube and down the hill, Hazel landing on her back in a giant pile of snow with a grunt, and Kit landing several feet away face down, laughing her head off.
“Oh Kit” Jade said watching them recover, hopping on her tube she slid down and checked on them “are you two ok?”
"I'm fine... that was awesome!” Kit exclaimed happily as she bounced up and dusted the snow off her outfit. " You should check on Hazel, she's probably freaking out." She laughed and shook her head, thinking her sister was sometimes too uptight.
Running over to Hazel, Jade leaned down and asked, “Are you ok, Haze?”
Pout firmly in place, Hazel shook her head. "I could have died!” She exclaimed in an irritated voice, lifting her arms and letting them fall back into the snow dramatically, causing Jade to giggle
“Yes, it really looked like it from up there,” Jade agreed with a smile.
" Felt worse,” Hazel grumbled and held her gloved hand up. " Can you help me? I think I'm stuck." She sighed, thankful the layers of heavy clothing kept the melting snow off her skin, the one good thing about the whole situation.
“Yes, here. Hold it and get ready,” Jade said, offering her hands and pulling the girl up.
" Thank you,” Hazel muttered as she looked down to dust herself off.
Smiling at Hazel, Jade responded.“You’re welcome.” then walked over to Kit, who had fallen again, and offered her hand. “here, let me help you up.”
"Jade, when are you gonna learn? I can take care of myself." Kit tsked and shook her head at her friend as she managed to extract herself from the pile of snow she'd fallen into. "You can be Hazel's knight; I'm my own,” she added with a playful wink.
Jade looked at the girl, a bit disappointed, shaking her head. “Whatever, Kit.”
~
Deciding she didn't want to return to her room that night, Elora went down the hall and knocked on Hazel’s door.
Notes:
Thank you for sticking with us. I know we all hate Jade right now. It's hard to be in her shoes. Let us know your thoughts.
Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Summary:
Hotel rooms. Tackling. Smut. Pillows. All in a night's time.
Notes:
Thank you to all of you who read thus far and for reading our drabble over the weekend.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
Positive Kit was trying to get back in; Hazel groaned and pulled the blankets and pillows over her head, burying herself under them to block out sound as much as possible, having no intention of answering the door.
“Hazel, it’s Elora. Can you please open the door? Jade locked me out,” the woman called carefully.
Peeking out from under her blankets, Hazel stared at the door in contemplation for a moment before deciding there was no way she wanted a stranger in her room. She quickly burrowed back under the blankets without a word, hoping the woman would just go away.
“Oh, come on, it’s cold, and I'm in PJs. Can you imagine how humiliating this is?” Elora called, trying to appeal to Hazel’s empathetic side. “I know you can hear me. You probably have incredibly good hearing,” she said, regretting the words as soon as they left her mouth. Great way to prove yourself different, Elora! Just throw out a preconceived idea to get her attention. Dumb.
Huffing, Hazel threw her blankets off and glared at the door. "That's a stereotype," she called in an irritated tone, unable to resist the urge to correct the woman's perception, no matter how well it applied to her.
“It could be, but I think for you, it’s not since you heard me after all.” Elora smiled to herself. “I promise I'll use the pillows and make myself a bed. You won’t even notice I'm there,” she added as she glued her face to the door.
"Something out of place on the floor? Yes, I'll notice." Hazel called back sitting up on the end of the bed and just staring at the door. She was sure she didn't want to let the woman in, but she wasn't quite ready to tell her to go away either.
“Look, I know you sleep on the left side of the room because of the AC, so I'll lie on the floor on the right side. You won’t see me,” Elora said with a smile.
"No, I'll just trip over you on the way to the bathroom," Hazel called back. "And how do you know I like to sleep by the AC?" She furrowed her brow as she glanced around the room, trying to figure out how Elora could have guessed that detail, finally concluding that Jade or Kit must have told her.
"I assume you prefer the room to be at the optimal temperature for sleeping, perhaps on the cooler side, with total darkness," Elora said, offering her guess. "It's just a hunch; call it magic if you will, but I prefer to think of it as intuition."
"Or... Jade told you." Hazel spoke from the other side of the door, having made her way closer. She contemplated letting the woman in despite not knowing why.
Elora made a funny noise. "Does Jade know that about you? Because I sincerely think not. She's not really good with details and can be ridiculously daft," she said, shaking her head in amusement.
Not used to Jade being described that way, Hazel frowned a little. "I think she knows that... when we were kids, I always slept under the AC vent." She spoke in a slightly unsure tone. "If I let you in, it's gonna hurt Kit's feelings. I didn't kick her out because it was her; I just like being alone." She sighed, resting her forehead against the door, seriously debating what to do.
“Okay, well, I can go then. I guess I'll let Kit keep hitting on me.” Elora sighed dramatically and touched the door, stepping away as it opened suddenly.
"She what?" Hazel asked in a disgusted tone, shooting a glance down the hall towards Jade's room. "Ugh, she's so gross." She muttered and stepped aside, opening the door for Elora to come in.
“She’s just hurt,” Elora defended, to which Hazel gave her a skeptical look. It’s what she does,” Elora continued sadly and walked in. Sorry to interrupt your sleep, but you started it,” she laughed and sat on the bed. Looking at Hazel, she noticed she was wearing boxer briefs and a plain black T-shirt. She bit her lip at how good Hazel’s thighs looked in the outfit and said, “You look comfy.”
Glancing at her own outfit, Hazel blushed and crossed her arms over her chest uncomfortably. "Sorry, I... it's more comfortable, and I thought I'd be alone,” she grumbled, looking anywhere but at Elora. "Kinda of why I wanted my own room,” she admitted.
"No need for apologies; it suits you. I'll be out of your hair soon enough, allowing you to wallow in whatever mood you desire," Elora remarked with a smile directed at the woman.
Caught off guard by the woman's remark, Hazel blinked in confusion. "You're leaving already? I thought you wanted to sleep here," she asked, her gaze lingering on Elora's attire. The silky dark blue polka dot button-up pajamas intrigued her; The shirt matched the shorts so well she couldn't tell if they were separate pieces or if it was a jumper of sorts, which compelled her to stare without realizing it.
Elora looked at Hazel and spoke softly, “I can stay, but I don’t want to impose.” She gave the woman a shy smile, noticing Hazel staring at her. “Something wrong with my Pjs?” she asked, looking at the girl with a small smirk.
Blinking again, Hazel tore her eyes away from Elora's outfit and gave the woman a sheepish look. “No, sorry; I was just trying to figure out if it's all one piece or separate." She explained honestly, rubbing her hands together nervously.
"Oh," Elora giggled, unbuttoning the last three buttons to show the separation, revealing the waistband of her shorts and a glimpse of her flat stomach.
Watching the woman unbutton the shirt, Hazel blushed and averted her eyes. "Oh, now I see." She mumbled in an embarrassed tone, unsure why she found it embarrassing; it wasn't like it was anything bad.
“Sorry about that,” Elora said, blushing and quickly buttoning again. “To be fair, you asked.”
"Why are you sorry? I did ask." Hazel confirmed, glancing at Elora again and shrugging, feeling bad that Elora thought she'd done something wrong and feeling even worse that she found her eyes drawn to the girl's outfit again, her fingers twitching a little with a desire to feel the fabric; curious if it was soft or not.
“Well, you got embarrassed,” Elora said with a smile, indicating it was fine; they were fine.
"No... I... " Hazel trailed off and cringed slightly. "Okay, yes, but because I was staring, and that's not polite." She admitted and shrugged her shoulders, looking away again, fixing her eyes on the rough burgundy-patterned carpet and internally cringing at it.
“That’s okay, though. I don’t mind if you stare,” Elora said, blushing and quickly fixing her eyes on the pillows. “So why did Kit send us a pile of pillows? Jade wouldn’t tell me.”
"Pillow wall," Hazel answered simply as she turned her back on Elora and started going through the closet. She quickly found herself a pair of sweatpants and started trying to pull them on. “I guess she wanted you to have a wall, too. I don't know,” she added, grunting as she lost her balance and started hopping around on one foot, trying desperately to get her other foot into the pant leg without falling on her face.
"Are you putting pants on because of me? Please don’t," Elora said, getting up and almost moving to help Hazel, not wanting to make the girl take extra steps on her account.
"Y-Yes... It's r-rude... Ugh," Hazel stammered, irritated as she struggled with her pants, eventually tripping and landing awkwardly below Elora. "Fuck," she growled into the carpet, pressing her forehead against it and rubbing it back and forth roughly until it burned.
"Hazel! My goodness! Are you okay? Hey, look at me; let me help you," Elora exclaimed, watching the girl struggle and growl, her urge to assist almost leading her to touch Hazel. Kneeling next to her instead, she waited patiently, becoming increasingly upset. In the short time they had known each other, Elora had witnessed a few attempts at self-harm, and that made her furious at whoever allowed it to happen and let Hazel keep it as a coping mechanism. "Can you look at me, please?" she tried, her anger turning to pain as she observed the marks on Hazel's body that confirmed it wasn’t a rare thing but a constant. She resolved to try to curb this one issue while still allowing the girl to be herself.
"No... You should go." Hazel growled, keeping her face firmly hidden against the carpet. She savored the burn of the continued friction, which took her mind off of how embarrassed she was and how stupid she felt for not even being able to put her pants on correctly.
Elora scoffed, "I'm not leaving," she said firmly, her tone conveying her determination as if leaving Hazel was never an option once she crossed the threshold. "Please look at me and let me help you," she asked again, trying for direct engagement.
Irritated, Hazel just pressed her face further into the carpet. "It's my room... go away." She growled again, scraping her nails into the carpet as she slowly closed her fists as though trying to grab fistfuls of it, despite it being too short to make it possible.
"Nope, it's technically yours and Kit's, and since Kit's in my room, I'm here to claim her half," Elora said quickly, scanning the room. She spotted the girl’s guitar, a welcome change of pace, something that could potentially help her relax. "You play the guitar?" she asked, intrigued by the possibility of Hazel's musical talent.
Frustrated with the woman's continued presence, Hazel draped her hands over her head as though protecting it from falling debris and grunted. "Please go away... please,” she begged, sounding less angry and more distraught. She was unwilling to face the woman again, sure she'd never be able to look at her.
“Hazel. No.” Elora spoke softly. “Can you take a few deep breaths with me? I want to be here; I want to help. Please, just let me, okay?” she implored, taking a deep breath, hoping Hazel would follow.
Realizing Elora was relentless, Hazel decided to take a page out of Kit's playbook and, in possibly one of the most childish moments of her life, said, "Yep." Then she took a deep breath and just held it.
Observing the woman's attempt to run her off in the most regressive way, Elora shook her head. "I know you're used to running people off with some of these war practices, but it won’t work on me. I worry and care for you, so I will warn you because I'm a polite woman. If you don’t breathe and continue acting this way, I’ll squish you," she said in her own immature tone. She was aware that Hazel responded well to full body pressure, and it wasn’t beneath her to use it, but she tried to give her a fair warning since they weren’t close like Jade was. "And here I thought you weren't playing the role of Kit Tanthalos anymore."
Still too angry to be rational, Hazel squeezed her eyes shut tight against the burning in her lungs and continued to hold her breath, almost making it a game for herself. Finding a new way to block out her embarrassment and the other woman's presence, to the point she barely heard the warning and only half believed what she heard anyway.
"Alright, this has gone on for too long," Elora said, frustration evident as she straddled Hazel and hugged her tight. "I am a respected professional, and you clearly... ah," she muttered, realizing Hazel couldn't even hear her. She applied pressure with her whole body against Hazel's back.
Startled, Hazel released the breath she'd been holding in a cough and scrambled to turn over and see what was on top of her. “Heeeey!" She protested, looking up at Elora with wide eyes as though coming out of a daze. "What are you doing?" She asked in a worried and confused tone, looking down at where the woman was now sitting on her hips and realizing with a new wave of embarrassment that her pants still weren't fully up, causing her to slap her hands onto her face and squeeze her eyes shut, silently willing herself to just sink through the floor.
“Well, you were having a meltdown, and I know pressure helps you, and you weren't breathing, so I did what I had to to help you,” Elora explained as she smiled at Hazel. Then, she realized the position they were in and blushed, the color on her face matching her hair.
"Oh," Hazel mumbled simply, peeking at the woman through her fingers. "You're kinda... still on me." She muttered embarrassedly, trying hard not to think about how interesting the woman's weight against her hips felt, her mind wandering back to the night she'd spent with Jade and how terribly it had ended.
“Right… yes,” Elora scrambled and moved away from her. “Sorry,” she said, looking at the brunette intrigued, fascinated, and chastising herself for allowing impure thoughts. “My bad,” she said as she took a deep breath, shivering, missing the contact.
Swallowing hard, Hazel nodded and took a few extra seconds, just laying there staring at the ceiling before reaching down and tugging on the waistband of her pants. Finally she managed to pull them up, not that it mattered at this point. Her whole purpose was to be more decent in front of her guest, but instead, she'd wound up with her pants halfway down and the woman sitting on her lap. Nothing could have been worse in her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to just disappear. "Fuck." She groaned out loud, scrubbing her hands over her face in miserable embarrassment as she sat up and brought her knees up to her chest.
“Hazel. Can we agree to something?” Elora asked, trying to ease the girl’s fears. She knew she was already overthinking their situation and probably never wanted to look her in the eyes again.
"What?" Hazel grunted and hugged her knees to her chest tighter, trying to give herself enough pressure to alleviate the uncomfortable tension in her body.
"We're both embarrassed, but we’re friends, so how about we call it even?" Elora suggested, extending an olive branch. "I lose my shorts, you lose your pants, and we sleep this way with a pillow barrier for your comfort. That way, we're both equals because that’s what I want us to be," she explained, hoping to find a compromise. "I think you'll laugh at me, making me even more embarrassed."
At the idea of seeing Elora in only underwear, Hazel blushed a bright shade of red and shook her head, thankful her knees were hiding her face. "I sleep in pants with people around." She muttered and glanced back at the woman, only opening one eye.
Not wanting to aggravate the girl, Elora spoke. “Ok, so I'll owe you one embarrassing moment,” she conceded, looking at the girl with a winning smile.
Sighing, Hazel finally managed to get up off the floor and looked down. "I don't want you to be embarrassed. I don't like people to feel embarrassed, that's not very nice." She spoke softly, wringing her hands a bit as she glanced back at her closet. "You sure Kit is staying with Jade? I don't want her to feel abandoned, I don't want her to think I traded her for a girl like she does, that's not who I am." She spoke honestly as she retrieved a sports bra from her bag and started towards the bathroom, wanting to be fully decent if she was going to share the room.
"Yeah, I'm sure, but Hazel, you don't have to get dressed," Elora said reassuringly. "I'm half-undressed, so it's not fair to make you get dressed." She then teased, "You wouldn't trade her for me? I am so hurt," earning a worried look from Hazel, who was instantly ready to apologize. "It's a joke, Hazel; I'm not just any girl," Elora clarified with a smile, her tone suggestive, allowing herself to flirt a little.
"Oh... no, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sure you're very nice, but Kit said something about wanting a room to herself to bring girls back, and I don't do that sort of thing. I just don't want her thinking I'm like that." Hazel explained as she fiddled with the bra in her hands. “Also, you didn't ask me to change; I just feel more comfortable fully dressed when people are around me. I'd do the same with Kit here." She added with a shrug.
“OK, then change away,” Elora said, noticing how noble and uninterested the woman was in her. Not letting that shake her, Elora smiled, “Thank you for the compliment. I am very nice.”
"I know, that's why I don't want anybody getting the wrong idea," Hazel replied with a small smile, watching the girl for an extra beat before ducking her head shyly and disappearing into the bathroom to change.
Elora felt the heat return to her cheeks, a sensation she was beginning to accept as a familiar presence whenever she was with Hazel—a feeling she didn't mind. Somehow, Hazel Tanthalos was charming, cute, and, most of all, a true gentleperson.
Hazel returned two minutes later and crawled onto her side of the bed. "Sorry if I snore. I don't know if I do or not, but I know it's not nice, so you can wake me up, just call my name first a few times, and if I don't respond then maybe shake my shoulder, but I'm sorry if I hit you. I'm not used to sharing a bed." She detailed quickly, exhaling at the end of her little speech and settling into the bed, her back to the wall of pillows.
“That’s ok; I guess I can say the same. I definitely do not sleep like a princess,” Elora said with a smile. “So, can you explain why the wall of pillows before you fall asleep?”
"Mhm... it was Kit's idea because I don't like sharing my space... so please don't kick me or anything," Hazel answered honestly, suddenly a little worried about how exactly Elora slept.
“I don’t kick,” Elora assured, “and I'm already hugging a pillow, so you're safe,” she spoke softly.
"Good, 'cause I really hate feet. That's why I'm wearing socks." Hazel replied in a matter-of-fact tone and closed her eyes, exhaustion catching up.
“I remember, no barefoot dancing when you’re over,” Elora spoke with a smile, closing her eyes.
"Mhm," Hazel muttered as she drifted off to sleep.
~
The next morning, Jade woke up in the middle of a bunch of pillows; they were everywhere, even the floor, as a result of how her night ended with Kit, who was the figure of an angel sleeping next to her, breathing in soft puffs and hair covering her face. Jade admired the girl and thought of Hazel. Of what she had told Hazel the day before and how she ended up in the most fucked up situation of her life.
Last night
While Kit had stormed out and slammed the door behind her, fully intent on not returning, she'd forgotten one major detail. No matter how confident she was in her ability to pick somebody up, even in a small town where most individuals were already asleep, her sleeping attire wasn't exactly appropriate to go out in and would likely only attract creepers if she did. So, with that in mind, she tried Hazel's room again, pausing with her fist poised to knock as she heard what sounded like talking. Listening for a few seconds, she determined everything seemed ok and dropped her hand. "Fucking Danan!" she exclaimed in a quiet huff before taking a resigned, deep breath and heading back to Jade's room. Humiliating herself, she knocked on the door, and as soon as Jade opened it, she stomped past quickly.
“Oh, back so soon? I take it the crop in town didn’t suit your fancy palate?” Jade spoke sarcastically.
" Fuck off, Jade.” Kit snapped and promptly threw herself onto the bed, not caring which side she landed on and winding up halfway in the middle where the pillow wall would have been had she been sharing with Hazel.
“Now, don’t insult me, Kitty,” Jade warned, lying down. “You know, it’s always been impossible to be truly kind to you. I twist myself into absolute knots and wind up the worst version of myself when I'm around you because you always feel so sure of yourself and never take help, even when you desperately need it. It's frustratin’.” Throwing a pillow at Kit.
"Again, not my problem that you're so damn insecure you feel threatened by somebody who likes to figure stuff out on their own. It kills you that I don't need you... Face it, Jade, that's why you like Hazel, because she's always needed you, always terrified of the world around her, and it made you feel big and strong. I'm not my sister; I will never need you like that." Kit shot back with a glare, unwilling to admit just how much she needed Jade. She desperately wanted her approval and attention and needed her friendship like she needed air and wanted so much more, but she also needed to feel like she could do things herself; she thrived on feeling independent and only wanted Jade to love her for it, not resent it.
Jade shook her head because, yes, deep down, Kit was right. Jade was intimidated because Kit never needed her and could always be independent. Jade loved that about her, but for years, Jade thought Kit could never love her because she always rejected her kind gestures, acceptance, and support. So whenever someone told her Kit liked her, she combated it because Kit never needed her. “Hmm… yeah. I’m not gonna engage. I don’t want to go to bed mad. Night Kit, despite your words, I love you.” she said, taking the words in and letting herself cry as she thought about them.
"Of course." Kit scoffed and flipped over to face the wall. "Always playing high and mighty... someday you're gonna wake up and realize you're an ass." She grumbled and burrowed into the covers, stealing most of them for herself, partly because she was always cold and partly to be ornery.
Irritated with the woman, Jade tugged on the covers. “Give. Me. Some. cover!” Jade spoke, her tone almost childlike, as if she was reliving some of their sleepovers.
"No, you want to play knight in shining armor, here's your chance. I'm cold, so be a good knight and shut up." Kit chided and proceeded to roll herself into a blanket burrito, stealing the rest of the covers for herself.
“You’re an ass, princess,” Jade remarked, tugging the cover and moving closer to Kit, seeking a little body warmth at the very least.
"And you're a terrible knight, already failing your mission,” Kit shot back, her voice muffled from under the blankets.
Deciding being mad at Kit for hogging covers was silly, she opted to engage in the game the younger woman was playing. Laughing Jade wrapped herself around the bundle that was Kit and held it close. “A knight must do despicable things to survive,” Jade said dramatically, finding her playful side and letting it take over.
"Uh, no, I’m pretty sure that's nowhere in the oath, but I believe you think that." Kit shot back and burrowed deeper under the covers, smiling slightly despite her earlier anger. She took comfort in feeling Jade's arms around her, even if it was through several inches of blanket.
Jade took that as an offense but admittedly did things she wasn’t into to keep away from Kit since she believed her feelings had always been unrequited. “We seek warmth in stranger's tents, under the skirts of bar wenches and the strong muscles of our peers, so a blanket with a wrapped princess seems less harmful,” she said defiantly.
"Again, no. I'm positive that breaks every rule of knighthood. Also, I'm positive knights aren't supposed to touch their princesses, even through blankets, so you're failing on all counts." Kit replied in a more proper-sounding tone, struggling to stifle a giggle and keep her mind from wandering to what Jade had described. She found it all more interesting than she was comfortable entertaining while so close to the woman.
“M’lady, you fail to understand that a knight’s life is lonely. Only the bosom of a barmaid knows the warmth of a knight’s face; they must mask their feelings, suppress desires, and cut their limbs off if they let temptation consume them,” Jade said, moving to lock Kit between her legs.
Swallowing hard, Kit looked up at the woman through the dim lighting of the room and struggled to find a comeback. "And... how's that working out for you?" She challenged softly, her voice becoming much more raspy than she intended, causing her to bite her lip.
Jade looked at the woman mischievously, “It consumes me. It eats me inside and out. Barmaids and wenches don’t satisfy this knight anymore. But a knight honors its code and awaits.” She spoke in a serious tone.
Processing the woman's words, Kit nodded slowly. "And what would satisfy this knight?" She asked softly as she brought a hand up to caress Jade's cheek lightly, giving in to her desires momentarily, knowing it was wrong. Jade had made it clear she was in love with Hazel, but Hazel had kicked Kit out and was now entertaining Elora; it was safe to assume that perhaps Hazel didn't return Jade's feelings and that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to indulge herself just once.
“Why Princess? Would you indulge your knight? Even if it was the filthiest, lowest, and most unhonorable request?” Jade asked, eyes trained on Kit’s lips. Thinking of how many times they’ve been in this game and chickened out each time breaking Jade’s heart.
"I might be persuaded..." Kit trailed off in a low whisper, eyes darting to Jade's lips as she licked her own. "If it'll help you focus on your duties... it would be for the greater good." She rasped softly, bringing her eyes back up to Jade's, searching for an answer, a confirmation that this was more than just a game between them.
“Would you sacrifice your upper hand to sate this knight’s desire? Princess…” Jade whispered, her body trembling and her hold on the girl tightening as her hand found a way inside the blanket over Kit’s heart.
Taking quick, shallow breaths, Kit chewed her bottom lip and nodded slowly, eyes fixed on Jade's. "I would." She spoke clearly and sincerely, stroking her thumb over the woman's face affectionately, needing Jade to know just how serious she was; no games, no false bravado, only a deep willingness to give in to Jade in whatever way the woman wanted her.
Jade looked at Kit for a few seconds, not believing her ears, searching for a smirk, a playful laugh, a gotcha moment. When none of that came, she let out in a whine, “Kit.” She begged for the girl to end her suffering because her want was certainly going to kill her. Her fate, as always, was in Kit’s hands.
At the way her name sounded from Jade's lips, Kit stifled a moan and moved her hand to the back of the woman's neck, letting her fingers tangle in the curls she found there and offered the woman an indulgent smile, deciding that even if Jade's heart truly belonged to Hazel, she could give in this one time and let herself have something she'd wanted for years, she could deal with the pain of it later, and with that in mind, she pulled Jade down, crashing their lips together in a needy kiss, full of years of pent up desire and want.
Unable to believe she was finally kissing Kit, Jade's mind spun: I’m kissing Kit Tanthalos. Her lips are on mine, she's kissing back, and I'm awake. All the years of pent-up want, angry jealousy, anticipation with every time Kit teased her and pulled away, lonely nights, and memories of times Jade woke up sweating, having dreamed of this exact moment, made her nervous to know if this was real. Pulling away, she waited until Kit opened her eyes and searched them. She spoke quietly. “Are you real?” her voice hoarse, her heart beating a thousand beats per second. Kissing Kit felt different than kissing Hazel; it felt like fireworks, a roller-coaster, her favorite day all in one. Hazel tasted sweet and curious. Kit’s kiss was languid and needy in a way that would make her need an ice bath to cool her down. It was liquid desire. It was bliss but also doom. It was terrifying to feel someone could hold so much power over her. Kissing Kit felt like heaven and hell, and Jade couldn’t get enough of it.
Suddenly unsure, Kit nodded slowly, eyes fixed on Jade."I'm not... her..." She trailed off softly, wanting to give Jade an out, feeling like maybe she was crossing a line she shouldn't.
“I know,” Jade spoke softly. Hand sliding down the girl’s chest, “Princess…”
Letting her eyes fall closed, Kit arched into the woman's touch and moaned softly. "Please." She breathed out, forgetting about any nobility she'd been entertaining. She wanted Jade, and Jade seemed to want her too. At least this way, she had a fair shot, and it would be up to Jade to decide who she truly wanted.
Acting on impulse fuelled by desire, Jade moved her hips into the girl still wrapped in the bulky blanket and allowed her hand to explore Kit’s anatomy, gasping at the discovery of no barriers besides the girl's top “fuck” she said tracing a finger over a raised nipple, cherishing the feel of the girl’s body under her digits, “Kitty… you’re gonna kill me” she said desperately finding the girl’s neck and kissing it softly.
"Mmm, that'd be a shame," Kit muttered breathlessly, gasping under the woman's attention as she stroked the side of Jade's neck gently before letting her fingers trail over the woman's collarbone and down to her chest, teasing her fingers over one nipple lightly in a playful tease, coaxing the older woman to laugh against her neck as she licked at Kit's pulse point, receiving a whimpered moan for her efforts.
“Why is that?” Jade asked, smiling. Her hand mirrored Kit’s, and then she played with the girl’s waistband. If Kit wanted to tease, so could she.
Kit caught Jade under the chin, pulling her up enough to press her mouth to the woman's ear. "Because... I really..." She trailed off in a whisper, nipping at the woman's earlobe lightly, delighting in the soft gasp it elicited. "Really want you..." She continued as she ran her tongue up the edge of Jade's ear playfully, smiling at the way the woman shivered. "And I hate being left frustrated." She concluded in a low tone right into the woman's ear.
Jade gulped, her heart beating faster, and she moaned at the way the brunette’s tongue made electricity rush to her core, igniting a fire. Not missing a beat, she smirked. “Are… you s-sure? Do.. any of your damsels. Leave you…f-frustrated?” she asked, summoning all the self-control she had left. The verbal sparring somehow aroused her more.
"Mmm, I'm sure... and No, they know better," Kit muttered as she trailed wet, open-mouthed kisses and small bites down the woman's jawline, wanting to savor every little part of Jade she could, afraid she'd never get the opportunity again.
“Fuu..” Jade let out as she adjusted against the girl, loving Kit’s expert kisses and bites, closing her eyes to take it all in with delight. “Do they now? What would you do... If I leave you frustrated? Do I get punished?” she joked with a laugh, teasing the girl over her shorts and then massaging her chest.
"Mmhm... " Kit gasped and nodded, moaning loudly, pulling Jade into another desperate kiss as she rolled her hips up against the woman, seeking more friction and groaning in frustration at the blanket between them. "The blanket." She muttered, nipping at Jade's bottom lip lightly.
“A knight would never…” Jade joked as she latched onto the woman’s pulse point, licking, biting, sucking slowly; one hand deliberately tugging on one of the girl’s erect nipples.
"Ah, fuck the oath..." Kit breathed out, gripping the back of Jade's neck and pushing her closer.
"Only if you fuck the knight," Jade whispered in a low tone, teasingly nibbling on Kit's earlobe, eliciting a breathy sound from the younger woman. Her hand gently squeezed Kit's side, prompting her to moan as she relished the sensation of Kit's skin beneath her touch.
That's the idea," Kit breathed out, her fingers tracing a path down the woman's back until they settled on her ass, squeezing firmly as she pulled her closer with a raw intensity, fully embracing the moment.
“I serve to please, princess,” Jade spoke softly, her kisses light until she found Kit’s lips and roughly tugged on the girl’s lower lip, sucking, claiming the girl in bruises and bites.
Groaning in response, Kit smacked Jade's bottom firmly, a smirk playing on her lips as they exchanged kisses. With a bold move, Kit slipped her hand under the waistband of Jade's shorts, teasing her lower back with tantalizing touches, igniting a spark of desire between them.
Secretly enjoying the touch, Jade melted into Kit. "Fuck Kit… this..." she exclaimed, gazing at her best friend with a newfound desire and insatiable hunger. Matching the rogue twin’s energy, Jade gripped the girl’s neck and rubbed her thumb on her throat, pushing Kit's jaw up and lightly grazing her teeth along the expanse of the woman's neck before delivering a possessive bite. "You're mine tonight, fuck those other bitches, all mine," she declared with an unexpected firmness as lust consumed her entirely. Jade then pulled Kit into a passionate kiss, eliciting a deep moan from the younger woman, who eagerly opened her mouth, inviting Jade in.
Jade's commanding words, coupled with her assertive actions, unleashed a tidal wave of desire in Kit, flooding her senses with an overwhelming craving for more and an aching need pooling between her legs. "Fuck, Jade... I need you," she gasped hungrily, her voice husky with longing and her words deliberate, as she deepened the kiss, her hand gripping Jade's hair while the other urged her hips closer, yearning for a more intimate connection.
Loving teasing the woman and feeling her core pulsing at Kit’s confession, Jade sucked the girl’s earlobe and then whispered, “Yeah? Gonna smack my ass again? Cause that really… really makes me feral,” She spoke softly, bunching the comforter and stuffing it between the girl's legs, exposing Kit's torso a bit,
"Yes," Kit gasped eagerly, her voice laced with desperation as she squirmed beneath Jade, her body craving more. "Jade, move the fucking blanket," she demanded firmly, delivering a sharp smack to the woman's ass in an attempt to assert control and satisfy her urgent desires.
Moaning loudly at the contact, Jade hissed with pleasure and challenged Kit with a daring gaze. "You're not the boss of me, princess," she teased, relishing in the brief control she held over the younger woman. Squeezing Kit's breasts, Jade elicited a gasp and pressed her advantage, feeling the girl's chest yield under her touch. "Fucking perfect," she declared triumphantly, reveling in the power dynamics at play.
"Mmm," Kit moaned seductively, her smirk conveying her confidence. "Actually..." she trailed off, seizing control and flipping Jade over with practiced ease, discarding the blanket in the process. "I am! A knight serves the realm, and I'm the ruler of this realm," she asserted confidently, pinning Jade's hands above her head and teasingly nipping at her chin. "Your sole purpose is to serve me," she whispered provocatively against Jade's lips, her words dripping with dominance. With deliberate slowness, she ran her tongue over Jade's lips, savoring the anticipation, and ground her hips down against Jade's, releasing a provocative moan to inflame the woman's desire further.
Jade looked at Kit in awe at the intoxicating sound, igniting a desire to hear it again. "Hmm, how would you like to be served, Your Highness?" she teased, tugging Kit's bottom lip and synchronizing their movements to intensify their mutual pleasure.
" In. every. Possible. way..." Kit spoke, punctuating each word with a kiss as she moved down the woman's jaw to her neck, finding her pulse point and pressing her tongue against it before biting and sucking it harder than necessary, making sure to leave a mark as she ground her hips against the woman harder and moaned deep in her throat, her whole body heating up with every movement.
"If you... let me use my hands..." Jade implored, her hips moving with increasing urgency as she longed to feel Kit pressed tightly against her. "Oh my Kit, fuck me..." she moaned, her cheeks flushing with both arousal and the thought of what Kit's mouth could do elsewhere. Despite her confidence, the moment's intensity made her blush even more as she fought against Kit's hold, consumed by desire.
Smirking, Kit glanced up and cocked a playful eyebrow at the girl again. "I thought knights were supposed to be the picture of self-control." She teased as she ran a finger down Jade's sternum, between her breasts and down to the waistband of the woman's basketball shorts, dipping it just under with a cocky smirk as she tightened her hold on the woman's wrists, one hand wrapped firmly around them.
"Yes, but this knight... has controlled herself for years," Jade whispered, her movements growing more desperate against Kit's grasp. "Kitty, lower baby... I'm so ready for you," she pleaded, struggling to position her mouth to capture any part of Kit within reach. However, her attention remained fixated on the girl's enticing nipples, her mouth agape in awe as they pressed against the fabric of her shirt. When I get my hands on these... I want to devour them. She thought.
Drawing a sharp breath at the endearment, Kit resisted the urge to succumb to Jade's plea, holding firm as she locked eyes with the woman. "A knight's oath is for life, Jade," she reminded firmly, a playful look gracing her features as she inched closer. Teasingly, she brought her chest just within reach of Jade's mouth but not quite close enough, relishing in the anticipation and enjoying teasing the woman.
"What happened to 'fuck the oath'?" Jade teased, sticking her tongue out playfully, "Kitty... please, just a little..." she pleaded, her gaze lingering on the girl's chest. Jade couldn't help but admire Kit's figure, appreciating how perfectly sculpted she was. All she wanted was to explore every inch of the woman with her tongue.
Silently cursing Jade's sharp wit, Kit couldn't help but smirk. "Touche," she conceded, her tone laced with amusement. She continued to tease Jade by briefly bringing her chest closer to the woman's mouth, only to swiftly pull away again before Jade could do anything about it. "You'll have to tell me what you want first... and you only get one," she added in a low, enticing tone, running her finger along Jade's waistband as she pressed her hips against hers, reveling in the sensation of their bodies fitting together flawlessly as if they were destined for each other.
Squirming with desire, Jade moaned and whispered, "Kitty... could your knight have just a taste..." She nodded towards Kit's chest and pressed closer to the woman, her mind consumed with images of clutching Kit's hips and surrendering to the intensity of their lust. "Just a little," she pleaded, casting puppy dog eyes at Kit.
Kit settled back on the woman's hips, swiftly shedding her shirt and seizing the woman's hands before they could wander, pinning them above her head once more with a confident grin. "Satisfied?" she asked playfully, lowering her upper body seductively close to the woman's mouth, finally giving in to her intense desire.
Jade nodded wordlessly, her gaze fixed on Kit's exposed chest. Slowly, she leaned forward, her lips kissing, licking, and delicately pulling an erect nipple into her mouth, applying a light suction. Meanwhile, her hips moved rhythmically against Kit's, eliciting a soft moan from the woman. Kit, overwhelmed by the newfound attention, ran her hand through Jade's hair, urging her closer with a gentle pull, and moaned loudly as she responded by grinding her hips with increased intensity, her desire surging with each movement.
Withdrawing from the girl's chest to meet her gaze, Jade smirked cockily and spoke, "Wanna cum, baby?" she asked, winking mischievously before moving to the other nipple, enveloping it with her mouth and lavishing it with attention.
" Y-Yes..." Kit breathed out, eyes closed in pleasure, hands bracing on either side of Jade's head, totally forgetting the game she'd been playing, too turned on to think.
Finally able to move her hands, Jade placed a firm hold on the girl's hips, squeezing them tightly before sliding a hand towards the woman’s covered ass, eliciting a moan from both women. She buried her head in Kit's chest, pulling her closer, and spoke softly, “Ride your knight, princess,” she demanded, squeezing the woman’s bottom.
"A-Ah, f-fuck Jade..." Kit gasped, throwing her head back as she followed Jade's command, grinding into the woman, riding her harder as she chased her climax, desperate for release.
At the sight, Jade held tight, pulling Kit closer with one hand while the other fixed on the girl’s neck, subduing her, controlling her. “Let go for your knight, Kitty.”
The way the woman held her and took control, along with her commanding tone, pushed Kit over the edge with a breathy gasp of Jade's name. Her climax crashed over her in waves, knocking the wind out of her as she collapsed on top of Jade, kissing her desperately, channeling all of her emotions into it as she shuddered on top of the woman, feeling everything keenly.
“Babe, you're gonna take those off,” Jade said, hooking a finger in the girl’s underwear and outerwear, snapping the elastic on the girl’s shorts with a salacious smile. Then she continued, “And sit on me. I want to make sure you’re all clean,” she commanded in a soft, demanding tone.
Surprised, Kit pulled back and gave the woman a searching look before smirking and nodding slowly, finding she couldn't argue with the woman. For the first time in her life, she found herself actually wanting to submit to another person entirely; all desire to run her mouth and fight back was gone as she moved back and did as she was told, tossing her shorts and underwear off and to the side as she watched the woman closely. Then, pushing Jade's shirt up, she moved to straddle the woman's stomach. "Like this?" She teased in a breathless tone, stifling a moan at the feel of the woman's muscles contracting against her center, knowing that wasn't what Jade meant but having fun nonetheless.
Jade clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Higher, baby... Right here,” she instructed, pointing to her lips. With a wink, she revealed a side of herself that Kit didn't often see. The usually stoic woman harbored feelings and deep desires, almost all of which had involved Kit for the longest time.
Kit gave the woman a playfully scandalized look before letting a slow smile take over her features. She loved this side of Jade and found it unbelievably hot. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" she asked with a playful smile as she leaned down to kiss the woman again. She felt almost shy all of a sudden, a problem she had never had with any other woman, but Jade made her feel totally off balance in the most interesting way possible.
“Kitty, on my lips, please," Jade insisted, her tone playful yet commanding. She provocatively traced a finger over the girl’s center, eliciting a small gasp. Ensuring she had Kit's full attention, she teasingly licked that same finger. “I told you; you make me feral... absolutely delicious," she purred, then gently tugged Kit forth.
Eyes fixed on Jade's lips, Kit felt another flood of desire course through her and moaned openly as she let Jade guide her into place, her knees bracketing the woman's head as she gripped the headboard hard, praying whoever was on the other side of the wall was too asleep to hear them because she had no intentions of being quiet.
Jade gripped the girl’s thighs firmly; her hands clenched in fists as she kissed Kit’s center with tenderness, a departure from the aggressive hunger she'd displayed up to that point, demonstrating a newfound level of care.
"Hmm, Jade," Kit sighed, her eyes fluttering closed as she took a shuddering breath in response to the contact, her fingers involuntarily tightening their grip on the headboard.
"You're perfect, Kit," Jade murmured between slow, deliberate licks, relishing in the moans escaping Kit's lips as she ground her hips against her. "For so long, this knight has wanted you,” Jade confessed, her actions growing more fervent as she continued to explore Kit's center with her whole mouth, overwhelmed by the intensity of her desire.
"Yes." Kit gasped, bringing a hand to her own chest and squeezing hard as she tried to resist the urge to ride the woman's face harder, wanting to let the woman take her time despite how badly she needed more.
Jade's tongue danced across the girl’s center, initially with a gentle pace that escalated rapidly into an ardent frenzy fueled by an insatiable hunger she hadn't realized she possessed. It was an almost animalistic instinct, a raw desire to devour Kit completely, disregarding any thought of restraint or cleanup, focused solely on unleashing the woman's pleasure and hearing her scream.
"Ahh, f-fuck Jade... I'm..." Kit's voice trailed off into a guttural moan, her body contorting in pleasure as she threw her head back, one hand mercilessly teasing her own nipple. At the same time, the other gripped the headboard with an intensity bordering on desperation. The mounting tension in her core reached a breaking point, threatening to snap as she surrendered to the overwhelming sensation coursing through her.
Opening her eyes, Jade was graced with the sight of Kit pleasuring herself, which in turn made her feel a rush of arousal. She moved her hips against the air, feeling the heat building within her. Blowing gently on Kit's center, Jade pulled away a bit, giving Kit some reprieve.
"No, Don't you fucking dare stop," Kit growled at the woman, losing all patience and grinding herself against the woman's mouth harder, desperate for the release she'd been denied.
"You sure?" Jade's question was accompanied by a sharp slap to Kit's ass, the sound echoing in the room as she maintained her deliberate, methodical pace with her tongue, a subtle mix of pleasure and dominance in her actions.
"Jade." Kit's voice was a mix of a yelp and a moan, the sound echoing in the room as she knocked the headboard against the wall in a fit of frustration. "Harder," she demanded, her tone laced with urgency and desire, unafraid to articulate exactly what she wanted.
Smirking at the non-specific request, Jade's hand came down harder on the brunette's ass as she continued to ravish every inch of Kit's cunt with her tongue, reveling in the mix of pleasure and control she wielded over the girl.
"Yes... just like that," Kit praised, her voice strained with pleasure, feeling the tension building once again as she rocked her hips against the woman's waiting mouth. It was hard to believe it was actually Jade bringing her to the heights of pleasure rather than some random woman whose name she could barely remember—always a poor substitute for her best friend.
“You like it?” Jade teased, stopping again and squeezing the woman’s ass, always a glutton for punishment.
"Fuuuuuck," Kit groaned loudly, her frustration palpable as she practically whined. "Jade, I will murder you," she threatened playfully, though her tone came out more serious than she intended. With that, Jade flipped them over, placing Kit’s back on the bed and pulling her lower half up, handling her roughly. "Yeah? You sure about that?" Jade taunted before diving in, flicking her tongue against Kit's clit vigorously before sucking it harder.
"Ahh, y-yes... fuck me." Kit gasped, fingers tangling in Jade's hair as she pulled the woman closer, not about to let her pull away again, her other hand teasing her own breast and nipple hard until the coil finally snapped with a cry of Jade's name, unmindful of their neighbors as she rode out her high. "Come'ere." She mumbled after a few breathless seconds, her chest still heaving as she tugged on the woman's hair, pulling her up for a deep kiss before swiftly flipping them over and kissing her way down the woman's body, pushing her shirt up. "Off." She demanded.
Desperate to see where it would lead, Jade quickly got rid of the offending material and took a nervous shaking breath, wiping her chin with a cocky look.
Glancing up, Kit smirked and leaned up, running her tongue over the woman's chin and moaning softly at the taste of herself before kissing her way back down to Jade's chest. There, she took one erect nipple into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it slowly and pulling away with an audible pop before doing the same to the next. A cocky smirk played on her face, her eyes locked on Jade the entire time. Jade let out a low, throaty moan, arching her back in response to Kit's teasing, her fingers threading through the younger woman's hair, urging her on with a mixture of desire and anticipation. “Oh my god Kit… ahh, such a fucking tease,” Jade said, pulling the girl’s head taut, her body so sensitive she felt like she was going to combust.
"Mhm." Kit nodded with a satisfied little smile as she continued her journey down Jade's body, tracing a fiery path of kisses that left the woman trembling with anticipation. Halting at Jade's belly button, she playfully dipped her tongue inside, eliciting a soft moan from the woman beneath her. Lowering herself even further, Kit nibbled and kissed her way to the waistband of Jade's shorts, teasingly tugging at it with her teeth. Glancing up at Jade, a mischievous glint danced in her eyes as she silently challenged the woman to give in to her desires, all while observing Jade's reactions – the subtle shifts in her body, the breathy sighs that escaped her lips – fueling Kit's arousal as she continued her seductive assault.
Gasping and gripping the sheets tightly, Jade couldn't help but smirk as she gazed down at Kit with a mixture of admiration and arousal. "You're a menace, Tanthalos," she purred, her voice dripping with desire. "If that... tongue does what you just did... I won't hold back." Her gaze lingered on Kit's raw beauty as she marveled at the mischievous glint in her eyes. Never had she thought her best friend would be so playful in bed.
"Mm, well, there's a skill..." Kit started to boast in her usual playful manner, winking at Jade as she swiftly removed the woman's shorts and underwear, unable to hide her admiration at the sight before her. "Fuck, you're gorgeous," she breathed out, her voice momentarily losing its usual vibrato as she took a moment to truly appreciate the strong, beautiful woman beneath her, reflecting on how long she had dreamed of this moment. Jade's breath hitched at Kit's words, a flush creeping up her neck as she felt a surge of desire coursing through her. She couldn't help but smile at the compliment, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness as Kit's gaze lingered on her. Without another word, Kit leaned down, trailing kisses along the inside of Jade's thighs before slowly working her way up to her center. The sensation sent shivers down Jade's spine, her anticipation growing with each delicate touch. Finally, Kit's tongue found its mark, and Jade let out a soft gasp, her body arching instinctively towards Kit's mouth as pleasure washed over her.
Jade held her breath and Kit’s eyes as the woman turned her whole world upside down. Gasping at the first contact, feeling Kit’s soft lips, she held the sheets. “Kit,” she whined, needing the girl there to sate her aching.
"Hmm?" Kit hummed against the woman, the vibration of it exciting the older woman more. With a knowing look in her eyes, Kit continued to tease Jade, sucking and flicking her tongue in a way she knew would drive the woman crazy.
Succumbing to the overwhelming pleasure, Jade's inhibitions melted away as she unleashed a primal moan, the sound echoing through the room. Unable to contain herself any longer, she surrendered to the intoxicating sensations, her arousal evident in every breathy gasp and tremble. "F-Fu-Fuck, baby, y-yes," she whimpered, her voice a symphony of desire as Kit's skilled touch sent waves of ecstasy crashing over her.
With a satisfied smirk, Kit trailed her hand up Jade's body, her touch firm as she grasped a soft breast, kneading it with gentle pressure. Her thumb brushed across the hardened nipple, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Jade as she continued her descent. Licking her way down to the woman's entrance, Kit lapped at it teasingly before pushing her tongue inside, a deep moan resonating from both women. With each movement, she squeezed the woman's breast harder, fully immersed in the intensity of their intimate exchange.
"Kit... oh... Kitty," Jade gasped out, her voice thick with unrestrained longing and desire as she uttered the name that had haunted her fantasies and fueled her desires. With every movement of her hips, she felt the urgency of her need intensify, spurring her to buck harder in a fervent plea for fulfillment.
"Mhm." Kit moaned. Her movements became more deliberate as she moved her free hand to rest on the woman's lower stomach, palm flat as she held her down with firm pressure. With masterful precision, she continued to work her tongue in and out of the woman expertly, the thumb of the hand holding her down rubbing slow circles against Jade's clit, determined to push her over the edge.
"Kit... mmm, fuck me, please," Jade begged, her voice a mix of desperation and desire as the teasing and Kit's expert touch pushed her closer to the edge. "So... close," she added, her gaze fixed on Kit, almost disbelieving that this was really happening and not just a figment of her imagination.
Releasing Jade's chest, Kit moved her hand down to replace her tongue, thrusting two fingers into the woman's cunt as she licked her way back up to her clit. Pausing only momentarily to speak, she commanded, "Come for me, Jade," her voice laced with a mix of authority and desire. Kit then refocused her attention on the sensitive bundle of nerves, alternating between sucking and licking in perfect harmony with the rhythmic thrust and curl of her fingers. She groaned softly at the intense sensation of Jade's body, gripping her fingers tightly. Kit maintained an unyielding gaze on the woman as she skillfully worked to push her over the edge into ecstasy.
Unable to hold back any longer, Jade lost control, her eyes fixed on Kit with a mixture of fear and desire, afraid that if she closed them, the brunette would disappear. With a loud moan and a guttural sound, somewhere between a growl and a gasp, she exploded into the most intense climax of her life to date. No volleyball players, swimmers, police officers, or anybody else had ever touched her as Kit did, and she found herself grinding hard against the girl to prolong the incredible sensation. "Yes, yes, baby, just like that... fuck, Kit, Kit... oh, Kit," she moaned out, lost in the overwhelming pleasure.
Smirking, Kit groaned softly as she continued to tease Jade through her aftershocks, slowing down gently to help ease her back down. She moaned in delight as she removed her fingers and licked Jade clean. "You taste so good," she murmured, kissing her way back up Jade's body, leaving little love bites here and there until she reached her lips. Kit kissed her deeply, licking into her mouth the same way she had lower, letting Jade taste herself on her tongue.
Jade indulged, tasting herself on Kit's tongue, finding the experience electrifying and heightening the intensity of their connection. She kissed harder, savoring the moment before transitioning into a gentle, loving, sweet kiss. Pulling away after a long time, she smirked at Kit. "You're such a brat," she teased, caressing Kit's face before giving her bottom a playful slap.
"You love it," Kit shot back with a playful smile, raising an amused eyebrow at the little slap, clearly enjoying the interaction. "Are we good?" she asked softly, hugging Jade and laying her head on the woman's chest. She listened to Jade's heartbeat momentarily, closing her eyes and hoping for more than just a one-night stand, but aware that there were things to be worked out first.
"Eh, maybe," Jade joked, her laughter genuine yet tinged with a hint of apprehension. "Yeah, we are; I mean, aren’t we?" she asked back, her tone revealing a mix of hope and fear, unsure of how Kit would respond and fearing another rejection.
Crossing her arms over Jade's chest, Kit propped herself up a little to look at the woman. "I want us to be." She answered honestly and sighed. "Jade... I want you. I think I've always wanted you..." She trailed off, letting her eyes travel towards the partially open curtains as she tried to figure out how to say what she desperately wanted to.
"Kitty," Jade spoke softly, her voice betraying a depth of emotion. You have me, Kit; you had me just now," she added sincerely. “I’ve always been wrapped around your finger," she admitted with a smile. She found the girl’s arm and kissed it lightly, longing to kiss every part of the woman that was within reach. She pondered her earlier conversation with Hazel and where it fit with the delightful chaos of the moment she was having.
Taking a deep breath, Kit brought her eyes back to Jade's and let it out slowly as she considered the woman's words. "I don't mean like that, Jade... I mean, I do, but that's not all," she spoke with a small smile. "I have never needed you like Hazel needed you... I never wanted to need you like that. I value figuring things out on my own. I like my independence when it comes to those types of things, but I think I've always wanted you and needed you like this... as a partner... at least, that was what I hoped for. But I'm not great at communicating those things and..." She trailed off, frowning a bit. "I heard what you told her, Jade... this doesn't erase that. I meant what I said before. I won't be anybody's second choice, and I know it's not fair to ask you to decide right now, but you do have to choose eventually," she spoke seriously, looking a little sad.
"I know, baby," Jade murmured, her touch tender as she caressed Kit's face. "Kit, you don’t know... you don’t know how long I’ve dreamed of this," she confessed with a hint of longing. "It’s not fair to you or Hazey..." she trailed off and gently kissed the woman’s forehead. "But I will figure it out," she promised, her fingers delicately tracing patterns along Kit's collarbone as her gaze lingered on the marks adorning the woman’s neck.
"No, you're right, I don't, because you never told me," Kit replied softly, her gaze unwavering as she watched Jade closely. "But you did kiss my sister, practically dated her when you were younger... and even recently, and you told her it's always been her." She reminded.
"Tonight was selfish because I've wanted this for so many years and wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to dishonor her memory or be a cheap replacement. I wanted to be your only, so I never told you, and I shouldn't have given in tonight; I know that, and I'm sorry." She continued. "But if you have feelings for me, if you ever did... then you will have to decide. You know I love Hazel, you know I would never try to take anything away from her, but I've always loved you, and at one point, I thought maybe you might have liked me too... before you got with her, I thought there was a chance. And I guess I just need to know once and for all." She concluded, her tone still soft as she watched Jade closely, looking for understanding.
Jade nodded, her expression softening as she recounted their missed opportunities over the years. "I didn’t tell you because the timing was never right," she explained, her gaze shifting downward briefly. "I was going to, at your graduation. But you told me you loved Stella Rebecca. Then, in college, at the end of the third semester, you had broken up, and I had just made the team, and we went out to celebrate/drown your sorrows, and then you met Tiffany, and I didn’t see you for months. You’d tease and tease me… but there was always a girl."
Smiling sadly, Kit rested a hand on Jade's cheek, lightly stroking her thumb over the woman's lips. "I love you, Jade Claymore, but you're so mixed up." She spoke in a tired but affectionate tone. I don't think you know what you want because you told Hazel it had always been her, and now you're telling me almost the same thing. I'm not angry, but I mean it when I say you need to figure this out." She added in a firm tone. "This can't happen again...I want you to give Hazel the chance you were going to give her and take the time to understand your feelings. Then, if you decide it's me you truly want, we can talk. Until then, we're best friends." She sighed and gently kissed the woman's cheek before getting up to pull her night clothes back on.
Jade's heart pricked with a thousand tiny needles, her silence a testament to the ache inside her. As Kit got up and settled back, she couldn't help but voice her self-doubt. "I don’t deserve you," she murmured, shaking her head as she gathered her clothes, each movement tinged with a sense of resignation.
"No... " Kit's voice trailed off, her expression pained as she gazed at Jade, regret etched in every part of her face. She wished she hadn't succumbed to her desires, fearing that Jade's choice might be clouded by lust rather than love. The realization churned her stomach, leaving her feeling sick with guilt. "Jade, this can't be what you base any decision on, please," she pleaded, her words tinged with desperation. "I messed up tonight; this wasn't supposed to happen. I will understand and back off if Hazel is who you truly want. I want her to be happy too, and I honestly can't think of a better person for her than you, but selfishly, I want to be your choice."
Kit's admission hung heavy in the air, her vulnerability laid bare. "I'm a terrible person for saying this, but as unfair and awful as it is, I want to be who you choose, but I want it to be because you love me, as fucked up as I am," Kit continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "You would have to want all of the messy bits, even the stuff that leaves you angry and confused at times, because that's the only way this will be fair." Her words carried the weight of her hopes and fears, bared for Jade to see.
“I promise, Kit, I won’t take it lightly. I won’t base my decision on tonight’s event, nor will I ask you for more of it. I will do what’s right,” Jade said, putting on her shorts. “I never thought you liked me; you never protested my indiscretions,” she said, looking at the girl and then back down at her hand.
"I love my sister Jade... you chose her; what kind of person would I be if I tried to take you from her?" Kit's voice was heavy with exhaustion and self-doubt. "Even now, I feel like a monster, but things have changed. She's no longer a vulnerable teenager, and I understand my feelings better. Plus, the things you've said in the last few days have made me question how deep your feelings for her really are. Maybe that's just my way of justifying what I did tonight." She paused, shoulders sagging with the weight of her words. "But if your feelings for her are misplaced, you'd end up harming her more in the long run. And maybe you don't like either of us, but whatever it is, just figure it out. I won't bother you again, and I don't expect you to act weird around me; I mean it when I say I want what's best for all of us." Her tone softened into reassurance as she continued. "I might end up hurt, but it'll pass; I'd much rather get hurt now than in the future.” With a final kiss on the woman's cheek, Kit settled back into bed, the weight of her conscience pressing heavily on her as she prepared to drift off to sleep.
“Kitty…” Jade said, moving to the bed. “Can I ask for one thing?” she asked, blushing, feeling nervous as she clasped her hands together.
With a cautious look, Kit nodded. "What?" She asked carefully.
“Can you hold me? For tonight? Until I fall asleep?” Jade asked with a small smile, showing her shy nature; long gone was the bold, domineering side.
Softening her expression, Kit gave the woman a small, understanding smile and patted the bed. "Come'ere." She murmured and opened her arms, beckoning the woman closer, more than happy to be the big spoon for the night, something she'd secretly longed for since they were children.
“Thank you. I love you, goodnight,” Jade said quickly, closing her eyes. A tear escaped. She knew she needed to get herself sorted.
"Hmm, I love you too," Kit murmured, gently kissing the back of Jade's neck as she wrapped an arm around the woman's middle and pulled her close, cuddling up to her as she fell into a comfortable sleep.
~
As Jade observed Kit's peaceful slumber, thoughts of the impending day weighed heavily on her. With a resigned sigh, she reached for her phone, finding a barrage of missed calls and messages from Sorsha and her team. Pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, she glanced at Kit, capturing a candid picture of the sleeping figure beside her before steeling herself to face the demands of reality. It was time to check on Hazel and dive into the tasks that awaited her, pushing aside her emotions for the day ahead.
Across the hall, Elora stirred from her sleep, greeted by the sight of Hazel sprawled on the bed, flat on her stomach, occupying most of the space, one leg bent and the other extended as if climbing an invisible ladder. Her hand clung to the front of the redhead's pajama shirt, a subconscious gesture of comfort. The once-erect pillow wall was now scattered across the bed and floor, a testament to the night's unrest. Elora noted Hazel's restless sleeping patterns, seemingly brought on by night terrors, a detail to address later. Despite the turbulent slumber, a gentle calmness adorned Hazel's features, eliciting a soft smile from Elora. Tempted to reach out, she paused, recalling Hazel's preference for personal space and the instructions the younger woman had given.
“Hazel,” Elora called softly, liking how the girl’s name rolled off her tongue.
Grunting softly, Hazel just turned her face to bury it in her pillow, hand clenching and unclenching around Elora's shirt, the texture soothing even in her sleep.
“Hazel… time to get up, sweetie,” Elora said, catching herself just before the endearment slipped out completely. She glanced down at Hazel's hand, which still clung to her shirt, observing how the woman unconsciously used it to self-soothe. Elora couldn't help but find the sight adorable and endearing, sparking thoughts of what it might be like to wake up next to Hazel every day, a notion that filled her with warmth.
"Ugh," Hazel grunted again, this time a little louder, her voice muffled by the pillow she pulled over the back of her head with her free hand. Still half-asleep, she wasn't fully registering what was bothering her. Without the intrusion of an alarm clock, Hazel wasn't one to wake up before ten in the morning at the earliest. Noon was her preferred time to rise; on the rare occasion she was ever allowed to sleep in that late.
Finding the situation comical, Elora resorted to the second option she was given. She reached over to caress Hazel's arm and then removed the pillow from the woman’s head. “Hazel,” she called in a firmer tone.
Her mind finally registered the firm tone; Hazel shot up with a start, nearly falling off the edge of the bed as she looked around with wide, startled eyes, an apology already forming on her lips. "S-Sorry... my phone, My alarm... it didn't go off." She stammered out, glancing around quickly, trying to process where she was and why Lili looked an awful lot like some random woman, or maybe she wasn't random. She looked vaguely familiar to Hazel's sleep-addled brain, but so soon after waking up, she couldn't place her face.
Elora chuckled, hey, it’s ok… deep breath in… and out…”
Looking skeptical, Hazel followed the woman's instructions for a second before bringing both hands up to her eyes and rubbing hard, trying to get the sleep out of them and wake up more as the previous night started to come back to her in small flashes. Elora, that was who was sharing her bed, but she couldn't for the life of her remember why. "You're in my bed." She pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone as she finally dropped her hands and gave the woman a questioning look.
“Yes, technically the hotel’s bed, but yes,” Elora joked and looked around. “Got locked out by Jade, remember?” she asked, reminding the woman why she was in the room.
Frowning, Hazel looked at Elora and then at the bed. "Where's the wall? Why is it gone?" she asked in an almost accusatory tone, a deep frown taking over her features as she regarded the woman, clearly worried.
“You moved it as you had your night terrors,” Elora answered. “Or just random nightmares? I'm not quite sure, but they seem to bother you a lot,” she added, giving Hazel a small, understanding smile, showing she was okay with it all.
Clenching her jaw, Hazel huffed and got up. "Pretty sure nightmares bother everybody." She scoffed and ran a hand through her messy hair, trying to smooth it down a bit.
“It’s not an accusation, Hazel, just an observation.” Elora justified a kind smile still on her face.
"I know, and I'm just pointing out it's a dumb observation because obviously I'd be bothered by a nightmare, or it wouldn't be a nightmare," Hazel grumbled, never in a great mood when it came to waking up early and already on edge around the other woman.
“True, sorry for misspeaking. Do you have these often?” Elora asked curiously, watching how the girl processed the information. She wanted to know if Hazel was prone to terrors or anything that disrupted her routine, acutely aware of how the woman was in a fragile state.
"How would I know? Generally, nightmares happen when a person's asleep." Hazel replied sarcastically, giving Elora a slightly irritated look before shaking her head and sleepily making her way towards the closet to find a change of clothes for the day, still blinking her eyes for a few seconds at a time to try and get her brain to fully wake up, too tired to measure her tone and not sound like a total ass, it wasn't her intention, she was just too sleepy to have a filter.
"You make a good point; I guess I'm truly out of words," Elora relented, her lips pursed in acknowledgment. She recognized that Hazel likely struggled with how she expressed herself so soon after waking up and probably didn't intend to sound rude.
"Mmm." Hazel nodded in acknowledgment and made her way towards the bathroom. "Do you have to use the bathroom before I shower? It takes me about forty-five minutes. Sometimes an hour if I'm really tired, so if you have to use it, you should go now." She informed in a matter-of-fact tone. "I would let you shower first, but if I did, I wouldn't be able to shower; I don't like sharing showers or soap." She explained, her tone still flat, despite trying her hardest to be kind and let Elora at least use the bathroom before her.
“Oh no, I'm fine. You can go ahead. I’ll catch up on work emails while you do,” Elora said, showing her phone to Hazel.
"Ok," Hazel replied simply as she entered the bathroom, pausing before closing the door entirely. "I'm sorry if I was rude or mean; I'm not fully awake. I'll be nicer when I'm out." She added and closed the door before Elora could respond, clicking the lock into place quickly.
An hour later, she came back into the room wearing a short-sleeved black button-up shirt and dark blue jeans. She had decided to forgo the waistcoat in favor of the more casual look, too tired to complete it. "Bathroom's all yours,” she announced, flipping her still-wet hair out of her eyes in a nervous tick as she looked at the other woman.
Elora looked up from the guest book and was taken aback by how good Hazel looked. Seemingly forgetting how to speak, she stared at the girl for a moment, causing Hazel to blink and look down at her outfit. "Something weird on me?" she asked in a worried tone, brushing her hands over her face and clothes to try and clear whatever it was that had Elora staring at her.
“No…you look good,” Elora said with a blush on her cheeks.
"Oh," Hazel said in a surprised tone. “Thank you." She added beaming, straightening up, almost preening at the compliment. “Uh, sorry, the bathroom is a little steamy. It should clear up in a few minutes, though. The hot water doesn't run out here, so you should be good there." She explained quickly, giving information as her way of showing she didn't hate the woman; she was actually starting to be rather fond of her.
“I like steamy,” Elora muttered and got up, stretching, her shirt riding up a little. Showing her stomach.
"Oh. I don’t. I can't see the mirror when it gets steamy, and when you try and clear it, it's all wet." Hazel grumbled and glanced down at Elora's shirt, instinctively pulling it down for the woman. "It was riding up." She explained softly, rubbing the material between her fingers for a moment before quickly pulling her hand back with a sheepish smile. She felt bad for giving into her desire to test every texture she came in contact with.
Elora smiled and nodded “You like? The texture?” she asked smiling, thinking back on how she'd woken up.
" Yes, I'm sorry... it's nice." Hazel muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck and glancing towards the door. "You can shower now... I don't know if they want to leave today or stay one more night, but check-out is in two hours if they want to go today." She spoke quickly, full of nervous energy.
“OK, I’ll go shower quickly,” Elora said with a smile. “And Hazel,” she added, pausing by the door. “It’s okay to like the texture of things; you’re safe with me. That’s what friends are for,” she assured the woman as she walked into the bathroom to get ready, forgetting she didn’t have a change of clothes.
Processing the woman's words, Hazel scraped her teeth across her bottom lip lightly as her eyes followed the woman's exit, a curious expression on her face as she considered how different Elora was from most people she encountered and wondered at the woman's motives, not used to people being genuine. Only snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of a knock on the door. "One second," she called, tearing her eyes from the bathroom door and quickly moving to open the main one just enough to see who was there. "Jade," she exhaled in relief, opening it the rest of the way and stepping aside to let the taller woman in.
Notes:
Please don't hate Jade! Character development is beautful. This is still a Tanthamore story.
Check out our Drabbles:
Shopping Surprise - https://archiveofourown.org/works/55676053
She won't be ignored - https://archiveofourown.org/works/55716997
Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Summary:
Strap in for some more of the day after.
Notes:
Our most sincere apologies for delaying this chapter. We went on vacation, and we thought we could post from the road, but editing was a frustratingly long process. Thanks for your patience.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
“Good Morning,” Jade greeted, looking around the room and seeing pillows everywhere, much like in her room. Giving Hazel a quizzical look, she asked, “Pillow fight?” a full smile graced her face as she watched the woman for a reaction.
Confused, Hazel blinked and glanced back, eyes finding the disheveled pillows. "Oh, no... I guess I don't stay very still when I sleep." She answered with a disinterested shrug as she returned her gaze to Jade.
“Hmm… Is Elora here?” Jade asked, eyeing the girl suspiciously.
"Yeah, she's in the shower," Hazel answered, motioning towards the bathroom as she sat down on the end of the bed.
“Sorsha got us all late check out, so we won’t leave until two pm.” Jade advised, “Gives us time for breakfast and logistics.” she added, looking at Hazel and smiling, her heart leaping with joy at the sight of her. “It’s really you.” She affirmed, speaking more to herself than Hazel, who gave her a confused look eerily similar to one Kit often gave, causing Jade to smile wider, heart speeding up at the thought of the younger twin.
"Yeah, of course it’s me. Didn't Kit sleep with you?" Hazel asked curiously, wondering if maybe Elora had been mistaken. She suddenly worried that her sister had been locked out of a room with nowhere to go.
Flustered at Hazel’s assumption, Jade quickly defended, “We slept in the same room, yes,” not divulging any more information about what happened between her and Kit.
Raising her eyebrows, Hazel nodded. "Yeah... that's what I said. So she did sleep with you then?" She tried to clarify, looking at Jade like she was strange.
“We shared the bed, yes,” Jade said, not confirming or denying sleeping with Kit.
Giving the woman a weirded-out look, Hazel huffed. "So... You didn't sleep? Or... did she not sleep? Why are you being so weird?" She asked, shaking her head at the woman.
“We did sleep, yes. We both slept. I’m not being weird.” Jade said defensively, looking at the woman, admiring her features and her ever-present little pout.
"Okaaaay... you kinda are, though," Hazel replied, narrowing her eyes at the woman suspiciously. "Elora and I slept together, too,” she added with a shrug as she grabbed a couple of pillows off the end of the bed and tossed them back up where they belonged.
Looking at the bathroom door, then at Hazel, Jade asked, “You slept… you slept together?”
"Yeah..." Hazel trailed off with a curious frown. "at least I think she was asleep." She muttered, glancing back towards the bathroom thoughtfully, realizing it was possible she'd kept the woman awake with her nightmares.
“You…” Jade said and then thought about it carefully. “Oh, ok, so you slept,” she spoke with conviction.
"Yes, that's what I said," Hazel replied slowly. Are you drunk or something?" she asked suspiciously, starting to feel a little concerned for the woman.
“No, no,” Jade said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I just have a hard time when I first wake up. I need coffee.” She spoke softly as she approached the girl, eyes searching the woman's face as she recalled what Kit had told her the night before. “I’m gonna touch your face, okay?” she asked gently, knowing the girl could use the warning before contact. She wanted to test her feelings.
Looking up, Hazel felt her pulse quicken with nervous anticipation and nodded slowly. "K..." She mumbled. “I get it. I don't do well in the morning, either. I think I was mean to Elora and didn't mean to be. I was just tired, but I can't drink coffee; it makes me sleep." She spoke quickly, bouncing a bit where she sat.
Jade smiled and gently caressed the girl’s face. “Oh sweetie, why do you think you were mean to Elora?” she asked softly, her touch tender and expression thoughtful as she traced the scar on Hazel's face, trying to sort out how she felt for the girl.
Tilting her face into the touch gently, Hazel allowed her eyes to close for a moment, taking comfort in the small caress, happy this time it was actually for her and not intended for Kit. "She told me I have nightmares when I sleep... and then told me it seemed like they bothered me, and I told her they obviously bother me because they're nightmares; I don't think anybody likes them. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I thought about it more, and I think maybe it sounded rude." She admitted as she looked up at Jade with a sheepish look and a small shrug.
“Yeah, but I think you’ll be surprised at how tolerant of sarcasm and rudeness Elora is,” Jade said and held Hazel's chin up, causing the girl to widen her eyes with an almost expectant look. “You made sure she had room on the bed right? I remember how you took over my whole bed,” Jade spoke playfully before booping Hazel on the nose.
Startled by the unexpected touch, Hazel flinched a little and scrunched her nose in surprise. "I was asleep... I can't help it... 'sides I was supposed to have it all to myself, but you locked her out of your room." She defended with a small shrug, a blush forming on her cheeks as she averted her eyes, finding it difficult to be so close to Jade and not feel nervous.
“She left the room, and then I locked her out,” Jade defended. “I'm glad you let her in though, considering you kicked your sister out,” the redhead said with a knowing look.
"I didn't kick her out. She left, and then I locked her out," Hazel retorted with a smug little smile.
Seeing how proud of herself Hazel was, Jade shook her head. “Did you perhaps persuade her under the false premise of bonding over fizzy drinks?” Jade questioned as she pulled away a bit. Her heart was beating faster but she tried to breathe deeply and keep calm as she realized the feelings she'd had for the girl hadn't just magically disappeared like she'd hoped.
Blinking a little at the loss of contact, Hazel looked down quickly and shrugged, trying not to feel disappointed. "I told her if she wanted to talk, I'd need a drink... but I never told her I wanted to talk." She mumbled honestly, wincing guiltily at the memory, knowing it had been cruel.
“Hazey,” Jade said, pulling the girl's chin up again and leaning closer. “You know that’s not nice,” she observed, trying to memorize all of the girl’s features.
Breathing harder, Hazel glanced at Jade's lips and then to the side. "I know..." She sighed softly, knowing better than to pull such a mean trick.
“Then why did you do it, Handsome?” Jade questioned and smiled quickly, finding the girl adorable. It was different with Kit. Kit was cute too, but more often than not, she'd be better described as sexy, intense, and unapproachable, while Hazel had a puppy dog quality about her that was less intimidating and more inviting.
Hazel Blushed at the familiar term of endearment and glanced up at Jade again. "Hmm?" She asked softly, starting to bounce again with nervous energy, her hands fidgeting anxiously as the woman's proximity set her nerves on edge in ways she didn't fully understand.
“When we get home, I’ll take you out on a date if you’re into it,” Jade offered, moving Hazel’s hair from her face. A pang of guilt hit her as she noticed the girl was fidgeting, a clear sign to help her relax and take things slow. She could do slow. The thought made Jade's heart swell with excitement at the possibility of doing things she'd once planned, knowing Hazel would follow her anywhere, unlike Kit, who would protest at every turn, a realization that caused her confusion to flare once again.
"I... I'd l-like that..." Hazel stammered and ducked her head quickly, squeezing her hands together and twisting them awkwardly. She found it too difficult to stay still as she thought about actually going on a real date with Jade as herself, without false pretenses.
“Good...I’d like to get to know you again,” Jade replied as she caressed the other side of Hazel's cheek, moving to the space close to the girl’s lips, just trying to memorize her, but was interrupted by her phone ringing. “Claymore,” she answered, immediately business-like.
"Hnn,” Hazel whined softly, eyes wide and eyebrows knitted together in the most distressed and disappointed expression she'd probably ever made, suddenly hating Jade's phone.
“Sorry,” Jade mouthed, absently running a hand through Hazel’s hair. Yes, Ma’am.” She said on the phone, “Yes, I'm here.” She answered soberly, thankful for the phone call.
Sighing softly, Hazel melted under the soothing touch, pressing her head into Jade's hand much like a cat or dog would and closing her eyes momentarily before looking back up at the woman expectantly.
“No, no problem at all,” Jade said. “OK, plans will be in your email before we meet for breakfast,” she continued, caressing Hazel’s earlobe and massaging it, not considering the effect a small touch could have. “No, I'm currently with Hazel,” She continued the phone conversation.
"Hmm." Hazel sighed again, continuing to melt under the little touches and closing her eyes with a pleased little smile as she bounced one leg slightly in approval, finding it impossible to stay still.
Jade concluded the conversation and focused on Hazel. “Your mom was just checking in. We’ll meet her soon.” She relayed. Wanting to know more about the girl, she asked in a soothing, low tone, “Have you gone on dates over the years?” Her heart and body responded to the easy way the younger woman melted under her touch. It made her feel special, wanted, and needed, feelings Jade wasn't very familiar with. Living the first part of her childhood in foster homes had instilled a sense of insecurity within her, never quite sure where she belonged in the world. It was a wound so deep not even the kindness of her adoptive father could fully heal it, and while she'd always loved Kit, the girl had a way of making her feel unwanted, whether intentional or not, it stung, and she realized one night of passion wasn't enough to erase years of emotional turmoil. She was still painfully confused, and she hated it. Trying to regain some focus, she took a deep breath.
"No, never," Hazel muttered lazily, eyes still closed with that same sappy little smile.
"I missed that smile," Jade mused softly. Feeling suddenly curious to see how Hazel's touch would feel and a desire to help the girl feel more comfortable exploring, Jade carefully guided the younger woman's hand to her cheek, a soft expression on her face as she observed the way Hazel hesitated, and nearly pulled her hand back then seemed to catch herself as she glanced up to meet Jade's eyes and took a deep breath, seemingly letting herself get used to how it felt to touch another person's face. Hazel's expression looked full of amazement, as though finding it not as bad as she'd feared it would be. "You're soft," Hazel muttered in a soft, wondrous tone, her thumb moving slightly in a small caress as she seemed to test the texture under it slightly, her eyes following curiously as she observed and learned. Jade loved every second of it. “Yeah? Soft?” she asked looking at the girl with adoring eyes and a giggle, loving the unique way Hazel looked at her, leaving her lips slightly parted.
"Uh-huh." Hazel nodded, glancing at Jade's lips again and biting her own as she traced her thumb dangerously close to the woman's mouth, suddenly curious how the texture of the woman's lips might feel under it, having never really considered it before.
"I don’t even moisturize," Jade chuckled, her lips forming a teasing smile as she subtly encouraged Hazel's thumb to continue its exploration.
"Oh," Hazel replied in a soft, distant tone, eyes firmly fixed on Jade's lips, her heart pounding so hard she could barely hear the woman over the rush of blood in her ears and the overwhelming urge to just be closer to her. Swallowing hard, she finally brushed her thumb over Jade's bottom lip lightly, wincing just a little as she anticipated the sensory nightmare she might face, then slowly relaxed when instead she just felt a pleasant flutter in her stomach. "Oh." She repeated breathlessly, blushing so hard it felt like the heat had been turned on.
"Surprised?" Jade asked, her voice laced with intrigue as she mirrored the gesture, feeling the softness of the girl's lips under her fingertip. Feeling Hazel's lip trembling, Jade leaned in closer, her breath mingling with Hazel's as she spoke softly, "I can't wait to take you out properly and catch up." With a deliberate lick of her lips, her tongue brushed against Hazel's thumb. Jade felt guilty for relishing in the girl's flushed cheeks and the thrill that coursed through her at the sight.
Widening her eyes at the sudden jolt of something vaguely familiar traveling down her spine, Hazel instinctively squeezed her knees shut and opened her mouth to say something but found she couldn't find the words. Instead, all she could manage to do was stare curiously, trying to understand why the simple action had made her feel so funny and off balance when a mere kiss on the cheek would make her skin crawl and give her the irresistible urge to scrub it off her face. Finally accepting that words were lost to her, Hazel nodded slowly, eyes flicking up to meet Jade's with a clear question in them as she reflexively latched onto the girl's thumb, sucking lightly in a self-soothing manner, earning a surprised look from Jade, who up until that point had truly believed Hazel to be inexperienced, trusting what she'd been told.
Watching the younger woman suck on her thumb in a way that seemed very confident, eyes on her the entire time, Jade couldn't help but feel like maybe she'd been deceived. Hazel had lied to her for two full weeks and tricked her sister just the night before; it seemed plausible that the girl was playing some sort of game with her. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more that made a whole lot more sense than the idea of a twenty-eight-year-old not knowing anything about sex. With that in mind, any hesitation she'd felt left, and she allowed herself to indulge a little more, licking and then sucking Hazel’s thumb a bit. A mischievous look took over her features as the younger girl whimpered softly at the action and sucked Jade's thumb a little harder, closing her eyes and squirming a bit where she sat. All signs confirmed in Jade's mind that Hazel knew exactly what she was doing.
Suddenly feeling extra warm and vividly remembering the last time she'd felt similar and the way it ended, Hazel pulled her mouth away from the woman's thumb just a bit. "It's... hot... The... room." She stammered, her breath coming harder and faster as she struggled to form coherent thoughts past the way the woman's mouth on her thumb was doing strange things to her senses. Seeking something soothing again, Hazel eagerly took Jade's thumb back into her mouth and closed her eyes at the instant calming effect it had.
“Yeah, the room is really hot,” Jade smirked as she openly checked Hazel out, emboldened by the idea that the girl was just having fun role-playing. “Hazey… fuck,” she said, lost in the way the girl eagerly worked on her thumb. Deciding to return the favor again, she kissed the girl’s digit and mirrored the action, her mind briefly entertaining what it might be like to try the same with Kit, a thought that only served to fuel her desire further.
Swallowing hard, Hazel nodded as she pressed her hand to Jade's cheek more firmly, looking for further grounding and finding she enjoyed the way the woman's skin felt against her hand, soothing when everything else was starting to feel heightened with a somewhat pleasant buzz and a dull ache somewhere low in her stomach. This only caused her to suck the woman's thumb harder, her tongue pushing against the tip of it lightly, exploring as she did with anything she put in her mouth.
Jade's knees nearly gave way as she observed the woman before her, exuding confidence with a subtle smirk playing on her lips. "That's so good. Another one for me, babe," She coaxed, offering her index finger to Hazel, who responded with a soft hum, a nod, and eager acceptance, sending a surge of desire straight to Jade's core. Craving more contact, she allowed her other hand to settle on Hazel's neck, leaning in until their foreheads touched. She didn't believe for a moment that this girl had never been on a date.
With Hazel's right hand still pressed firmly against Jade's cheek, her other hand found the front of the woman's shirt and squeezed, testing the texture of the fabric—a subconscious effort to manage the escalating energy coursing through her. Unintentionally, this action pulled Jade a bit closer as Hazel continued to suck on the woman's thumb and forefinger, finding solace and contentment in the action and the sound of Jade's ragged breathing.
“You’re doing so good, babe...” Jade breathed out, suddenly aware of her loss of control and the need to regain composure, both for herself and for Hazel. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Now, save that energy for our date, okay? Let’s take one big breath, and then I’m going to pull away, alright?” She used a sweet, loving tone, reflecting her genuine care for Hazel's well-being despite the complexities of their relationship and her lingering doubts about the woman's experience. "I just want to ensure we don't get carried away."
At the thought of Jade leaving her again, Hazel's mind raced with fear and desperation, and the desire-induced haze lifted to reveal a rush of overwhelming emotions. What had moments before felt pleasant and intriguing now became painful and suffocating. Panic set in as she pulled her mouth away, shaking her head and squeezing Jade's shirt tighter. "N-No... No, not again, please don't..." she pleaded with a trembling voice, terrified of how she'd felt the last time.
"Hazey..." Jade spoke and hummed in the soothing tone Hazel liked, noticing the way the woman got agitated and trying her best to mitigate whatever was wrong. "Hazey, I'm here, but we have to meet your mom. We can save it for later, right?" She reasoned, then continued. "We just don't have time right now. Elora is right there in the bathroom about to come out." She watched Hazel carefully, trying to figure out if she was being genuine or still acting. "I'll take care of you soon." She concluded in a reassuring tone, deciding Hazel had looked way too seductive to be oblivious. She knew she should be upset, but instead, she only felt more drawn to the girl and the way the little game made her feel special like Hazel had only ever wanted her. It was a feeling that seeped into all of the insecure cracks in her soul, like glue sealing up those imperfections and making her feel whole.
"Feels the same... I don't like it... I don't like it, Jade." Hazel replied incoherently and started to hyperventilate as she became aware of how uncomfortably heightened all of her senses were; even the cool air moving through the room licked at her skin like the crackle of an exposed live wire, every bit as intense as the time before with Jade, or more so.
Still sure Hazel was playing games, Jade sighed softly. She had no doubt the younger woman was genuinely upset at the idea of being denied what she wanted, but she thought the girl had more control than she was displaying. Though she had to admit the idea of needing to be quick and quiet was thrilling, she wasn't sure it was plausible. Glancing towards the bathroom, she tried to gauge how much time they had. "Ok, ok honey, look at me. We have to be really quick and really quiet, ok?" She relented, deciding they had enough time, as she could still hear the water running.
Not fully understanding what the woman was talking about, Hazel nodded quickly and pressed both fists to the front of her jeans angrily, just wanting whatever she was feeling to go away. "Y-Yes, f-fine... just make it stop." She pleaded, wide-eyed and upset.
Smirking at the continued game, Jade spoke softly. "I'm gonna climb on top of you, okay?" she warned, playing along. “Can you tell me where you need me to make it stop?" she asked gently, a knowing look in her eyes as she caressed the girl's cheek lightly, only to have it batted away. Hazel winced and seemed to cower, causing Jade to frown in confusion, unsure where the girl was trying to take things.
"I don't know.. I... don't get on me." Hazel stammered, scooting back on the bed a bit, terrified of feeling trapped.
Noticing the genuine-looking terror radiating off Hazel, Jade frowned and moved to sit against the headboard. "Okay, what if I sit over here and you sit in front of me? Would that be better? I could hold you," she offered in a more careful tone, starting to wonder if maybe she'd made a terrible error.
"I don't know," Hazel whined and got up, hitting her head as she started pacing the room, not knowing what to do with herself.
Elora stepped out of the bathroom, towel in hand, drying her hair. "That water was…" she started, her voice trailing off as she spotted Hazel pacing. "What's happened?" she directed her question at Jade, her accusatory gaze fixed on the woman.
“We were hanging out, and she was pretending to be all innocent and inexperienced.” Jade started weakly, and Elora immediately threw her towel at the woman, who winced and ducked, looking extra guilty. “You’re an idiot!” Elora exclaimed, then turned her attention to Hazel. “Hazel, can you breathe with me for a minute?” she asked in a gentle tone.
Hardly registering who was speaking to her, Hazel just nodded incoherently and took a deep breath as she continued to pace and hit her head, finding the dizzying effect distracting and helpful.
Elora turned to Jade - who looked out of sorts and ashamed- and with eyes filled with rage, she spoke in a harsh whisper, "Jade, what the fuck? You couldn't tell she was starting to get overwhelmed?"
"I... thought... she was..." Jade trailed off and got up, unsure how she could have been so careless.
"Oh, shut up," Elora said in a disgusted tone. Then, she immediately held Hazel and started humming, giving her as much pressure as possible. “Hazel, hey… can you tell me three things you can feel?” she asked as Hazel whined and struggled in her hold. “Everything...The air, you... My clothes." The younger woman stammered in an agitated tone, wincing and grabbing at her jeans uncomfortably.
Upset at being called out, Jade puffed her chest and spoke defiantly, "She was all seductive and shit," prompting Elora to gesture for her to zip it. Jade clenched her fist, her expression tense as if she were a kettle about to explode.
“Three things you can smell for me, please?” Elora prompted, breathing hard, holding the girl closer and trying her best to help with the sensory overload.
Grunting in irritation, Hazel frowned and tried to focus. "Again, everything... The water from the shower, whatever soap you used... " She trailed off as she became hyperaware of just how close Elora was to her. "And uh...the mint of your toothpaste." She finished in a quieter tone and bit the space between her finger and thumb hard to try and calm her racing heart.
Noticing Hazel's tendency towards Self-harm again, Elora's tone shifted to one of authority. "I’m going to touch your jaw, and you are going to release," she declared, moving her hand to the corner of Hazel's ear and jaw, applying firm pressure with her index finger, confident it would induce the desired response."This may hurt a bit," she cautioned, exerting more force against the jaw. Despite hating having to inflict any sort of discomfort onto another person, she knew it was necessary and took comfort in the fact it was preventing more damange from occurying.
“Ahh," Hazel yelled in surprise, letting go of her hand, then immediately pushing her jaw against the woman's finger harder, finding the pain grounding.
Worried, Elora moved her finger and checked to make sure Hazel wasn’t hurt. “I’m sorry, I won’t tolerate self-harm,” she spoke firmly, observing the angry way the girl reacted to the approach; displaying a level of defiance that mirrored that of her sister as she shoved her hand back into her mouth and bit down with an irritated grunt, making it very clear to Elora that she’d do what she wanted.
"Elora... she won't stop!" Jade warned, but the woman only glared at her. She wasn’t happy with Jade for causing the problem in the first place and then having the audacity to voice any opinion on how she was handling the situation.
Continuing to observe Hazel, Elora recognized an undeniable similarity between her mannerisms and Kit's, and she shook her head. "Ugh, you're so stubborn, just like your sister," she remarked, pushing the jaw lock to release again.
Absolutely enraged at how easily Elora could get her to do what she wanted, Hazel growled loudly and fought as hard as she could, managing to shoulder her way out of Elora's grip and, In a defiant moment of pure rage, she charged headlong into the nearest wall, knocking herself down and nearly unconscious, ultimately achieving the desired effect of redirecting all of her focus to the throbbing in her head and bone-deep heaviness in her limbs, calming her senses back down.
"Hazey!" Jade screamed, pushing past Elora to check on the girl. She disregarded the doctor, picked Hazel up, and placed her on the bed, tears falling down her face as she numbly went through the motions.
"Helps." Hazel slurred slightly and batted at the other woman lightly, trying to get more space as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the pain in her head and the blissful peace it brought. It was a coping mechanism she'd learned early on, not only to calm her senses when overwhelmed but also to manage the rage she often felt at constantly being controlled.
Elora turned to Jade, her anger palpable at the whole situation and its unfortunate outcome. "Grab ice and my bag from the other room. And you better tell me all that happened because this, this is not okay," she demanded, testing Hazel for a concussion. She was deeply concerned about Hazel’s behavior and felt frustrated that she hadn't been able to prevent it this time.
"Am fine." Hazel slurred again, swatting at Elora's hands like she'd done to Jade. "Do it all the time." She assured with a goofy smile.
Elora felt a twinge in her chest at the revelation. "Oh, honey..." she said softly, her touch firm as she caressed the girl's face. "Pain is not the solution; it's just making you hurt more," she stated, tracing her fingers along the girl's strong chin.
"Pain feels nice." Hazel smiled and tilted her head back a bit more to get a better view of Elora, effectively pushing her chin against the woman's fingers harder.
"It doesn't have to be pain; we can work on finding you a healthier outlet. For today's situation, I think a walk or a run would have helped," Elora suggested, her expression gentle as she considered how physical activity could benefit the woman.
Meanwhile, Jade returned with Elora's bag and a bag of ice. She applied the ice to Hazel’s forehead where the bump was forming, the tension thick as she sneered at Elora, who shot her a glare in return. Neither could keep themselves in check.
"Mhm, has to be pain; everything else hurts,” Hazel replied and then giggled at the irony, unable to fully focus on the woman's words.
Concerned about the woman’s reply, Elora decided to try and get a better idea of what she meant. “Does it hurt or is it sensitive?” She asked, looking at Jade, trying to see if the woman could see the damage her lack of discernment had caused Hazel. She was relieved to find the woman looked suitably remorseful, one hand over her mouth, with tears rolling down her face, as she held the ice pack over Hazel’s head.
"What?" Hazel asked curiously, scrunching her nose a bit in confusion. "Hitting the wall? Felt nice... it throbs now, but that helps." She explained, then touched her forehead to show what part hurt.
Picking up her instruments, Elora checked the girl’s reflexes. “No, before... where did it feel stronger?” she asked, wanting to confirm her suspicions and hear from Hazel herself. Hearing the question, Jade slowly faded into the background, overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and remorse for causing the situation.
Knitting her eyebrows together, Hazel glanced down, then shrugged, a blush taking over her features. "In a bad place," she answered simply, looking everywhere but at Elora.
"Between your legs?" Elora asked directly, both hands caressing the girl’s face as she checked her again and surprisingly found no signs of concussion. The blunt inquiry seemed to catch Hazel off guard, prompting Jade to shoot Elora a doubtful look, silently questioning her approach.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Hazel tilted her head all the way back to try and see Jade, making sure the woman wasn't paying too close of attention, before looking at Elora again and nodding her head. "Mhm." She hummed quietly, feeling almost sick to her stomach, remembering the times she'd been forced to go to doctors and answer questions.
Noticing Hazel's body language, Elora reassured her, “You’re ok. Did that ever happen before?” she asked, glancing at Jade, who nodded, still visibly upset now that she fully recognized her error. At Jade's nod, Elora turned her full attention back to Hazel, who whined softly in protest of the question, before biting her cheek harder and nodding again as she ventured a glance at Elora, then quickly looked away, terrified the woman was going to tell her she had some sort of medical condition. Despite being pretty sure Elora wasn't that kind of doctor, she still couldn't help the irrational fear.
“Ok, it’s a very normal thing to have feeling there, ok? It’s not bad, nor should it be scary.”
Elora explained in a calm, tender tone, trying her best not to agitate the woman, knowing the subject was sensitive. "I know it can be overwhelming, but it’s not supposed to be.”
Turning her attention back to Elora, Hazel blinked at her curiously, processing what she was being told. "It is? I never felt it before a few days ago. I don't like it," she informed honestly. "It feels gross," she added, scrunching her nose again in distaste.
“It is; I feel it sometimes,” Elora confessed. “And when you say it feels gross, How so?” she asked, trying to understand what the girl felt, how she felt, and what could potentially trigger such a strong reaction.
"You do?" Hazel asked, clearly intrigued. "But it doesn't cause you pain, right?" she inquired sadly, aware of her own struggles with things that didn't bother others. She skillfully sidestepped the woman's question, feeling too embarrassed to respond directly.
"Well, it's not really painful, but it drives me crazy!" Elora spoke softly. "It's bothersome because it feels uncomfortable down there," she explained. "And sometimes you just want a cold shower," she added, speaking a bit more candidly.
Scrunching her nose again, Hazel shook her head. "I hate cold showers unless it's really hot out. I like to take really hot showers." She explained with an affirmative nod as though needing to double down on that fact.
"But when you feel like that, don't you feel hot? Because I get really hot," Elora tried to find common ground. "The cold shower might prevent a meltdown," She suggested.
Considering Elora’s words, Hazel raised her eyebrows. "I guess I do feel hot," she agreed thoughtfully, her bottom lip poking out in a small pout as she regarded the woman.
Elora watched Hazel’s distinct thinking expression tenderly, finding it all too adorable, “So, try a cold shower if you can’t solve it with sex or alone.” She said carefully, watching the woman's eyes widen at the mention of sex. “I’m getting the feeling you don’t know much about it, but we can talk about it if you don’t mind learning.”
Hazel shook her head rapidly. "What does sex have to do with it?" She asked, confused and a little embarrassed to even talk about it.
"Everything," Elora replied gently, her voice laden with concern. "It appears your meltdown was triggered by physical contact," she observed, her tone reflective. "If I'm not mistaken, you're wet between your legs, indicative of arousal." She informed Hazel with clinical precision, "How is it that you didn't receive education about your body and its functions?” Elora's tone remained soft as she tried to gauge Hazel's level of awareness about her body. A wave of bubbling anger brewed toward those responsible for withholding such crucial information from someone as compassionate as Hazel.
Hearing how inexperienced Hazel truly was, Jade tried to remain calm. She got up and paced across the room while messaging her team to go find out about the people who worked with Lili.
Horrified, Hazel squirmed uncomfortably and covered her face with her hands. "Sex isn't good for people like me... I only learned what Sorsha told me when I was like ten." She mumbled from behind her hands.
“Did Sorsha say that?” Elora looked at the girl incredulously, closing her fist tight, but awaited Hazel's answer, intrigued by all that this woman had yet to learn.
"No... Mom." Hazel muttered, "And the therapists." She added quietly, vividly remembering mentioning wanting to date somebody and winding up in the therapist's office the next day being told it wasn't an option for her and how bad all of it was, she'd never asked again.
Elora's face flushed crimson with an intense rage. "That's utterly absurd and completely uncalled for!" Her voice carried a potent mix of anger and indignation.
Not sure what she did wrong, Hazel flinched and whimpered into her hands. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." She spoke in a pleading tone.
“No, oh no, sweetheart, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Elora said and removed Hazel’s hands from her face. “Sex is good for everyone; it’s a great way to show your feelings, and it makes you feel good,” she said honestly, “I’m not mad at you, promise.”
Quirking her eyebrows in a confused and pained expression, Hazel looked to the side. "I don't think it would be good for me." She answered softly, thinking about what she'd just gone through and figuring if that was connected to sex, Lili had to be right.
Elora took a deep breath, sad that Lili had used a traumatizing approach with Hazel, one that had caused many things to be missed. She looked at the precious woman in front of her and saw all of her innocence, and she was determined to help her recoup what was lost or never achieved. “I beg to differ, but there’s time for all things,” the woman said honestly. “How many therapists did you have?”
"Like four main ones," Hazel shrugged and sighed deeply. "I was difficult to work with at first, I guess. I couldn't get things right, but they helped me," she added in a tired tone.
Puzzled by the necessity for a teenager to have four therapists or why Hazel would speak about herself negatively, Elora inquired, “What couldn’t you get right?” Her curiosity overrode her desire to avoid prying too deeply.
"Everything." Hazel laughed ruefully, glancing up at Elora. "I didn't talk for the first year... I couldn't find my words... that first day was too scary, they... " She trailed off and swallowed hard, shuddering a bit and wringing her hands nervously. "It was too much." She concluded quietly.
Jade, who had been quietly working while listening, put her phone down and breathed heavily, angrily, wanting to know what they had done to Hazel. Elora gave her a stern stare, indicating that Jade should leave it to her.
"Hazel, you're safe. You don't have to talk about that if you don't want to," Elora said gently. "I want to offer you some reassurance. May I touch your hand?”
Appreciating that Elora usually asked before touching her, Hazel nodded slowly. "I know, it just... it really sucked. They didn't really hurt me, I guess, but it was hard on me. Mom was really mad at them." She spoke softly and looked down with a small frown as she absorbed the fact the one safe memory she had of that day was probably a lie.
Receiving consent, Elora squeezed the girl’s hands firmly in hers. "That's how you got the scar? On that first day?" She asked carefully, sensing that Hazel might be reflecting on her time with her captor.
Meeting Elora's eyes again, Hazel nodded quietly as tears welled in her eyes. "He shoved me. I wasn't listening... so... I fell into the rocks, and I guess I hit a sharp one." She recounted quietly.
"Oh, Haze," Elora said, shaking her head sympathetically. "You didn't do anything wrong. You were just a kid," she reassured, gently squeezing her hand. "Did they stop you from pursuing your interests?" she asked carefully, her empathy for Hazel evident as she wished she could embrace her and make everything okay.
"I don't remember," Hazel replied quickly, getting her back up, recognizing the sympathy in the woman's tone and pulling herself into a sitting position against the headboard, cringing a little at the uncomfortable feeling in her jeans.
Sensing Hazel's defensiveness, Elora observed her body language. She knew she needed to get to the shower before breakfast, or she’d be miserable and risk a new meltdown." Well, you can talk to me. Let me see one more thing. Follow my finger," she instructed, her actions calculated to not only double check for injury but also provide a brief distraction and alleviate any mounting tension within Hazel.
Hazel sighed and did as Elora instructed, letting her eyes track the woman's finger lazily, exhausted from the whole ordeal.
"Okay, so here's a quick doctor's order," Elora started with a huge smile, pleased that the situation was under control and that Hazel wasn’t concussed, even if the thoroughness might have been excessive. “You're gonna take a cold shower before breakfast, like right now," she continued, glancing at her watch.
"What? But I already took a shower." Hazel protested with a pout, shoulders twitching slightly in an agitated tick as she thought about her normal routine being disrupted.
“Yeah, but you’re feeling uncomfortable down there, right?” Elora asked with a knowing, assertive look.
Ducking her head, Hazel nodded. "Yes." She begrudgingly admitted. "Fine, but it's gonna take me another forty-five minutes ‘cause I have to do all the things again." She grumbled and looked up at the woman with a small scowl.
"That's fine, but you better hop on that before Sorsha comes to get you by the scruff," Elora said with a chuckle. "Besides Doctor's orders," she added, winking playfully at Hazel. "I gotta go to my original room and change too."
"Ok." Hazel smiled shyly and ducked her head again, this time with a blush she didn't understand. It wasn't like doctors usually made her blush. "I'll see you at breakfast then, I guess." She added, looking up with an almost hopeful expression.
“Deal!” Elora said, excited to see Hazel back to herself.
"Cool," Hazel muttered, averting her eyes and getting up with another miserable wince. "Ugh." She groaned and glanced at Jade curiously. "I'll see you at breakfast, too?" She asked, feeling a bit awkward around the woman.
Jade looked up and mustered a kind smile despite how guilty and remorseful she felt.“Yes, of course." She answered softly, "I'm sorry, Hazel. I was stupid. I thought you were playing a game, but that's no excuse. I should have known better, and I'm very sorry." She apologized sincerely, wishing she could take her actions back.
Looking down, Hazel nodded, "It's okay; it wasn't your fault. I'm not a kid; I should know this stuff. Why would you think I wouldn't?" She replied with a self-deprecating laugh, then went to grab a change of clothes from her bags.
“Hey now, that’s not the type of talk we use, remember? We don’t talk shit about ourselves.” Jade said, “Transparently, Hazey… I'll also be taking your sister out. I need to sort myself out, and you both deserve my transparency.”
Looking back at Jade, Hazel nodded again, not surprised or even disappointed. "You should." She answered with a small, understanding smile. "Can I ask though... did you decide this because... or..." She trailed off, motioning to herself, then looking back down embarrassed, thinking maybe Jade had decided to give Kit a chance because of how she behaved again.
Observing the girl’s insecurity and embarrassment, Jade responded with understanding. "What occurred between us today doesn’t influence my decision. I had already made up my mind before that. It’s fair to everyone involved," she stated honestly. "Rather than keeping anyone captive, I think it’s best to step back and figure things out," she spoke with a smile, her tone reflecting her sincerity.
"I wouldn't blame you if it was because of what just happened, though, you know," Hazel assured the woman with the same understanding look. "But I'll try and trust what you're telling me. I'd still like to go out with you sometime, even if we're only friends." She added honestly before pointing towards the bathroom and starting to retreat quickly.
Jade nodded and smiled, “Thanks Hazey.”
"You're welcome,” Hazel replied with a big smile before disappearing into the bathroom.
~
Down in the dining area, Sorsha waited, slowly drumming her fingers on the table as she contemplated how she would address Jade or look at Kit after what she'd heard the night before. To say she was scandalized would be an understatement, but mostly she was worried.
The first person to enter the restaurant was Elora, followed by Kit, Hazel, and Jade, all moving and waving at Sorsha, all clearly starved. “Good morning, Mrs Tanthalos,” Elora said with a polite smile. “I took longer getting ready; please forgive me.”
"Good Morning. Don't worry about it; we're not on a schedule." Sorsha smiled as she motioned for the group to sit down. "Sleep well, I hope?" she asked, keeping her attention on the doctor before briefly glancing at her children and then finally at Jade, narrowing her eyes at the woman.
"Oh yes, like a baby. The bed was so comfortable; it was like being held," Elora remarked, her tone tinged with a hint of shyness as she glanced at Hazel, who seemed preoccupied with the menu, offering only a quick "Mornin'" in response, oblivious to Elora's smile.
Catching the way Elora looked at Hazel and the perturbed look she was getting from Sorsha, Jade cleared her throat and greeted the older woman. "Morning." It dawned on her that Sorsha had been in the room next to hers, a fact she'd known but somehow not considered until that moment. Suddenly Uncomfortable, she quickly picked up her menu and feigned a deep interest in its contents. She didn't feel guilty only for what had occurred the night before but for her carelessness with Hazel just that morning; she was starting to believe she was a genuinely horrible person.
Sorsha merely gave Jade a disapproving hum in response before arching an eyebrow and shaking her head at Elora. Trying not to think about what her children had gotten up to the night before, she put her glasses on and picked up her own menu. "That's good. I would have slept a lot better if my neighbors had any respect for others,” She muttered, glancing at Kit and Jade over her glasses, disapproval blatant in her eyes. She was sure if she stared hard enough, Jade would be able to feel it through the menu she was so conveniently hiding behind.
“Oh really? I'm so sorry! Why didn’t you call the reception? They would’ve shut them down!” Elora addressed Sorsha, oblivious to what had happened.
"Because while it was irritating and uncomfortable, I don't want to be one of those people who complain about what others do. I do, however, wish they'd been a little more mindful." Sorsha spoke, shooting Jade and Kit another pointed look, which caught Hazel's eye, who looked between the two curiously before glancing back down at her menu, too focused to think much of the interaction or notice the tension around her.
"Hmm, I think I'll get the benedict. You think they'll poach the egg over hard?" Hazel asked, looking up at the group for an answer.
“I love eggs benedict, too!” Kit piped up, taking the out her sister had unwittingly provided “They usually have some different kinds. I like to try all the flavors,” She added, trying to ignore the disapproval emitting from her mother and seriously hoping somewhere in the hotel, there was another couple that fucked all night.
Scrunching her nose, Hazel shook her head. "Not me, I like the classic. I don't see the point in trying other flavors when I already know what I like." She answered honestly, then, with the food situation sorted, turned her attention to her Mother. "Did they have their tv up too loud or something?" She inquired curiously. "I hate people who do that; it's really rude." She grumbled and returned to searching the menu for the drink options.
At Hazel's comment, Kit huffed a little. She found her sister's lack of willingness to try new things rather irritating, and she was about to tell her as much when her Mother looked ready to talk, effectively shutting her up for the moment.
"Something like that," Sorsha answered, still looking at Jade, making sure it was clear she knew exactly what had gone on in the room next to her and who was occupying it, though she wasn't sure how Kit had ended up sharing with Jade, she had no doubt it had been Kit, and she really didn't want to revisit exactly how she knew. She made a mental note to never travel without earplugs again.
As soon as Sorsha finished speaking, Kit started to open her mouth to protest Hazel's lack of adventurous spirit but was again cut off, this time by the waiter pouring their waters. She huffed and sat back, shooting her sister irritated looks that went completely unnoticed.
Accepting that Sorsha wasn't going to stop shooting her dirty looks, Jade finally looked up from the menu to meet the woman's eyes. Then, deciding that had been a horrible mistake, she promptly looked back down. "I'll have the skillet and french toast," she said, keeping her eyes focused on the menu. Jade prided herself on knowing when to pick her battles, and this was one she did not want to face just yet.
"You know French toast isn't actually French, right?" Hazel pointed out, glancing at Jade expectantly.
“Is it not?” Jade asked, smiling. “Please expand on it,” she encouraged, placing her chin in her hand and waiting for the answer. Her whole focus was on Hazel, and she was thankful for the distraction.
Unable to take it any longer, Kit sat up straight and spoke with her whole chest, making sure nobody could interrupt her thought again. She was determined to say her peace. “Well, Hazel, trying flavors doesn’t mean you don’t like classic as your favorite; it just means you want to make sure you really like classic. Trying things is not a bad thing.” She said in a slightly ornery tone, then breathed a sigh of relief as she sank back into the booth and took a drink of water while Hazel shot her a perplexed look.
Glancing between Kit and Jade, Hazel pondered her answer for a moment. "I know what I like; I don't need to try anything else, Kit. Why waste my time and money on a gamble when I could get something I'm perfectly satisfied with?" She asked with a challenging look and then turned her attention back to Jade. "Yes, there's a legend or whatever that says some dude named Joseph French invented it in seventeen twenty-four, and he wasn't great at grammar, so he advertised it as French Toast ‘cause he forgot the apostrophe." She explained, enjoying sharing random facts, causing everybody except Kit to chuckle. Sorsha shot Hazel a fond look, and Kit rolled her eyes.
"Life can surprise you, Hazel. Maybe you are a huge fan of classics, but you try Cajun, and the spice and the flavor make you like it better," Elora remarked as she looked at the menu and then at Hazel.
"I don't like surprises," Hazel replied honestly. Glancing over towards the buffet area, she decided she didn't want to wait for the waiter any longer, at least not for the drinks. "I'll be back in a minute," she muttered and got up. Grabbing herself an orange juice, Hazel spotted the tea and smiled to herself.
"I didn't know what kind you liked, but you said you like tea,” Hazel informed as she placed a mug down in front of Elora and gave her a small hopeful smile, trying her best to apologize for being rude at any point.
Elora looked up at the woman and gave her a shy, sweet smile, “You remembered?” she asked quietly as she accepted the tea. “This is great, thanks Hazel.”
"Yeah. I remember almost everything; some people think I have an eidetic memory." Hazel explained with a small shrug as she sat back down. "I disagree, though. I can't always remember faces." She admitted
Kit observed the interaction with curiosity, glancing at her mom to gauge her reaction. Sorsha, meanwhile, was subtly peering over the top of her menu at the two women, carefully watching their interaction, unaware of Kit's attentive gaze.
So you can remember all you read, but not faces? Elora said and took a drink of her tea. "Like, did you forget what your mom looked like?” she asked, knowing the girl had been gone for fifteen years.
Tensing beside the woman, Hazel shot her a sidelong glance and cringed. "No, she was on TV a lot there for a while, and I had to study about her." She answered as she slid the container of sugar towards the woman with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't know how sweet you liked it, so I didn't put anything in it." She muttered, nodding towards the tea, knowing it had to taste absolutely disgusting despite Elora's efforts to make it sound like she enjoyed it. Hazel assumed it was to be polite; she knew that was a thing people did, even if she couldn't understand it. "I did have trouble remembering who you were today though, for like a second." She finished with a shrug.
“Oh,” Elora said carefully, looking at the girl and giving her an adoring smile as she took some sugar for her tea. “Was it scary? To wake up next to me then?” she asked, hunching over and using a quiet tone even though everyone at the table could hear. Kit’s interest was piqued while Jade tried not to look at anyone’s face, working on logistics plans she'd promised Sorsha before the meal.
"At first, yes... Thought I might have actually turned into my sister." Hazel scoffed and shot Kit a knowing look before turning her attention back to Elora, observing just how many sugars the woman added to her drink, and watching to see if she added milk, filing it all away for a later time.
At Hazel's joke, Sorsha couldn't help but bite her cheek in amusement and turn her attention back to the menu despite having known what she wanted for a while.
“Hey! That was uncalled for!” Kit exclaimed, throwing a sugar packet at Hazel, who blinked and frowned at her sister and then quickly put the sugar packet back where it belonged.
Elora chucked and added a splash of milk to her tea. “Hmmm, but then?” she asked curiously. You figured out someone as hot as me wouldn’t sleep with your sister? she thought playfully.
Tearing her disapproving eyes from Kit, Hazel regarded Elora again carefully. "You mean once I got over the terror of being my sister?" she inquired and shot Kit another look, this one far more deliberately antagonizing. "It was fine; you stayed on your side of the bed, so you weren't a bother," she assured and quickly looked down at her orange juice as she remembered that she couldn't say the same for herself. Venturing a glance at her sister, Hazel observed the irritated look on her face. "You can't fault me for saying stuff like that when you tell me you want rooms to yourself so you can bring back random girls," she addressed Kit again, giving the woman a triumphant look and a slight affirmative nod, wanting to shift the conversation back to territory she could better navigate. Sorsha cleared her throat across the table and tried her best to sink further behind her menu.
"Well," Kit said, giving her sister a teenage-like look. "It's not a bad thing that I like adventure and appreciate a variety of flavors. If you stick to classics, you'll miss out on a lot of fun stuff," she remarked, glancing at Elora and winking at her now that her mom was hiding.
“So French toast it is! Where is that waiter?” Jade said, clearing her throat as she looked around almost frantically, hoping for some escape from this awkward breakfast.
"He's waiting for Mom to put down her menu." Hazel answered, motioning towards Sorsha, and then glared at Kit, "What does my breakfast choice have to do with you and random women?" She asked in an irritated tone, thinking Kit was stupid.
“We can talk about nuance later, Haze,” Elora said with a smile. Slowly grazing her pinky on the woman’s pinky, drawing Hazel's attention for a moment, an inquisitive look coloring her features.
Sorsha didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The whole situation was ridiculous but perfect in its own way. She had both children with her, butting heads as they'd always done, and Hazel had just called her Mom, even if she hadn't intended for it to slip out. It was almost enough to make her forget the nightmare of a night she'd had. She finally set her menu down but left her glasses on, feeling like they were at least some sort of barrier against her emotions.
“I just sent you the rest of the plans I promised you; it’s all in place,” Jade spoke looking at Sorsha with her professional bravado, trying her best to get past the issue she had with the woman.
Torn from her momentary nostalgia, Sorsha sighed."Thank you," She addressed Jade, doing her best to remain professional and not ask for a word alone with the woman.
Finally, the waiter arrived to take their order. As soon as their food was brought to the table, Kit, being her usual self, attempted to sneak a bite of Jade's meal.
“Uh… get your own!” Jade joked as she cut a piece of the French toast, already planning to give it to her, never able to deny the girl, even if she always made it a point to protest before giving in.
“Just a lil piece, Jade… I’ll take some of Hazel’s boring benedicts too!” Kit said, reaching for her sister’s plate.
"Touch my food, and I'll stab you," Hazel warned, fork hovering directly above Kit's hand, her eyes narrowed at the girl.
"Can I try some of your food? It looks really good," Elora asked kindly. Sharing meant a lot to Elora, but she also understood the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals and was curious to see if the girl would be open to the idea.
Glancing at Elora, Hazel looked down at her food and then back at Elora. "It's probably pretty boring, but you can try." She answered softly, lowering the fork and nudging her plate towards the woman, watching her expectantly.
“Wha… how… why does she get to try your food, and I get threatened? You barely know her: we grew together in utero!” Kit said, squinting her eyes at Elora.
“Kit, come on, you know better,” Jade said, looking at Kit.
Shuddering, Hazel glared at Kit. "Never say that again, please." She grumbled in disgust, "And she asked, you just tried to steal it." She explained, feeling like it was pretty obvious. "Bet you were trying to steal my life force when we were babies too." She added under her breath as she took a bite of her food.
“Would you like some french toast, Hazey?” Jade asked, ignoring the annoyed look Kit shot her and turning her attention to Hazel, knowing the girl appreciated the food.
Turning her eyes to Jade, Hazel glanced at the woman's plate thoughtfully and then smiled a little. "Yes, please. Do you want to try mine?" She offered kindly, pushing her plate towards Jade and glancing around for a clean fork, a little anxious about the woman getting syrup on her food but knowing not to say anything.
“No, no need. I just want to share,” Jade said, grabbing an extra fork, getting a good-sized bite of the sweet food, and offering it to Hazel, “There you go, that’s your fork.” she said knowingly.
Looking slightly guilty, Hazel took the utensil with an apologetic smile and tried the food, nodding enthusiastically in approval. "It's good." She mumbled after swallowing the bite, carefully placing the used fork on a napkin beside her, ensuring it didn't touch her plate or food. "You sure you don't want to try mine?" She asked again, feeling bad.
Jade chuckled, “Positive, you enjoy your food. Kit will share hers with me,” she said, looking at the girl's sister.
“The hell I will,” Kit said as her phone started going off. “It’s 10 a.m. on a Saturday, for Mothers’ sake! Why is my phone blowing up?” She complained as messages started piling up.
"Probably all those girls you left back in Chicago." Hazel quipped and chuckled to herself as she started eating her food.
Elora looked at Kit and gave her a look, almost laughing. At the same time, Jade glared at Hazel for provoking her sister. “Were they always this… interactive?” Elora asked.
Sighing deeply, Sorsha nodded. "Yes, Identical only in appearance." She lamented
“Yeah, yeah, go ahead… make fun! I wish. Just a bunch of old men and my secretary. They'll just have to deal until we’re back,” Kit said honestly.
"You make it so easy," Hazel mumbled and shot her sister a playful look, trying to show her teasing was good-natured in spirit.
“Yeah, I do, but maybe you need to know me better before we can banter like this; I'm not that person anymore,” Kit said, looking a bit hurt. She lowered her head and ate her food.
Surprised by the response, Hazel stared at Kit for a second before frowning, embarrassed by the girl's rebuke. “Whatever, Kit." She huffed and got up to move to a different table, deciding she wasn't going to risk making the same mistake again.
"Hazel," Elora said, gently touching the girl's hand, only to have Hazel yank it back quickly with an uncomfortable look, too upset to be close to people at that moment. "Kit, she was joking. She thought you were, too. She didn’t mean to hurt you," Elora spoke, shifting her attention to Kit, understanding Hazel's discomfort.
“Since when did you become my sister’s interpreter?” Kit answered in a sharper tone, glaring at Elora.
“Kit!” Jade said sharply.
"Fuck off, Kit." Hazel shot back harshly in Elora’s defense from the other table and glared at Kit, the source of her discomfort.
"Hazel, no... that's uncalled for, and Kit, you could be nicer,” Sorsha corrected, finally having enough of her children's petulance. Hazel winced and got up again, leaving her food and storming out, unwilling to take correction from her mother or deal with the prying eyes of everybody else. She couldn't handle being surrounded by so many people at once.
“So much for a quiet breakfast,” Jade muttered and looked at Kit. “You know how she is. You didn’t need to take her seriously; she was smiling. I think you should go and try to talk to her.”
"Jade, she's been jabbing at me since we found her; why are you taking her side? Being autistic is no excuse for being mean." Kit huffed, hurt that Jade was taking her sister's side yet again.
“Yes, it’s no excuse, but remember, all your sister knows about you currently is what the media and that woman taught her, so she doesn’t know how wonderful you are'' Jade reasoned, touching Kit’s chin lightly, much like she'd done to Hazel, knowing she'd have to answer to Sorsha later and not caring. Looking at the younger woman, there was no denying she loved her, but loving Kit was dangerous; it meant trusting the most indelicate person she knew with the most fragile parts of herself, and it terrified her. “Elora is getting to know her; I never thought I’d see the day you’d let Elora surpass you in anything,” she said with a smile, pushing her thoughts aside and focusing on trying to lighten the mood, knowing Kit had always had qualms about Elora.
Softening a little, Kit took a deep breath and nodded. "I know, I just..." She trailed off and glanced towards the door Hazel had exited through. "I don't know her anymore, and it scares me. I hate that she only knows the bad stuff about me. I guess I didn't help with that, but I forgot how easily she grasps onto stuff." She admitted quietly, looking down at her suddenly bland-looking food, her appetite lost.
“Well, go find her and make things right. We'll leave in an hour. I’d like to have you all back where my team can ensure your safety,” Jade said as she looked down at her phone, her team keeping track of Hazel. “She’s in the garden,” she informed as she looked at Elora, who had finished her food. “I’ll go check the room for my belongings,” Elora spoke and quickly left.
"Yeah.. but if I end up murdered, this was your fault," Kit warned as she got up, giving Jade a playfully accusatory look, before departing to go find her sister, leaving Jade alone with Sorsha, who cleared her throat and fixed the woman with a stern look, waiting for her to start the conversation, always preferring to keep the upper hand.
"The men here seem competent, but I don't find their numbers ideal for looking after the three of you," Jade remarked, getting straight to business.
"Uh-huh." Sorsha nodded slowly, taking her glasses off and continuing to watch the woman expectantly, aiming to make her as uncomfortable as she'd been made to feel the previous night.
“Sorsha, you know it’s better if you just say it. I can handle it. Please,” Jade implored with a knowing look. She was well aware of all her mistakes and felt Sorsha had every right to be angry, but she didn't think it was necessary to draw it out.
"I seem to recall already having a rather uncomfortable conversation with you before we ever came here, Jade. If I remember correctly, you gave me more details than any mother should ever have to hear, and I warned you not to hurt my children. Do you remember that?" Sorsha spoke in a level tone; her disappointment was evident.
“Yes, I do. And, ma’am, I am doing my best not to hurt them.” Jade answered honestly. Kit and I are best friends, and I would never jeopardize that, she added as she looked at the woman hard.
"Best friends..." Sorsha repeated, hardly keeping the scoff out of her voice. "It seems to me you spent a good portion of last night jeopardizing that, Jade, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you the amount of therapy I'm going to require after this trip,” She added in the same even tone she'd been using, trying her best not to lose her temper, she prided herself in being a level-headed and proper woman, but Jade and her children were starting to test her patience. "There was a reason I put Kit and Hazel together last night. I wanted them to bond, and I wanted you to stay away from them. I guess I was foolish to assume you'd respect that." She added curtly as she stood up.
“Ma’am, Hazel locked Kit out of their room.” Jade tried “I didn’t invite Kit over; in fact, when Kit came over, Lor and I were already in bed.”
"Of course she did," Sorsha grumbled, irritated by Hazel's childish antics. "I'm going to assume Elora left at some point and ended up with Hazel?" She asked, trying to brace herself for whatever was going on with her kids. She realized not only did she need a new head of security but a new therapist as well. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she tried to alleviate the oncoming headache.
“I can assure you, ma’am, Kit and I will remain friends, just friends, regardless of what happened last night. Elora is the right person to be close to Hazel as a friend. She doesn’t want to treat her, but they are getting along well. Sorsha, you can fire me after we get Lili.” She said, knowing she had been unprofessional because her whole life, being Kit’s friend came first.
"Jade, I could fire you right now if I wanted to." Sorsha reminded cooly, narrowing her eyes at the woman, and then sighed, knowing she was overstepping. "But I won't... This isn't any of my business; they're adults." She relented. "However, as I've said before, how you perform your duties is my business, and their safety is my top priority, so I suggest you keep your personal life to your own time and not when you're supposed to be on the clock." She leveled the woman with an earnest look, hoping Jade would heed her warning.
“Understood, ma’am..” Jade replied in a professional tone.
"Good... We'll meet in the lobby in an hour," Sorsha said curtly before making a swift exit.
~
Meanwhile, in the courtyard
“Hazel. I'm sorry.” Kit said, looking at her sister carefully approaching her. “Look, Obviously, we have to keep in mind that fifteen years have passed, and we don’t know much about each other anymore, but I'm here, and I'm willing to try to do the right thing. Ask me anything,” the girl said, opening her arms, showing she was open to talking to her sister.
"Did it ever occur to you that I left because I want to be alone?" Hazel shot back, rolling her eyes at her sister as she wandered around the little garden, stopping to read the different plaques denoting the types of plants she was looking at.
“Yes, but I'm also your twin, so I kinda know that you really didn’t. You just got overwhelmed.” Kit said honestly. “I'm sorry. I truly am.” She said, looking at the plaque in front of her, then moved to the next one.
"You know that twin intuition stuff is just bullshit, right?" Hazel asked with a raised eyebrow, observing her sister momentarily, unwilling to admit that Kit could be right. She did need to be alone but hated that it was necessary.
Looking intently at her sister, Kit hummed, “Hmm. I think you know it’s not BS. You just don't want to admit that you don't want to be alone.” Kit spoke. “Look, I try to act tough too…. It doesn’t help me, really, but I try,” she admitted openly.
Looking down, Hazel nodded a little to herself. "You like any of these?" She asked curiously, motioning towards the garden in general, not quite ready to have a real conversation.
“I like tulips and ginger,” Kit said, pointing to the funny-looking plant. “Begonias are so cute and fragile and succulents—I can grow those!” She said excitedly, “What about you?”
"I dunno." Hazel shrugged as she continued to look around, a little lost in thought. "Were you and Jade having a party or something last night?" She asked softly, tracing a finger over the petal of a rose lightly.
“What do you mean?” Kit asked carefully, wondering how much her sister knew.
"Mom was in the room between ours... Elora and I were asleep, so..." Hazel trailed off, looking up at Kit with questioning eyes.
"I took the covers from Jade," Kit said quickly, looking at the woman. I left her without any. So we were playing," she added cautiously. "Why did you never tell me about you and her?" Kit asked with care.
"You mean her kissing me when she thought I was you?" Hazel asked quickly, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Yesterday was kind of busy. I didn't have time to tell you anything, but I guess she must have, huh?" she asked with a sigh.
“No, before… when we were kids,” she said, looking at Hazel. I wouldn’t have been mad, Azel.”
Casting her eyes down, Hazel contemplated her sister's words carefully. "You liked her, I... I didn't mean for it to happen. PJ dared me to kiss her, and you can't turn down a dare. It scared me, but Jade was so nice... I guess I ended up liking her, and I felt horrible for it. I didn't want you to be hurt." She explained softly, glancing up at Kit. "I was honestly surprised she wanted to kiss me; I always thought she liked you." She added.
Shaking her head, Kit looked at her sister. “We’re friends. We were always just friends,” she added quickly.
"Oh," Hazel nodded slowly. “I think I still like her," she admitted, observing her sister carefully.
“You do?” Kit asked, her curiosity piqued. Her shoulders deflated, she looked up, watching her sister’s body language to see if she was getting agitated.
Wringing her hands, Hazel rocked a little on her heels and nodded, looking anywhere but at Kit, her mind wandering to the few moments she'd shared with Jade that morning and how terribly it had gone. "Yeah, I think so, but It scares me... I don't like how it makes me feel. I mean, I do, but I don't." She admitted and scrubbed a hand over her eyes harshly, frustrated with herself. "Never mind, I don't want to talk about this... you should go." She spoke quickly, changing her mind.
“Oh… you do, then?” Kit asked curiously and then quickly retreated, “I mean… I'm sorry you don’t have to talk to me about this.” she spoke softly, realizing this was more upsetting to her sister than she thought.
"Yeah, maybe." Hazel sighed and glanced towards the hotel. We can talk about it later," she added, glancing at Kit again, not confident enough of her feelings to really have a conversation.
Thankful for the change of subject, Kit nodded.“Ok. Thanks for organizing my apartment,” She said as she approached the woman. This is safer territory. Stick to safe.
Hanging her head at the mention of her time spent in Kit's place, Hazel took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Kit, I didn't..." She trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut as she realized she couldn't truthfully say she didn't mean to hurt Kit.
“It’s ok if you did; I would want to hurt me too if all I knew about me was the stuff people say on the news and tabloids. That Kit is a fucking bitch.” Kit said honestly. “I kinda let them, you know? Because I want to protect myself. Yeah, I had a lot of girlfriends, but I haven’t done that in a long time.” she said carefully.
"You like having girlfriends?" Hazel asked curiously, looking up, latching on to the easy part of the conversation and what she was most interested in.
“I like dating women,” Kit said slowly. “But most of them just wanted me for my fame, the Tanthalos clout, and money,” She added honestly. “I miss having a true partner. Stella Rebecca was a good girlfriend.” She said, looking at her sister with a smile.
"You dated Stella?" Hazel asked in a surprised tone, then frowned. "I've never had a girlfriend," she admitted, scuffing her shoe against the ground awkwardly.
“Yes, for two years. You had jade; she was your girlfriend,” Kit spoke seriously, noting it for the woman
"I don't think she was... she never asked me... people ask people to be their girlfriends," Hazel replied, looking down at her hands again.
“She was going to ask you; she was going to at the festival,” Kit spoke softly.
"Oh. I didn't know that," Hazel muttered sadly, tears welling up in her eyes as she thought about that day and turned her eyes back to the fountain, hoping Kit wouldn't notice, but Kit did, and it broke her heart.
Kit nodded and gulped hard, thinking about all the years that had been robbed from them.
“I know, how could you? It all happened fast. Azel, I truly want to know you and tell you all about the cabin. Maybe one day we can, I don’t know, go up there together?” she asked shyly. “No one knows where it is, and I kind of want to share it with someone.”
Looking up, Hazel regarded the other woman carefully. "Cabin?" She asked and then frowned, "And you want me to go there with you?" She asked in a dubious tone, her mood a little more withdrawn and cynical as she studied her sister with a scrutinizing look,
“Yes, Hazel! I have traveled there every year to think about you and connect with you. I want you and I to go there and spend some time reconnecting.” Kit said, looking at her sister hopeful, sharing more with her than she shared with Jade or her mom.
Thinking Kit was dumber than she thought, Hazel scoffed lightly and glanced towards the doors. "We should go back." She repeated, jerking her head towards the hotel, then started walking back.
Kit looked down, not understanding why her sister scoffed. She followed and saw one of the security guards telling Jade they were heading back. “Hey, Pete,” she waved, then pointed at Hazel. “My sister!” she said excitedly with a goofy grin. Despite the situation, she was excited to have her sister back.
Hazel rolled her eyes and shot Kit a skeptical look before flashing a quick smile at the security guard, grabbing Kit's shirt sleeve and pulling her towards the elevators. "Come here," she mumbled, yanking the girl into the first open one she found and hitting the close button until they were alone. “Now we're alone," she pointed out, motioning around the elevator. “No security, Kit." She added darkly, watching her sister for understanding.
“Ok, and I still want you to come to Canada with me,” Kit said, understanding that her sister thought she was being fake. “I want to get to know you.” She reiterated cautiously.
Exasperated, Hazel threw up her hands. "And people treated me like I was the dumb one." She huffed and crossed her arms, staring at the buttons, resisting the juvenile urge to push every one of them.
“Yeah, I guess I'm not getting you, so tell me. No meds. So yeah,” Kit said, looking at her sister. “Please clarify,”
Taking a deep breath, Hazel looked up at the mirrored ceiling for a moment as she collected her thoughts, briefly losing herself in their reflection before snapping out of it and fixing her gaze on her sister. "While you were sitting up in Canada moping about me and trying to connect to... what? a ghost?" Her voice rose with frustration, her hands gesturing wildly. "I was learning all of the ways to kill you... I was taught to be a damn trojan horse, Kit, you imbecile." She paced back and forth. "You all just let me in, too... It's hilarious and scary." Hazel stopped abruptly, staring at her sister with intensity. "That security guard out there just smiled at me and let me drag you off... Mom put us in the same room, and Jade..." She trailed off, throwing her hands up again. "I'm not that weak, scared little thirteen-year-old anymore, Kit. You people don't know me at all." She finished darkly, feeling like she would never fit in with her family or friends ever again, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. At least with Lili, she'd felt useful, like she had a purpose, and wasn't underestimated; with Kit, Jade, and her mother, it was clear that to them, she'd never grown up, and they saw her as weak on top of it, so much so they weren't even a little bit cautious around her.
Kit straightened herself and looked into her sister’s eyes. “I don’t think you're weak, Hazel. I know you did something when you had access.” She spoke firmly. ”I don’t know what yet, but If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn’t have saved me.” She paused, her tone a little softer.”So, while you think I’m just thinking of you at 13, I know you seduced my best friend, that you invaded my apartment and my life to try to destroy me because you were trained for it. But you’re also my sister, and I hope that whatever shit that woman poisoned you with can be undone, but until then, I'll be watching you like a hawk.” She asserted confidently.
Raising her eyebrows, Hazel glanced at Kit's eyes briefly. "You done?" She asked simply, arms still firmly crossed.
“Yeah?” Kit answered tentatively.
"Cool," Hazel replied, her eyes flicking up to the numbers above, quickly calculating the time available, secretly relieved at the slower pace of this elevator compared to the ones in Kit's office building. "I was caught, Kit... Jade knew who I was, Sorsha knew who I was..." she began, edging a bit closer to her sister, subtly backing her into a wall. "Mom knew I needed to appear innocent... safe..." She trailed off with a smirk, her gaze assessing Kit from head to toe, "I saved you... why do you think that is?" She smirked, her tone loaded with implication and challenge.
“Oh, so what part of it are we at? Are we at the part where you slit my throat, and I bleed out in the elevator?” Kit said, looking at the girl with defiance, “Because that’s fine with me.” She continued, still looking at her sister. “Look, Hazel. If that’s the plan, do it now.” she encouraged and raised her neck to be attacked
Huffing, Hazel glanced at Kit's neck, her eyes tracing the bruises she saw there, ones she hadn't noticed the night before. "You're hurt." She spoke, pointing at the marks, momentarily losing her train of thought as a more immediate concern took over.
“I am?” Kit asked, looking at her sister in confusion.
"Yes, you have bruises," Hazel mumbled with a deep frown, wincing as the elevator dinged loudly, indicating they'd reached the top floor.
“Oh, yeah,” Kit said, out of sorts, lowering her head as the door opened. “You can close the door and do it,” she said sadly, feeling like maybe she deserved whatever was coming—for the bruises on her neck and for betraying her sister.
Frustrated that Kit still didn't take her seriously, Hazel frowned and clenched her fists at her side. "Fuck it,” She growled and stepped out, ready to take the stairs back down to settle her temper.
“Hazel, come on. I mean it, I take you seriously, but I have to warn you I have mad skills in martial arts,” Kit warned playfully, prone to joking when nervous.
At Kit's words, Hazel spun around, grabbed her sister, and promptly put her on the floor, arm across the front of her throat and a deadly look in her eyes. "I was fucking trained to kill you, Kit." She hissed. "Stop being an idiot... You found me because of my license plate, didn't you? Do you really think she thought you were me? Do you? Do you think it was a coincidence that I'm the one who found you in that pool? Or how about how I let her go?... the house was rigged... none of this seems strange to you?" She asked, pressing her arm against her sister harder. "It was never going to be bloody, Kit, and if things had gone to plan, nobody would have even noticed you were missing." She added coldly, trying to make Kit see just how much danger she'd let herself be in.
Kit grunted in frustration, briefly attempting to disentangle herself before surrendering to the situation. “Yes, I'm deeply aware of it. I believe you; I don’t trust Lili at all. Hell, I barely trust you. I mean, there's a chance you’ll still kill me, but Hazel, I'll take that chance because nothing else, no money or reputation, means more than my family, and you're my family,” she declared firmly. "So if you’re gonna kill me, do it now," she challenged, looking directly at Hazel, the weight of her decision evident in her gaze.
"You shouldn't fucking trust me at all, Kit... that's my whole fucking point," Hazel growled, taking a deep breath to try and cool her rising temper and resist the urge to smack the shit out of her obtuse sister.
Trying to look stronger, the younger twin looked at Hazel feeling like she was eight again, and her sister had pinned her to a corner urging her to react, “And I don’t” Great, you sound so mature., fuck! “I do think that if that was your plan, you wouldn't be giving it away right now!” she said, getting her feathers ruffled a bit. “Wouldn’t you carry on as the prodigal daughter returned and make us all happy and then attack when no one was looking? Maybe your logic is also flawed, dear sister.”
Irritated, Hazel growled at her sister. "That's not the point, Kit... You're so fucking frustrating." She huffed, sitting up straighter on her sister's stomach and crossing her arms in a pout. "Look around dumb dumb, I have you on the floor, not one damn security guard here to save you." She pointed out disbelievingly, desperately trying to get the girl to understand.
Feeling cornered, scared, and frustrated, Kit huffed. "Fuck I don't know, ok? They should be here..." She trailed off as a thought occurred to her. "Wait, do you have a person on the inside?" She asked, panicking instantly.
Satisfied at finally seeing some real fear in her sister, Hazel smiled big and shrugged as she got up and held a hand down to Kit, offering her help up. "Probably." She answered casually.
“Who is it?” Kit demanded as she looked at Hazel with blazing eyes, her fear instantly turning into anger.
Blinking, Hazel withdrew her hand. "I shrugged; I thought shrugging meant I don't know?" she asked in a genuinely confused tone.
Looking at her sister, Kit let her body relax for a minute and her expression eased as she recognized Hazel was telling the truth and her anger was unwarranted. “Will you help me figure it out?” she asked as she gave her a hopeful look.
Hazel watched the girl for a second before nodding. "I can do that." She agreed and offered her hand again. "I won't kill you, Kit... I was supposed to, but I said no." She assured and then scrunched her nose. "Ok, well, I did briefly think about it after the club, 'cause I kind of had fun, and I thought you were in on me being taken and potentially killed, but I still couldn't do it. I do love you and the license plate thing... I guess I was too upset that day to remember to switch it, but it should have been a red flag; it all should have. Your security really needs beefing up." She rambled, reverting to her usual way of speaking since she was no longer trying to scare her sister, using an almost casual tone, as though she wasn't talking about the worst possible things,
“Wait… you wanted to kill me so you could have fun with Elora?” Kit questioned, always one to focus on one or two points but making a mental note of her sister, basically admitting to just trying to scare her for no reason.
Starting to get frustrated again, Hazel huffed and shoved her hands into her pockets petulantly, showing she was no longer going to help Kit up. "Elora? I was having fun with Jade," she defended. “And how do you even know about that?" she asked quickly.
“Oh,” Kit said, getting up and grunting a little, “I thought the whole thing was about you two going to the club, and you and Elora got along, and she danced with you. I overheard her talking to Jade.”
Seeing her sister get up without help made something in Hazel snap; she couldn’t even hear what Kit had been saying. Without warning, she pulled her hands from her pockets and shoved the girl over again, then thrust a hand down to her defiantly. "Take my hand, Kit," she demanded with a frown.
“What the fuck!” Kit exclaimed as she found herself on the floor again.
"Take it!" Hazel repeated, stomping her foot like an angry child.
Seeing that it seemed important to Hazel, Kit took the woman’s hand, “Why did you do that?” she asked quickly.
"Because you're such an asshole. You never take anybody's help. Do you know how fucking hard it is for me to touch your hand? And I offered to help... It's so mean that you won't just let people help you sometimes." Hazel huffed as she pulled the girl up and didn't let go of her hand; instead, just held it firmly and forced herself to look into her sister's eyes. "You nearly got yourself killed yesterday. I had to save you; you needed somebody to pull you out of that damn pool and save your life; I had to give you cpr Kit; I had to look at you all blue. You weren't breathing. I had to see you dead." She spoke harshly, trying to keep from crying. "Your security isn't even here right now, and I just kicked your ass. Face it; sometimes you need help, and taking it's not so bad." She added in the same harsh tone before pulling Kit against her and wrapping her in a tight hug.
As soon as Hazel hugged her, Kit started crying. She realized now that maybe she needed more help than she wanted to admit. She needed her sister, Jade, and her team. “I almost… I almost died,” Kit said, hugging her sister closer,
Feeling tears soaking into her shirt, Hazel cringed but managed to hold the younger girl tighter, steeling herself and doing what she felt was right. "You did die." She spoke sadly, taking a deep breath to try and clear the thought from her mind and the sinking feeling she got as she remembered letting Lili go and accepted she would probably do it again because no matter what, she wasn't a killer; she wasn't scary like she wished others believed her to be, she really was just as harmless as she'd been as a child. Well, maybe not entirely, but her skill set didn't matter if her mindset didn't match, and it never would. "Please let people help you, Kit. You terrified me yesterday. I have never been so terrified in my life, and I was..." She trailed off, unable to say the words, instead just clinging to Kit tighter.
Kit nodded, crying harder. Being in her sister’s arms was something she didn’t think was possible, but here she was, and it was intense. She wanted to cry harder, hug her tighter, and yell to the moon how happy she was for having this opportunity in life. “I will,” she croaked and nodded into the woman’s embrace. “Don’t disappear or scare me again, okay? I can’t… I can’t take it.”
Chuckling softly, Hazel nodded. "I didn't exactly have a choice, Kit, and... I can't promise you that. Halloween is only a few days away, and you remember how much I love Halloween." She teased and squeezed Kit again. "I love you, Kit... I can't always show it properly; sometimes, it comes out wrong. I wasn't trying to scare you to be mean; I was trying to show you how much danger you could be in if you're not careful." She explained, hoping her sister could understand what she was saying. "You always used to push people away; it hurt my feelings... I'd work up the courage to try and offer you help, and you'd reject me; you didn't even consider what it took for me to do that. It was my way to show you I loved you when I didn't know how to show affection like this, and you kind of stomped all over me. You used to do the same to Jade; that's why I always let her help me; it seemed to make her feel better." She sighed.
Kit looked at her sister, and something dawned on her: Maybe Jade's insecurity wasn't so unfounded after all. Maybe in her need to prove herself independent, she'd unintentionally sent Jade all the wrong messages. “I just wanted to be brave and figure stuff out on my own,” she said carefully. “I didn’t think I was rejecting anyone. I’m sorry I hurt you, Azel,” she said, hugging her sister again. “I'm truly sorry.”
"I know." Hazel sighed softly and pulled away from the hug, bracing her hands on Kit's shoulders and shaking her lightly. "You're such a pain in the ass." She added in an affectionate tone, offering the girl a small smile, which Kit sheepishly returned.
Notes:
Thanks for reading and leave us a note on what's your favorite or least favorite line of this chapter.
Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Summary:
There's a plane and a car ride and they all share another meal, we return to Chicago as their next phase starts - It's comic and you just have to read it for yourself. we had a lot of fun writing it!
They start this chapter at the tarmac - ready for takeoff, sort of.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
"I'd seriously rather drive," Hazel protested for the umpteenth time as she stared at the private Jet her Mother had just boarded. Hazel had been arguing for over an hour about how dangerous she felt small planes were, and no amount of reassurance had changed her mind. Not even a conversation with the pilot had settled her nerves; she was dead set against it.
Seeing her sister's continued protests, Kit approached the woman and gave her an optimistic look. “Sis, I get it. It’s small, but it gets us there so fast! Besides, Max and Michael are driving the cars back home and left hours ago. Come on, Elora will hold your hand,” she said, smiling, wiggling her eyebrows, teasing her sister, who frowned at her antics.
"Why would I want her to do that? I don't like people touching me." Hazel reminded. "Also, I never agreed to have Michael or whatever drive my car. You all decided that for me. I'm pretty sure it's called grand theft auto." She huffed and crossed her arms as she shot her sister an annoyed look. "I don't care what you say; I am not getting in that flying sardine can." She added firmly with an affirmative nod to seal her point.
“Mom’s orders,” Kit said, smiling. “Look, fine. Would you be more comfortable if we flew commercial?” she asked, looking at her phone. “Mom will be sad, but if I go with you, she'll be fine.”
"Uh..." Hazel started
"Nope, vetoed," Jade cut the woman off decisively upon hearing Kit's idea, her attention briefly diverted as she checked the status with the team on her phone.
“Hey! You haven’t said that in a while.” Kit said, looking at Jade pouting.
“Because you haven’t had any stupid ideas in a while. So yeah, it’s back, and I am vetoing.” Jade spoke, standing up tall.
“Yeah, so… get used to that. She’s bossy and will try to make you unhappy.” Kit grumbled, watching her sister.
Looking between the two, Hazel waited patiently to speak. "You two through? 'Cause like I said, I don't care what anybody says, I'm not getting on that plane. I'll rent a car or something." She repeated her earlier sentiment, bound and determined not to get on any planes.
“Hey, Sorsha wants to know what’s taking you three so long,” Elora said, coming out of the plane with a drink in hand.
“Apparently, my sister's scared of planes.” Kit shook her head disapprovingly.
Widening her eyes, Hazel looked from Kit to Elora. "No, I... That's not a plane; that's a tin can." She gestured towards the plane in question. "And Sorsha knows I'm not getting on it." She added, thankful Elora hadn't been privy to the arguments that had ensued with Sorsha and almost everybody else over the matter; the other woman taking care of some work the whole time.
“What's your plan, then?” Elora asked, getting closer to Hazel and taking a sip of her drink. “Flying commercial? Isn’t your car on its way back to Chicago?”
Internally shuddering at the idea of flying at all, Hazel took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to control her irritation. “Yes, they stole my car and are currently driving it to Chicago,” She answered, gesturing aimlessly, her expression making it clear she wasn't happy with the situation. "I just want to rent a car, and they won't let me. I don't see what the big deal is." She huffed as she nodded toward Kit and Jade.
“Well, first, you can get in a car accident; second, it takes a lot of time to get there; third, the ‘tin can’ has yummy foods, but you know what? If you want to drive, we’ll drive. Mom can fly back with Dr. Freud here. I'm sure if I don’t include her, Ms. No Fun will veto it, so Jade and I can come with you. And we can stop for Tornadoes!” Kit spoke emphatically.
Blinking at her sister, Hazel cringed. "Pretty sure stopping won't help if a Tornado crosses your path." She spoke slowly, as though she thought Kit might be dumb.
Chuckling, the taller woman spoke, “No, Hazey… she means something different. A snack. A gas station snack.” Jade clarified, only to watch Kit get even more dramatic.
“No, no, Jade dear, not just a snack. It is the snack sissy. The best road trip snack of your life.” Kit spoke with flair.
“Really. Glorified taquitos,” Jade muttered, then turned her attention to her phone.
“If you’re driving back, can I come?” Elora asked shyly, not invested in Kit’s tornado story.
Having difficulty keeping up with so many people talking at once, Hazel looked between them rapidly, her look of disgust deepening as she heard Kit's description of her favorite snack, finding the idea of gas station food revolting. "Gross." She muttered, looking at Kit and then at Elora. "I don't care who goes; I just don't want to get on a fucking plane." She admitted in an exasperated tone, immediately frowning as she realized her mistake and looked down, instantly embarrassed and then angry.
"I will reinforce my veto. Everybody needs to get on the plane now," Jade commanded, her voice carrying an authoritative edge that left no room for argument.
Hazel glared at Jade. "You know you can't actually tell me what to do, right? I'm not a kid, and I wish you people would stop treating me like one. I get it you see me as I was, but I'm an adult and have the right to make my own decisions," she declared adamantly.
“Hazel…” Kit said, shaking her head as if telling her sister to let it go.
“Ms Tanthalos. I can assure you I do not see you as a child.” Jade started. “While you are an adult, it doesn't change the fact that you are under my protection as your bodyguard, so I will tell you what’s safe or not, and standing here definitely poses a security risk.”
At Jade's comment, Hazel instantly thought about that morning and looked away, blushing a little. "That plane isn't safe, Jade." She replied in a less combative tone. "And it's Callahan." She corrected tiredly, still not ready to accept her reality.
Kit gave Jade a curious look, then turned to her sister. "Hazel, please," Kit implored as Jade moved closer to Hazel.
“Hazey, I assure you the plane is safe,” Jade spoke softly, her tone gentle and reassuring as she tried to calm Hazel's fears.
Observing everything carefully, Elora leaned closer to Hazel before the girl had a chance to protest against Kit and Jade again. “Haze, can I touch your hand?” she asked softly, her tone gentle and patient. Hazel responded with a cautious look before nodding slowly. Elora seized the moment, lacing their fingers together. “Here, you get to hold my hand, and if you’re scared, you can squeeze it, okay?” she offered kindly, hoping to provide some comfort and reassurance.
At Elora's words, Hazel frowned and pulled her hand away quickly, wiping it on her jeans in irritation. "I'm not scared." She protested bitterly, refusing to feel like a scared child anymore. She was seriously starting to miss pretending to be Kit. Nobody treated her like she needed to be coddled when she was Kit.
"Sorry, I was projecting. I don’t like flying. Takeoffs and landings are terrifying to me. I could use the support if you don’t mind," Elora said, looking shyly and speaking in a confessional tone. She extended her hand, seeking the contact she missed.
Hazel's expression softened at the other woman's admission. "You think holding my hand would make you feel safer?" She asked carefully, unintentionally standing up a bit straighter at the prospect of being able to help somebody else feel secure.
Elora looked at the woman with a coy expression and nodded, “Yes, it really would.” She spoke softer. Kit looked at Jade and started to say something, but Jade shook her head as if to tell the younger twin to wait.
Glancing at the plane and then Elora's hand, Hazel bit her lip and nodded to herself before holding her hand out to the woman with a shy smile. "I guess if it'll make you feel better." She agreed in a gentle tone, steeling herself to be brave for the other woman.
“What a bunch of bull,” Kit muttered
“Hey, not sure, but it worked, so let’s move,” Jade said quickly, ushering Kit into the plane.
Ignoring the other two, Elora focused all of her attention on Hazel. “Thank you, it truly helps me,” She said, squeezing Hazel's hand.
Looking down at their joined hands, Hazel smiled to herself and squeezed back. "You're welcome, happy to help," she answered with a warm smile. "After you." She gestured for Elora to go before her, not letting go of her hand. Instead, she used it to help steady the woman as she stepped up, mimicking the supportive gestures she had seen in the few 'safe' movies she had been allowed to watch growing up.
Elora smiled and nodded, acknowledging Hazel's impeccable manners as they climbed into the plane. She sat in the back row, squeezing Hazel's hand to convey her need for support. "Is here okay?" she asked, her vulnerability evident in her tone.
"Mhm, yeah, this is fine," Hazel answered quickly, fidgeting in her seat and giving Elora's hand another squeeze as her eyes darted around the plane nervously. "You'll be fine; it's a short flight." She did her best to sound confident, glancing at Elora and then leaning forward a bit to try and see past her to look out the window. Her words might have been directed at Elora, but they were meant more for herself.
“Hope so,” Elora said quietly, placing her seat belt on and squeezing the woman’s hand again. Once taxiing began, Elora closed her eyes.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed, intertwining their fingers together as Elora had done before and giving a reassuring squeeze while her eyes stayed fixed on the ground as it moved past the window, watching with intense focus. She preferred to see precisely what was happening, finding some comfort in keeping a close eye on the details.
“Hmm…” Kit said, watching Elora and Hazel’s dynamics.
“What?” Jade asked, taking a sip of her coffee.
“They’re…” Kit was cut off. “Helping each other,” Jade finished, looking at Elora, not making anything of it.
"Elora isn't actually scared of flying, you know," Kit replied cynically, watching her sister and the doctor with an irritated look. She'd never admit it, but on some level, she was jealous that it was Elora who got through to Hazel. She wanted to connect with her twin on some level, but it seemed they didn’t get to interact meaningfully unless they were fighting, and she found it frustrating.
“Kit, she might be. Elora's pretty genuine,” Jade spoke softly, reaching and squeezing Kit’s hand. “I know it’s a bit irritating right now, but you’ll get through. Be patient, Kitty,” Jade whispered the last part as the plane lifted off.
Resisting the urge to shiver at Jade's whispered tone, Kit nodded, eyes still fixed on Hazel, watching as the girl pressed herself back against the seat as hard as she could, taking quick, deep breaths and appearing to squeeze Elora's hand extra hard. "I don't have as much faith in the dear doctor as you do. I think she's working an angle, and I don't like it." She grumbled softly, finally shifting her gaze to Jade and squeezing the woman's hand, having consciously decided not to pull it away and instead accept the show of support—one small step at a time that was her aim.
"Clear skies ahead flight should have us landing in two hours and forty minutes. Sit back and enjoy the flight.” The captain's voice came over the intercom.
“Why? It got Hazel on the plane. I think she’s just genuinely scared and needs some support.” Jade watched Elora's thumb press and caress the skin on the back of Hazel’s hand and saw a small smile break out on the brunette's face in return, her eyes drifting closed, finally looking almost relaxed.
“Well, for one, Elora flew here just fine, and two, she's a psychiatrist. She's probably just doing that reverse psychology bullshit or whatever. Make Hazel feel useful to get her on the plane." Kit grumbled, still sounding bitter. "I'm not saying it didn't work; I'm just saying I don't think she's being genuine, and that's gonna suck if Hazel figures it out." She added with a shrug, remembering how much Hazel hated people who lied to her.
“Kit, look at it with positive intent; if she just wanted to get her to comply, it worked. It’s still a win,” Jade said, continuing to watch as the two women relaxed, hands still clasped.
"I guess." Kit relented softly and rested her head on Jade's shoulder, something she'd done a million times before, but this time, she was more aware of the other woman's presence; it wasn't just a mindless thing to do. Instead, it felt more intimate somehow, and she wondered if maybe it was crossing a line, but decided she was probably making a big deal out of nothing and just snuggled closer as she closed her eyes to rest, causing Jade to smile and sigh in contentment.
After the plane landed and finished taxiing, Sorsha woke Jade and Kit first, calling their names gently before moving on to Hazel and Elora. Having observed how Elora worked with Hazel, Sorsha decided to wake the doctor first, touching her shoulder gently and whispering that they'd landed before leaving Elora to wake Hazel.
Still groggy from sleep, Elora leisurely scanned her surroundings, her eyes eventually landing on the woman by her side. A small smile formed on her lips as she gently squeezed Hazel's hand and, yielding to a moment of temptation, reached out to stroke her face. "Hazel," she called softly, cupping the woman's face.
"Hmm?" Hazel hummed sleepily, eyes still closed, and nudged her face into the woman's hand a bit, liking the touch.
Elora's smile deepened as her hand continued to caress Hazel’s face. “Haze, sweetheart, we’ve arrived. We landed. Time to wake up,” she said a bit louder, her thumb tracing small circles, coaxing Hazel to respond.
As soon as Elora's words fully sunk in, Hazel jolted awake, flinching away from the woman's touch with a wide-eyed expression that quickly turned apologetic as she realized she'd fallen asleep and failed to help Elora feel safe. "Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. Are you okay?" she asked in a genuinely worried tone.
Seeing the woman's concern touched Elora deeply, bringing a smile to her face. “Yeah, I'm okay. You calmed me down enough that I actually fell asleep also,” she said, her smile warm and appreciative, feeling a sense of connection and comfort.
"Yeah?" Hazel beamed at the woman, proud of herself for helping somebody.
"Yes. You were as brave as a knight, and I was able to endure the flight. On my way there, I had to take a sedative," Elora confessed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Her predicament was genuine, and she felt vulnerable admitting it.
Hazel's smile widened at Elora's praise, so happy she felt she might burst. "I'm glad I could help. You shouldn't be embarrassed; your fear is legitimate. Planes can be scary, but statistically, cars do crash more often," she said, finding it easier to be rational while comforting someone else. "M'lady," she joked, getting up and offering Elora her hand, a big smile still on her face.
Elora found the woman’s bravado not only cute but very attractive. She couldn’t see her that way, but she knew whoever was lucky enough to get the woman’s attention would be well cared for. She could see why Jade had feelings. “Oh, but of course,” she said, giving her hand to the woman and matching her smile.
Giggling, Hazel helped the woman up, then pulled her hand away, snapping her fingers and looking away awkwardly. "I, uh... let me get your bag," she offered and grabbed Elora's carry-on before the woman could answer, eager to help in any way possible.
“I might get used to this…” Elora spoke softly, smiling at how the woman reacted and noticing the little nervous habit. “That’s very kind, Hazel.”
"Nah." Hazel dismissed like it was nothing, letting Elora walk ahead and frowning when they reached the door. She knew it was polite to let people walk ahead, but she also thought it was polite to help them downstairs, and she couldn't do both, so in an attempt to solve the minor issue, she tapped Elora on the shoulder to get her attention.
“Yes?” Elora asked with an amused smile.
"Do you prefer to walk ahead, or would you like me to help you down?" Hazel asked candidly, looking at the woman innocently.
Elora gave Hazel a small smirk. “That depends. You want to watch me walk ahead or help me down?” she asked, then shook her head, internally berating herself for speaking without thinking. This was Hazel; innuendo might be lost in translation. “Sorry, I don’t get asked that much.”
Confused, Hazel blinked at Elora and frowned slightly. "Why would I want to watch you walk?" she asked with genuine innocence. "I was asking what you wanted because it's polite to let you go first, but you might also like help off the stairs since they pose a tripping hazard," she explained sincerely, trying to clarify her question, utterly oblivious to the innuendo in Elora's comment.
This time, Elora pondered her true answer, realizing Hazel hadn’t caught her flirtatious move. She sobered up and spoke softly, finding Hazel's innocence endearing and feeling a growing curiosity to learn everything about her. “Help me down, please?” Elora said with an indulging smile, genuinely appreciating Hazel's thoughtfulness and sincerity.
"Of course." Hazel agreed with a big smile, thrilled by the clear answer. She quickly descended the stairs and waited for Elora with her hand up, the other firmly holding onto the woman's bag, unwilling to set it down and risk getting it dirty.
“Wow,” Jade watched as she waited for the women. “Pulling out all the stops,” she commented as she watched Hazel holding her hand out to Elora, who happily took it.
"She's a dork... also totally playing into the patriarchal notion that women can't manage to do shit on their own,” Kit grumbled and rolled her eyes as she slung her bags into the trunk of the waiting car.
“I mean, just because you can doesn't mean you should have to all the time, Princess,” Jade said, watching Kit. “I'm all for taking down the patriarchy, but wooing someone with kindness and sweetness is not a bad thing.” Jade defended as she watched Elora do her best not to swoon at how Hazel was careful with her.
"Wooing. Is that what she's doing?" Kit asked with a raised eyebrow, one hand up on the trunk lid as she regarded Jade. “How do you feel about that?" She couldn't help it; she couldn't resist the urge to poke, her jealousy winning. She slammed the trunk closed and shook her head. "Sorry," she muttered, brushing past the woman to get in the car.
“Ugh,” Jade said, looking up, and when she looked down, she was face-to-face with a scowling Sorsha. Gulping, she nodded in greeting; there was no use pretending the woman didn’t hear the exchange. Sorsha simply drew in a deep breath, letting her eyes close in a silent prayer for strength before shaking her head and getting in the car beside her daughter. She'd already said her peace on the matter and now all she could do was hope things didn't blow up in their faces.
Once at the car, Hazel opened the trunk and placed Elora's bag inside before glancing around and finding Jade's eyes. "Anything else need to go in here? Or is it good to close?" She asked, mindful of others.
“We have everything. Just waiting on you two,” Jade said as she checked her phone for the ETA to the first stop.
Feeling bad for holding everybody up, Hazel winced and gave Jade a sheepish look. "Sorry." She muttered and closed the trunk. Then gestured for Elora and Jade to get in before her since she was no longer pretending to be her sister.
“No can do, Ms Callahan, you go in, I go last, I get out first. Protection, remember?” Jade asked Hazel with a smile.
Slightly annoyed, Hazel narrowed her eyes. "I can take care of myself. Pretty sure I could kick your ass in a fight too. If anything, I should be your bodyguard." She answered with a stubborn jut of her chin.
Jade eyed the woman and quickly let her mind wander to sparring with Hazel, how it would feel, and then her mind was filled with memories of doing the same with Kit over the years and teaching her self-defense; she smirked and spoke softly, “I'm sure you can kick my ass, but I'm talking about stopping a bullet Hazel. That’s my duty, so I get in last and get out first.” she said motioning for Hazel to get in.
"I guess it's your job. You'd get in trouble if you didn’t, huh?" Hazel reasoned, wanting to feel better about not waiting until everybody was in the car. Self-defense was the one area Hazel was confident in, and she was downright obsessive about making sure everybody else was safe before herself, so submitting to Jade in that area rubbed her the wrong way.
“Indeed.” Jade said, “My boss is very thorough,” she added, looking into the car at Sorsha and then Kit.
Following Jade's eyes, Hazel realized she was referring to Sorsha and Kit, and something about that made her skin prickle uncomfortably. “Well, I wouldn't want you to get in trouble, but I'll have a talk with your boss about it for next time." She answered with a slight huff, then got in beside Elora and watched the door uncomfortably. Hating being between people, she grabbed Elora's hand without thinking and moved to sit on the bench across from her Mother and Kit, dragging Elora with her. "More room." She offered as an explanation and quickly let go of the woman's hand, wincing uncomfortably as she realized what she'd done.
Misreading Hazel's expression, Elora looked between her hand and Hazel's, then offered the girl hand sanitizer. "Oh yeah, thanks." She spoke with a smile as Jade closed the door.
Checking their itinerary for the day, Jade addressed Sorsha without looking up from her phone. "Ma’am, you'll be dropped off first; I know you have an emergency meeting with the board this afternoon, and Kit is technically still away from the office.” She spoke with a firm tone.
Sighing deeply, Sorsha looked at Hazel, noting the apologetic and embarrassed look on the girl's face as she took the sanitizer from Elora and cleaned her hands. She then shifted her gaze to Jade, wishing desperately she could put the meeting off to have a moment to talk to Hazel and fully process having her oldest child back. The adrenaline and uncertainty of everything had kept her in a daze, just going through the motions in a strictly business manner. But now, in the quiet of the car, looking at Hazel, the reality was hitting her hard. She wanted nothing more than to embrace both of her children in joyous celebration rather than just comfort. However, she knew Hazel wasn't ready for that yet, so she resigned herself to do her job first and try to slowly get to know the girl again over time, no matter how much it hurt to wait. "Yes, of course, thank you for reminding me," she responded with a terse smile at Jade before turning her attention back to Hazel, her eyes softening with maternal longing.
“Mom, you can come over after. I’ll get us takeout, and we can talk for a while,” Kit suggested, noticing how her mom’s eyes lingered on Hazel. She knew how inconvenient this meeting was and felt a surge of emotions she hadn’t allowed herself to feel before. The joy of having her sister back was overwhelming.
Glancing at her youngest, Sorsha gave Kit a thankful smile. "I'd love that dear." She answered and patted the girl's knee lightly, knowing Kit was probably going through the same emotions.
~
The rest of the drive was mostly uneventful. They dropped off Sorsha first, then Elora, whom Hazel helped up to her door, carrying her bag for her and begrudgingly allowing Jade to follow along. After that, Hazel kept her eyes on her phone the whole way to Kit's apartment, not looking forward to seeing the place again. She felt guilty for even knowing what it looked like inside, and the last time she'd spent real time there hadn't been great for her. She didn't bother offering to carry Kit's bags, knowing her sister would only turn her down and make some rude remark. Instead, she just shouldered her own and waited by the main door, determined to at least have Kit go in before her.
“Did you get Elora’s phone number?” Kit asked as she walked past her sister.
"I have her business card," Hazel answered simply, missing the point as she followed Kit.
Looking at her sister, Kit spoke seriously. “Which will connect you with her secretary. I mean her phone number, like her personal number,” she clarified as she placed her bag on the counter. “Come on, I’ll show you to the spare bedroom.”
Screwing up her face in a confused scowl, Hazel continued to follow her sister. "No, I'm not her patient, and she has my number if she needs to contact me," she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Setting her bags down, Hazel looked around the room she'd be occupying. She'd seen it before but had only glanced at it, deeming it uninteresting. Now, she took the time to actually observe. "Why do you even have a spare room? It doesn't look very inviting," she remarked bluntly as she sat on the bed, testing its softness and finding it satisfactory enough.
"Yeah, ok, but she wants to be your friend. Friends have each other's numbers," Kit said honestly as she watched her sister, finding it surreal and wonderful to have Hazel in her home. She supposed it would take some time to get used to, but she was eager for every moment of it. "I have it for visitors or for when Jade used to spend the night and I had a girl over," she continued, shaking her head with a small, wry smile. "Secretly, I always hoped it would be for you to stay if you ever visited, but I had to push that thought aside because we never thought we’d see you again." Her eyes softened with emotion, reflecting the deep longing and hope she had carried all those years. "We can decorate it, make it as inviting as you'd like; I know it's sterile, but it's because it's not very used. Jade always falls asleep on the couch, and I have the slight suspicion it's to keep an eye on the girl and ensure she doesn't steal anything." Kit laughed more to herself than to Hazel.
"Oh," Hazel muttered, looking down at the sheet her left hand absently ran over. It felt smooth against her palm, and she suddenly withdrew it. "Ew," she added, looking up at her sister with sharp eyes, thinking Kit meant that random women slept in the bed. She presumed the sheets were washed, but the idea still disgusted her. Hotels were terrible enough, but something about it being random women her sister hooked up with was distasteful to her.
“Ew? The sheets are clean, Azel.” Kit spoke in a confused tone before giving it a little more thought and realizing what her sister thought. “No…. No, Jade was supposed to sleep in this room; the women slept in my room with me,” she explained quickly.
"Ah, right," Hazel laughed awkwardly, placing her hands back in her lap and hanging her head as she focused on her fidgeting fingers. "I didn't think to ask Elora for her number," she finally answered, realizing she had forgotten to do so earlier.
“It’s okay; Mom has it,” Kit said, smiling. “She’s nice to you,” she added, opening the drawers and showing her sister where everything was.
"I don't want to get it from Mom... Elora might not want me to have it." Hazel answered with a small sigh and smiled to herself. "She is really nice." She agreed softly, thinking about the woman fondly.
“She looks smitten by you,” Kit said, smiling at Hazel lovingly.
"What?" Hazel asked curiously, genuinely confused
“Yeah. Why wouldn't she want you to have her phone number?" Kit asked, observing her sister closely. She couldn't quite understand why Hazel thought Elora wouldn’t want her to have it. Kit was still wary of Elora but tried to keep her personal reservations in check as she listened.
"People are nice to be polite; it doesn't mean they like you, Kit. You can't be sure if they really want to be your friend unless they tell you, and even then, they could be lying. If she'd wanted me to have her phone number, she woulda offered it." Hazel reasoned, grabbing her bags and setting them on the low dresser to go through.
“Or maybe she forgot? It was a very long twenty-four hours.” Kit spoke, looking around and completely changing her speed. “We’ll figure that out later; for now, I will need a list of foods you like to eat. I don’t function well with memory and don’t want to mess up. So check the fridge and the cupboards; you can have anything but the candy in the corner cabinet. That’s Jade’s and my stash.” She spoke as she looked around and touched the comforter. “That’s not comfy enough,” she said quietly, pulling out her phone. “Remind me to ask Betsy to send a comfy comforter. With options for texture.”
Finishing putting things in the drawers, Hazel moved on to hanging the rest in the closet, unable to think unless everything was spaced out perfectly and organized in a way that made it easy for her to identify each item. She didn't want to stay long but still couldn't bear the thought of leaving things packed. "If you care about something enough, you don't forget; if she'd wanted me to have her number, she would have remembered to give it to me." She repeated as she kept hanging things."Also...about that candy..." She trailed off, finally pausing what she was doing long enough to poke her head out of the closet and glance at her sister with a sheepish look. "I'll buy you a new stash." She reassured, not remembering she wouldn't have access to her money anymore, all of her bank stuff and credit cards attached to Lili somehow.
“You ate… My candy?” Kit asked in disbelief, eyeing her sister, and then texted Jade quickly.
Kit: You let her eat our candy?
Jadey Knight Claymore: in my defense, I thought she was you?
Kit: 😑 U r ☠️to me.
Jadey traitor Claymore: I’ll buy you some more. 🍬 🍭 🍫Forgibe?
Kit: Whatever. Fine.
Jadey traitor Claymore: I’m sending you Elora’s number. The idiot forgot to give it to your sister, and she won’t stop messaging me.
“Azel, I got Elora’s number! I knew she forgot; she has half a brain,” Kit announced as she touched the back of Hazel’s phone to get her contact information and then sent it.
Hanging the last shirt up, Hazel spoke from inside the closet. "I told you I don't want it; she didn't offer it, so she didn't want me to have it..." She trailed off as she walked out and saw Kit messing with her phone. "Dude, what the fuck are you doing to my phone?" She exclaimed, nearly tripping in her haste to get to Kit. "Don't touch my shit, Kit!" She growled, grabbing her phone quickly and turning it over in her hands before pulling the case and back cover off to check for any physical bug. She made a mental note to factory reset it later and silently admonished herself for leaving it on the bed.
“Alright, I can see where you have become a bit paranoid, but I touched your phone to mine to give you my number because I know you don’t have it. I also messaged you Jade’s phone number because Elora’s been pestering Jade for yours, but Jade doesn’t have it either, so that's why.” Kit said, lifting her hands dramatically.
"I'm not paranoid, Kit; I just don't like people touching my stuff," Hazel replied defensively. "Never did." She reminded her sister quickly as she unlocked her phone, ready to reset the whole device.
Kit looked at Hazel and nodded. "Yeah? OK, well, tell me if you want the information or not. I can write it on paper if you want an old-school information exchange. I'll write Elora’s, Jade’s, and my number down. Can you touch this comforter?" She asked, striding over with a writing pad and the comforter in hand. As she clumsily dropped the pad and pen, Kit cursed, “Shit!” and practically shoved the comforter at Hazel, who yelped and reflexively held her hands up, letting the fabric fall to the floor. Kit snatched up the pad and quickly scribbled down the numbers. “Here,” she said, handing the paper to Hazel. “So, how about it?” She asked, referring to the comforter.
"Why would you ask if I could touch it and then practically throw it at me? Ugh." Hazel protested, setting the pad of paper beside her and scratching at her arms in irritation; the fabric of the comforter was already disgusting to her, but having it touch her unexpectedly made it ten times worse.
“Ok, yeah... You don’t like it.” Kit decided and quickly spoke to her phone. “Call Betsy.”
"I don't like anything thrust upon me with zero warning," Hazel exclaimed, her voice carrying a hint of frustration as she threw her hands up and glared at Kit, who seemed completely absorbed in her phone, seemingly ignoring the situation entirely.
“Betsy, hey, Kit Tanthalos. Please send me a variety of soft comforters, best kind, and threads; I will send a car to pick it up. Hold on,” she said, pausing to look at Hazel. “What’s your favorite fabric?” she asked, genuinely curious and eager to make her sister comfortable.
"Oh my god, why are you ignoring everything I say? Fuck!" Hazel growled, her frustration boiling over as she clenched her fists at her sides. Kit's inability to pay attention or respond made her feel invisible and infuriated.
“Betsy, hold on. Just send me about ten for selection, soft and fluffy; if you have anything weighted, too, as long as it’s soft. Driver will come by in an hour. Sorry for the rush, but it’s important. Also, one sec.” Kit interrupted again, her voice betraying a mix of urgency and concern. “What about towels and robes? Did you like the ones when you were here before?” Her worry and eagerness to make her sister happy were palpable as she rushed through the call.
Squeezing her hands together in a physical effort to keep from strangling her sister, Hazel took deep breaths in through her nose, her teeth clenched so tight her face was starting to turn red as she just glared at Kit, refusing to answer until Kit took the time to actually focus.
Not receiving a response and oblivious to her sister's rising temper, Kit quickly turned her attention back to the phone call. “Also, send a variety of towel sets, the most fluffy you can find. Same for robes, fluffy and bath ones too, soft. That’s all for now, Betsy. You’re wonderful, thank you. Oh, she’s fine… yeah? OK, well, soon I’ll send a list of requests for an outfit. But I don’t want to jinx it yet. Thank you so much.” She said, hanging up and finally noticing how upset Hazel looked. “Oh shit, did I overwhelm you? I'm sorry. I didn’t have my meds, and I want to make sure you get fluffy things so you’re comfy.” Kit said, sitting on the bed and picking at a spot on her jeans nervously, feeling a pang of guilt and anxiety as she realized she might have overstepped.
Feeling like replying to her sister was pointless, Hazel stormed out of the bedroom and started pacing in the living room, digging her nails into her arms to try to calm her anger.
At Hazel's quick departure, Kit closed her eyes, chastising herself for clearly missing the point with her sister. She was unable to even have a simple conversation without upsetting her. “Hazel, I am so sorry. I'm out of practice. I didn’t mean to throw the comforter. I dropped stuff, and I wanted to do two things at once. I’m really sorry,” she said, following Hazel.
Turning angry eyes towards her sister, Hazel dug her nails further into her arms and spoke through clenched teeth. "Leave me alone." She feared she might hurt the girl if she stayed around her. Being ignored was one thing that made her usually calm demeanor turn to instant rage, fueled by years of having every request or need she had ignored to the point where she ended up in overwhelming situations, expected to act 'normal' until she got to the privacy of her room and unleashed all the pent-up anger and tension on various objects in the space until Lili caught on. After that, her rage turned towards herself, knowing it was the one place Lili couldn't detect any difference in.
“Alright, look, I would leave you alone, but I can’t because you’re my sister, and I love you. So, I'm gonna tackle you instead, and then we'll sit on the floor, and you’ll tell me all about that because that didn’t happen when you lived with me,” Kit declared, her voice determined as she pointed out the harm Hazel was inflicting on herself. She moved quickly, embracing Hazel tightly from behind, a gesture driven by concern and a desire to help.
"Let me go, Kit,” Hazel growled and fought against the younger woman's hold, doing her best not to give in to her anger and flatten her sister. "You know I can hurt you." She threatened.
Kit held on tightly to the woman, ensuring she didn’t break free. “Yes, very aware. I can also hurt you,” she stated confidently, her grip firm but not aggressive. “Look, I'm sorry. Can we please start over?” She requested, hopefully.
Taking Kit's words as a challenge, Hazel stomped on the girl's foot and elbowed her hard in the ribs before quickly spinning and tackling the woman to the ground, pinning her down.
“Not the Miss Congeniality shit!” Kit yelled emphatically.
"The what?" Hazel asked blankly, loosening her grip on her sister for just a moment before remembering that wasn't the point and quickly moving on. "I told you! I'm stronger than you, and I've spent over half of my life learning how to do stuff like this!" She reminded harshly, glaring down at Kit. "I don't want to hurt you, so stop pushing me. I told you to leave because I didn't want this to happen, but you can never listen. I hate it; nobody ever listens." She added bitterly.
"Miss Congeniality, it’s a movie. We’ll watch it." Kit answered as she continued to struggle against the older girl's hold. “I want to listen; that’s why I came out here,” She asserted, still attempting to loosen herself from her sister’s grip.
"If you wanted to listen, you would have left like I told you to." Hazel reasoned in an irritated tone.
"Hazel, I'm listening now. I can leave, but first, I wanted to ask what you liked because I wanted to order your favorite fluffy things. I noticed in your ho... at that place, nothing was fluffy, but you always liked fluffy things," Kit said, feeling a bit sad about how her sister didn’t have the comforts she used to enjoy.
Knowing she was probably overreacting, Hazel sat back, letting go of Kit's hands but not letting her up just yet. "I don't know anything about fabrics or whatever. I don't choose my bedding, and with clothes, I just go by whatever feels okay when I try them on. But it's not always just the way it feels; sometimes, it's the way it hangs or touches me. One day, it'll feel okay, and the next, it won't. Sometimes, it changes from hour to hour, so I gave up on trying to figure out which fabrics would be okay." She explained honestly, letting out a deep, sad sigh as she reflected on the torture she experienced growing up with Lili, being forced to wear whatever outfit had been chosen for her until she could manage without a meltdown, and only then was she allowed to choose her own clothes.
Listening intently, Kit tried to think of ways to help. "I have a personal stylist who might be able to help you find comfortable clothes that work for you," she suggested. "Do you still like fluffy things?" she asked with genuine curiosity, eager to reconnect with her sister and let the other puzzle pieces of their lives fall into place as they may.
"Yes, I think so," Hazel replied in an unsure tone. "I don't get to touch stuff very often. I mean I obviously touch stuff, but not to just test how it feels." She explained and shrugged, her temper finally calmed.
"Have you ever tried a weighted blanket? I have one, and it really helps me sleep when I'm stressed," Kit said gently, using the moment to observe the subtle details of her sister’s appearance. Hazel still had that unsure, wary look about her, yet could appear imposing when she wanted to. Kit wondered if they still looked identical, questioning whether she, too, carried that same mix of uncertainty and strength in her own demeanor.
"No... I know when we were little, Mom used to put lots of blankets on me to help when I got upset, but I haven't tried a weighted one." Hazel replied, looking down and realizing she was still on top of Kit. "Sorry." She muttered and got up, offering Kit her hand.
Kit looked at the extended hand and recalled their previous conversation, quickly accepting her sister’s help. “I got one for you to try. I remember you don’t like sharing other people’s things. Is that still a thing?” she asked, curious to relearn her sister’s preferences.
"Mhm, but I can now. I'll never like it, but I've learned new things." Hazel replied, nodding towards their joined hands to indicate some of the things she'd learned to tolerate.
“I see that. What else did you learn?” Kit said, her happiness dimmed with concern about how this change had occurred in Hazel. She didn't want to pressure her sister but was curious about the development.
"Uh... I learned how to look people in the eyes more often and how to look more normal," Hazel recounted proudly. "I haven't done a great job these last couple of days, but I'll get better, I promise. I'm just not used to this level of... I'll get better," she reassured, fidgeting a bit before shoving her hands into her pockets to hide it, starting to realize just how badly she was regressing.
"You know we don’t expect or think you are doing badly or anything, right?" Kit asked gently. "We want you to be yourself. Sure, I'm sure Elora and Jade would like to see your eyes, but you don’t have to… do that or hide that you're fidgeting. I fidget," Kit said, pulling out the magnetic fidget toy she had in her pocket and showing her sister her coping mechanism.
"I don't care what any of you expect. I expect more out of myself now, Kit." Hazel replied firmly and glanced at the toy curiously, clenching her fists in her pockets to suppress the desire to reach out and touch the object.
“That’s fair.” Kit relented softly. “I have an unopened one if you want.” She offered, opening a drawer in her living room table and taking it out. “Would you like a drink?”
Taking the object with a wary look resembling that of a cautious animal, Hazel nodded a little as she turned the toy over in her hands, eyes still firmly on Kit. “Yes, please." She answered simply and quickly moved away, taking the toy over to a corner and playing with it there.
Observing Hazel's guarded and fearful demeanor, Kit spoke softly, contemplating her next moves. "What type?" she inquired gently.
“Coke, please," Hazel answered quickly, eyes darting from the object in her hands to Kit and back again, making sure her sister was still far away from her as she played with the little toy, trying to get it back to its original shape despite her split focus.
"Here," Kit said as she approached Hazel, placing the soda on the coffee table, then settled at a safe distance from her. "Do you like it?" she asked cautiously.
Terrified to answer the question, Hazel eyed Kit cautiously and shrugged before tossing it back to the girl as though disinterested, clenching her jaw uncomfortably at the discomfort of leaving something unfinished. "It's fine," she mumbled in a bored tone and moved to retrieve her drink. "Thanks," she held up the glass.
“It’s okay to like it, Aze. It’s been a nice tool for me,” Kit said with a hopeful smile. She flipped her toy and watched her sister, wondering if she had been berated for playing.
Massaging her wrist unconsciously to dull the phantom pains wrapping around it, Hazel shook her head and set the glass back down on the coffee table. "I don't like that sort of thing." She affirmed with a short nod.
“Oh, did you get in trouble for having them?” Kit asked openly, genuinely curious, crossing her legs and silencing her phone.
Taking another sip of her coke, Hazel considered the question and how much she wanted to share. "I was taught how to avoid becoming obsessed with mindless things." She answered carefully, not wanting to paint Lili or anybody she'd worked with in a bad light, knowing Kit wouldn't understand how necessary certain things had been.
With her fears all but confirmed, Kit tried not to react, afraid of running Hazel off. “Some mindless things bring you balance and mindfulness,” she clarified, flipping the toy and smiling at its calming effect on her.
"Or distract you from important matters," Hazel answered, taking another gulp of her soda and sitting down on the other side of the couch, watching her sister play with the little toy and making a mental note to study up on ADHD.
“Nah, I can listen better with it. It stops the urge to look up things on my phone or flip through channels or change the page,” Kit explained contently when the intercom rang her phone - the one notification she didn't silence. "Kit, it's Mom. Can you buzz me up, please?" Sorsha requested. Kit paused what she was doing, ready to reply when Hazel spoke first. "You could learn not to rely on it; therapists could help with it. It sucks at first, but it works." Hazel shrugged and glanced at Kit's phone, not sure she was ready to deal with her mother and Kit alone at the same time. Kit nodded and held up a finger to pause the conversation as she turned her attention back to her phone. “Sure, come on up.” She buzzed her mother in and took a closer look at the image displayed on her screen. “She’s not alone,” She announced, squinting her eyes to see Elora standing behind her mother. Deciding Elora could be useful, she resisted the urge to complain about her presence and went back to their previous conversation instead. “Nah, I like it. Is that what happened?” She inquired cautiously.
Briefly distracted, Hazel moved closer and tried to get a look at Kit's phone. "She's not? Jade's with her, huh?" She asked, not surprised that Jade wouldn't let Sorsha out of her sight either. Kit pulled her phone away, keeping it out of sight, and Hazel huffed, slumping back into the couch, and decided to answer her sister's question. "Nothing happened, Kit. I had issues, and my therapists broke me of bad habits, that's all," she replied as though it wasn't a big deal.
“Hm..” Kit hummed, not entirely convinced, but got up to answer the door. “No, not Jade, I’m afraid," she said, opening the door and greeting her mom, missing the confused look that crossed her sister's features. “Mommy, Danan. Come on in.”
"Hello, dear." Sorsha smiled and hugged Kit, never missing an opportunity to hug the girl. Even if she hadn't always been as present as she should have been, hugging was the one thing she didn't slack on.
"Elora?" Hazel asked, surprised. She gave the woman a questioning look, forgetting to acknowledge her mother.
"Hi, Hazel," Elora greeted warmly, her smile inviting, before redirecting her attention to Sorsha, subtly prompting Hazel to acknowledge her mother.
Following Elora's gaze, Hazel waved briefly at Sorsha, who returned the gesture with a smile. However, before Sorsha could engage further, Hazel turned her attention back to Elora. "Hi, did you want to give me your phone number? Because Kit said you did, but you never told me that, so I'd like to be sure," Hazel spoke candidly while Sorsha watched the awkward exchange and chuckled to herself, deciding not to properly greet her older daughter until the girl was done interrogating Elora, knowing it would be useless.
Elora smiled softly. "Yes, I’ve been bugging J, so she told me to call your mom. I’m sorry, it was all very fast this afternoon."
"Oh, okay, it's fine." Hazel smiled and pulled out her phone, stepping closer to Elora and showing the girl her contact information. “You can text me, but I won't call or text you," she advised bluntly.
“Why not?” Elora asked, a bit surprised.
"I don't like making or answering phone calls," Hazel explained. "I struggle to interpret people's tone without seeing them, and sometimes words get muddled. They tried to teach me how, so now I can answer phones and make calls, but I often have to fake it, and I miss information. Also, I don't know when you're busy, so I don't like texting first," she added, her frustration evident. Sorsha frowned at Hazel's words, disheartened by the thought of anyone thinking they could or should try and teach away things her daughter couldn't help.
Contemplating the woman’s words, Elora nodded in understanding, trying not to look as disgusted as she felt toward the people who had raised Hazel. "I don’t mind messaging first," she reassured and quickly texted the woman.
Maybe:Elora Danan: hi, Elora here 🙂
Checking her phone, Hazel smiled at the message and replied with a smiley face. "Thank you. So if you want to hang out or whatever, message me first, and we can set it up." She instructed and smiled at the woman to make it clear she was being nice.
Kit observed the scene with a mix of amusement and pride, noting her sister's efforts to forge a new friendship, even if it was with the ever-annoying ray of sunshine, Danan.
“Will do, thank you, Haze,” the doctor said, smiling.
"Cool, you're welcome," Hazel replied, putting her phone back in her pocket. She rocked on her heels awkwardly as she tried to think of something else to say or do.
Taking the opportunity, Sorsha spoke up. "Come here, you two. We need to decide on what to order." She motioned Hazel and Elora over, trying to keep the interaction casual.
“What kind of food do you like?” Elora asked as she moved closer to Sorsha.
"Chicken strips." Hazel answered, "I also usually like Thai food." She added as she sat back down on the couch opposite the one Sorsha was occupying.
“Oh, there's a wonderful little Thai place just up the road. What was the name again, Kit?" Sorsha asked quickly, relieved to have a starting point in their search for food.
“Thai Peppers,” Kit answered eagerly. “Really good food,” she spoke animatedly.
Nodding, Hazel gave her sister and mother a small smile. "OK, I'll trust you. I like pad thai." She disclosed, and Sorsha beamed at her, thrilled for even the slightest show of trust.
Elora looked at their menu and then spoke softly, “I’d like the beef drunken noodles, please. Some of their veggie dumplings and mango rice. Have you ever had mango rice, Hazel?” she asked as she looked around Kit’s apartment, seeing the big piece of art and admiring it.
"No, I don't like rice," Hazel answered and gave Elora a perplexed look. “So, do those noodles have alcohol in them or something?" she asked curiously, trying to understand why they were called drunken noodles.
“Oh no, they just look funny. You can try some of mine. Also, you should try mango rice; it’s a sweet, yummy dessert,” Elora proposed, licking her lips in anticipation.
"But I don't like rice; it's..." Hazel trailed off and sighed. “I'll try it." She conceded, sinking back into the couch and turning her attention towards the darkened TV, missing her home.
“Thai teas all around, two purple mango rice, yellow curry and chicken pad thai, also shrimp pad thai for me.” Kit listed off with a smile, looking at Sorsha as she placed the order.
"Hazel never liked rice; it's a texture thing. She also couldn't stand shrimp or any food that has multiple textures, like soft and lumpy together," Sorsha explained as she finished placing the order. She looked towards Hazel with a hopeful expression, noticing the corner of the girl's mouth turn up in the smallest ghost of a smile. Her eyes flicked towards her only briefly, in what the older woman hoped was an acknowledgment.
Feeling bad for trying to get the girl to eat something she didn’t like, Elora glanced down, her voice softening. “Oh, I'm sorry, Hazel. You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to. What’s your favorite dessert?” She inquired, a hopeful expression on her face.
"It's fine, like Sor..." Hazel trailed off and took a deep breath. "Like my mother said, it's just a texture thing, but if you want me to try it, I can. I'll just need something to drink to wash it down," she explained, shooting her mother another quick glance and a small nod, noting what she interpreted as a relieved or happy look on the woman's face before turning her attention back to Elora. "I don't eat a lot of desserts, but when I do, I tend to like donuts, usually the cream or raspberry-filled ones," she explained with a small shrug. "Kinda like licking the filling out of 'em," she added, smiling to herself as she thought about her favorite dessert and suddenly wanted one.
Giving the woman her full attention, Elora nodded along and smiled cheekily at the response. “They are good. Now I want some,” she said, licking her lips and picking up her phone to place an order.
"Put the phone down, red. I've got some on the way," Kit said, indicating that she had already placed the order.
"You ordered donuts?" Hazel asked her sister curiously.
Nodding triumphantly, Kit spoke proudly, “Yes, I did while you were telling Elora, and she was enraptured by your description of eating donuts.” she winked at Elora, who shook her head at the woman.
Blinking, Hazel looked at Elora curiously. "Sorry, I'm not the best at describing stuff, but I can show you when they get here if you want; I swear it makes it taste better." She spoke earnestly, totally oblivious to what Kit was inferring. Sorsha took that moment to excuse herself and go to the kitchen.
"Oh, I'd love to see that in detail. I've never tried that approach to eating donuts," Elora said with a blush and a playful smile.
Kit cleared her throat. "So, Danan, Hazel's going to live here for a while, so we'll see each other a lot. This doesn’t mean I like you; it just means a truce. Also, gross," she said as she got up.
Elora nodded. “Kit, I never wanted to be in a perpetual war with you. You just didn’t like that some of the cute girls flirt with me and not you at the club,” the redhead teased, and Kit rolled her eyes.
"Oh, so you do like girls too?" Hazel asked curiously, watching Elora intently. She'd thought it was likely but also knew she could have misread her. "Oh, that reminds me. Mom..." Hazel called, tilting her head back to try and see into the kitchen without turning around.
"Yes, dear?" Sorsha asked, looking over the bar and smiling at the way Hazel was trying to see her.
"I'm gay," Hazel spoke bluntly, watching Sorsha as best she could at the awkward angle, trying to see how she'd take the news that Kit wasn't the only one who preferred the same gender.
Sorsha laughed and nodded, surprised the girl found it necessary to tell her. "Oh, I know, hon. I've always known, but thank you for telling me. You didn't have to, though. You can date whoever you want." She answered with a kind smile, resisting the urge to ask the girl to keep any details to herself.
"Oh... cool,” Hazel mumbled and sat back up, a little surprised and relieved that there was no long speech about how bad or unnatural it was.
Elora watched the scene, fascinated at how honestly blunt Hazel was, and waited until the woman’s attention returned to her to answer, “Yes. I’m kind of free-spirited, but I do prefer women,” she said with a smile.
"I'm sorry, what does that mean?" Hazel asked curiously, needing the woman to be clearer.
“I dated men in the past, but I have since then exclusively been with women. Since college,” Elora elaborated, sitting a bit taller and proud.
"Oh, okay. I don't like men," Hazel said matter-of-factly and leaned back again, spreading out more as she got comfortable on the couch, feeling slightly more relaxed in the space.
“They’re the worst. Hence why I date women exclusively.” Elora spoke softly, noticing how the woman seemed to be more at ease, with arms stretched over the back of the couch and legs wide apart in what could only be described as manspreading, something she noticed the woman often did.
"Good choice," Hazel muttered as she stared at the blank TV screen again, unsure what else to say to the woman; small talk, not her forte.
Elora nodded and bit her lip. "So what did you graduate in?" she asked, trying to see what the girl had studied, eager to learn more about her.
Turning her attention back to Elora, Hazel shrugged. "Engineering." She answered with little interest.
“Civil, Mechanic, chemical, or computer?” Elora asked, looking towards the kitchen, trying to see if Sorsha was listening to their conversation.
"Mechanical, computer and electrical engineering ." Hazel listed off. "I skipped grades...and I also studied optical engineering,” She explained as Sorsha sat back down with them, looking a little sick to her stomach as she processed the type of life her daughter had lived.
"You got all of these degrees?" Kit asked, surprised and concerned. "No masters or doctorates then?" she asked curiously.
Looking a little guilty, Hazel glanced down at her hands."I didn't do much besides study and go to school." She answered carefully.
"Oh, but that’s really cool. All of these degrees are amazing to have," Kit said, genuinely impressed. “Congrats," she added with a smile, glancing at her phone as it signaled the arrival of their food.
"Why are you congratulating me? I just studied." Hazel shrugged and got up to get them all plates.
“And acquired three degrees—I could barely finish one and a master's,” Kit said, grabbing the bags and bringing them inside.
"You had other things going on; I didn't," Hazel replied simply as she set the plates on the table. Her mind wandered to the years she'd spent behind books, using the organization it required to keep herself in check. It had taken up so much mental space that she didn't have a whole lot of time to think about what she’d lost. Instead, she just focused on making Lili proud by graduating as fast as she possibly could.
“What exactly did you do for the company?” Kit asked, confused, trying to understand as she distributed each meal to its respectful owner.
"Some cybersecurity... I also oversaw weapons production." Hazel answered, watching her sister carefully to gauge her reaction.
“Wow, that's a lot,” KIt said as she looked at her mom, a bit apprehensive.
"Seems you certainly stayed busy," Sorsha spoke in a tense tone, hating that Hazel's life had clearly been mostly school and work. It seemed like she'd been treated almost like a machine, something Sorsha had fought against when the girl was little, choosing to let her stay in the same school as Kit instead of exploring other options, having thought it was healthier for her to have a full childhood, rather than exploit the girl's intelligence and make her resent school.
"Mhm." Hazel nodded, watching the older woman carefully. "Lili saw my potential." She spoke in a cold tone, almost accusing the woman.
"So did I, but if you remember right, you hated the private schools we toured. You wanted to stay with Kit, and I thought it was more important for you to have a normal childhood rather than make yourself sick studying endlessly," Sorsha answered honestly. “You were always intelligent; I never worried about what you could accomplish, so I saw no need to rush you," she added, carefully watching as Hazel appeared to absorb the information.
"I guess I remember, but you could have pushed." Hazel sighed in a less combative tone, knowing her mother was right.
"I could have, but I love you, and I wanted what was best for you, and at that time, putting you in other schools was not it," Sorsha replied confidently, receiving a nod from Hazel, who seemed to consider her words.
Sensing a bit of the tension her mom was feeling, Kit spoke up. “It’s okay; we just have to catch up on the fun stuff,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows playfully. “You think you can teach me some stuff, though?” she asked with a small, shy smile, hoping to lighten the mood.
Focused mostly on her food, Hazel shrugged. "Yeah, I can try and show you some stuff if you want." She answered simply and started eating, eager to have the conversation over.
"You can benefit from having a more average life experience instead of hyper-focusing on academic stuff, Engineer Tanthalos," Elora spoke with a proud smile. "It suits you. It all suits you," she added and looked at Kit smiling warmly, expressing genuine admiration for Hazel's chosen path.
"I don't know. School's kind of all I know." Hazel replied skeptically as she ate her food and glanced at Kit curiously, thinking about how different their lives had been and how much she'd been starting to enjoy Kit's.
Elora observed the woman as she spoke, noticing the way she looked at her sister. “When I first met you, you were doing a good job navigating different things. You could take a bit from that, but still be yourself,” she encouraged with a quick smile before looking down at her food.
"Huh?" Hazel gave the woman a dumbfounded look, pausing with a bite of food halfway to her mouth.
“You were pretending to be your sister, but you were also being yourself, and I could tell it felt good, so just go with it," Elora answered with a supportive tone. "Not the pretending part, just the trying new things part,” she clarified, trying to offer Hazel reassurance and encouragement to explore her identity and interests.
Feeling guilty, Hazel shot Kit and Sorsha a worried look, then ducked her head and nodded. "I'll try." She muttered, giving her full focus to her food.
“You can help your sister, right Kit?” Elora asked, making sure to involve the younger twin in the plan.
Unable to keep herself quiet, Kit eagerly spoke up, wanting to help her sister reintegrate into their family. “Oh yeah, we can go exploring. It’ll be like a quest! Leave it to me; we’ll have a blast,” Kit said enthusiastically. “But we’ll talk about it after Mom leaves… for reasons,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper, earning an exasperated look from her mother. “I’m definitely not as impressive as you academically, but you already know that,” Kit added, smiling warmly.
"I don't know about you showing me around,” Hazel replied uneasily, looking up at Kit. "You and I are very different." She added and winced as she thought about the state in which she'd found the woman’s office and house when she'd first arrived. "You might actually be the most disorganized person I've ever met." She muttered as she took another bite of her food and shook her head.
Kit pretended to be offended. “How dare you?” she said with her mouth full, causing Hazel to wince in disgust.
"Don't speak with your mouth full." Sorsha admonished, narrowing her eyes at her younger girl.
"I'm just saying... we probably have different ideas of what's fun and what isn't since we're different in almost every way." Hazel reasoned with a shrug.
“We both like women, and we both think redheads are hot,” Kit ignored her mother's rebuke and said the one thing she was sure they agreed on.
Blushing, Hazel shot her mother a wary glance and visibly sunk in her chair as Sorsha pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes in what appeared to be a silent prayer. "I don't think people are hot, Kit,” Hazel grumbled, stirring her noodles absently.
“Good looking? Attractive?” Kit pressed. “Doesn’t matter. Give me a chance to show you some stuff, and you show me some,” she suggested with a smile.
"Ok. Good looking." Hazel chose with a small sigh. "Fine, the first thing I want to show you is how to hang a toilet paper roll correctly because if I have to live in this apartment, I can not tolerate the way you hang it backward." She spoke in a very serious tone, shuddering, and Sorsha chuckled.
“I resent that! How does one hang toilet paper correctly?” Kit challenged as she looked at her sister with squinted eyes.
"Over Kit, it goes over, not under,” Hazel exclaimed like she'd been just dying to say something. “Your knuckles scrape against the wall when it's under, and it's totally wrong. The patent says it's supposed to go over, too." She explained, pulling out her phone and searching for the patent to show her sister.
Elora chuckled, finding it amusing that the only person willing to put Kit in her place was her twin sister.
"I seem to remember saying the same thing," Sorsha remarked with an amused look at Kit. She relished the mindless little argument; it felt normal and familiar like maybe things would be okay with time.
Feeling exasperated by the little details Hazel always worried about, Kit threw her arms up in the air. "Look, I don’t pay attention to those things, and I don’t have strong feelings about it, but I will try now," Kit said, conceding. "For you, Azel," she added with a warm smile, eager to improve their relationship.
"I don't know how you don't pay attention to something like that, but thank you,” Hazel mumbled, looking down and smiling to herself as she finished her food.
A few moments later, the door to the apartment swung open, and Jade walked in, balancing a pile of items. A scrawny man trailed behind her. “What are you planning to do with all these comforters, Tanthalos?” she asked, making a beeline for the bedroom.
"Kit's gonna let me feel them, I think," Hazel called from where she sat, not surprised that Jade had just walked in without prior notice.
Seeing that the apartment was filling up quickly, Sorsha got up and put her plate in the dishwasher. "I suppose it's time I should be heading home; I'm sure you girls have a lot to catch up on." She spoke with a small smile as she leaned down to kiss Kit on the cheek then glanced at Hazel with a wave, afraid to upset the girl by getting too close.
"Oh...will I see you tomorrow?" Hazel asked, curious, and got up, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly as she tried to decide how to interact with the woman.
Beaming at the girl, Sorsha nodded."If you wouldn't mind, I'd like that very much." The woman replied and opened her arms with a questioning look, breathing a sigh of relief as Hazel stepped into her arms, giving her a small hug. "I think I'd like that too,” Hazel muttered against the woman's shoulder, earning a chuckle from her mother, who tightened the hug."Then it's settled; I'll see you tomorrow." The woman announced, pulling away from the hug, leaving her hands on Hazel's shoulders as she took a moment to really look at the girl. "I love you, Hazel; it's so good to have you home." She sighed and looked at Kit with tears in her eyes. "You be nice to her." She warned in a playful tone, trying to lighten the mood and keep her emotions in check as she released Hazel.
“Hey! I'm always nice,” Kit objected, wiping her eyes and smiling at her mom.
"You most certainly are not." Sorsha laughed and affectionately stroked Kit's cheek before kissing her forehead. "I love you too, Kit." She whispered, then headed towards the door.
"Sorsha, leaving already? I wasn't planning on staying," Jade said as she re-entered the living area. "I just came by because Kit was using my team as bag carriers, and this guy is newish."
"Yes, it's late, and Hazel could probably use the rest. And I'm getting tired. Don't rush out on my account." Sorsha replied and sighed deeply as she looked around at the small group.”Goodnight." She smiled and got ready to depart, deciding to trust that things would be ok for once.
“Well, I have another load to grab, so I’ll walk you down,” Jade offered with a smile.
"Thank you, that would be nice," Sorsha accepted Jade's offer and waited for her to walk her out, cringing as she heard Hazel ask Elora if she wanted to see the donut trick now. "I'll just wait outside," she addressed Jade with an uncomfortable smile and quickly slipped out the door.
Following behind, Jade spoke softly, ”Lor bothered you to come?”
"She might have mentioned she'd forgotten to give Hazel her number and thought she'd only take it if it were given in person," Sorsha replied with an amused smile and a knowing look.
“I see, “Jade replied skeptically.
“Oh, don't be like that. You know Elora's a good person." Sorsha admonished, shaking her head at the woman's obvious jealousy.
~
"And that's the best way to get all the cream out." Hazel finished her explanation, licking her lips, before giving a triumphant smile and showing Elora the last bite of donut before popping it into her mouth with a satisfied little moan. Jade blinked and glanced back at the door she’d just entered through, seriously contemplating turning right back around and exiting, but instead hurried off towards Hazel's room, where she intended to hide until Hazel's little demonstration was over.
Elora gulped and blushed profusely. “Quite an effective method!” she remarked in a complimentary tone, realizing that Hazel might be unaware of how her actions could be perceived.
"Yeah. Wanna try?" Hazel asked enthusiastically as she grabbed another donut and offered it to Elora, willingly choosing to share her favorite kind with the woman.
Nodding, Elora smiled warmly and took the donut. “Yeah, sure… will you help me?” she asked, her eyes on Hazel. “Which one is that?”
Confused, Hazel frowned a bit. "How can I help you?" She asked blankly and then glanced at the donut. "Boston cream. It's really more of a custard, but everybody calls it cream." She answered and shrugged with a small pout on her lips, eyebrows up under her bangs.
“Oh yum, it’s my favorite too! Just give me some pointers and tell me if I look weird,” Elora said, smiling. “Mmm,” she hummed, nibbling a bit to reach the custard filling.
"No, you gotta start with a good-sized bite. Then, you can lick the custard out," Hazel explained, nodding to herself. “After that, take another bite so the flavor mixes well but doesn’t get all over your face," she added, motioning to the general area of her mouth and chin.
“I like to take little nibbles first; is that not okay?” Elora asked, showing Hazel. "See? Now I can make a game out of it." She then took a bigger bite as instructed. “Mmm,” she moaned, enjoying the dough before she started licking around the edges to get to the custard.
“Oh," Hazel muttered, intently watching the girl's movements. “Yeah, I guess that works. It just takes you longer to get to the custard, but if you prefer it that way, it works.” She answered, blinking a little as she continued to watch, almost fascinated.
Elora looked at the girl as she slowly prodded and licked the custard. “It just makes it tastier when you work harder for it,” she said, bringing a bit of the donut to her lips and getting a little messy. She giggled. “You should try it sometime.”
Staring transfixed, Hazel licked at her own lips lightly and motioned towards her mouth. "You uh, you got some..." She trailed off and bit her lip, blushing a little. The way the woman had gone about eating the donut reminded her a little bit of kissing Jade, and she couldn't get the thought out of her mind.
“Oh, I do?” Elora asked as she licked her own lips. “Did I get it?” she asked as she looked at the woman for a response.
"Uh-huh." Hazel nodded, her eyes a little wider as she watched the girl for a moment longer. Then she quickly looked down, not sure what was wrong with her. "Think so," she mumbled and kicked at the ground awkwardly.
“Sorry, it’s just so good. I want to lick it all off,” Elora said, attacking the donut again while still following Hazel's guidance. She then flipped her tongue over the top of the donut, getting deeper into the hollow of the pastry, almost nose-deep.
"Woah, how'd you do that?" Hazel asked curiously, moving closer to see what the woman was doing with her tongue. "I don't think I can do that." She muttered, sticking her tongue out a little and trying to replicate what she'd seen the other woman do.
"Sure you can. Grab a donut,” Elora encouraged, withdrawing her mouth from the treat and patiently waiting for Hazel.
Nodding excitedly, Hazel grabbed a donut and waited eagerly for Elora to show her what to do. "Now what?" She asked.
Across the room, Kit shook her head, feeling like she couldn't watch any longer. It all felt too private, so she quickly and quietly entered her room, giving her sister and her new friend more privacy.
“Start from the beginning. You always want to start from the top. Give it a little bite,” Elora coached with a smile.
Nodding, Hazel did as she was told, eyes on Elora. "Like this?" She asked curiously, swallowing the tiny bite she'd taken and waiting for further instruction.
"Yeah, see that little opening? Just try getting your tongue in there," Elora instructed, flicking her tongue against her donut, unable to resist the taste.
"Like this?" Hazel asked and proceeded to do what she was told, watching Elora closely. "But how did you get your tongue to do that little flippy thing?"She was far more interested in the new trick than anything else.
“Patience is key here. Rushing will only lead to frustration, and trust me, you don't want that,” Elora coached. “Now, try moving your tongue from side to side on your donut,” she explained in a hushed tone, emphasizing the importance of control.
Swallowing hard at the woman's tone, Hazel nodded, transfixed, and followed the instructions. She found herself oddly fascinated, focusing more on watching the other woman than on her own task. She just sort of went through the motions without too much thought, waiting for Elora's guidance on whether she was doing it correctly.
Elora smiled at how well Hazel took instruction and praised her. "Good job. Now, as you do that, just twist your tongue a bit, cupping the tip," she suggested lightly. "Lap it just a bit. Don’t get messy! Or do! It’s fun," she said as she continued to demonstrate, her body reacting to the implicit implications. My goodness, you need to get laid! She thought as she hoped Hazel could follow the next set of instructions.
"I don't like getting messy. That's why I always lick the custard out... just biting makes it go everywhere." Hazel remarked matter-of-factly before trying what Elora suggested. She squinted one eye and tilted her head, trying to maneuver her tongue accordingly. "I don't think I'm getting it," she grumbled, cringing as she withdrew from the donut.
Elora watched, her mouth agape, very amused at the way Hazel tilted her whole head, unable to suppress the chuckle that escaped her. "You're almost there. Taste what you've got... doesn't it taste better now that you had to really try to get it?" she asked playfully.
Taking a moment to focus on how the custard tasted on her tongue, Hazel shrugged. "Tastes the same to me, but it's kinda fun to try it your way." She admitted and went back to practicing, tilting her head further each time, thinking she had to move her whole head to get her tongue to twist the way Elora's had.
Elora held her breath, her eyes fixated on Hazel as her head lowered. She imagined what it would feel like to be the focus of Hazel’s attention and couldn't help but find the way Hazel tilted her head, both confusing and endearing. "Haze," she exhaled softly, "try to get the cream on the top of the bite, then flip your tongue and scoop, following the cream," she instructed. "Watch me," she said, demonstrating the technique again, though in her mind, the donut had become something far more intimate. She adjusted her shirt as she felt her nipples press hard against the fabric, the thrill of the moment making her pulse quicken.
Nodding, Hazel watched with rapt attention. "It's the tongue-twisty thing I can't quite get; my head tilts, but my tongue doesn't do that." She grumbled, squinting to try and better see what the woman was doing.
Elora nodded. “You don’t need to tilt your head as much; it’s all about the tongue, and for now, it’s okay; we can practice more…” she spoke in the raspiest tone. “I want to show you; tell me if I’m doing it right,” she said as she dove and lapped deeply, languidly moaning with every scoop of filling.
Hazel's cheeks flushed at the sounds Elora was making, and she forgot everything the woman had just said. "It's hot in here; I'll switch on the AC," she muttered quickly. Stepping back, she accidentally stumbled over the coffee table, landing on her back with a soft "Ow." She grimaced, feeling her blush deepen as frustration mingled with embarrassment at her clumsiness.
“Are you okay?" Elora asked quickly, getting up and extending a hand to help Hazel up, worried the girl would be too embarrassed.
"No," Hazel grumbled, glaring at Elora's hand for a moment before begrudgingly taking it and allowing the woman to pull her up. “I'm so clumsy," she muttered, hanging her head as she walked over to the thermostat and adjusted it lower.
"You're adorable; being clumsy is sort of charming," Elora remarked, returning to the pastries. "Are you gonna finish me... it?" she quickly corrected herself with a cough. "You're almost there; I know I'm close," she added, nibbling on the donut a little more.
Laughing shyly, Hazel nodded and picked her donut back up, thankful for the distraction."Ok, so like this?" she asked and proceeded to try the trick several more times, finally getting it on her last try and pumping her fists in the air triumphantly, proud of herself.
Elora moaned loudly as she licked the last bit out of her donut, hugging herself to calm down. "You did so good. You got it. Next time, you’ll be a pro," she said with a smile before quickly biting into the hollow dough.
“Thanks," Hazel grinned, totally innocent.
"Hazel… you are truly precious," Elora said with a genuine smile of admiration for the woman, who blushed and ducked her head at the compliment.
Notes:
Thank you for reading! Thank you for your amazing reviews we have so much fun reading your reactions! Is there anything you want to see? We can't fully promise it but we can definitely consider if it fits the plot, let us know!
Chapter 15: Chapter 15
Summary:
Hazel and Kit spend some time together at home and the gang go out to have some Fall fun!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
After Elora and Jade went home, Hazel selected the bedding that felt the nicest, then exchanged rather awkward goodnights with Kit that ended with a tentative hug, and finally laid down. She tried to sleep but couldn't manage it; her mind flooded with uncertainty and fear. Change wasn't something she handled well; it was bad enough her life had changed overnight once before. It had taken her years to truly adapt, and now she was facing the same kind of thing, along with the added distress of realizing she'd let her abductor go, and now the woman could potentially pose a threat to her family. With that thought in mind, Hazel got up and went down the hall to sit on the floor in front of Kit's room, back to the wall so she could see all sides in a small attempt to feel like she was doing something to keep her sister safe and to stay close to her in the only way she could handle at that moment. After a few hours, she finally dozed off, too tired to stay awake any longer.
The following morning, Kit was very tired. The emotional high had faded, leaving her with aching muscles and her bed, which was the only thing that still felt comfortable. She reflected on the whirlwind of the last few days: discovering her sister was alive, almost dying, sleeping with Jade, and then deciding with Jade to stay friends without diving into a romantic relationship for now. Her mind was a chaotic mess, and she desperately needed coffee. As she got up and swung open her door, she was startled to find Hazel sitting there, back against the wall. Hazel's breathing was calm, but her fists were clenched like she was ready for a fight. Kit stared at her, and once the initial shock subsided, she wondered why her sister was outside her bedroom. Feeling bad for Hazel being in such an awkward position and driven by curiosity, Kit gently shook her shoulder. "Hazel, Azel, wake up," she murmured.
Startled, Hazel yelped and looked up at Kit with wild eyes, ready to fight whoever was trying to get past her until she registered it was only Kit. Momentarily relaxing, Hazel sighed and got up with a groan, rubbing at the back of her neck miserably before venturing another glance at her sister, upset with herself for falling asleep and dreading the questions that were sure to be asked.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Kit asked in a concerned tone. “It’s just me here; you're okay,” she said clearly.
Again, reminded of how irritated she was with herself for giving Kit this opening, Hazel rolled her eyes. "My life is a nightmare, Kit." She scoffed and brushed past her sister toward the kitchen, deciding the tartness of orange juice may help her wake up a little.
"I'm sorry, Hazel. I just want to understand. I know the hallway isn't comfortable. If this happens again, you can come into my room. It's okay," Kit said softly, genuinely curious about her sister's thought process.
"I didn't have a nightmare." Hazel huffed and poured her drink, lifting the orange juice container in a silent question towards her sister.
Kit nodded. "Thanks. Did you hear weird noises? I've complained to the building manager before about that startup kid downstairs. I'll handle it," she said, irritated by the idea of anything disrupting her sister's rest. "I sleep like a log, so I don't hear anything, but his stupid music vibrates through the floor when I'm reading in the morning. Oh god, I'm sounding just like Mom," she added, catching the familiar tone in her voice.
Finding it way too early to keep up with Kit's rapid-fire speech, Hazel just blinked and turned her back on the other girl as she poured another glass of juice and put the container away. "Didn't hear anything," she answered simply, handing the glass to Kit. “You talk fast," she observed bluntly.
“Unmedicated ADHD for you. It's never silent up here,” Kit said, pointing to her head. "It’s gotten worse in the last year or so,” she added shyly, taking a drink of her juice and going through the motions of preparing a pot of coffee. “Azel, why?” she asked, and Hazel frowned. Kit thought a bit, then it hit her: “She won’t get past security.”
Hazel shook her head, still thinking Kit was naïve. "She already did," she answered, leaning back against the counter and observing Kit. "Why don't you take your meds? It's not like you don't have the money to get 'em," she inquired curiously. "Also, Autism is similar; my brain is never silent, but I am. I guess that's where it's different," she mused, swirling her drink and watching the small tornado it formed, keeping herself occupied.
"Because they stifle my creativity, my wits, and they make me sleepy, drowsy, and withdrawn. They push me into a different kind of spiral," Kit replied, showing her arm and revealing a scar that her watch band had hidden.
Hazel glanced at Kit's wrist and frowned slightly. "You just haven't found the right one yet. We can do some research. I'm sure there's a med out there that can help with focus without dulling the rest." She shrugged and met her sister's eyes briefly, deciding not to address the scar, knowing she had plenty herself and didn't see much of an issue with it.
"I've been trying some natural supplements... they only last for a short while, but they give me about eight hours of peace," Kit said, hiding her scar again, feeling a bit self-conscious. "If my doctor finds something that works, great, but for now, I get by for work. I'm usually alone anyway, so it doesn't matter. Jade knows how I am without them if she comes over, and Mom has no clue. I can pretend to be on meds for a couple of hours if she's around," Kit added carefully, reaching for her coffee.
"Well, if I'm going to be living here for a few days, you need to be on meds. You're annoying without them," Hazel stated bluntly. "If your doctor hasn't found the right one yet, they’re an idiot. You need a new doctor. I'll research a few nearby, and we'll get you sorted," she added firmly, glancing at Kit's wrist again. The more she thought about it, the more it troubled her, but knowing she had no room to speak on the matter, she kept her concerns to herself and resolved to focus on finding a way to help her sister that wouldn’t result in Kit getting hurt.
Kit felt a pang of disappointment but understood; she knew she could be annoying. She often annoyed herself with her scattered thoughts, her habit of starting sentences from the middle of an idea, and how her mind constantly shifted topics. She found it all frustrating but needed constant noise to keep her brain calm. She nodded and switched to her business tone as she sipped her coffee. "Okay, I'll wait for your research results," she said, then, deciding to reveal her favorite part of her home, called out loudly, "House, what's my day looking like?" Hazel flinched and gave her sister a strange look, not quite used to Kit’s abrupt shifts in tone and focus and found it strange that the woman was talking to her house.
"Good morning, Princess! In two hours, you have a virtual meeting with DJ and AJ for the global marketing campaign. Notes to self: Dinner reservations are at four p.m., and a call with the CFO is at noon. Order salad for lunch. That’s your schedule for today," the automated voice spoke in a soothing tone through the house.
Hazel stood slack-jawed, staring at her sister with an incredulous look. "Your house talks to you? What the fuck, Kit? That's the scariest thing I think I've ever heard, and can you please turn it down next time?" She winced, bothered by the noise and implications of a smart device monitoring the home.
Kit nodded proudly, undeterred by her sister's adverse reaction, positive she could convince her of the benefits of such a device. “Sorry for the noise. House, mouse voice, please,” she requested, and the AI voice spoke again, now at a lower volume. “Mouse voice-activated, Your Highness. Forgive my rudeness.”
"House mouse," Hazel muttered randomly and chuckled to herself.
Kit snickered. “Better now?” She gave Hazel a hopeful look.
“Yes, thank you." Hazel nodded
Taking Hazel's positive answer as an opening to explain more about the system, Kit seized the opportunity. "You can have her tell you where things are if you need. We'll activate the profile for you. It's proprietary tech; we use some for military purposes, but I built this one to help with my daily tasks. Still, I have no idea what the reservations at four pm are for, so there's that. It's good but not perfect. For perfect, I have my assistant, which I hate. I wish I were more efficient on my own. I know I sound like a spoiled brat, but after 20 missed meetings, Mom insisted. I can't say no to Mom," She said in a rushed tone, feeling embarrassed about having a personal assistant. It felt like having a babysitter.
Unable to keep up with the woman's rapid-fire speech. Hazel let her mind drift to other things, like contemplating how Kit managed to breathe while talking or if she even did. She bit her cheek to keep from chuckling at her thoughts as Kit finally stopped talking. "I don't need the house mouse; I know where everything is already... or at least the stuff I need," Hazel shrugged and rolled her eyes. "This is why you need meds; with them, you probably wouldn't need an assistant," she continued, sounding very diplomatic and colder than she intended.
Choosing to ignore Hazel's last remark, Kit pushed on."Okay, well, we'll set it up anyway because I'm testing new things. House, activate Prince Azel's profile. Create a welcome greeting message. Make it encouraging. Then, provide location status of Princess Kit and Sir Claymore. At bedtime, provide a goodnight message in bedroom number two. Turn on heated floors in the bathroom at wake-up time. Set up wake-up time to..." She looked at Hazel expectantly.
"Awesome, my sister's turned into Tony Stark," Hazel huffed and turned to wash her now-empty glass. "I get it; you're mad at me for saying you need meds. Maybe I didn't say it right; I'm not so good at figuring out what tone to use. But I didn't say it with mean intent. You're smart, and your ADHD holds you back. The right meds can make you feel better about yourself, give you more confidence, and make you more you than you currently are," she explained with her back still to her sister, choosing not to answer the question, unwilling to entertain anything that kept Kit from getting the medication she felt the woman needed.
Kit raised a finger. "8 am daily. Go find cheese," she finished, and the assistant beeped, confirming it heard her command. "You're not wrong, Azel. But many people out there don't have a diagnosis or realize they need one. So this... not sure how you guessed it, but HM can be the future for people like me. I'm planning to make it super affordable. Even free," she said with a smile. A ding came through, and she checked her phone, confirming the profile was complete. "Go ahead and speak to it."
Putting the now dry glass away, Hazel sighed and turned to face Kit again, looking her over like she was analyzing her. "It's smart," she conceded softly, folding her arms and squinting up at the ceiling to try and identify the speakers. “But isn't it exactly like those Google Home things or Siri?" she inquired, carefully measuring her words to avoid hurting Kit's feelings.
Kit looked up from her phone. "No, because it's a fully automated system," she answered and paused. "Hold on. House, please tell me upcoming deliveries," she requested, aiming to demonstrate to Hazel how useful the system could be.
"In about ten minutes, delivery from The Corner French Bistro by driver Derek, ordered by Sir. Claymore. Later on, weekly grocery delivery ordered by Sir. Claymore. Tonight, pizza delivery, ordered by Maura.” The system listed off, providing Kit and Hazel with a detailed overview of the upcoming deliveries.
"So it relies on other people inputting the information? Or rather, it's linked to other people's smart devices and gathers information from that, right? So, they've signed up to be connected to the system?" Hazel tried to clarify, crossing her arms and leaning back against the counter.
"No, it's connected to the address. Every time my address pings the internet for deliveries, HM is alerted and stores the information in the system," Kit explained, emphasizing what made it different from traditional systems.
"Interesting," Hazel replied without much emotion, lost in thought. "Who does the coding? You trust them?"
"I do," Kit said proudly. "It's silly, I know, but it was a project I started a long time ago, and I want to make it so it benefits everyone, not just privileged people. So maybe one day," she said, looking down a bit embarrassed.
"Maybe one day, what? Please finish your sentence; I don't like unfinished things," Hazel sighed, grinding her back teeth slightly in discomfort. She was too upset by her sister's annoying personality traits to acknowledge how impressed she was that Kit could not only code but had also managed to focus long enough to code an entire system.
"Maybe one day it will help kids and adults like me and you. But I know it's stupid. You don't have to use it," Kit said carefully, finishing her coffee and grabbing a bagel before sitting on a stool opposite the kitchen island from where Hazel stood.
Hazel shook her head, sighing deeply, feeling bad for making Kit feel small. "It's not stupid, Kit. I'm sure you're right. Even people like me could benefit from something like that." She reassured in a positive tone, deciding to try and live up to being the older sibling and encourage Kit, even if the age gap was only a few minutes. "I was just trained to memorize things, but when we were kids, I carried a notepad everywhere if you remember right," she continued and looked down, thinking about how she still kept notes in her phone despite having a good memory. Some things still needed reminders. "It might benefit kids and people like me better if it could learn the areas we need assistance in and set reminders for us, or if a caregiver could set it up to set daily reminders for small tasks we find difficult to remember. For instance, some autistic kids struggle to remember to shower and stuff and have to have it written on the bathroom mirror, so maybe having an audible reminder too could help." She suggested cautiously, trying to be mindful not to take over her sister's project. "While I think it's a good idea, I still think meds could help you," she added more gently. "Also... if you want help, I'm good with programming and stuff. Not that it seems like you need it, but in case you want it," she offered with a slight shrug.
Encouraged that Hazel was showing an interest in her project, Kit grinned. "Okay, I'll accept your help," she agreed quickly, excitement bubbling up. "You can start by saying, 'Good morning, House!'" she instructed between bites, then smiled, eager to see her sister's reaction and hoping she would enjoy the interaction with the system.
Frowning at Kit's lack of manners, Hazel shook her head and grabbed a paper towel, thrusting it at her sister with an irritated look. "Kit, I'm not talking to your house. What I meant was I could look at the code, ensure everything's secure, and all that if you need or want help. That's all," she explained, cringing at the idea of interacting with the computer despite recognizing its potential to help others like her.
Giving Hazel a guilty and playful look, Kit wiped the cream cheese from her face. "Okay, but it would help me if you talked to it; then I can show you, and you can code the home too. I mean, you don't have to. I'll share the code with you either way, but it would be nice,” she said quietly, her excitement dimming a bit as she hopped off the stool, motioned Hazel over to her small office area, and booted up the computer. She was happy her sister wanted to help but wished Hazel would just try talking to the system.
Confused, Hazel rested her hand on the back of Kit's chair and furrowed her brow as she looked between Kit and the computer screen, trying to figure out what she was missing. "Is speaking to it that important to you, Kit?" she asked, deciding it couldn't hurt to hear her sister out.
"Yes, it was my way to show you how the source code started, but since you insist on just looking at the code, here it is," Kit said, opening the program. "You are the original user," She spoke softly.
Choosing not to point out how she couldn't be the original user, Hazel nodded a little despite her confusion. "Okay, well, you should have told me that from the start," she sighed, then glanced up at where she presumed the speakers were. "Good morning, House," she called out louder than necessary, not accustomed to conversing with automated systems.
“Good Morning, Prince Azel. I'm so happy to hear from you! Princess Kit is currently 2 feet from you, and Sir Claymore is currently 25 miles away at headquarters. How may I help you on this lovely morning? Please be mindful of your volume, your Highness; I am automated but not deaf,” came the automated reply.
Blinking, Hazel glanced at Kit with a questioning look. "How does it know you call me that?" she whispered, afraid it could still hear her. Also, did it just tell me to be quiet?" she asked in a slightly harsher whisper, a little offended that a robot was scolding her.
"No, it was just trying to tell you that you don't have to yell." Kit chuckled and then added, "You're the source code. I used some old recordings of your voice to create the voice recognition. I entered all our childhood nicknames for you, me, and Jade. That's why it calls me Princess Kit and Jade, Sir Claymore. Yes, totally stupid and goofy, but since it's my home, I don't have to be all stiff and professional," She looked at her sister to gauge her reaction. "It started as a way to feel closer to you. Working on this made me feel like you were far away but not gone forever, and it evolved from there." She added, turning her attention back to her computer, feeling self-conscious.
Hazel chewed her bottom lip lightly and glanced at the computer screen again, processing what Kit had told her. "Why did you use my voice? Or my nicknames? I don't understand." She asked carefully, turning her attention back to Kit with a searching look, not quite grasping the concept since her mind didn't work that way.
"I used your voice because I hoped you'd return to use it one day," Kit explained, her gaze lowering. "I just couldn't accept you were gone."
Standing up straight, Hazel stepped back from the desk and crossed her arms, unsure how to deal with Kit's emotions. "Even after the funeral? There's a grave and all..."She trailed off, averting her eyes to the thankfully still organized desk top, remembering how strange it felt to look at her own grave.
"Yes, I never accepted it. Neither did Mom. “The board pressured us to do the grave thing," Kit recounted, watching her sister with sad eyes. “Jade told me you went to the cemetery. I'm sorry you saw that," she added, standing up and opening her arms to her big sister.
"It's fine... at least it was a cool graveyard." Hazel shrugged and gave Kit an apprehensive look, unsure about the hug. “Should I be upset about seeing it?" she asked curiously, trying to understand what emotion she was supposed to have experienced.
"If it were me, I would be," Kit answered gently. "I'm sure you were upset when you heard the search was over," she continued. "I was so angry." She closed her arms, hugged herself, and looked at her sister.
"Not really... because I was told the search was fake anyhow, just for appearances," Hazel replied, her tone dismissive as she observed Kit hugging herself. "Do you want a hug?" she asked curiously, nodding towards the woman's arms. Her question wasn't an offer; she was simply trying to confirm if she was interpreting her sister's body language correctly.
Kit nodded quickly, fearing her sister might retreat from the question. “It wasn’t fake. Ballantine gave up his career after the pressure to declare you dead,” Kit said. "He was never the same,” she shared. “He will love seeing you again,” she continued, her voice softening with affection for the man who had stepped into a fatherly role after Madmartigan’s passing.
Hazel smiled proudly at the confirmation that she'd gotten it right but quickly sobered up as she observed her sister more and reflected on what she'd learned about expressions and body language. Recognizing that Kit looked sad, it occurred to her that maybe she was expected to offer the hug. "I don't remember him well," she admitted quietly as she stepped closer and opened her arms for Kit in a silent invitation. Her expression was a little guarded, still unsure if she was reading the situation correctly.
"Don't worry about it. No need to rush into seeing him; it was just a passing remark," Kit reassured as she found solace in Hazel’s embrace, squeezing her tightly.
"OK, but it sounds like you were close to him," Hazel observed, awkwardly patting Kit's back before finally giving in entirely and squeezing her sister tightly in a comforting embrace, secretly not hating it. "I barely remember Dad either," she admitted in a softer tone, having consciously avoided thoughts of him for years, convinced he was just another victim of her Mother and Sister.
“We’re close. When daddy…” Kit started but decided against finishing that sentence. “He sort of stepped into that role," she continued, tearing up a little. “I have a few pictures and a couple of videos, too, if you ever want to see them," she offered, pulling away from the older girl and wiping away a small tear.
"Maybe someday; I don't think I'm ready yet," Hazel answered, her eyes tracking Kit's tears. "I'm sorry for what you've gone through, Kit, and I'm glad Ballantine was there for you. I know it had to be really hard on you losing Dad," she spoke carefully, wishing she was more able to show affection like she was sure Kit needed at that moment.
“It hasn’t always been easy without you, Haze. Mom was withdrawn, and I was lost, but we kept going, hoping, and here you are,” Kit spoke with emotion. “I'm so happy you’re here,” she added, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. “Before you worry, I want to make sure you know you don’t have to be involved in things,” she said softly. "There's no pressure, but I'm here to support you if you choose to. We can handle things together," she concluded, offering a reassuring smile.
At the mention of Work, Hazel's mood soured."Yeah, okay... I'm not ready to think about any of that yet, but I'll let you know. I'm sorry about everything," She replied, her discomfort evident in her tone. "I need to go shower now. I'll see you after that," she informed, gesturing toward the room she was staying in as she began backing away from Kit.
Realizing she'd made her sister uncomfortable, Kit called out, "Hazel. If you help me with the coding project, it doesn’t mean you work for the company. It’s a personal project," raising her voice a bit to ensure Hazel heard her from where she had moved.
"I'd help you either way, Kit," Hazel called back before closing her bedroom door. Despite her feelings about the job, she didn't want Kit to think she was angry at her.
As if on cue, a ping sound came through the speakers, shaking Kit from her thoughts. "Go for it, House," she said, deciding to focus on something else for the moment.
“A package has been received and dropped at your door.” The automated voice spoke.
"Yay! Breakfast is here - House; please notify Azel," Kit exclaimed excitedly, swiftly entering Hazel’s phone number into the computer. "Add the Haunted House invitation from my email to Hazel’s text message," she directed, listening for the reassuring beeps that signaled the information had been successfully sent.
~
"Kit, what is this about a haunted house?" Hazel asked an hour later, walking into the living room with her hair still wet and sporting a fresh outfit.
Glancing up from her laptop, Kit beamed at her sister and gestured towards the plate of food on the other side of the table. "Breakfast is here, courtesy of Jade," she informed cheerfully before addressing the main topic. "I was hoping you’d join us for this haunted house opening. I managed to snag four VIP passes, so I was wondering if you're up for it. What do you think?" she asked with an eager smile.
Hazel hesitated, unsure. "I don't know..." she murmured, her hand absently rubbing the back of her neck as she contemplated the challenges of facing crowds, loud noises, and potential jump scares. "Wait, four? Who else is coming?" she inquired, curiosity piqued as she approached the table and took a seat. "Thank you," she added, lifting her plate in appreciation.
“Jade, of course, and why don’t you invite Elora?” Kit suggested casually, not wanting to irritate the woman with assumptions but also wanting to encourage her friendship with Elora.
Looking down, Hazel shrugged. "I don't know if she'd be into that sort of thing," she answered honestly. “I don't know her well, and it's not Sunday yet. She wants to hang out with me on Sundays." She explained as she looked back up, watching Kit to measure her reaction, something she often did.
“Yes, but I bet she’d appreciate a text or a brief hello. Invite her. The worst she could say is no. Just tell her you want to hang out, mention you have an extra ticket, and if she wants to come, she’s welcome to,” Kit suggested eagerly, looking forward to the idea of a group activity with her sister.
"Maybe you should invite her, considering it's your ticket," Hazel replied quickly, nervously pushing the food around her plate. She didn't like the idea of being turned down and wanted to avoid any potential missteps, so she figured the invite coming from Kit would alleviate both concerns.
“Well, she knows and likes you better,” Kit reasoned in a matter-of-fact tone, knife scraping across her plate as she cut her chilaquiles. “Unless you don’t want to see her,” she added, waving her fork around.
Accepting that arguing with Kit would be more troublesome than simply texting Elora, Hazel pulled her hands away from her ears, tore her eyes away from Kit’s fork, sighed deeply, and got up, pulling out her phone before dropping herself onto the couch irritatedly. She proceeded to type out a message:
Hazel: 'Hey, I know it's not Sunday, so you probably don't want to, but Kit's making me ask you. She has an extra ticket to this haunted house she wants me to go to tonight, and you're invited if that's something you'd be into.' She sent the text and set her phone down on the coffee table, refusing to look at it, afraid of the answer she'd get. Kit observed her sister, concerned but choosing to give her space and not ask questions just yet.
Elora was finishing breakfast when her phone pinged across the counter. “A new message from Hazel Tanthalos," Siri read the message's sender out loud on her AirPods, causing a small smile to appear on the girl's face before she heard the contents of the message and frowned at the phrasing. The redhead hurried across the kitchen, eager to respond and dispel any negative thoughts Hazel might have about seeing her sooner than Sunday. The idea of seeing her again so soon made her stomach flutter, a sensation she wasn't accustomed to.
Elora: 'Morning Haze! I would love to see you tonight. I’m always open to seeing you if our schedules align. I hope you know that. Are you inviting me because you want me there or just because Kit is making you? I like haunted Houses, but I do get scared.' She sent the text and reread Hazel's message, smiling fondly at how casually formal the text had been, never assuming, almost like Hazel was whispering the invitation quietly.
Hearing her phone buzz against the glass of the coffee table, Hazel stared at it with a worried expression for a few moments before finally deciding to be brave and look at the message. A slow smile took over her features as she absorbed what it said.
Hazel: 'Oh, I thought you only wanted to hang out on Sundays. Yes, I would like you to go too, but I wasn't going to ask you because I didn't know I could. It's okay that you get scared; I think that's the point. I'll message you later with the details.' She quickly replied, bouncing happily where she sat, not even realizing she was doing it.
“So I take it she said yes?” Kit asked as she set Hazel’s plate of food on the coffee table before her, subtly reminding her to eat.
"Yes, so you need to tell me where she should meet us, or do you want her to just come here so she can ride with us?" Hazel asked quickly, fidgeting with her phone anxiously, eager to give Elora all the information, almost afraid that if she didn't hurry, the woman would change her mind, nearly jumping as the phone buzzed in her hand.
Elora: ‘That is absolutely not the case. If it wasn’t for work, I’d hang out with you daily 😀’ Feel free to send the details, or you can just come pick me up if you’d like. I may hold your arm if I get scared; you’ve been warned.’
Looking down at her phone, Hazel bit her lip. "I'm gonna need my car tonight." She informed Kit quickly, only briefly looking up at the woman, before replying to Elora, tongue poking out the corner of her mouth in concentration.
Hazel: 'OK, Kit isn't telling me the information, so I can pick you up at six if you want. That should give us plenty of time before dark to figure out costumes.' Satisfied with her message, Hazel nodded and hit send, receiving an affirmative text back within seconds.
"I'll fill my new security guy in on the details," Kit said, pulling out her phone. "You need to be there at eight, but are you sure you want to drive? We can arrange for a car to drop us off." She looked at her sister with a mix of concern and apprehension, worried about letting her go alone, fearing she might try to run away.
"I'm sure! My car is cool; she might want to see it," Hazel reasoned, looking up at Kit like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Satisfied that Hazel's request seemed genuine, Kit relaxed. “Cool! Now, get her address. We've got lots to do before it’s time for the haunted house,” She spoke as she moved about the apartment, gathering her dishes and washing them.
“You called Princess?” the automated voice spoke, causing Hazel to wince and shoot Kit a disbelieving look.
“No, House, turn off eavesdropping mode,” Kit said sheepishly, casting a glance at Hazel. “Sometimes there are some kinks to fix.”
"Yeah, we need to change that," Hazel grumbled and shook her head. "What exactly do we need to do before tonight?" She asked as she sent Elora a quick text, asking for her address and again getting a fast response.
“Wear comfy clothes and shoes in case we have to run. Eat well all day and stay hydrated. We'll go to dinner after,” Kit said, typing away on her phone. “Since you’re picking up Elora, meet us at the place about fifteen minutes before we have to go in,” she instructed, knowing her sister was making mental notes from the way she was looking at her.
"K. Do you already have your costume figured out?" Hazel asked curiously, already thinking about what she could wear on short notice.
“I'll be wearing an Anakin Skywalker-type Jedi uniform. I got it made a while ago,” Kit said, smiling excitedly.
"Oh... I like Anakin's dark clothes, the ones he wore in 'Revenge of the Sith,'" Hazel replied with a big smile and clapped her hands a bit. “I'd go as Anakin," she added with a decisive nod, shoving her hands under her legs self-consciously.
“Why don’t you?” Kit suggested. “I have another outfit I can wear. You should wear the Anakin one.” She offered, darting into her bedroom to fetch the clothes for Hazel and returning only a moment later with the outfit in hand.
Feeling bad that Kit felt compelled to give up her costume, Hazel held her hands out in front of her, shaking her head. "No, that's yours... I didn't mean I wanted your costume; I was just saying I think it's a cool idea. It'll look good on you; I'll probably just pour some fake blood over my clothes and go as somebody who got beat up or something." She laughed and shrugged.
“Nah, take the costume. I’ve got this weird dress I’ve been wanting to try but never had the right occasion for,” Kit said, disappearing into her bedroom again and reappearing with a green dress in hand, holding it up for her sister to see.
“Kit, you never liked dresses... and until Mom gets things figured out, I'm legally dead, so going all bloodied and beat up looking fits," Hazel argued, thinking it would be funny.
“Alright, fine, but next time you wear the Anakin outfit, I’ll wear the dress. I can never find a good occasion for it,” Kit said, eyeing the dress. She wasn’t typically into dresses, but she was curious to see how Jade would react to seeing her in one and frustrated that she couldn’t find a reason to wear it yet again.
Surprised by how insistent Kit was about wearing a dress, Hazel gave her sister a curious look. "Ok, how about tomorrow night we find another Halloween thing and you can wear the dress then?" She suggested, trying to find a compromise. "Tomorrow's Halloween anyhow, so it makes sense to do something then, too,” she added with a hopeful look.
“Yeah, that makes sense. Dresses make me look girly. No woman likes me when I'm girly,” Kit mused and draped the dress over the back of the couch. “Maybe it’ll be different this time. Look, Aze, you'll have to hide if there's a red carpet." She spoke carefully; though she'd done her research and found an event far enough out of town to be pretty confident they wouldn't have to worry about things like that, she still wanted to make sure Hazel was prepared, just in case.
"I know. Hazel Tanthalos is dead," Hazel replied somberly, offering a small smile to try and downplay it. "Also, I think you're wrong; I'm sure plenty of people like you when you look girly, just like they like you as you normally are." She added kindly, hoping to boost her sister's confidence.
“I hate that!” Kit exclaimed, visibly upset momentarily before her expression softened at the compliment. “You’re so kind and sweet,” she said with a warm smile, nodding thankfully. She admired how Hazel always tried to lift others up, even with everything she had been through.
"Nah, and it's okay. I don't think I'm ready to be her yet anyway," Hazel admitted, glancing away briefly. "You own makeup, right?" she asked curiously, deciding to change the subject.
“Yes,” Kit answered begrudgingly and sat down on the other side of the couch.
"Mom made you huh?" Hazel asked with a slight, knowing smirk.
"Well, not Mom. The company's PR," Kit replied with a small smile. "But she did for the Hastur meetings. Because old Hastur is a homophobe."
"Yuck, I'm sorry any of that happened," Hazel replied regretfully, remembering reading about Kit and Graydon in gossip magazines she'd browse while waiting in line at the grocery store. "Not to change the subject, but I don't suppose you have fake blood, do you?" she asked with a sheepish smile.
"No, but I can order some, or I could make it myself. I've watched a lot of baking competitions, and the Halloween ones are my favorite," Kit enthused, revealing a softer side to her sister.
"Hmm, that's cool, but I'm not sure if I would do well with the texture. I'm already familiar with how fake blood from the store feels," Hazel replied apologetically. "I'll pay you back as soon as everything gets sorted, though, I promise," she added, looking down guiltily, uncomfortable having people buy things or run errands for her.
"Oh, don’t worry, Azey. I got you," Kit said with a huge smile. "I get it; you don’t have to worry about the texture," she added reassuringly.
"I don't? Does that mean you'll get me the official stuff? Or do you mean the texture of the stuff you can make isn't bad?" Hazel asked, needing clarity.
"It means I'll get you the official stuff," Kit clarified, her smile widening.
Breathing a small sigh of relief, Hazel nodded. "Thanks," she replied, mirroring Kit's smile. She bit the inside of her cheek awkwardly and glanced towards her room. "Do you... um... think you could help me with my makeup? I'm not very good with the stuff," she admitted with a sheepish shrug, trying to find some way to make Kit feel needed, knowing she hadn't been the most welcoming to her sister.
“Absolutely!” Kit exclaimed, her excitement palpable. She was eager to help Hazel, even though she wasn't known for bold makeup looks. Kit usually preferred a neutral or natural style for herself, but she was more than happy to assist her sister in any way she could.
"Oh... cool," Hazel replied in a surprised tone. “OK, so can you make me look like I have a broken nose, two black eyes, and a split lip?" she asked eagerly, rubbing her hands together as she considered the look she'd decided on.
Kit's eyes sparkled with excitement as she contemplated what she could do with a bit of makeup. “Yeah, that can be arranged. Follow me,” she said, hopping up and leading the way to her bathroom. “Take a seat,” she instructed, pointing to the vanity with a warm smile.
Nodding, Hazel followed Kit's instructions and looked up at her expectantly, already bracing to be touched. "I'm ready," she informed the younger woman with an affirmative nod and a small, encouraging smile.
“Good, now just you wait,” Kit said, flashing Hazel a small smile before she began working on the makeup. “Okay, open your eyes now,” Kit instructed a few minutes later, stepping back to admire her work after finishing the bruise on Hazel’s cheek.
“Oh wow, that looks incredibly real,” Hazel grinned, leaning closer to the mirror to inspect the fake bruise and tracing her finger over the very real scar just above it. “You should make this look like it’s bleeding,” she suggested eagerly, her enthusiasm evident as she imagined how cool it would look.
“So you like it?” Kit asked, her smile growing wider despite a flicker of apprehension in her eyes. She was worried she might have made mistakes, but Hazel's enthusiasm was reassuring.
"Uh, yeah!" Hazel exclaimed happily. "It looks awesome, but it needs blood for sure," she added quickly, her eyes glued to the mirror. She liked the beat-up look a lot more than her usual appearance. Despite being identical to Kit, she thought Kit looked good but hated her own appearance, her reflection never quite aligning with what she expected to see.
"Well, that will be in an hour. Meanwhile, tell me, did you get a lot of offers when you finished school with your varied degrees?" Kit inquired, eager to uncover more about her sister's journey.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I might have had some offers, but I mainly studied all that to be prepared for the job Lili had in mind for me," Hazel responded with a casual shrug, settling back into the chair as Kit continued her work.
~
Later that evening, Hazel knocked on Elora's door, then clasped her hands behind her back and rocked awkwardly as she waited for the woman to answer.
Opening the door, Elora couldn't help but grin at the sight of Hazel, her face artfully made up to appear as if she'd been in a fight, complemented by her choice of attire: a bloodied, stamped button-down shirt topped with an open cable knit vest. "Come on in. Looks like you got beat up pretty bad on your way here," she remarked, her tone soft yet amused, barely concealing the cheeky smile she wanted to flash.
Proud that Elora seemed to believe her costume looked genuine, Hazel grinned. "You should see the other guy." She quipped with a wink as she walked into the house, her eyes instantly taking in her surroundings. She noticed the two steps leading down into an oval-shaped sunken living room directly in front of her, with a soft-looking ice-blue leather couch adorned with grey, white, and darker blue pillows wrapping around either side. The floor was all wood and polished to a perfect shine, and the far wall showcased a big, inviting fireplace directly in the middle of the room. As she let her eyes travel farther, she noticed several well-placed plants, many abstract paintings, and what appeared to be family photos lining the walls. Nothing was overdone; the spaces were wide open, blending the more dated elements of the place with a sleek, modern design. Everything looked spotless. The environment brought an instant sense of calm to Hazel, who, instead of finding things to fret over, found herself wanting to explore the different textures around the space but refrained.
Elora chuckled, enamored by Hazel’s sense of humor. “Well, good thing you have a private nurse to take care of it all,” she teased, completing her outfit with a nurse’s hat. She watched Hazel with a smile, gauging her reaction to the outfit, which had been a hit with others before. She craved Hazel’s candid feedback.
Dragging her eyes away from Elora's couch, Hazel looked at the woman and noticed her outfit for the first time. "Oh, that's funny." She spoke with a quick smile. "I don't think nurses actually wear hats, though; I'm pretty sure that's just for cartoons... or maybe they used to, but I've never seen a nurse wear one." She added honestly as she scrutinized the woman's outfit more carefully.
“You know, I always wondered that, too! I just didn’t have time to do in-depth research, so what do you think? Hat or no hat?” Elora asked, posing like a model, showing off her nurse dress and changing poses every five seconds.
"I don't know," Hazel answered honestly, looking the outfit over carefully, silently pondering how the woman planned on running in a dress, not a choice she would make. “I guess the hat is part of it, so go with the hat, but nurses wear scrubs," she added, shrugging her shoulders and letting her eyes roam around the living room again, more interested in the woman's furniture than her outfit.
Nodding and smiling at Hazel's accurate point, Elora agreed. “Yes, I am acquainted with the current outfits for nurses. Is your sister in the car?” she asked, sensing that Hazel might not be as impressed with her costume as she had hoped.
Dragging her eyes back to Elora, Hazel frowned at the sight of the purse but held her tongue, remembering it was rude to say the first thing that popped into your head. "No, I'm pretty sure Jade had somebody follow me, but they allowed me to come alone."She answered and stuffed her hands into her pockets, fiddling with the fabric of the liners to dissipate her urge to remark on the purse.
“What is it?” Elora asked, noticing Hazel's fidgeting. She hoped to ease the nervous energy, wanting to create a more relaxed atmosphere and help Hazel feel more at ease.
"Hmm?" Hazel asked innocently, stilling her hands and giving the woman an uncomfortable little smile.
“You seem to have something you want to say. Tell me,” Elora prompted in the softest of tones as she approached Hazel.
"No, I... well..." Hazel started and stopped, taking a quick step back from the woman, eyes flicking over Elora's costume again. "Ok, it's rude, so I'm sorry; you look good, I'm sure, but dresses are not practical for running, and you said you get scared easily. Also, dresses aren't practical in general; they make no sense, and purses just get in the way; you could drop it if you run, and you'll have to carry it the whole night." She finally spoke, letting it all out in a rush and breathing a sigh of relief once she finished. "Sorry." She muttered guiltily.
Elora smiled gently and acknowledged Hazel’s worries. “You’re right; I chose this for the look, not practicality. Give me a minute.” She held up a finger and then disappeared into the depths of the house, heading to her costume stash. Elora always kept a variety of outfits ready for the numerous Halloween parties she frequented, ensuring she could adapt to any theme or mood.
Five minutes later, Elora emerged from the bedroom in a new outfit. This one was slightly less modest but allowed her to move more freely, making her feel comfortable and fun.
Looking up from her phone, Hazel assessed the new outfit curiously. "You look like a video game character I saw in commercials. Are you dressed as one?" she asked, still silently assessing the shorts and tank top combo the woman was wearing, satisfied that it looked much more functional.
"Yes, Lara Croft from Tomb Raider," Elora confirmed, flashing a smile at Hazel. "How do I look?" She gestured to her outfit and did a quick spin for the woman.
"Oh, that works. I dressed like this 'cause Hazel Tanthalos is still technically dead, so this kinda looks zombieish, and now you're a tomb raider, so it sorta goes." Hazel replied with a big smile, satisfied that their costumes could work together in some way. "Also, you look nice." She added quickly, knowing she was obliged to answer.
Elora smiled shyly, a small blush creeping up her cheeks. “Thanks.” She picked up her phone and checked her schedule, using it as a momentary distraction to gather her thoughts and steady her nerves.
"You're welcome," Hazel replied, glancing at her watch. "We should get going; we don't want to be late." She added, heading to the front door and opening it, gesturing for Elora to exit first.
"Hope they don't have clowns," Elora said with a small smile, locking the door. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but calculate how fast she could sprint away if a horde of clowns ever appeared.
"They probably will. Clowns are a huge phobia for a lot of people, and they want to scare people, so it's safe to assume there will be at least one or two," Hazel stated matter-of-factly as she waited for the woman,
"Well, let's hope we don't see them," Elora said emphatically, crossing her fingers as she walked towards Hazel's car. Her eyes widened with admiration as she saw the sleek, blue, sporty-looking vehicle. "Woah, nice wheels," she remarked, clearly impressed.
Frowning, Hazel glanced at the wheels of her car curiously and then shrugged. "I guess they're okay; nothing really special, though. I almost got upgraded rims for 'em, but I decided against it." She answered with a shrug, thinking the rest of the car was a whole lot cooler than the wheels, but she supposed she shouldn't judge another person's interests.
Elora found Hazel's tendency to be very literal adorable and had to stifle a giggle before speaking. "Well, I mean the entire car, not just the wheels. It's a slang term for a car." She explained with a smile, then continued. "Tell me about it—when did you get it?" she asked as she walked around the vehicle, inspecting it closely.
"Oh," Hazel muttered, embarrassed, and gave the woman a sheepish look. "Thanks, I got it a few years ago. I wanted something kind of sporty-looking, but I wanted it to be safe, and this matched the criteria perfectly," she explained, opening the driver's side door. "You like it, you should drive," she offered, seriously hoping Elora would take the offer.
“Really? Isn’t it like your precious baby or whatever others call it?” Elora asked, genuinely surprised by Hazel’s willingness to let someone else drive her car.
Blinking, Hazel shook her head. "No, it's a car," she answered simply, shaking her head as she had the distinct feeling she was misunderstanding again. "I want you to drive," she assured. "I mean, you should drive," she corrected quickly, giving the woman a nervous smile.
Finding the woman's behavior a tad suspicious, Elora gave Hazel a curious look but chose not to question it. “Oh, okay. And yes, honey, I know it’s a car,” she smiled and shook her head. “Keys, please? Or is it keyless?”
Feeling relieved, Hazel smiled and quickly pulled her keys off her belt loop, handing them to Elora. "It still needs keys, but it's just a fob. It's a push to start," she explained with a shrug. Then, she quickly went to the passenger side, thankful she wouldn't have to drive in the city again.
"That’s cool," Elora said, still admiring the vehicle. "I want to hear about all the changes you made to it; people say this make is highly customizable," she said as she got into the car.
Surprised Elora knew anything about cars, Hazel grinned and buckled her seatbelt. "Sure," she replied, then launched into an enthusiastic explanation of all the changes she'd made to the vehicle as they drove to the haunted house, sparing no details during the thirty-minute drive.
Once they parked, Elora looked over to Hazel and smiled, having thoroughly enjoyed listening to the animated way the woman talked about her car. "It drives beautifully," she praised.
"I know, right?" Hazel beamed proudly. "I'm glad you liked it. You can drive on the way back, too," she assured as she got out, leaving no room for Elora to protest the idea.
Observing them from a distance, Kit's eyes tracked the security detail that accompanied Hazel. "Over here!" she called out, enthusiastically waving her hands. Hazel sighed and shook her head at her sister's antics, waiting until Elora was beside her before starting to walk over.
“Weren’t we supposed to be discreet, Kit?” Jade asked, shaking her head at the woman’s behavior while waving at Elora.
"Yeah, but we're still outside; I could be waving to anyone, and you're the one who dressed like the damn secret service," Kit smirked, her eyes lingering on the perfectly tailored black suit the taller woman wore. Everything looked great, but the tie especially caught her attention. She couldn't help but imagine how fun it would be to tug the woman towards her by it. Realizing she'd let her mind wander into dangerous territory, she cleared her throat and flashed a cheeky smile. "Besides," she continued, pulling the hood of her outfit up, "I'm incognito."
Looking down at her outfit, Jade frowned. "I'm not dressed as the Secret Service, Kit... I'm J from Men In Black, and if you'd talked to me before you chose your outfit, you could have gone as K... because Jade and Kit..."She smiled and elbowed the woman playfully, letting her words trail off as she started to feel a bit silly. Every year, she tried to coordinate a costume with her best friend, and despite her best efforts, Kit always forgot.
Still trying her best to resist the urge to pull Jade into her by the tie, Kit spoke in a playful and teasing tone, “Well, a phone call or a text this morning would’ve solved it; a note with the breakfast delivery even. Thank you for that, by the way.” Kit said, tapping her index finger just under the knot on the tie and biting her bottom lip, finding it hard to restrain herself.
Jade raised an eyebrow at Kit's finger before looking up to meet her gaze. "I suppose the ten other messages I sent about it earlier this week weren't enough?" she challenged, almost adding something more but stopping herself as Hazel approached and waved at her.
"What are you supposed to be? I don't remember Anakin wearing a hood," Hazel remarked, inspecting Kit's outfit closely as she stopped in front of her sister, completely missing the subtle tension between Jade and Kit.
Kit turned away from Jade to address her sister, speaking matter-of-factly, "Well, his cape had a hood." She glanced briefly at Jade before refocusing on her sister, acknowledging Jade's point without further comment.
"Oh, right." Hazel nodded. "So, this the one we're going into?" she asked, motioning towards the attraction they were standing in front of—a house called Midnight Terror—and trying very hard to look brave.
“Yes, let’s go in. Just remember, they’re paid actors,” Kit reminded, nervously wringing her hands together. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation and a touch of fear.
"Of course," Hazel scoffed, feigning confidence as she stole a glance at Elora. "You knew that, right? It's all fake," she reassured, wanting to dispel any concerns Elora might have.
"Yes, but somehow, I believe it will be hard to remember once we go in," Elora said with a sweet smile, gently warning Hazel. "So be prepared."
"I am," Hazel declared confidently as she retrieved her special earplugs, designed to filter out loud noises while still allowing her to hear conversations. She inserted them into her ears, having learned years before that the aspects of Halloween that scared her most were the loud noises—everything else she could tolerate.
A gentle smile played on Elora's lips as she observed the girl preparing herself. “I'm already trembling with fear,” she whispered, hoping her words would remain unheard by others.
Hazel frowned and glanced between the haunted house and Elora, trying to figure out how to help. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel less scared?" She asked earnestly, understanding the woman's fear. Halloween was only her favorite holiday because she liked dressing up and pretending not to be herself for a day, and when she was young, it had been a fun excuse to stay up late and enjoy the fall weather, but she'd never liked being scared.
"Will you hold on to me?" Elora asked, her voice soft and vulnerable. She sensed Hazel's unease, a shared apprehension that she hoped could be assuaged through mutual support. "Maybe we can protect each other?"
"You want me to hold you? How?" Hazel asked carefully, giving Elora a searching look as she tried to decipher exactly what was being asked of her. "I can protect you if you want, but you have to tell me what you mean," she added, still grappling with her inability to admit she needed comfort, too, fearing it might make her appear weak.
“This way is best,” Elora said as she pulled Hazel's arms around her in a hug from behind. “It ensures we move quickly if we stick together. Side-by-side can work, but I think this way, we'll navigate the maze without losing each other.” Her tone was analytical, focused on the practicalities of their approach. Kit raised an eyebrow at her sister, awaiting her response, while Jade busily issued commands to the security details stationed near the entrance of the haunted house.
"Oh," Hazel muttered in surprise and raised her eyebrows, giving Kit a dumbfounded look for a moment before craning her neck a bit to try and see Elora's face. "So you want us to walk through like this, then?" She clarified and tentatively tightened her hold on the other woman, unintentionally bringing her front flush against Elora's back as she tested the position to see if they could walk like that.
"Yes," Elora nodded, holding onto Hazel's arms. "It feels comfy, doesn’t it?" She closed her eyes briefly, relishing the feeling of the girl's arms around her, really enjoying the fit.
At Elora's question, Hazel concentrated on the feeling of holding the woman in her arms and realized she didn't hate it. "Yeah," she agreed softly, instinctively resting her chin on Elora's shoulder.
“All done with work. Ready to be scared, princess?” Jade asked with a grin, stowing her phone and shifting her focus to Kit. “What’s happening over there?” she inquired, noticing Elora and Hazel's position.
Nodding proudly at Jade, Kit responded, "Well, it seems they've found a way to walk together because they’re both little chickens," she chided, her tone lighthearted as she shook her head again.
Hearing Kit's comment, Hazel immediately let go of Elora and crossed her arms over her chest with an irritated look. "Elora's scared; I just wanted to help," she mumbled defensively. The abrupt loss of contact made Elora look back at Hazel curiously. Instantly realizing the woman was self-conscious about people thinking she needed comfort, Elora made an effort to show that she was the one who needed it and reached for Hazel again, only to have the woman flinch away. She wasn't surprised by the rejection but was disappointed and resented Kit for teasing Hazel.
"And you're not scared? You don’t have a backup plan in case you can't handle it?" Jade challenged, her gaze fixed on her best friend, silently signaling Kit to back off.
"Of course not. It's all fake, Jade. Come on!" Kit scoffed dismissively and took the woman's hand, intertwining their fingers. Being touchy was her way of distracting herself from daydreaming about having Jade as a girlfriend.
“Don’t mind your sister’s words, Hazel. She’s just as scared as Elora,” Jade said, squeezing Kit’s hand tighter, cherishing the brief, affectionate moments they shared.
"I'm not," Hazel muttered irritably and looked around at the different decorations, trying to determine what kind of props had been employed to prepare accordingly.
“You think they’ll have jump scare props?” Elora asked, catching Hazel’s nervous glances as they started walking towards the building, falling into line behind the other groups.
"Yes, they will... probably a mix of animatronics and actors. If the reviews are accurate, there's a guy with a hammer in there." Hazel explained, hands firmly in her pockets as she counted the people in front of them, trying to determine how long they had before they'd be ushered inside.
“It’s not real, it’s not real,” Elora murmured to herself as she watched the line ahead of them.
"Yeah, it's rare to encounter actual murderers pretending to be scare actors. It does happen, though. One time there was a dead guy in one of these, and most people didn't notice because they thought he was one of the props. It was pretty disturbing," Hazel casually informed the woman, not thinking much of it.
"And now I'm even more terrified! Why did you have to share that?" Elora exclaimed, pressing closer to Hazel. Goosebumps spread across her arms as she anxiously anticipated what awaited them behind the doors.
Blinking at the woman innocently, Hazel shrugged. "Sorry, I just thought it was interesting,” she mumbled sheepishly.
"Well, you better be ready to protect me because I am not dying today," Elora said, playfully bumping their shoulders.
Weighing her options, Hazel cast a thoughtful glance at Kit, then at Elora. The desire to offer to hold Elora again warred with the fear of potential teasing from her sister. "I'll protect you, don't worry," she reassured with a gentle smile, which Elora mirrored, despite wishing she was back in Hazel's arms, as they moved forward, only four groups remaining ahead of them.
Jade turned around, observing the girls with a concerned expression. "You made her self-conscious," she said, casting a reproachful glance toward Kit.
"What? It's not my fault she can't take a joke." Kit grumbled and shrugged her shoulders. She felt a little guilty for her actions but had no intention of admitting it.
"Yeah, but she seemed to be comfortable with Elora enough to hug. That’s huge," Jade remarked, feeling a bit unsure of her feelings on the situation but also genuinely pleased that the girl had found someone else she trusted.
"Or maybe she doesn't have the same struggles she had as a kid," Kit suggested in an irritated tone. "Also, she didn't hug her; Elora made her hold her; big difference," she added, glancing back at Elora and her sister, observing the awkward way Hazel fiddled with her fingers and watched the doors with barely concealed nerves.
“But she didn’t fight it, and you’re right, but trusting people never seemed to be Hazel’s thing, and she trusts Elora,” Jade said honestly, looking at the line and noticing they were the next group in.
"Ok, well, what do you want me to do about it?" Kit asked in a harsh whisper, defensive as she pulled Jade's hand closer. She was nearly as nervous as Elora and Hazel and, for once, let herself show a desire for Jade's comfort.
“Tell her she’s ok to do what she has to do, that their first idea was correct, and that you were wrong for making fun of her,” Jade said honestly.
"You can't be serious... I am not telling her I'm wrong, Jade... that's like sibling suicide." Kit shot back in the same harsh whisper, her voice going up in pitch.
Jade looked at her. “Look, she seems to want to impress Elora. You wouldn’t want someone embarrassing you in front of someone you’re trying to impress, right?” She asked, pulling Kit closer and tracing her thumb along the woman's waistline.
Thinking about it, Kit sighed and hugged Jade's arm, knowing it could only play in her favor to encourage Hazel and Elora's bond. She had tried, but being nice to Elora didn't come easy, and teasing her sister made having her back feel more real somehow. "Fine, but I'm not gonna tell her I was wrong." She replied defiantly, then glanced back at Hazel and Elora again. "Jeez, she looks like she might faint. You should probably hold her after all. Make sure she makes it through okay.” She encouraged her sister with a playful smirk, knowing the only way to get Hazel to do it would be to make sure she thought she was doing it for somebody else and wasn't being made fun of.
Hazel gave Elora a searching, questioning look. "Do you want me to?" she asked carefully, her attention momentarily diverted by the doorman asking how many were in their group.
Elora looked at the girl and felt terrible for being terrified by the story Hazel told her, but she couldn’t help it. “Please... I am genuinely scared,” she answered, casting a shy glance at the woman.
"Oh, I'm really sorry, it wasn't what I said, right?" Hazel asked apologetically as she moved behind Elora and hesitated only briefly before wrapping her arms around her waist. Relief washed over her as she realized that, instead of an unpleasant sensation, all she felt was comfort again.
Sighing into the embrace, Elora relaxed and spoke in a small, quiet voice, “A wee bit?”
“Alright, we’re going in,” Jade announced, momentarily distracting Hazel. Jade glanced back at them, noting how cozy they looked, and then tugged Kit closer to her. “Good job,” she praised with a smile.
"Business negotiations are kinda my thing," Kit boasted with a cocky smile, pressing herself into Jade's side as they entered the house, Hazel and Elora close behind.
"I'm sorry I scared you; I just like random facts, I guess, but there's nothing to worry about, I'm sure," Hazel assured in a soft tone, her chin now firmly resting on Elora's shoulder as her eyes darted every which way. She jumped a little as a blast of air went off next to them. "Shit." She squealed, tightening her hold on the older woman and pushing her to walk a bit faster, nearly bumping into Jade and Kit. The latter shot her an irritated look, followed by a perturbed, "Watch it!" To which Hazel gave a sheepish smile and muttered a quick apology.
Nestled in Hazel's arms, Elora couldn't help but squeal and jump at each scare. When the actors got too close for comfort, she impulsively shouted, "I will cut you!" despite lacking any means to follow through. Seeking solace, she cuddled up to Hazel after each scare, finding reassurance in their closeness.
Hazel laughed nervously behind Elora and shook her head, feeling guilty and grateful that Elora acted as a shield for her, even though Hazel was supposed to be the protector. Gathering courage, Hazel reminded herself that these people were just actors and there was nothing to be afraid of. "She won't actually cut you; we know you're just acting, no worries," she spoke in a confident, diplomatic tone, screaming and pushing Elora forward again as the actor got right in her face and screeched. "That was messed up," Hazel called back with an indignant huff, burrowing closer to Elora's neck, wishing she could fully hide her eyes.
"Such babies." Kit scoffed and shook her head before coming face to face with a zombie and yelping, clinging to Jade immediately.
"Yeah, sure. We’re the babies!" Elora shot back with a smirk, matching Kit's sass. Then, turning her attention to Hazel, she asked softly, "You okay, Hazey?" She reached back to caress the girl's face, her other fingers gently tracing circles on the hand resting around her stomach, offering comfort and reassurance and causing Hazel to melt instantly.
"Shut it, Elora." Kit huffed and shot the woman a glare, her expression softening a little as she watched Hazel nuzzle Elora's hand with a content expression.
At the sound of Kit's voice, Hazel realized she still needed to answer Elora's question. "Mhm, are you?" she asked in a lazy tone, lightly moving her hand against Elora's stomach to see if the woman found it comforting.
“I am now. You make me feel super safe,” Elora responded, her voice soft and sincere. The pressurized air streams and the sudden appearance of a clown sign were completely lost on her as she focused solely on the warmth of Hazel’s hand on her and her own hand gently caressing Hazel’s face.
"Good, that's what I'm going for." Hazel chuckled and winced every time another blast of air went off.
“Definitely working,” Elora smiled, taking a few steps forward. Suddenly, a woman dressed as a vampire in a long, lacy dress swooped from behind Hazel, startling them both.
“I want your blood! Look at that gorgeous neck!” the vampiress exclaimed dramatically, her eyes locked onto Elora’s neck with an intense gaze.
"No, back off, or I'll ..." Hazel trailed off with a small frown. "I'll throw garlic at you." She finished her threat with a small glare and pulled Elora closer, attempting to soothe the trembling woman. Feeling Elora lean into her more, Hazel felt a wave of confidence wash over her, solidifying her protective stance.
“Your little girlfriend has a pretty nice vein…” the character said, taking one step closer.
"Lady, back off. I mean it." Hazel snapped in an irritated tone as she sidestepped the actor and pushed Elora forward to the next room. “You okay?" she asked gently once they were away from the actor, trying to focus on helping Elora and not her own fear.
“Yeah,” Elora breathed, turning around in Hazel's arms and looking at her. "Are you?" she asked, placing both hands on Hazel’s face now, checking her, knowing she had to be scared too.
A little startled by the sudden change, Hazel widened her eyes and glanced around at their surroundings, suddenly worried that Elora's position left her vulnerable. "I'm fine," she reassured nervously, tightening her hold where her hands had landed on the small of Elora's back. She tore her eyes away from the darkened corners of the room briefly to focus on the woman in her arms, trying to determine if the way she was holding Elora was acceptable, adrenaline momentarily overriding her normal aversions.
Elora melted into Hazel's touch, her smile wavering with anxiety. “Good, good,” she murmured, her voice tinged with nervousness. “We mustn’t lose the others,” she whispered in Hazel’s ear, her breath warm and close., drawing a shiver from the younger woman.
"N-No... uh there... right there." Hazel stammered and nodded towards Jade and Kit, blushing and glancing at the woman's eyes briefly before abruptly turning her around and hugging her tight. "Easier to walk this way." She spoke near the woman's ear and pushed them forward again, her mind replaying the way it felt when the woman whispered in her ear, totally oblivious to what was going on around her for the moment.
Elora's body buzzed with an unfamiliar sensation, unsure if it was the brief eye contact or the whirlwind of activity around them. She nestled back into Hazel's embrace, sighing contentedly as they caught up with the rest of the group. “Yeah,” she replied, a bit dazed.
"I think it's almost over," Hazel muttered, wincing and whimpering softly at the sound of a chainsaw revving somewhere in the distance. "No... no, I can't do this," she panicked, turning them around and pushing Elora back in the other direction, terrified to pass the last actor.
"Hazel," Kit called urgently, breaking away from Jade and hurrying after her sister, noticing her distress. "She's terrified of chainsaws; I should have made sure they didn't have one," she berated herself aloud for the oversight.
“It’s okay, love. I'm right here; I've got you, Hazel,” Elora reassured, her voice soft and comforting, doing her best to keep the woman focused on moving forward. “Let’s tackle this together, come on.”
"No, I can't, I'm sorry. I can't..." Hazel replied frantically, moving away from Elora and walking in circles, confused and overwhelmed, not even hearing Kit calling for her.
“Hazel, hey,” Elora said as she quickly hugged the girl from behind, trying to give her some reassurance. Hazel instantly pushed back against her, finding comfort in the embrace despite still being terrified of the man with the chainsaw, her eyes wide as she eyed him. “Trust me, I will get you out of here without him doing anything,” Elora said and shooed the actor away, but he persisted in his efforts to scare them, revving the chainsaw and dragging it across the ground at their feet, creating sparks. “Listen, pal, if you keep doing that, I will make sure you never work this type of gig again. Take ten steps back and go bug the next group,” she said fiercely and unapologetically.
Hazel flinched and was just about ready to start trying to wiggle out of Elora's arms and make a run for it when Kit stepped in front of the man and said something that seemed to back him off long enough for Hazel and Elora to get out. "Thank you." Hazel finally spoke to Elora in an embarrassed tone while keeping her eyes on the exit, watching for Kit.
“You’re welcome, love,” Elora said as she tightened her hold a bit. “Good?” she checked in again, ensuring she wasn’t holding on too tight.
"Mhm, good," Hazel confirmed softly, embarrassed for freaking out but still too shaken up to push Elora away. She kept her eyes fixed on the haunted attraction's exit, unable to fully relax until she saw Kit exit. Despite knowing it was all fake, she couldn't help but worry and was about two seconds from going back in to retrieve her sister, when the woman came striding out with a proud air about her, Jade close on her heels.
"Are you okay, Hazel?" Kit asked in a concerned tone as she walked over to Elora and Hazel, noting the briefly relieved expression on her sister's face before a small frown took its place.
"Yeah, thank you for backing him off." Hazel sighed and looked away, hating that her little sister always had to help her, even as adults.
"Of course, he was being an asshole," Kit replied dismissively and pulled out her phone, making a note to talk to the management about sensitivity training.
“Hey Haze, I know what will take your mind off of it now that we're through,” Jade said with a smile as she pulled Kit towards her.
"What?" Hazel asked curiously, watching the way Jade handled Kit."How about ice cream before dinner?" Jade proposed with excitement, kissing Kit's cheek affectionately. "You did so good,” she murmured in the younger woman's ear, and Kit smiled warmly in return, embracing Jade gratefully.
"Yes, please," Hazel replied with a big smile, instantly perking up at the idea but not making any move to pull out of Elora's arms, finding the position comforting and comfortable.
"What kind of ice cream are you into?" Elora whispered gently into the girl's ear, her voice a soft caress that caught Hazel off guard, making her draw in a sharp breath and shiver lightly in Elora's embrace. "Um, mint chocolate chip... or coffee flavored," Hazel answered. "What do you like?" She returned the question.
"Hmmm, those are good. I like caramel or dulce de leche, or ones that have chocolate and caramel," Elora replied as she guided Hazel to the car, their conversation carrying them away from the haunting experience they had just had.
"Oh, I really like caramel too, but I don't think I've ever tried that other one you mentioned," Hazel replied, tilting her head back a bit to try and see Elora.
"They look like a couple," Kit nudged Jade's side and nodded toward Hazel and Elora with an amused look.
“They look good together, but I think your sister is oblivious,” Jade remarked, shaking her head. “Lor is clearly smitten,” she added softly, observing Elora's soft smile as she listened to whatever Hazel was telling her.
"Yeah, Hazel's one hundred percent oblivious..." Kit trailed off, biting her lip to suppress the urge to say she thought her sister might like Elora. She didn't want to say something that might interfere with Hazel and Jade, remembering the conversation they'd had in which Hazel confessed she might still like Jade.
Noticing how close Jade and Kit looked, Elora smiled. "They seem to have finally come to their senses," she remarked, pulling Hazel closer. “This was a blast," she added happily.
Glancing over at Jade and Kit, Hazel observed them for a few moments, considering how close they looked and whether or not it appeared like more than their normal closeness, but she couldn't figure it out. Kit had always been touchy-feely with Jade; it wasn't unusual to see them holding hands or even kissing each other on the cheek when they were younger, so it really didn't look out of place. "They're best friends," she answered with a slight shrug and leaned back against Elora a bit more. "I had fun, too, but I'm sorry I freaked out. I was supposed to be protecting you, and I screwed up," she apologized in an embarrassed tone, glancing back at the other girl as best she could without breaking free.
"Nonsense. I love that we can look out for each other," Elora said, planting a kiss on the woman’s cheek. Hazel yelped and hastily rubbed her cheek. “Your mouth is wet," she exclaimed, giggling, but she remained in place, shooting the woman a playfully disgruntled look. "You want to know the truth?" she asked, her voice carrying a sheepish tone.
“Sorry,” Elora apologized. "And yes, I want to know the truth. Please tell me,” the redhead asked as she caressed Hazel’s arms and stopped herself before she kissed the girl’s cheek again.
Enjoying the soothing touch, Hazel closed her eyes and sighed in contentment."I'm scared of planes, too." She admitted in a hushed voice.
Drawing the girl closer, Elora felt a rush of warmth as Hazel sighed softly. "But you were so brave for me," Elora whispered, her heart quickening its pace. Internally, she cursed herself for the fluttering feeling in her chest. She didn't want to get hurt, especially considering Hazel was Jade's girl—or at least one of them, judging by the looks of Jade and Kit up ahead.
"Mhm, 'cause it helped me too," Hazel confessed, feeling guilty for not telling the truth from the start.
”Did today help you too?” Elora asked hopefully, pleased that Hazel felt comfortable enough to be a little vulnerable with her.
"Yes, thank you," Hazel mumbled shyly, looking at her car instead of back at Elora. "You should drive again. You're good at it, and I like controlling the radio." She muttered, not quite ready to admit she was also scared of driving.
“You sure?” Elora asked curiously, intuitively sensing that Hazel might not be comfortable driving. However, she didn't want to press the matter outright, preferring to cultivate a relationship built on mutual trust, where Hazel would feel safe to open up about her concerns in her own time, just as she had about her other fears.
"Yeah, you seemed to like driving it," Hazel answered with a casual shrug as she finally pulled away from Elora and went around to open the driver-side door for her.
“Yeah, it’s quite a change from my boring electric car,” Elora said with a smile. “While emissions are bad, I have to admit driving your car is a lot more fun. I love how the engine rumbles and vibrates; it has a completely different energy.” She smiled at the woman and nodded. “Thank you, what a gentleman,” she said, acknowledging the gesture.
Hazel blushed at the compliment. "Uh huh, it's probably way worse on the environment, but way more fun.” she laughed and gave the woman a cheeky smile. "Tell you what, you can drive anytime we're together," she offered with the same big grin, earning an amused, if not knowing, look from Elora in return.
"I'd bet you a million bucks she's scared of driving in the city,” Kit muttered, elbowing Jade in the side as she observed how Hazel interacted with Elora, recognizing when her sister was being generous for her own benefit.
“Perhaps she just appreciates that Elora knows what she’s doing? It’s nice to have someone more experienced take the lead sometimes,” Jade mused. “Anyway, they appear to be on the same page,” she noted as Elora nodded and climbed into Hazel's car. “Could you text them the dinner location, please?” Jade asked as she settled into the passenger seat of Kit's car, already engrossed in another work briefing on her phone.
Frustrated with Jade's inability to leave work at the office, Kit sighed and got in the car. "Couldn't you leave that stuff to somebody else just one night?” She asked in a tired tone, watching Jade momentarily before taking her phone out and texting Hazel and Elora, ensuring they got the message. "Also, no, that shit-eating grin she was giving was the one she gives when she's pulling a fast one on somebody." She added confidently as she started the car.
“Princess, I'm sorry. It’s the report on the search for Lili,” the woman said, turning off her phone. “There, done. This ride’s time is exclusively for your Royal Highness,” Jade said, grinning charmingly before deciding to answer. “Or perhaps she’s enjoying herself with Elora?” she proposed, though she couldn’t shake the feeling that Kit's assessment of her sister was probably accurate.
"Or you could just admit you know I'm right. Hazel isn't always innocent," Kit muttered, rolling her eyes at Jade. "Any news on the bitch?" she asked, deciding to change the subject, not wanting to hear her best friend continue to ignore Hazel's sometimes questionable tactics, taking it as further proof Jade preferred her sister.
“No, just a couple of leads. But we'll find her,” Jade said, reaching out for Kit’s hand and gently intertwining their fingers.
"I hope you're right." Kit sighed and squeezed Jade's hand in return, smiling to herself as she focused on the road, taking any affection she could from Jade, even if it meant nothing more than friendship; it was what she had.
Meanwhile, in Hazel’s car
Hazel had turned on her driving playlist and closed her eyes, allowing herself to get lost in the music. She found solace in the familiar tunes, having determined on the drive there that Elora was a good and safe driver, which allowed her to let go of her usual anxieties about being on the road.
I spent my nights
On melting snow
Just turning my sorrows into pure gold
and I laugh inside
'Cause you won't know
I was here from the moment the lights showed
Oh, bless my heart
When the wolves take me away
Don't fall apart
When I come back from the grave
Forget my charms
I'll never be the same
We've come so far
Only to drift away.
Oh, bless my heart
When the wolves take me away
Don't fall apart
When I come back from the grave
Forget my charms
I'll never be the same
We've come so far
Only to go insane.
“These lyrics are interesting,” Elora said as they listened to ‘Don't Go Insane.’ “Do you identify yourself with these lyrics?” she couldn't help but notice the almost eerie similarities between the words and some of the circumstances of Hazel's life and found herself instantly in therapist mode, thinking of all the trauma the woman had endured and how strange it must be for her to learn how to navigate a relationship with her family after all of it.
Lolling her head to the side, Hazel gave Elora a curious look and focused on the song for a moment. "I mean, it does kind of fit, doesn't it?" she asked with a shrug and watched Elora more closely.
“Yeah, but you know that while you've changed, they’re here, ready to love you and get to know you,” Elora reassured as the song started to fade. Reaching for the girl’s hand, she squeezed it. “It’s real, Haze… it’s all real,” she said, her words carrying more weight than she intended, but she wanted to convey the message nonetheless.
Letting a small smile quirk the edge of her mouth, Hazel nodded slowly, not really believing the woman but finding it amusing that she thought it was so simple. "I'm sure." She replied simply and closed her eyes again, leaving her hand in Elora's.
As the next song started playing, Elora focused on the lyrics and squeezed the girl's hand again, continuing to hold it without protest from Hazel, trying her best to make her point.
(I smell your fear, I smell your fear)
There's another side that you don't know; you don't know
I can't wait to get you all alone, all alone
Once I'm in there, ain't no letting go, letting go
Watch me turn your mind into my home
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Mind-mind games until you lose control
Ooh, ooh, ooh
(Mind-mind games, mind games, mind games)
Now that I'm in, there's no letting go
And your emptiness begins
Once I grip onto your mind and soul
Your brightness starts to dim
Sin after sin, you won't feel no more
And you've lost your trust again
I know you wish you could let me know
That you're praying for an end
Disturbed by the lyrics, Elora’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as she chastised herself for letting her guard down. The woman beside her had been broken so many times over the years, designed for manipulation and deceit. Perhaps everyone should be more wary of her. As she glanced at Hazel, the passing streetlights casting eerie shadows over her sleeping face, Elora couldn’t help but feel a sense of foolishness. It was no surprise that Hazel was charming, no surprise she was trying to seduce the shrink. Refocusing on the road, Elora made a silent vow: she wouldn’t let herself fall in love with someone she didn’t truly know.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, for commenting, and for sending your kudos. Keep leaving your messages it makes our day better and editing faster. ;)
songs: ‘Don't Go Insane' - Dpr Ian & 'Mind Games' - Sickick
Chapter 16: Chapter 16
Summary:
Car rides, ice cream, Outfit reveals and a lot of cuteness!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
The rest of the ride was uneventful, with Hazel sound asleep the whole way.
Elora parked the car and smiled at the sleeping figure, momentarily forgetting to be cautious as she admired Hazel. "Sleeping handsome, we’re here," she said softly, caressing Hazel’s hand. The gentle touch caused Hazel to jolt awake, pull her hand back, and sit up quickly. Her eyes darted around the car in confusion until she registered where she was and visibly relaxed.
Startled by Hazel's reaction, Elora leaned back and raised her hands in a non-threatening gesture, a bit concerned since she didn't know what to expect from the woman. "Sorry, sorry… I guess I wasn’t gentle enough. We’re at the ice cream shop," she said quietly, nodding towards the store.
"No, it's fine... you might have been too gentle, honestly," Hazel replied with an apologetic shrug, blinking to let her eyes focus on the brightly lit sign. Suddenly, Kit slapped her window with both hands and peered into the car, causing Hazel to jump and scream. "Fuck! Kit!" she exclaimed, clutching her heart as she shook her head at her obnoxious sister, who just laughed and skipped off with Jade. "I think babies should be consulted before they're stuck with a twin," Hazel grumbled, looking at Elora with an exasperated expression.
Elora laughed. "Well, cannibalism in utero was an option, but it seems you decided to be kind. Would you have said no to Kit being born?" she snickered. Observing Hazel, she added more seriously, "Was she always horrible to you?"
Hazel laughed at Elora's comment, nodding in agreement. "Yes, she's a pain in the ass... she never listens and does stupid stuff like that," she grumbled, gesturing toward the spot where her sister had been moments before.
Elora nodded thoughtfully at Hazel's answer. "Now, tell me two nice things she's done for you," she asked, genuinely curious to learn more about the woman she felt a growing attachment to despite knowing she should keep her distance.
Tilting her head, Hazel gave Elora a knowing look. "I've had four shrinks; I know all your tactics," she reminded with a sigh. "But fine. She used to stand up to bullies for me like she did tonight, and... sometimes she was fun to play with when she'd listen." Hazel conceded, acknowledging that Kit did have some redeeming qualities, even if she was painfully irritating most of the time.
Elora's demeanor shifted defensively. "Well, that's nice. It hurts me that you think I'm trying to shrink you," she scoffed, getting out of the car. "I'm just genuinely trying to get to know you. You don’t have to trust me but don’t insult me by using my job against me just because I show interest. I told you I wasn’t going to be your doctor." She spoke firmly, perhaps for the first time letting go of the notion that Hazel was purely sweet, mainly to protect herself
Frowning at the rebuke, Hazel got out of the car and angrily slammed the door. "If you don't want me to think you're using your job against me, maybe don't!" she shot back harshly, instantly on edge as she marched up to the store and opened the door for everyone, not angry enough to abandon her manners. "You could have just asked if she did nice things too, instead of making it sound like a therapy exercise," she added sharply as Elora approached, the memory of countless therapy sessions haunting her thoughts.
“Alright, fine, wrong wording, but did I try to shrink you all night?" Elora asked as she passed the shorter woman, her tone earnest, seeking understanding rather than confrontation.
"You're still doing it. You're trying to make me see I'm being unreasonable. I'm not stupid, Elora," Hazel hissed, glaring at the back of the woman's head. Kit cringed and stuck close to Jade, embarrassed by her sister's behavior and a little worried about drawing attention. They had chosen a haunted house and restaurant far enough out in the country to avoid scrutiny, but there was always the risk of being recognized.
"No, I'm genuinely asking if that’s what you think our relationship is because it isn’t for me. I don’t treat you like a patient," Elora said sternly.
"We don't have a relationship; I barely know you," Hazel huffed, crossing her arms and standing a couple of feet to the side of the older woman. Her eyes were firmly fixed on the menu board despite not reading a single thing on it.
Elora felt the weight of Hazel's words crashing down on her, leaving her momentarily stunned. It was true, she realized; she had been overly hopeful about their budding friendship. Taking a deep breath, she ordered four individual scoops of ice cream, two of her favorite flavors and two of Hazel’s favorites, hoping to bridge the gap between them. "I ordered yours; you weren’t reading that menu. Come sit down," she said calmly, extending an invitation to join her at a nearby table.
Feeling irritated at the realization that Elora seemed to have already figured her out, Hazel shot her a glare. "Yes, doctor," she retorted bitterly, plopping down in the seat across from her. With her arms still crossed, she glared at the cups of ice cream defiantly, refusing to give in to whatever game she thought Elora was playing.
"God, Hazel's being such an ass," Kit complained to Jade, rolling her eyes at her sister's behavior as though she didn't do the same types of things when upset. "What flavor are we trying today?" she asked, rubbing her hands together, eager to play their usual game of trying something new whenever visiting a new ice cream shop.
Jade exchanged an amused glance with Kit, silently acknowledging the irony of her complaint given Kit's own history of tantrums before focusing on Hazel and Elora. “They seemed so close at the haunted house; I wonder what happened,” she mused, her eyes wandering to the menu board. “Ah, they offer a black cherry chocolate flavor…I'm quite fond of cherry,” she added with a grin.
"I know you are... Black Cherry chocolate it is, then." Kit grinned and stepped up to give their order to the young man behind the counter, ordering an extra cup with a mix of several different odd-sounding flavors. She turned back to Jade with a knowing look. "Hazel was probably being her usual charming self on the car ride over... most likely micromanaging and covering her eyes at every turn Elora made," she remarked confidently, vividly recalling how her sister reacted to her driving earlier that day.
"Nah, sounds deeper than that," Jade said, watching the boy serving their ice cream as he scooped generous portions of various flavors. She leaned close to Kit's ear, her voice dropping to a soft, playful whisper. "Seems like you're still trying every flavor," she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Biting her lip, Kit glanced up at Jade with a thoughtful look. "Well, as long as you're still on the fence between your two favorite flavors, I maintain the right to sample as many as I like," she said, raising an eyebrow with a playful challenge in her eyes. "You're welcome to try them too if you want," she added with a quick smile, masking the underlying sadness in her tone, aware that their conversation carried a deeper meaning than just ice cream.
Jade's thoughts swirled as she contemplated Kit's words. She glanced over at Hazel and Elora, analyzing the emotions that stirred within her. The sight of them together made her feel a sense of protectiveness over Hazel, a desire to ensure the younger woman’s safety and happiness. She then imagined if it were Kit with Elora instead, and the thought provoked a fierce surge of jealousy, a feeling she hadn’t experienced over Hazel. Realizing this, Jade understood that the real choice was whether she could accept the parts of Kit that often made her feel small and unneeded.
“I can try, but I think there is only one flavor that will forever be the tastiest,” Jade said, stepping forward to grab her ice cream from the guy. “Unfortunately, it’s a kind of cherry I’ll never pop,” she winked, heading to sit down. Her playful tone masked the fear that Kit’s interest in her was more about competing with Hazel than genuine affection. Yet, beneath that insecurity, there was a glimmer of hope that Kit’s feelings for her were real. She just needed to find the courage to trust in that possibility.
"Gross," Kit grumbled, smiling at the boy as she received her ice cream and dropped a couple of dollars into the tip jar. She joined Jade at their table. "That's why you'll probably prefer this one," she mumbled, pointing to the Hazelnut ice cream she'd chosen. Kit sighed and took a bite of her double chocolate raspberry-flavored scoop, the rich and tangy flavors mixing perfectly, but she couldn't help but think about Jade's words.
"You seem very convinced you know what I want, princess," Jade said, her tone carrying a playful challenge as she savored her dark cherry ice cream, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Eyeing the woman carefully, Kit nodded. "I think you've made it pretty clear, Jade... you like to be the first to try something, and many people have sampled that before." She motioned towards Jade's chosen flavor and then pushed the Hazelnut ice cream closer. "This one is brand new." She added and got up to get them napkins, trying very hard not to show Jade exactly how sad she was at the thought of being rejected because she hadn't waited for Jade.
Knowing that Kit had misunderstood her again, Jade waited until she returned. “You know, I think you’re not getting it... it's not about being unsampled,” she spoke calmly. “It’s not about being brand new. That was just a bad metaphor.” She took a deep breath, then continued, “It’s about this.” She fed Kit a spoonful of her dark cherry ice cream. “It’s not new, but it’s tart and sweet and has texture and an explosive flavor. It’s exquisite and makes me moan with each bite. And here, they left real fruit for you to taste. New parts to explore.” She smiled softly, hoping Kit would understand the deeper meaning behind her words.
Swallowing the bite, Kit licked her lips and watched Jade with cautious eyes, trying to decipher the woman's intentions. "If you didn't mean it the way it sounded, why did you say it? It's not like the ice cream gets to choose you, Jade; it's your choice to make." She reminded firmly, her eyes shifting to her own ice cream. Memories of choosing Jade when they were children flooded her mind, contrasted with how Jade had chosen her sister at every significant turn. Now, Jade seemed to be flipping the script, making it seem like Kit had all the control, and it didn't feel fair. Kit sighed, the weight of their unspoken history pressing down on her.
Jade looked down, her voice filled with regret. "I was dumb; maybe I shouldn't have assumed it would be too tart or hurt my tongue. It's hard to choose a flavor when you're scared of how they will taste." She shifted her gaze to Kit's cup. "Was your first flavor good?"
"Jade, that only works if you haven't sampled both already," Kit replied with a sad smile. "But if you mean the chocolate raspberry, I always choose first. Yes, Jade, it was good as always." She took another bite, too focused on trying to make Jade understand she'd always been her first choice to catch the deeper meaning of the question.
"I mean… not your first choice… ah…” Jade faltered, knowing the conversation was never about ice cream. She wanted to drop the metaphors and address the real issue, but fear held her back. “Raspberry chocolate is always your first choice, but you still tried others.” She spoke softly, stabbing her spoon into the ice cream with frustration, kicking herself for not being brave enough to have a real conversation with Kit.
"Yes, and I was right; Raspberry Chocolate is still my favorite, and I can't imagine that ever changing," Kit replied honestly, giving the woman a tired little closed-mouth smile.
Jade gave a pensive smile, then smirked. “Hmm…” She looked at Kit. “Princess,” she started, feeding Kit another bite of her ice cream, which Kit took easily, humming in a questioning tone, waiting for Jade to say whatever it was she wanted to say.
“Black cherry chocolate is superior, like nothing I’ve ever tasted,” Jade said carefully, watching Kit savor the dessert. “But it’s never just about the taste for me with ice cream; I hope you know that.” She smiled and took a bite of the Hazelnut. “It's definitely a warm memory, but nothing like what black cherry does to my heart,” she finished quietly.
"But like you said, it's not all about the flavor... and something about that ice cream keeps you from choosing..." Kit trailed off and stabbed her spoon into one of the other random flavors she'd gotten.
Jade frowned at Kit's observation. “It doesn’t keep…” She stopped and looked over to Hazel and Elora, now savoring their ice cream, the earlier squabble seemingly resolved. "It may be a while until I get to have my favorite again,” she said as she turned her eyes back to Kit. “But in the meantime, I don’t need to sample a new flavor,” she concluded, smiling.
Skeptical, Kit glanced towards Hazel and Elora for a moment, observing her sister quietly eating her ice cream, blissfully unaware of Elora's obvious feelings for her. Kit shook her head. "Jade..." She began, pausing briefly. "I'm not asking you to choose today. Lord knows I took my time being sure..." Kit continued, then hesitated before closing her mouth, not fully ready to acknowledge their conversation had nothing to do with ice cream. “You should drive Hazel to dinner. I think the only thing keeping them from fighting is the ice cream," she suggested with a small laugh, her quiet way of telling Jade she should still test her feelings for Hazel, needing to be sure. Plus, she felt like maybe she should have a conversation with Elora.
“Oh,” Jade said, a hint of disappointment in her voice, though she nodded in understanding. “Okay, that’s fine,” she conceded, taking her last spoonful of ice cream. “If you’re sure about that.”
"Yes, I'm sure," Kit affirmed resolutely. "I think Elora could be a good friend for Hazel. I don't need her messing it up already," she quipped, choosing to focus on something else as she got up and tossed her empty ice cream cups.
"Look at you, liking Elora!" Jade teased, playfully pinching the girl's side as she circled back around.
"Never say that again, Jade," Kit warned, narrowing her eyes at the woman. "I've made many sacrifices for my sister... Elora falls under that category," she affirmed with a determined look, even though the doctor was starting to grow on her a little. Seeing how well Elora worked with Hazel was enough to soften her feelings towards the woman, even if she was reluctant to admit it.
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind for when you're her maid of honor, or she's yours," Jade quipped, laughter in her voice as she approached Elora and Hazel, seemingly oblivious to the appalled look Kit shot her.
"These tables are way too small," Hazel remarked, casting a glance at Jade and, in a very Kit-esque move, wiped the back of her hand over her mouth in irritation, trying to get the caramel off her face, preferring the feel of her hand over the texture of napkins.
"You missed a spot," Elora noted, gently wiping the smudge from the corner of Hazel's chin. "There, all better," she assured, licking her thumb to clean it off.
Huffing, Hazel got up and threw away her empty bowl aggressively, still not thrilled with Elora, even if the woman had shown her her new favorite ice cream.
"Elora, Kit wanted to talk to you, so you're riding with her to dinner," Jade announced, glancing at both women. "Aze, you're coming with me. I mean, I'm driving your car."
Offended at the assumption, Hazel scowled. "What? No, I never said you can drive my car," she retorted defensively. "I'll drive. You can ride with Elora and Kit," she grumbled, turning and walking off with Jade hot on her heels.
Jade quickly ran after Hazel, desperate not to be present in whatever conversation Kit was about to have with Elora. "No, please! I want to spend some time with you. Come on! You can drive. It's fine, no problem at all. Just please, pretty please let me ride with you,” Jade pled earnestly, matching Hazel's pace as they walked, even as the woman walked faster.
"Whatever, Jade," Hazel huffed, shooting the woman a sidelong glance. She wished her pride wasn't so easily bruised, as she honestly would have preferred Jade to drive, but there was no way she would tell her that now.
"Cool! Ride along!" Jade said, hopping into the car. "Did you like the haunted house?" she asked, buckling her seatbelt as Hazel slid into the driver's seat.
"I liked it until the chainsaw," Hazel answered, turning the radio up to a moderate volume and gripping the steering wheel tightly as she navigated the parking lot. She hated it almost as much as she hated cities, disliking how cars would randomly pull out and people would weave in and out of vehicles without being mindful.
Jade nodded in understanding. "I liked it too, but I would've preferred an invitation to an amusement park," she said with a laugh. "The events your family gets invited to are quite jarring at times."
"Yeah?" Hazel asked, her gaze fixed on the road. She knew Jade didn't mean to be insensitive, but the comment stung a bit as she thought about all the events she'd missed out on over the years.
Realizing she had misspoken, Jade quickly apologized. “Sorry, I guess I can be insensitive sometimes. I didn’t mean to be.” She extended her hand for Hazel to take. “I know we left things off in a bad place last time, but I am your friend, Hazel. And honestly, it’s nice to see you getting along with Lor.”
Seeing Jade's hand out of the corner of her eye, Hazel shook her head. "I'm driving," she stated plainly, keeping both hands on the wheel. "And Elora just wants to get in my head... probably wants to study me or something," she huffed in frustration.
Taking her hand back, Jade spoke, “You’re right, safety first. Ten and two,” she said with a smile. “Nah, dude, I’ve seen Elora dig deep to study someone, that isn’t it. She likes hanging with you,” Jade reassured, her smile warm. “Genuinely so. She’s so sm… smart…” she cut herself off, not wanting to influence the woman.
"Whatever... I still don't trust her," Hazel replied seriously. “Also, it's more like nine and twelve for me," she added, nodding to how she held the steering wheel, left elbow propped on the window and right hand directly at the top of the wheel. "Balances the car better," she explained with a shrug. "Also looks cooler," she added with a playful smirk, still not taking her eyes off the road.
“Of course! It does look cooler!” Jade grinned at the girl, her eyes bright with amusement. “Be kind to yourself. You don’t have to trust her right away, but hanging out with her, getting to know her— that’s how you figure out if she’s trustworthy or not. She seems to care about you,” she added warmly, then continued. “Hopefully, she survives your sister’s driving,” she chuckled, a hint of playful worry in her voice.
"Hmm, hope she brought a first aid kit," Hazel quipped, chuckling to herself as she recalled the one venture they'd taken in Kit's car that day. It had only been up the street, but it was enough for Hazel to conclude that her sister was a terrible driver. She couldn't be paid enough to get back in the girl's car.
Jade chuckled knowingly. "Yeah... I take it you've ridden in her car then?"
"Yes, it was like ten minutes, and every one of those minutes was more terrifying than that haunted house we just went through," Hazel declared, shuddering at the memory. "She sped up to go through a yellow light, turned right in front of a car, didn't go when her light turned green and slammed on the brakes like two inches from the car in front of her. She actually got mad at the other cars, too. It was terrifying!” she ranted, visibly shaken. "Oh, and she went like ten miles over the speed limit the entire time," She added, completely appalled.
"Yeah, sounds like Kit. Rules aren't really her thing," Jade said with a smile. "I've learned not to watch traffic when she's driving."
"Well, apparently, Kit learned the same tactic," Hazel huffed. "Rules are there for a reason; she's probably run over a few pedestrians and mistaken them for speed bumps at this point," she added seriously.
"You're being too harsh on your sister, you know. You both make assumptions about each other. Maybe you two need to be parent-trapped somewhere to actually have a conversation," Jade spoke softly, reflecting on how the girls often misunderstood each other.
"Too harsh? She nearly took out a little old lady... I swear on my own grave," Hazel replied, glancing at Jade and raising her right hand in Scout's honor as she stopped at a red light. "Also, I'm not making assumptions; I'm stating facts. I bet she said I micromanage, and she's not wrong. One of us has to be responsible," she nodded firmly.
"Yes, but did you micromanage Elora when she was driving?" Jade asked carefully, mindful that playing mediator between the sisters might not be healthy at this age, but she still wanted to make her point.
"I didn't need to. I did watch her carefully on the ride there, but she was a good driver. She followed all the rules and kept her eyes on the road, so I took a nap on the way to ice cream." Hazel replied seriously, her mind briefly drifting to how Elora had taken her hand on the way to ice cream and how she hadn't corrected her despite how badly she wanted to. Something had prevented her from doing it, and it bugged her, but she wasn't going to tell Jade that.
"Well, your sister believes you were. So there's that. You two just assume things," Jade said, shaking her head. “The lesson here is to give people the benefit of the doubt," she added honestly, hoping to get through to Hazel.
"Because Kit thinks everybody drives as badly as her, and if Elora did, I would have micromanaged her. So, Kit isn't wrong," Hazel retorted stubbornly, focusing on the road as the light turned green again. Jade sighed softly in defeat and leaned back, gazing out the window.
~
Meanwhile, in the other car, Kit turned her music down and glanced at Elora, finally deciding to try to talk to the woman after a silent first couple of minutes. "So what's the deal with you and Hazel? Are you just trying to psychoanalyze her? Or what?" she asked, splitting her attention between Elora and the road, the car drifting to the right repeatedly, with her straightening it out at the last minute each time.
Aggravated from her earlier argument with Hazel, Elora huffed, "What the fuck is this? Is it 'Tanthalos twins against Elora' day? No! I am not trying to psychoanalyze your sister, Kit." She said sharply, "Honestly if you can't drive, don't buy a stupid sports car!" She exclaimed, gripping the handle above the door for dear life as Kit's car drifted again.
Offended, Kit glared at the woman."What the fuck? I'm just trying to have a conversation with you. Forget it!" She huffed. "Also, you sound just like Hazel. I've been driving for twelve years, and I'm good at it. It's not my fault you two can't stand a little excitement." She muttered and slammed on her brakes a couple of inches from the back of another car, wincing and giving Elora a sheepish smile. "You distracted me." She defended with a shrug.
"Sure, sure, my beautiful blue eyes and sultry voice distracted you," Elora scoffed, still holding onto the handle above her head. "Look, I think I like your sister, okay? Not that you need to know, and I'm not totally sure it would ever work out, but somehow, I have a lot of affection for her."
Softening a little, Kit turned her full attention to Elora. "You like her? As more than a friend?" she asked carefully, not wanting to just assume but hoping that was really the case, both for selfish reasons and because she genuinely thought Elora was a good match for Hazel. "Also, I'm gonna ignore that comment." She added and eyed the death grip Elora had on the handle.
"Yeah, I think so... I know it's too soon, but yeah, she's pretty amazing," Elora said with a smile, her heart fluttering at the thought of Hazel. "I wonder if I'm rushing into things. She definitely doesn't like me," she mused, a touch of uncertainty creeping into her voice as she contemplated Hazel's feelings toward her.
"Hazel wouldn't know if she liked you or not, but I think she might. I have no idea why, though." Kit replied, shaking her head at the woman, missing when the light turned green and jumping when the car behind her honked. “Oh, shut up!” She called and waved them off in her rearview mirror before slamming on the gas, sending Elora back into her seat roughly with an audible "Oof."
“I’m marveled by the fact I haven’t seen your car on Instagram, featured in one of those near-accident reels, you know, showcasing your skillful driving,” Elora quipped dryly. “Also, about your sister. I'm not sure. I want you to be guarded about it. She is your sister, but she was a captive and programmed to hate you. So, stay vigilant for now. She listens to some pretty dark stuff, and I think we should all be on our toes until we learn more." She said, trying to remind herself too.
"Haha, I'm laughing on the inside," Kit replied in an irritated tone and changed lanes aggressively to mess with the woman. "As for Hazel's choice of music, I can assure you she probably has no idea if the lyrics are bad or not. She used to listen to the weirdest shit just because she liked a certain sound in it. I wouldn't worry about it," she dismissed with a wave as she cut a car off and took an abrupt right turn, having nearly missed it.
Elora heard Kit but couldn't help but think that the woman was being dismissive, and she felt she needed to get her point across. "Yeah, but Kit, for real though, please stay guarded. I will, too," she said, her voice slightly strained as her grip on the handle tightened until her knuckles turned white. "I like her, but I don’t want to be gaslit into it. I want her to want me and to show it. I won’t pursue her," she spoke openly, her heart racing from the conversation and the sudden turns, her eyes flicking nervously between Kit and the road ahead, trying to maintain her composure despite Kit's erratic driving.
Finding it all very amusing, Kit smirked and nodded. "How very honorable of you, dear doctor," she said in a mock-proper tone, giving Elora an amused look, clearly not taking her seriously at all.
Upset that the woman was not heeding her advice, Elora shook her head. “Yes, I am. I’m also very observant, which is why I’m pleading with you to be careful,” she stressed. “Why do you think you’re safe with Lili still out there?” she asked, eyes on Kit, deliberately avoiding looking at the road and the chaos Kit caused with her reckless driving.
Rolling her eyes, Kit tried hard to bite her tongue and not say every mean thing that popped into her head, deciding instead to try and be somewhat nice. "Look, I know you're just trying to help, but I'm not scared of Hazel. I admit I don't fully trust her, but I don't think we're in any danger. She's just awkward." She answered honestly, looking at the woman as they approached another red light. "As for Lili, I trust Jade and our security team, but I'm more scared for Hazel than anything. The thing I don't trust is whether or not she'd go with her again. I don't think she'd want to harm any of us, but I do think it's possible Hazel still views her as a parent figure and could be swayed to follow her." She admitted in a tired tone, losing a bit of her bravado. "To your other point... I'll tell you this: if you like Hazel, you need to tell her because waiting for her won't work out. She won't recognize you like her without you saying it, and I think you know I'm right." She added in a kinder tone, trying to show she was being sincere.
Elora listened intently, nodding as she watched Kit’s expression for signs of genuineness. Convinced that Kit was letting her in, she spoke from her heart. “I understand your concern, and you’re right. That bond may cause her to move away from you. That's why It’s important to forge new memories, build your relationship, and get her and Sorsha to bond." She paused, reflecting on the complexity of Hazel's situation. "I think she understands that if she trusts Lili again, she may get into a lot of trouble. Mind games are a serious issue, and Lili had a team of four people working with her." Elora added worriedly and looked down. “As for me and my feelings, I don’t know... I want to ensure they're real because I genuinely want to stay in her life. I adore her." She admitted quietly, then continued, "Once I'm sure, I guess I'll try to make it obvious to her. But I feel so nervous when she’s around I get tongue-tied. I sound like a stupid teen with a crush.” She glanced at the road and immediately covered her eyes as she saw the light had turned green and a man was crossing the street. “I wish I could be more like you and Jade, open about my feelings.” She peaked between her fingers, breathing a sigh of relief as the pedestrian made it safely across.
Wincing a bit, Kit turned her eyes back to the road and did a better job of accelerating smoothly in a small effort to be a little bit kinder to the woman, who she realized might not be as bad as she thought. "Jade and I are not exactly poster children for knowing how to communicate. I wish we were, but that's just not the case." She sighed and deliberately missed the turn for the restaurant, wanting to extend their conversation a little longer. "I'll be mindful around Hazel. I know you and I haven't exactly gotten along, but you make her smile. I don't know how she feels about you, but if I had to guess, I'd say she's pretty fond of you, which means I like you, too. So thank you for being kind to her and trying to help me; I truly appreciate it." She spoke sincerely. "Tell anybody I said that, and I'll deny it, though." She added with a playful look. "Honestly, I kind of wish I could get her away from technology for a week or so and have a chance to get to know her again without the constant fear of being tracked or watched in some way. Maybe like a camping trip or something, but she'd never go for it." She sighed and glanced at Elora to see if the woman had any ideas.
Elora’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Camping is a great idea! And thank you; it means a lot. You’re not so bad, either. I look forward to getting to know you better." She smiled, relieved that Kit seemed to be finally accepting her. “Now, about this camping thing, we could go to Montana, or I can talk to a friend of mine who owns a ranch a few hours away from the city."
"We?" Kit asked with a raised eyebrow, doing her best to keep her eyes on the road, only sparing Elora a small glance.
Seeing that Kit wanted this to be her and Hazel's bonding experience, Elora silently chastised herself, “You! You. My bad, I'm just a fan of outdoor adventures,” She explained sheepishly, her enthusiasm dimming a bit as she tried to contain it.
Hearing the woman's disappointment in her tone, Kit groaned. “Alright, fine, but it's cold now; I don't think we can go too far," she reasoned, looking over at the woman again as she finally parked in front of the restaurant. “Tell me your ideas," she encouraged, turning to face Elora, hardly able to believe she was actually about to make plans with Elora Danan.
Surprised by Kit's change of heart, Elora couldn't help but break into a big smile. "Well, we could head to the Adeline Jay Geo Karis Beach State Park campground. I'll handle the reservations, and you can gather the equipment. If it goes well, you two could turn this into a tradition," she suggested in a giddy tone, a side of her she never let Kit see but Hazel had experienced several times in their short time together.
Shocked by Elora's apparent expertise in camping, Kit gave her an impressed look. "You surprise me, Danan," she acknowledged, ignoring the slightly smug look that crossed the woman's face. "How far away is this campground?" she asked, pulling out her phone to try to figure it out.
"It's about an hour and a half from my place, so probably just shy of an hour and twenty from yours," Elora replied before Kit finished typing on her phone.
Raising her eyebrows, Kit locked her phone and laughed. "Do you go there often or something?" she asked, eyeing the woman curiously. She supposed Elora did look more capable of camping in the tomb raider outfit, but in her day-to-day attire, she would have never pegged the woman as the outdoorsy type.
"Yes, actually, I'm quite resourceful," Elora said proudly. "I might appear a certain way, but I do have talents beyond my day job and hobbies beyond reading and knitting." She looked at Kit with a knowing expression, aware that the executive had been evaluating and judging her since they first met.
"Ok, you can't blame me for thinking you look a bit stuffy. You don't exactly present yourself differently." Kit defended with her hands up.
"Under the circumstances we met, I understand why you might think that. But just for the record, I happen to be Gray's most alternative friend," Elora said with a laugh.
"Noted." Kit laughed and pretended to mark an imaginary note in the air before glancing towards the restaurant. "We should probably get inside. At this point, they've been on a date for at least fifteen minutes." She joked but couldn't help the sad expression that briefly marred her features at the thought.
“Yes, but I don’t think you have to worry about that. Jade is smitten. I sense something changed between the two of you, and you don’t have to tell me, but that just made her look at you with doe eyes a whole lot more,” Elora said, smiling. “My girl, though, I mean your sister, needs to learn about life first,” she finished, blushing like a tomato.
Looking down at her hands, Kit smiled to herself at the memory and then shook the thoughts away. "Nothing's changed; Jade's always been in love with Hazel; they used to kind of date. I think you know that, and she's still into her." She answered and looked up to gauge Elora's reaction. "And Hazel told me she still likes Jade as well." She added in an apologetic tone, though deep down she truly believed it was possible her sister also liked Elora, or maybe only liked Elora - A girl could dream
Elora's upbeat mood dimmed slightly. "Even if that's true, I can see that Jade likes you," she said confidently.
"Maybe, but I don't want to be her second choice... ya know?" Kit replied with a knowing look. She then exited the car and walked around it, waiting until Elora was beside her before starting towards the restaurant.
Feeling bad that Kit couldn't see past her insecurities, Elora spoke softly. “I hardly think that’s the case, but I respect your point of view.” She considered meditating that night and sending positive energy into the universe on Kit’s behalf, with the intent of helping her become less oblivious.
As they reached the front of the restaurant, Kit decided to be kind and opened the door for Elora, then motioned for her to go first. Elora smiled gratefully in response, encouraged by the slight shift in their dynamic.
"I appreciate your faith in me, but trust me when I say I wasn't Jade's first choice. If I were, she wouldn't have had to think about it. She loved Hazel and maybe still does. I don't expect her to just get over that overnight," Kit began reasonably, understanding the situation's complexity and how hard it must be on Jade. "I wish it had been me first, but it wasn't... I was stupid, and I missed my chance when we were kids. Now, I have to hope that maybe I can be what she wants and needs without devastating Hazel in the process." She sighed and looked at Elora thoughtfully.
Elora nodded, absorbing the information and observing Kit studiously, knowing sometimes it was better just to listen.
"I think we're going to try another Halloween thing tomorrow. If you want, you can meet us at my place around six," Kit offered quickly, her mind switching topics rapidly.
Of all the things Elora thought Kit might say next, that wasn't it. However, understanding Kit's tendency to avoid dwelling on sensitive topics for too long to prevent further hurt, Elora chose not to mention it and offered a kind smile instead. "Oh yeah, I’d love to," she answered cheerfully, then shifted the conversation herself. “Where are they?” she asked, scanning the area to see if they could spot the other two women.
"Back corner if Hazel had anything to do with it... also most likely a booth," Kit answered and motioned for Elora to follow. "Hazel's gonna wear this tomorrow... She loves Anakin Skywalker." She informed casually, gesturing to the costume she was wearing, trying to give Elora a hint as to what she could wear without specifically acknowledging she was happy the woman had agreed to go.
“If she’s Anakin, who should I be?” Elora asked, catching the hint. "Sorry, my dad is more of a Gandalf kind of man. We didn't watch a lot of Star Wars or Star Trek at our place; it was mostly wizards and warlocks," she admitted sheepishly, feeling a bit embarrassed about missing the pop culture reference.
Stopping in her tracks, Kit placed a hand over her heart and gasped dramatically. "You've never seen Star Wars? And you want to date my sister?" she asked in a playfully shocked tone, as though it were the most scandalous thing she'd ever heard. "First, we need to fix this immediately, and second... Padmé. Look her up. Also, don't wear any of the dresses; Hazel hates dresses. Padmé wears pants too; go with that," she instructed quickly, eyeing Elora with scrutiny before nodding to herself, convinced the woman could pull it off.
"Sorry, I wasn’t aware that it was a requirement," Elora laughed, pulling out her phone to look up the character. After a quick search, she decided she definitely wouldn’t do the weird makeup.
"Well, it is! Hazel's a geek; she was always into Star Wars and all that weird sci-fi stuff. I preferred playing knights and dragons, but she always wanted us to be Jedi knights instead. A lot of compromises had to happen," Kit explained animatedly as she finally spotted Hazel and Jade sitting in the back corner booth, chatting quietly. "To be fair, I think Jedis and lightsabers are pretty cool too, but we can never tell her that," she added in a hushed whisper, flashing Hazel a bright, guilty smile as the woman looked her way, receiving a confused look in return.
"Why does she look confused? You don’t smile at her often?" Elora asked, noticing the interaction as they approached the table, making a mental note of everything Kit had shared. "Also, duly noted. I already have an outfit in mind for tomorrow. Thanks for the tip."
"Because I probably looked like a total psycho... I don't smile like that often." Kit laughed, knowing it had looked guilty as sin. "The white one? With the gun?" She asked excitedly, maybe a little too eager to help Elora win her sister's affection.
Elora blushed profusely and nodded as they reached the table. "Hey!" she greeted with a smile.
Looking at Elora, Hazel clicked her tongue. "Kit got lost, huh?" she asked in a knowing tone, shooting her sister a judgy look. Kit responded by sticking her tongue out and plopping down next to Jade.
"I didn't get lost; I just missed the turn." Kit defended herself quietly to Jade, refusing to grace Hazel with a response.
“It’s ok, love, Haze and I caught up a little,” Jade said with a smile and placed her hand on Kit’s thigh, craving the woman’s warmth.
Surprised, Kit briefly glanced down at Jade's hand, then cleared her throat and picked up her menu. "Anything look good?" she asked quickly, trying to keep her voice even and not dwell on the contact.
"Depends on what you like; I'm getting chicken fingers.” Hazel shrugged and took a drink of her water, a little irritated that they'd had to wait so long for Kit and Elora to show up.
"Of course you are," Kit muttered under her breath, earning an irritated look from Hazel, who chose not to reply.
“They have a really good-looking braised rib,” Jade said as she moved her hand up and down Kit's leg. “I bet you’d like that. I ordered you a soda.”
Swallowing hard, Kit nodded. "Mhm, that sounds good..." She trailed off and closed her menu before taking a drink of her water. "Thanks." She added, shooting Jade a quick smile and shifting in her seat nervously.
"You need to go to the bathroom or something?" Hazel asked with a raised eyebrow, watching her sister squirm across from her.
"No, these pants are just uncomfortable," Kit replied quickly and shot Jade a pointed look, thankful she didn't tend to blush as much as Hazel did.
"Oh. I'll wear something else tomorrow, then." Hazel muttered, and Kit frowned.
"I didn't mean they're always uncomfortable, I just... my wallet... I sat on my wallet wrong." Kit lied and cringed at her weak excuse while Jade chuckled beside her and sipped her water innocently.
"Right..." Hazel trailed off as the waiter came and asked for their orders, saving Kit from embarrassing herself further.
"Hey, think we could share a slice of pie?" Elora asked Hazel, eyeing the dessert options.
"Maybe. They have apple, peach, cherry, and pecan. Which one do you want? It'll depend on your choice," Hazel answered in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Peach sounds delicious!” Elora smiled and gave the woman a shy smile.
"Good choice. I would have gone with apple, but peach is good too," Hazel agreed in a flat tone as she observed Elora. Feeling guilty for her earlier behavior that night, she gave Elora an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about earlier. I don't think I was very nice to you. I thought you were trying to play doctor, and I might have been wrong. So, I'm sorry. Let me pay for your dinner as an apology, please," she requested. Kit glanced at her but chose not to remind her that she no longer had money. Instead, she made a mental note to discreetly find a way to give Hazel her card later.
“It’s okay, Hazel. I appreciate seeing you stand up for what you believe in. Disagreements are natural, and I think it’s brave of you to apologize. Just to clarify, I don’t intend to be your doctor. I hope that clears things up,” Elora said with a warm smile.
"I know you say you don't want to be my doctor, and that might be true, but it doesn't mean you won't still talk to me like one," Hazel replied knowingly and thanked the waiter as he put some bread on the table for everybody.
Elora turned to face the woman and gently took her hand under the table, away from prying eyes. "I'll do my best," she said cautiously. "But I understand what you mean."
Realizing the hand-holding was starting to become a more regular thing, Hazel glanced down and then back up. "Thank you," she replied, giving a quick smile, and once again chose not to pull her hand away, even though she didn't fully understand why Elora seemed to enjoy it so much.
“Does this bother you?” Elora asked as she caressed Hazel's hand with her fingers.
Considering the question, Hazel took a moment to assess how she was feeling seriously and decided she didn't dislike it. "No, I don't think so, but it does confuse me. You like touching a lot, don't you?" she asked bluntly, not nearly as quiet as Elora. This drew Kit's curious eyes briefly before she quickly ducked to look under the table, causing Hazel to immediately pull her hand away from Elora, who blushed at Hazel's lack of discretion and drank her water to hide her embarrassment and take a moment to compose herself.
Jade, seeing Kit’s reaction, squeezed the girl’s thigh. “Be good,” she muttered, startling Kit, causing her to bang her head on the underside of the table in her haste to try and sit back up. "Ow." She muttered, rubbing her head and glaring at Jade, who smirked and spoke in a teasing tone. “Wouldn’t have to worry if you were a good girl.” She winked, watching as a blush colored Kit’s cheeks, then promptly added, “I mean… Are you ok, Kitty?” She feigned innocence and grunted with an audible 'Oof' as Kit smacked her in the stomach and muttered a quiet "Stop it,” an amused expression on her face, seemingly forgetting about teasing her sister and Elora, who was still blushing profusely and now hiding her face against Hazel's shoulder
Seeing that Kit and Jade were distracted, Elora took that moment to answer. “Yes, yes, I do. I also like discreet,” she replied with a smile as she looked at Hazel, amusement evident in her eyes.
"Oh, then you shouldn't do it in a public place,” Hazel answered with a confused frown, utterly oblivious to what Elora meant.
“It was hidden. No one could see it. But you just announced it,” Elora replied honestly, retaking Hazel’s hand and massaging it in hers, amused at the situation.
Realization dawning on her, Hazel raised her eyebrows and winced. "I see what you mean. Sorry." She apologized and bit her lip. “That feels good," she added, again forgetting to be discreet. This time, Kit managed to resist the temptation to see what was happening, instead staring at Elora with a teasing smirk on her face.
Thinking of other ways she could make Hazel feel good, Elora leaned in closer and whispered in the woman’s ear, “I give excellent massages. Truly phenomenal”
Widening her eyes at the suggestion, Hazel flinched and rubbed at her ear, giving Elora an apologetic look. "Your breath tickles," she explained before continuing, ”I've never had a massage; my back is really sensitive, and I don't like people touching me." She watched the woman curiously, wondering how it might feel, but she was almost positive she wouldn't be able to tolerate it.
Elora noticed the curious spark in Hazel’s eyes and felt a little hopeful. “Truly a shame.” She spoke quietly and let go of Hazel’s hand, ensuring the woman noticed the difference.
Hazel nodded and sighed, her fingers clenching and unclenching, missing Elora's hand. "I bet it feels nice for normal people, though." She spoke in a reassuring tone, trying to be supportive, her voice at odds with the tension in her hand, as she decided to forcefully squeeze it herself to replace the feeling she’d lost.
“Maybe one day you can enjoy it. Meanwhile, you can enjoy this any time.” Elora gently coaxed Hazel’s hand back into hers and resumed the massage. Noticing the girl had squeezed her own hand, a sign Elora hoped meant the woman had missed holding her hand.
“Thanks," Hazel muttered and smiled softly, relieved at the resumed contact.
Across the table, Jade smirked at Kit and drew circles on her thigh. “You want to call the waiter over princess?” She took her time saying the words, enjoying teasing Kit like the woman had teased her in the past.
"No, but you can if you want,” Kit replied, giving the woman a look and placing her hand over Jade's, giving it a little squeeze before promptly placing it back in Jade's lap, making it clear she was still serious about not doing anything until Jade was sure of her feelings, no matter how much it pained her.
Upset that Kit wasn’t allowing her to be affectionate, Jade turned to Elora and asked, “Lor, you seeing anyone lately?” trying to make small talk.
Elora gave the woman a what the fuck look. “What? No!” she replied emphatically, while Hazel watched the two women intently, her focus only broken by their food being set down in front of them, something that took her full attention for the rest of the evening, Jade and Elora's voices fading into the background.
~
The next day, Elora arrived at Kit’s place a few minutes early and buzzed in. Checking her phone, Kit quickly yelled, "It's Elora!" to Hazel.
"She's early,” Hazel called from the back room as she tried to comb her hair out of her eyes, taking more time to style it than she usually would.
“You want to get it, or should I?” Kit asked from her room.
"I will." Hazel called back and ran her fingers through her hair quickly, nodding at her reflection satisfactorily, before quickly making her way to the front door and opening it for Elora, smiling broadly at the woman's outfit choice."You're dressed as Padme!” She exclaimed in an excitable tone as her eyes raked over the woman's outfit slowly, trying to see how accurate it was, oblivious to how it might look to Elora.
Elora blushed at the way the girl looked at her. “Looks right?” she asked, gauging interest.
"Oh yeah, spot on,” Hazel replied in an impressed tone as she walked behind the woman, checking the outfit from every angle. “You look great," she complimented as she stepped back into the doorway.
“I was going for realism. Of course, I look nothing like her, but I had to try,” Elora said, giddy, biting her lip as the girl’s eyes scanned her.
"No, you're an improvement," Hazel answered in a matter-of-fact tone, then flashed the girl a big smile. "Oh, come in," she added, remembering her manners and stepping aside to let the woman in.
Elora entered the apartment and smiled shyly. “You’re so flattering, and you’re really cute as Anakin,” she said, adjusting Hazel’s tunic collar.
Beaming at the compliment, Hazel stood straighter despite being several inches shorter than Elora. "Thank you. This was my favorite version of him," she explained, gesturing to the dark outfit she was wearing. “So you're a fan of Star Wars? Which was your favorite movie?" she asked eagerly, unable to contain her excitement to talk about one of the few interests she'd maintained through the years.
Inwardly cringing at the question, Elora gave Hazel an apologetic look. "I never really watched them," she admitted, fearing Hazel might lose interest in her. Nevertheless, she wanted to be honest and met Hazel's gaze with eyes that begged for forgiveness.
"What? Not even one?" Hazel gasped. "Then why are you dressed as Padme?" She asked incredulously, very confused and a little upset that the woman hadn't seen such iconic films.
“I wanted to look cool. I looked it up online, and she came up. Also, I thought you could show me the movies,” Elora said sheepishly. “Kit helped. Does it make it less cool that I just wanted to match your costume?” she asked nervously.
"No, but you gotta watch the movies,” Hazel replied quickly. "Anakin is my favorite character... most people didn't like him or didn't like the portrayal of him, but it's because people are dumb and expected him to be obviously evil; they didn't get it." She lamented with a deep sigh, shaking her head and walking over to sit down on the couch while they waited for Kit.
“What did they not get?” Elora asked gently as she followed.
Thrilled at the chance to talk about her favorite character, Hazel immediately started explaining, ”They didn't get that nobody starts out evil... nobody thinks of themselves as evil either. In Anakin's case, he was taken from his home as a small child, and his mother was killed while he was gone; he knew something was wrong, but he couldn't get to her in time... it made him feel helpless, and he hated that feeling and that made him angry at the creatures that hurt her to the point he felt no empathy for any of them, not even the ones who had nothing to do with it. He also loves Padme, but the order he's involved in forbids relationships or marriage, so they resort to sneaking around and getting married privately.” She paused to make sure Elora was still listening and then continued. “So then he has this huge secret, and the people who are meant to trust and train him underestimate him at every turn; they make him feel small and unheard. He doesn't realize why. He doesn't know that somebody is manipulating him and tainting his view.” She spoke in a conspiratorial tone before continuing in a more animated way, getting more into the story. “Then he starts getting visions of his wife dying, much like he had about his mother, so he begins to feel out of control again and desperate to find some way to keep her safe, and he ends up trusting the wrong person, the very person who's been manipulating him all along, slowly poisoning his mind against his friends. He listens as the man suggests he can save Padme and tells him the only way to do so is to embrace the dark side... he tells him that the Jedi have been lying about the dangers of the dark side... kind of like they want to keep all the knowledge for themselves, and Anakin believes him, or maybe feels he has no other choice but to believe him and in doing so he slowly becomes evil." Hazel finished her very detailed explanation; eyebrows furrowed as she thought out her words carefully. "See? It's not this dramatic; ‘he's always been evil’ trope that everybody wanted... it's subtle shifts until the darkness finally takes over... much more realistic than people want to admit, I think." She added, looking at Elora expectantly to see if she understood.
Elora eagerly followed Hazel's narrative, hanging on to every word, admiring the passion in her storytelling, and noticing the similarities between Hazel's life and the journey of her favorite character. "Interesting parallel," Elora remarked, locking eyes with Hazel briefly. "I'd love to watch it with you," she added, feeling comfortable enough to take Hazel's hands in hers, a gesture that had become familiar between them. "You know, you don't have to let the dark side take over," she added softly, resisting the urge to kiss Hazel's hand, mindful not to make the moment about herself or risk unsettling the woman.
Realizing Elora caught on, Hazel looked down and shrugged. "I know... it's just a movie." She muttered, trying to play it off as she pulled her hand away, resting it in her lap and fidgeting with her fingers a bit.
“Yes, but a movie that has a very similar story,” Elora said honestly. “Thank you for sharing it with me,” she added contentedly, observing Hazel closely.
"I guess so,” Hazel mumbled casually, pretending she hadn't noticed the similarities.
Elora gave the woman a once-over look and spoke. “I think you look really handsome in this outfit, like a hero with a mysterious bad-girl side,” she joked and winked. “And I look like a pure, ready-to-kick-ass…Wait… does Padme kick ass?” she asked, trying to bring some levity to the conversation since Hazel was clearly pretending to be unaware of the common ground she and her favorite character shared.
Preening slightly at the compliment, Hazel smiled and nodded. "I like the mysterious stuff." She mumbled, avoiding the gender-specific term before continuing. "Yes, Padme can kick ass... she has a gun." She answered with a reassuring smile.
“You like being a mysterious bad boy or bad person more?” Elora asked, catching how the woman didn’t mention the gender.
Blushing, Hazel looked away and shrugged as she picked at a seam on the couch. “Anakin's a boy." She answered neutrally and glanced at the woman.
“Yes, but Prince Azel is a girl… who’s a prince. I want you to feel comfortable around me… if we’re going to be… friends,” Elora said with a smile. “Remember I told you you could be yourself, completely.”
"I know I'm a girl... but tonight I'm Anakin, and Anakin's a boy,” Hazel answered simply and got up. "Want something to drink?" She offered quickly, trying to change the subject.
“What does this bad boy have to offer me to drink? What would Padme drink?” Elora asked and shook her head for being too eager. She likes Jade. Who will probably be dressed to kill, and you’ll lose all the attention.
Grinning at the comment, Hazel opened the cupboard to grab a glass. “Well, Padme was a queen, so something royal... You want alcohol or normal soda?" she asked, ducking a bit to see Elora. “What's your favorite type of drink?" she asked curiously.
“I'd like a fancy soda or a citrusy alcoholic drink,” Elora answered with a smile. “Oh, she was a Queen. So am I the queen of your heart, Anakin?” She joked and immediately slapped her forehead for the dumb question. You’re a fucking dork!
"Obviously. You are my wife." Hazel winked at the woman and closed the cupboard. "Squirt then?" She asked as she looked in the fridge.
“I’m sorry?” Elora coughed, caught off guard by Hazel’s question and struggling to keep from swooning at the wink she’d received.
“Squirt," Hazel repeated, turning around and holding the bottle up to show Elora. “It’s grapefruit-flavored, I think. I'm sure it could mix with some sort of alcohol to make a citrusy drink." She explained with an oblivious shrug.
“Oh, Oh… yeah, okay, yeah, sure, of course,” Elora said as she quickly regained her composure.
“Okay, cool. You'll have to help me. I don't know how to mix drinks," Hazel admitted and motioned Elora to join her in the kitchen, still totally clueless.
Elora nodded and got up. “Yeah, of course. I wanna guess, before you took over for Kit, you probably had never had alcohol, am I right?” she asked as she got closer to the woman’s side in the kitchen.
"Was it that obvious?” Hazel asked in an amused tone.
“Not quite, but now that I think about it, it should’ve been; Kit can hold her liquor quite well. Not that it's something to be proud of; in fact, it’s horrible for her ADHD.” Elora said honestly as she looked at the cabinet and chose tequila. “Want some, too?”
"Probably not great for Autism either," Hazel mused. “But sure... I did feel a little more relaxed." She answered in a thoughtful tone, thinking she wouldn't mind trying again.
“Okay, grab me some ice, and I’ll mix them,” Elora said as she found two whiskey cups and a cocktail mixer.
Hazel quickly did as the woman asked and then hopped up on the counter without thinking as she watched the woman work. "Looks good," she said, licking her lips lightly in anticipation and kicking her legs a bit.
“Thanks h-aze” Elora began and quickly pivoted into the woman’s name as she started mixing the drink and smiled as she made a little show of doing so, “I worked as a bartender during grad school.”
"Really? That's cool." Hazel nodded, impressed by the fancy way the woman poured the drinks.
Nodding, Elora hummed an affirmation, “There you go.” She handed a cup to Hazel and picked up one herself. “To tonight and the marriage of Queen Padme and Anakin,” Elora toasted with a smirk.
"May it be long and prosperous." Hazel joked and clinked her glass to Elora's before repeating the same mistake she'd made the first time she'd had alcohol and downing the entire drink like a shot, coughing violently as she blindly searched for a place to set her glass down.
“Baby, no…” Elora said, setting her glass down and taking Hazel’s, quickly going into rescue mode. “That’s a sipping drink, not a shot,” she added, grabbing a cup of water for the girl. “Drink this.”
"Noted." Hazel wheezed and winced as she started coughing again. "Would be good to know before I drink next time." She choked out, squinting at Elora.
“Yes, only drinks in this size cup are to be drunk fast and in one shot.” Elora showed her a shot glass. “And while drinking alcohol, always drink water in between,” she instructed softly.
"Wait, is that why it's called a shot glass?" Hazel asked with wide eyes. “I thought they got their name from the Old West. Like, maybe people used them for shooting games or something like target practice.” She admitted and gave the woman a sheepish look, feeling as dumb as Lili's people often said she was.
“Yes, that’s why they're called that. And no, not for target practice,” Elora clarified, once again reminded of how innocent the woman was. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked, standing in front of Hazel with a concerned look.
"I feel fine, just... stupid,” Hazel grumbled in a frustrated tone as she sipped her water.
“You’re not stupid, just sheltered,” Elora said, smiling encouragingly. “Nothing that can’t be taught.” She reassured, thinking Hazel needed support and a chance to start closing the gaps in her knowledge.
"It wouldn't matter... I don't get stuff half the time." Hazel grumbled and hopped off the counter, finally remembering she wasn't supposed to be up there. "Uh oh." She muttered, gripping the counter and leaning back against it as the ground felt a little wavy under her.
“It does matter, and it’s important to learn, so don’t ignore the chances to learn something new,” Elora encouraged, booping the woman's nose.
"But it's embarrassing,” Hazel muttered, flinching away from the woman's touch and biting her lip to stifle a giggle.
“I find it adorable,” Elora said, wanting to brush the hair from the woman’s forehead but refraining.
Watching Elora's hand cautiously, Hazel nodded slowly, processing the woman's words. "You're my wife, so you kind of have to." She replied with a playful little smile as she met the woman's eyes very briefly, then looked away as a blush spread across her cheeks.
“Hmm, no, it’s my pleasure, love,” Elora spoke softly, caressing Hazel’s face lightly and smiling big. “I think it’s a happy marriage.”
Reminded of how Jade touched her face, Hazel closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, nuzzling her cheek against Elora's hand without much thought. "Mhm." She hummed in agreement.
“You’re so handsome,” Elora let out quietly. Leaning into the girl.
Opening her eyes, Hazel gave the woman a curious look and a small smile. "You're really nice," she replied softly, ducking her head. “And pretty," she added shyly and then quickly darted off. “Kit, are you almost ready?" she called as she knocked on her sister's door.
Elora stood there waiting, feeling a bit ashamed. Of course, she rejected you; she likes Jade, she thought to herself, trying to manage her disappointment. But taking a little solace, the girl at least found her pretty.
“Yes, I’m just about done,” Kit said, opening the door. “What’s wrong?”
"Nothing's wrong. I just thought we had to go soon," Hazel replied with a guilty smile, hands clasped behind her back as she rocked nervously.
"I don't buy it, spill," Kit insisted, glancing around her room, which looked like an explosion had gone off. "Brush... brush... aha! Brush!" she exclaimed triumphantly, holding up her prize. "What's she dressed as, the Wicked Witch of the West?" Kit quipped, looking at her sister before crossing the room to stand in front of the mirror.
Hazel cringed at the sight of Kit's messy room and hung back by the door, rolling her eyes. "No, Padme," she muttered, scanning the chaotic scene. Kit's favorite snack, being called a tornado, seemed incredibly apt, and Hazel chuckled to herself at the thought, amused by the fitting comparison.
“So she dressed as Padme, you don’t say!” Kit said cockily “and does she look hideous then?” She asked as she fixed her hair, trying not to get the long dress caught up on things.
Hazel chewed the inside of her cheek, watching her sister’s reflection for a moment. "Why are you being mean? Elora told me you helped her choose her costume, and I believe her because she also told me she's never seen Star Wars." The snarky tone she usually reserved for Kit was absent, replaced with quiet apprehension as she picked at the doorframe nervously.
"Oh, she told you?" Kit asked, turning around to look at Hazel. "Sorry. Did you like it? Does she look good?" Her tone held no hint of teasing, only genuine curiosity as she watched her sister, giving Hazel her full attention.
Hazel blinked at her sister, confusion evident in her expression. "Yes, she told me, but that still doesn't answer why you pretended not to know or were being mean. Were you trying to make her look bad?" she asked curiously, her trust in Kit already shaky. “It didn't work if that was your aim, by the way. She looks... good," she added, looking down at the ground.
“I'm just being a brat. I think she's winning me over. She’s a nice person, but I hope that thinking she’s okay doesn’t make you dislike her,” Kit said quietly.
"Why would that make me not like her? Are you a bad person?" Hazel questioned, her tone less friendly as her suspicion grew, remembering everything Lili had said about Kit, everything she'd believed growing up.
"Of course not. I don’t know, I like Elora, she’s nice, but I didn’t like her for a long time. She wasn’t mean; I just judged her when I shouldn’t have," Kit said, sounding regretful for a moment before a mischievous look took over her features. "She looks hot, huh? And you ran in here because you got scared?" She asked, giving Hazel a knowing look.
Listening to her sister, Hazel decided she was probably telling the truth. "No," she answered defensively, then looked down again, twisting her fingers anxiously. “I mean, she looks nice like Padme. The costume is good; she got it right. I came here to check on you. We'll be late if you don't hurry," she rambled, refusing to look up at her sister.
"Jade's not even here yet, and Elora’s totally hot. Why don't you kiss her?" Kit asked, glancing back at Hazel. "Did she try to kiss you?" She looked away again, turning to the mirror and placing a small tiara on her head.
Scrunching her nose at Kit's question, Hazel huffed and crossed her arms defensively. "You think she's hot? So you hated her, but now you're into her?" She asked with narrowed eyes. “And to answer your question, no, why would I kiss her? Why would she try to kiss me? We're just friends.” She spoke seriously, honestly believing it.
Kit shook her head. “She’s got a crush on you, Azel,” She said, smiling and turning around, "and it seems the feeling is mutual, given that you ran in here with your face as red as a tomato, which means you got nervous." She smiled, "And no, I'm not into her. I say this because you two looked close and very comfy around each other at the Haunted house, so like I said, she’s got a crush on you. That's why she’d kiss you." Kit explained animatedly.
"She does not... She's just really nice, and ok, yeah, I felt a little... embarrassed, I guess. I'm stupid and clumsy, and she's none of those things, so I guess it makes me feel nervous when she's nice to me. I don't do great in social situations, that's all." Hazel admitted and sighed deeply, her eyes finally landing on Kit and observing how her sister looked. "You look very nice, Kit." She complimented softly, giving the woman a small smile; despite not being a fan of dresses, Kit pulled it off.
“You’re not stupid. And clumsy is cute! I bet she finds you adorable,” Kit answered, smiling shyly at Hazel's compliment. “Thanks, just glad I get to put this to use,” she replied casually, though secretly liking how she looked. She was a bit self-conscious, unsure of what Jade would think.
"I don't want to be cute; I want to be cool,” Hazel grumbled and noticed the change in Kit's demeanor. "You look uncomfortable. Are you? That's not your normal smile." She observed.
“You’re already cool, Anakin. And no, I’m just thinking maybe people will hate the dress,” Kit said simply as she smoothed the fabric. “Did you explain to your friend that you two are married tonight?” she asked, changing the focus and grabbing her purse.
Hazel smiled and adjusted her tunic proudly. "Thank you, and Yes, she thinks it's a happy marriage so far. I didn't tell her she dies in the end; I figured that might change her opinion." She replied, scrunching her nose and shrugging. "Also, I hate dresses, but I think you look nice. You shouldn't worry; I'm sure Jade will like it." She assured with a quick smile. She might not have known how to read people most of the time, but if there was one thing she was sure of, it was that the only opinion Kit had ever cared about was Jade's.
“I wouldn’t tell her until she watches the movie. Just be a good husband.” Kit smiled, and Hazel gave a quick nod of approval before abruptly turning to walk off. “and I’m not trying to impress Jade,” Kit pouted and waited to follow.
Stopping in her tracks, Hazel spun around and gave Kit a skeptical look. "Kit, I know I'm not great at understanding people or whatever, but I know this much. You have never cared about anybody's opinion except Jade's. I know because the only times you ever changed things you did were when Jade didn't like them. Sure, you never made it super obvious, but I am good at noticing details. Maybe she never noticed, but I did." she answered honestly.
Surprised, Kit looked at her sister, she knows? “I don’t do that,” she argued weakly, knowing she was caught.
"Yes, you do. Jade's your best friend, so it makes sense," Hazel replied with a shrug. “Now, come on," she urged, motioning for Kit to follow her, not wanting to be alone with Elora.
“Are you afraid of your wife?” Kit joked as she followed; nerves eased as she saw Hazel thought of them as friends.
"All men are afraid of their wives." Hazel retorted in a flat tone.
Kit chuckled and raised her eyebrows as she saw Elora. “Damn…” She said with a low whistle, “Wow, Danan, you really made this work for you even better than Lara Croft,” she complimented, eyeing the girl and then looking at Hazel to gauge her sister’s reaction.
Not liking how Kit looked at Elora, Hazel moved to stand slightly in front of the woman, her back to Kit, blocking her sister's view. "Sorry, I had to rescue her from whatever storm blew through her room," she joked, giving Elora an uneasy smile.
Seeing how her sister flipped the situation to blame her for escaping Elora, Kit spoke up. “Hmm,” she said in an intrigued tone, nodding emphatically. “Yeah, rescue me, sure,” she added sarcastically. Then, more sincerely, she said, “No joke, though. You look amazing. Well done.”
Glancing over Hazel’s shoulder, Elora smiled at Kit. “Thank you, Kit, you look really nice, too,” She then turned her attention to Hazel. “You okay, honey?” she asked in a concerned tone.
"Mhm...I'm fine," Hazel replied with a quick smile and hooked her thumbs into the belt around her waist. “Jade should be here soon, and then we can leave," she added, trying her best to make small talk to fill the awkward silence as she looked everywhere but directly at Elora.
As if on cue, the doorbell rang, and Kit fluffed her dress. “Can you open it, Haze?”
Noticing what her sister was doing, Hazel smirked at her playfully before walking to the door and pausing. "You ready?" she asked teasingly, though she truly wanted to make sure Kit felt ready to be seen, knowing it was important to the woman.
Shrugging and giving an appreciative smile to her sister, Kit nodded. Somehow, feeling very nervous,
"You look great,” Hazel reassured and opened the door for Jade, who looked fierce in a tribal-style warrior outfit, looking very much like an Amazon to Hazel's eyes. "Hey," she greeted with an extra big smile that tugged her eyes nearly closed, leaving no room for doubt that she was not Kit. "You look cool. Amazon?" she asked curiously, checking out Jade's outfit the same way she had Elora’s, circling the woman.
Jade straightened her posture proudly and nodded before kissing the girl’s cheek, blushing. “Yes, Anakin?” She asked, thinking the outfit suited the younger woman, though she was partial to Kit wearing it.
“Yup," Hazel answered, popping the p at the end of the word and then stepping aside so Jade could get a look at Kit, watching Jade closely to try and sus out her reaction.
“Cool, du-woah,” Jade breathed out, her jaw dropping as her eyes fell on Kit. She took in the sight with hungry eyes, appreciating how the dress perfectly hugged every curve of the woman's body.
Noticing the big difference between Jade's reaction to her outfit and Kit's, Hazel chuckled softly and nodded. “Told ya she'd like it," she announced to Kit smugly, unable to stay discreet for long.
Kit shook her head and smiled as Jade bowed. “My princess, you look divine.”
"Hilarious, Jade," Kit retorted, finding it difficult to accept such a compliment without feeling awkward; it felt oddly intimate. "You look great, though," she added, openly eyeing Jade's outfit, feeling more at ease being blunt about it, preferring that over delving into deeper emotions.
Smiling as if she were accepting a challenge and blushing at Kit's lack of decorum, Jade responded. “You’re absolutely delicious, Your Highness,” she said, then turned to Elora. “Lor? Amazing!" she complimented before returning her eyes to Kit and biting her lip shyly.
“Well, I should hope so; Mom spent good money on this dress." Kit quipped with a cocky smirk, inwardly berating herself for not being more like her sister, shy and more receptive to compliments.
"You didn't seem so sure a few minutes ago.” Hazel pointed out innocently, earning a sharp glare from Kit. "What? You didn't." Hazel added and shrugged, looking around at Elora and Jade. "She didn't." She spoke seriously.
“Honey…” Elora said in a cautionary but gentle tone, going to Hazel’s side.
"What?" Hazel asked exasperatedly, not understanding what she'd done wrong but knowing she must have messed up somehow since Kit was still glaring.
“Sorsha bought you the dress, huh?” Jade asked, looking at Kit with an almost feral look in her eyes.
Blushing a bit at the way Jade was looking at her, Kit looked down and fidgeted with the material of her dress a bit, trying to straighten it out and regain her confident bravado. “Yes, for one of her stupid social gatherings... It's just been hanging in my closet collecting dust... figured it was a waste not to wear it at least once and Halloween felt like the most appropriate time to pull out my scariest outfit." She laughed and looked back up, feeling like she had herself back under control.
Taking a step closer to the woman, Jade let her eyes roam from the girl’s exposed collarbone, down the V-shaped neckline to the distinct volume of breasts that had been in her hands once, now loose inside the material, nipples peaking and marking the fabric, making the older woman salivate at the sight and memory of their taste. “Excellent choice, princess,” she said, lowering her voice so she couldn’t be heard by anyone but Kit as she stepped closer to the woman. “The only place this dress should collect dust next is on the floor in both of our bedrooms,” she said, kissing Kit’s cheek like she had kissed Hazel’s.
Feeling her face go hotter, Kit cleared her throat and looked up at the woman with a searching look, trying to determine if it was just lust talking or if Jade might honestly prefer her. "I thought you hate when I drop clothes on the floor?" She replied in a soft tone, trying her best to keep up the cocky, self-assured attitude but failing as she met the woman's eyes.
“Who said you’d be the one taking it off?” Jade countered in a whisper. “It’s going to be hard not to touch you all night,” she added calmly. “But you knew that, didn’t you?” She asked as she moved to stand behind the woman to appreciate the back line.
Biting her lip, Kit took a deep breath and tried to compose herself, thankful Jade was no longer face-to-face with her. "We should get going, or we'll be late, and you know how much your sister hates that." She answered in a neutral tone, trying to change the subject, still determined to make sure Jade's feelings were genuine. "What do you think of Hazel's outfit?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder at Jade, trying to see how the woman felt about her sister.
“She looks fine, but I think it looked better on you; it brought out your boyish charm,” Jade said, smiling, a finger tracing the back opening of the dress. “So much lacing…how did you get in?” she said, tightening the top a little.
Swallowing hard, Kit tried not to think about the woman's touch, telling herself Jade was simply helping her with the dress, knowing if she let her mind wander too much, they'd never leave the apartment, and she'd never be sure of the woman's intentions. "It was a challenge, I'll tell you that." She laughed and thought about it. "I could have used your help." She added, deciding to try and show she did need or want Jade's help from time to time, starting to realize it didn't mean she was weak.
Heart melting at the girl, mentioning she may need her help, Jade was more certain than ever that tonight was the night she'd stop playing games and start showing Kit how she should've always been treated. Still, first, she was going to have some fun and continue trying to be more like the women Kit seemed to prefer and explore a side of herself she couldn't in the past, for fear of rejection, the fun, flirty side, a side she felt was less likely to scare off the notoriously commitment-shy, Kit. "Oh babe, I can help now,” She said, tightening the lacing in the back. “This good?” She asked over Kit's shoulder, looking at the girl’s chest to see if the dress was tight enough.
"Mhm... feels about right. Does it look ok?" Kit asked, glancing up to meet the woman's eyes and giving her a small, knowing smile, well aware of where Jade's eyes had been.
Sheepishly, Jade nodded and spoke, “I think we could use a tit…I mean a bit tighter.” She softly giggled at her slip and pulled on the laces again until she could make out the contour of Kit’s nipples. “Just perfect for me.” She announced quietly with a smirk.
"Wow, who knew the perfectly composed Jade Claymore could be such a guy." Kit laughed and spun around to smack the woman on the arm playfully. "Keep it up, and I'll wear a jacket for the rest of the night." She threatened with a smile, though deep down, she worried about the woman's motivations.
“Then can I warm my hands inside it?” Jade joked, raising her hands. “I’m done, I'm sorry. I am done,” and she was; she was done lusting intensively. She looked at the woman with adoring eyes. “Hormones aside, you are stunnin’ princess. Anyone you choose to be yours will be the luckiest person alive,” I just hope it's me one day. She thought and offered her hand to the woman.
Softening, Kit gave the woman a genuine smile. "Thank you, Jade, you look..." She trailed off and let her eyes roam over the woman's outfit momentarily. "Amazing." She finished her statement and looked down. "I beg to differ though, whoever you choose... that person will be the luckiest person alive." She added, glancing up and then towards her sister, hoping it wouldn't be Hazel but knowing it was still possible. Jade followed her eyes and shook her head,
“You two done flirting? Can we go to this party or what?” Elora asked in her most authoritative voice.
"I am getting pretty hungry." Hazel piped up in agreement, not the least bit bothered by Jade and Kit's flirting but very upset that they hadn't left the apartment yet.
“Oh, calm your tits, Danan; you wouldn't even know about this party if we hadn't invited you." Kit shot back, rolling her eyes at the other woman, before lacing her arm under Jade's.
“My tits are calm, thank you very much, unlike yours over there,” Elora said as she motioned to her chest and smirked. “They make these things called pasties that help with that, no lines, no bra, no cold nipples,” she joked as she held Hazel’s hand. At Elora's comment, Hazel looked straight down at Elora's chest and then at Kit's, trying to figure out what they were talking about, before slapping a hand over her eyes disgustedly, irritated that she'd looked at her sister's chest. "You owe me a drink." She grumbled to Elora, who squeezed her hand and smiled in response.
"Why would I cover one of my best assets?" Kit shot back, standing up straighter and puffing out her chest boldly, never one to be shy. "Let's go before Elora whines anymore." She huffed and dragged Jade along.
Unable to resist, as they got to the elevator, Jade pulled Kit’s back to rest against her. “That’s right, you show them proudly…what I do to you,” she joked. “And now I'm done, for real.”
"You're the worst." Kit laughed and gladly relaxed against the taller woman as Hazel and Elora stepped into the elevator.
"It was the AC; I turned it down earlier because I was hot." Hazel reasoned in a diplomatic tone as the doors shut, thinking Jade was strange for thinking she had anything to do with an anatomical response to cold air.
Elora giggled. “My dear husband, so much to learn,” she said, kissing the girl’s cheek.
"Ahh, you gotta stop doing that... your mouth is so wet,” Hazel exclaimed and rubbed the edge of her sleeve over her cheek with a disgruntled look while Kit shook her head and smirked at her sister's antics.
"It ain't just her mouth," Jade whispered in Kit's ear, holding back a giggle. Kit smirked and playfully elbowed Jade in the stomach, shaking her head at the woman's comment. "Ow," Jade exaggerated in a mock-hurt tone. "Now I gots a boo-boo," she added in a small voice, making Kit laugh.
Seeing how upset Hazel had been over the kiss, Elora made a mental note not to kiss her again and apologized to the woman, “I’ll buy you two drinks.”
“Fine," Hazel grumbled and firmly grasped the woman's hand to steady herself, still not a fan of elevators.
The ride out of town was pleasant. Hazel had insisted that Jade drive, refusing to get in a car her sister was driving, so Jade and Kit took the front seat while Hazel and Elora rode in the back. Hazel eventually fell asleep with her head against the window and her hand still firmly in Elora's, only waking up once they arrived at Jade's sister's house.
Standing in front of the door, Hazel fidgeted nervously. "I haven't seen Scorpia since I was a kid." She muttered softly to Jade, a little afraid to see the woman again. Hazel had always found her slightly intimidating; even if she'd always been kind, she just had an air about her.
“She’s a lot nicer now,” Jade said, smiling. “She’s excited to see you. She always loved you,” she added softly as she rang the doorbell. “Her fiancee is a bit animated, so don’t take him seriously, okay?” Jade warned.
“Ok," Hazel replied softly and flinched to stand slightly behind Jade and Kit as the door swung open and closed, leaving Scorpia standing there with a big smile on her face, not nearly as scary as Hazel remembered her being.
"Baby sister, it's been too long." Scorpia greeted with wide open arms, pulling Jade into a big hug before pulling away and glancing at everybody else. "Kit." She acknowledged with a short nod, still not fond of the young woman who had repeatedly broken her sister's heart, intentionally or not; the younger woman at least had the decency to look a little sheepish as she returned the greeting with a slight nod and a glance towards Hazel. Upon seeing the older twin, Scorpia's expression softened again, and she stepped forward, almost ready to wrap the girl in a tight hug, but stopped herself, remembering the girl's sensitivities. "Hazel... it's so good to see you again. We thought... " She trailed off and shook her head. " Well, it doesn't matter now; you're here and okay. I'd hug you, but I remember you never liked that, so please just know the thought was there." She finished with a kind smile, one Hazel returned with a small thank you, looking as shy as Scorpia had remembered her to be, nothing like Kit. "And you must be Elora?" She asked, holding a hand out to the woman as she gave her an appraising look, wondering if she was maybe Hazel's date, judging by the costume choice.
Nodding, Elora shook the woman’s hand. “Hello, I heard a lot about you; I know Jay from Uni,” she said, smiling.
"Ah, only good things, I hope." Scorpia laughed and glanced towards Jade with a playful look as she shook Elora's hand and then motioned for them to come in and join the party, loud music and flashing lights leaking out of the once again open door.
Notes:
Thanks for reading and reviewing - I am finalizing the playlists (I had merged them but now I need their moods separate)
Have the best week!
Chapter 17
Summary:
Party time! Someone gets drunk, serious conversations happen, and choices are made. Ah and a head-to-head competition!
We've been taking some time to post but we are a bit ahead on writing and cannot wait to see all your reactions!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
As soon as they entered the house, Hazel winced and quickly inserted her earplugs, adjusting them to the highest noise-canceling mode that still allowed her to hear when people spoke. She scanned the room, trying to make out people's faces and costumes through the flashing lights. The scene reminded her of the club, but she didn't have to pretend to be Kit this time. She could experience it all authentically, making her feel more at ease. Instead of pushing towards the crowd or the bar, she stayed closer to the door and motioned for Elora to go have fun.
On the flip side, Kit was instantly swept up into the crowd, dancing with people she probably didn't even know, her face alight with a huge smile as she moved to the music like it was a part of her. Watching her sister, Hazel wondered how Jade or Elora could have ever believed she was Kit. The stark contrast between their personalities and how they navigated social situations was glaringly obvious.
Noticing Hazel staying back, Elora shook her head and walked back to her. “Nope. I’m not leaving you alone. We’re either going to the bar or dancing, but I’m not doing it solo. You’re coming with me—in sickness and in health, remember?” she said, smiling warmly.
“But I can’t dance; you remember the last time,” Hazel protested in an embarrassed tone as she looked between Elora and the makeshift dance floor people had created in the middle of Scorpia's living room furniture pushed out of the way to accommodate everybody.
Elora nodded and whispered in the girl’s ear, “Yes, it was phenomenal, and I never liked your sister more than I did that night,” she said, smiling playfully.
Shivering a little, Hazel looked at the woman curiously. "But you made fun of my dancing when you found me in New York," she pointed out in a confused tone. “You said Kit never danced like that and looked like you were gonna laugh," she reminded the woman.
“Yes, but I wasn’t making fun of you. The way you danced and acted somewhat like yourself—we connected on that dance floor, Hazey,” Elora said affectionately, gently touching Hazel’s face.
"Oh," Hazel mumbled, leaning into the touch as she was prone to doing. “Maybe you can teach me to dance a little better, though?" she asked with a hopeful smile.
“Well then, let’s go!” Elora exclaimed, gently tugging Hazel to the opposite end of the living room/dance floor, ensuring they had some space.
Looking around self-consciously, Hazel tried to follow how other people were moving but ended up looking straight down at her feet to keep from tripping. "This doesn't work," she grumbled, raising her voice to be heard over the music.
Seeing Hazel’s struggle and wanting her to have a good time, Elora thought she should offer guidance. “Can I show you something?” she asked, speaking into Hazel’s ear, eliciting another shiver from the younger woman, who looked up at her.
"Please do," Hazel nodded and laughed, ready to accept any suggestions that might help her look less clumsy. "I feel like I'm gonna trip," she admitted awkwardly, motioning toward her feet.
Elated that Hazel was willing to accept her help, Elora smiled and moved closer. “Okay, we can start slow. Don’t lift your feet; just move with me,” she instructed, carefully placing her hands on the girl’s waist. Noting the way Hazel winced and clenched her jaw at the touch, Elora waited a moment to let her get used to it before slowly starting to move them to the rhythm.
Noticing how Elora gave her a moment to get comfortable, Hazel smiled gratefully and tried to focus on moving with the woman, reminding herself she'd done the same thing when pretending to be Kit and she'd survived. "I'm trying, but I don't think it's working out so well." She called over the music, leaning closer to Elora to be heard.
“Hmm, would you prefer if you were holding me instead?” Elora asked and turned around, fitting her back against the woman's front, testing a different position.
Surprised, Hazel shook her head before realizing Elora couldn't see her. So she tapped her on the shoulder, getting Elora to turn back around with a curious expression. Hazel suddenly found herself wishing she didn’t have to disappoint her. ”No, I'm just not good at doing two things simultaneously." She winced, and Elora nodded in understanding, letting Hazel finish her thought. ”Also, I don't like touching people," Hazel added honestly, giving the woman an apologetic look.
Thinking it was good that Hazel was openly communicating her needs, Elora wanted to ensure the woman knew she wasn't upset. “No need to apologize. How about we just stand here and sing along to the songs we know for a bit?” she proposed, offering a warm smile to Hazel and refraining from touching her.
Hazel, projecting her fears, misread the situation and felt as though she had pushed Elora away. "I think I'd like to stand close to the wall, please," she said softly but audibly, motioning towards the wall and glancing at Kit, who continued to dance with abandon, effortlessly embodying everything she wished she could be. Even in a dress, Kit moved with a freedom Hazel envied.
“Of course," Elora replied softly as she moved closer to the wall with Hazel, beginning to sway gently, her hands moving in sync with the music. She hoped Hazel would be open to her dancing close by or even with her, even if Hazel didn't dance herself. However, with Hazel's attention frequently drawn to Kit, it was apparent her mind was elsewhere. Sensing Hazel's inner turmoil, Elora leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper, "It's because when you leave all your worries at the door and feel the beat in your chest, you can dance without a care, to your heart's content," she murmured, nodding toward Kit on the dance floor.
"Or she stole all the talent and cool stuff for herself when we were babies... She never was very good at sharing." Hazel joked with a half-hearted shrug, but a part of her genuinely did resent Kit. As a child, she'd often made Kit the villain in her story, pretending she was evil and had cast a spell that had made Hazel the way she was. At least then, Kit being perfect while she felt defective made sense; it was a simple narrative that soothed her young mind, one that was far easier to accept than the reality that there was no reason for her differences. It was this childhood coping mechanism that had been the very thing that made it so easy for Lili to poison her mind, and Hazel knew it; she knew she'd readily accepted that Kit was evil because a part of her needed it to be true and watching her sister now, she felt that creeping darkness clouding her thoughts and had to swallow down a nauseous feeling.
Feeling the woman's pain, Elora wished she could wrap her up in her arms and take it all away, heal the hurt that seemed so ingrained in the younger woman it was palpable. Still, she knew better, knew there was a good chance physical comfort wouldn't be welcome, and even if it were accepted, it wouldn't be enough to chase all the demons away, at least not yet, though she hoped that maybe someday it would. "I can assure you she didn't. You're charming.” She started with a soft smile. "and wildly intelligent." She added in an animated tone, gesturing to get her point across. "Funny." She continued, raising her eyebrows and smiling fondly at the unsure look she was receiving. "Can't forget talented,” She continued in a playful tone, to which Hazel shook her head, eyes still darting towards Kit occasionally. "and so handsome." Elora finally finished in an almost dreamy-sounding tone as she admired how Hazel's costume under the party lights made her even more handsome.
Unconvinced, Hazel shook her head. "I would trade whatever I got for what she has, even if it was just for a day." She admitted quietly as she watched her sister with a longing look, wishing she could have even a fraction of Kit's confidence and ability to enjoy it. Faking it could only get her so far, as she'd learned with Jade.
Seeing she hadn't gotten through, Elora furrowed her brow, trying to think of something that might work. “Try it on me,” she said, "be you, but like Kit, try it just for a day. I think you have it, but you may need to see it in action." She encouraged, positive that Hazel held herself back for fear of looking silly or making mistakes, a fear that didn't seem to exist when she'd been playing the role of her sister.
"I did, remember? The last time we danced, I was Kit... but it didn't make it easier on me... I still... " Hazel trailed off and looked down at her hands before scrubbing them against her belt angrily, irritated with her inability to get close to other people, even when she really wanted to.
“Yes, but you were in your head like you are right now…” Elora said, grabbing the girl’s hands and squeezing them in hers. “You still?” She asked, moving a bit closer so she could hear the woman. “What if when it gets to be too much, we do this? We’ll pause, get you water, fresh air, food, whatever you need to get your mind off it, ok?” She suggested kindly.
Scrunching her eyebrows together, Hazel looked down at their joined hands and considered Elora's words carefully, recalling that the last time they danced, she'd had a couple of drinks. "Can you help me get a drink from the bar?" she asked hopefully, nodding to where other people were gathered.
Seeing how Hazel could become dependent on things like Alcohol, Elora considered whether it was a good idea to indulge the request and thought of a way to get around the issue. “I can, but we'll eventually work toward not needing a drink,” She spoke in a gentle but firm tone as she motioned for Hazel to follow her to the bar.
"Why? It's not so bad if it helps, and lots of people drink." Hazel reasoned and shrugged her shoulders as she looked around, watching everybody else having fun as she waited for Elora to order her a drink.
Leaning against the small bar to be heard, Elora quickly ordered them two virgin cocktails and then turned her attention back to Hazel. “Just because something helps at the moment doesn't mean it's good for you. Many people do drink, it’s true, but it doesn't mean they're better for it." She advised gently and smiled at the bartender as he handed her two tall blue drinks. "There you go." She gave Hazel her drink before taking a sip of her own.
Frowning, Hazel looked into her drink and swirled it around a bit, letting the woman's words sink in as she admired the vibrant color of the drink, fascinated by how the light caught it. "Thanks." She finally spoke and tore her eyes away from the brightly colored liquid long enough to look up at the woman again. "Not a shot?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and lifted her glass to indicate the drink, wanting to make sure she understood how to drink it this time.
“No, not a shot,” Elora answered with an indulgent smile, satisfied she'd said her peace. “Cheers!” She raised her glass to Hazel.
"Cheers," Hazel repeated and gently knocked her glass against Elora's with a questioning look, seeking confirmation she'd done it correctly.
"Very good," Elora praised, nodding and taking a sip of her drink. "Tell me what you think,"
"Thanks," Hazel beamed before trying her drink, wincing a little in anticipation of the inevitable burn, which never came, causing her to smile in relief. “It's good, tastes sweet, and didn't burn... what's it called?" she asked curiously as she looked into her glass and swirled it again, amusing herself.
“It’s called Midnight Kiss,” Elora answered as she took another drink. She smiled shyly and observed how Hazel entertained herself, finding it adorable. “Only hefty poured drinks will have a burn,” She added, feeling somewhat guilty for deceiving the woman but feeling it was ultimately for the best.
Glancing up from her drink, Hazel chuckled at the name. "Wonder why it's called that." She mused and looked back down. "Maybe it's the color for Midnight, but what about the kiss part?" She continued to ponder.
Elora eyed the drink and made a face that showed she was closely inspecting and pondering her answer. “I’d say it’s probably the lemon freshness and the bubbles, kinda like that feeling in your stomach when you first kiss your date.” She smiled carefully.
"Hmm, I guess that makes sense. Does that feeling always happen when people kiss?" Hazel asked curiously, looking up and giving Elora her full attention.
Tilting her head a bit, Elora marveled again at how seemingly innocent Hazel was, wondering if it was an act. If so, it was a very good one. And while Hazel had been able to fool people into believing she was Kit, it was more the improbability of her not being Kit that had convinced them, not her acting skills. This gave Elora some comfort. “I think, when you like someone, yes, that happens. You get that anticipation, the nervousness, probably until you’re sure they’re yours too," Elora spoke softly, looking away as she felt herself slipping into dangerous territory. "But I haven’t felt it that much, not in a long time.”
"Oh, but you've kissed lots of people, right? You said you've dated boys and girls." Hazel pointed out slowly, trying to understand the woman's answer. "Did you feel that every time you kissed somebody or not?" She asked bluntly, trying to get a straight answer, impatient with things that weren't direct.
Elora smiled, knowing how eager Hazel was for a straightforward answer. “Yes, I’ve kissed many people; I hope that’s not a problem,” she said gently. “Boys, girls, and non-binary people too. But no, I didn’t feel that way with all of them. Just one, and one recently, but I didn’t kiss them, so there’s that,” she added quietly, watching Hazel for a reaction.
"So the answer is no, then? You don't always feel it when you kiss people." Hazel tried to clarify again, taking a deep breath to control her agitation.
Elora shook her head at Hazel's impatience. "No, but when you kiss or are about to kiss someone important, someone that makes your heart beat fast, you feel it," she answered. Her eyes found Jade on the floor, and her mood soured a bit, positive it was Jade that Hazel would think of.
"Hmm," Hazel hummed, following Elora’s eyes to Jade and smiling a little as she thought about how it felt to kiss the woman.
Elora looked back at Hazel, noticing the younger woman's expression, and seriously regretted not ordering herself an alcoholic drink. “But anyway, that’s a wild guess; drink names are arbitrary,” she dismissed, shaking her head, trying to stay in the moment, knowing she shouldn’t hope for more; they barely knew each other, and this was Jade’s girl or at least one of Jade’s girls.
"They shouldn't be arbitrary; I don't like things that don't have a purpose." Hazel frowned and took another gulp of her drink, this time taking a little bit more, trying to get the same feeling she'd gotten the last time she'd had alcohol.
Not surprised by Hazel's take on it, Elora nodded.“I thought so,” she acknowledged with a smile. “Come dance with me, husband,” she encouraged in a sweet tone, wanting to see if the illusion of alcohol had boosted Hazel's confidence enough to participate, both because she wanted to dance with the girl and also to test her theory.
Hazel laughed and held her half-full drink up. "What about this?" She asked, looking around for a place to set it, figuring the effects would kick in eventually, and she didn't want to risk dropping her drink.
"You can chug it or carry it with you,” Elora answered as she started dancing a bit, letting the music take her as she waited for Hazel to decide what to do.
"I thought you said it wasn't a shot." Hazel pointed out with a suspicious look, watching the way the woman was dancing and calculating if she could copy it.
“You're right; it’s not," Elora affirmed, realizing it probably wasn't a good idea to get Hazel in the habit of chugging drinks. "We can hold them; it will ensure I keep one hand to myself,” Elora said with a playful smirk as she kept swaying, inwardly cringing at the bold statement and secretly wondering if maybe her drink had been spiked after all.
"Where will the other hand be?" Hazel asked carefully and took another couple of sips from her drink, trying to drain it as quickly as possible, hating the idea of having to hold anything for too long, knowing that if she tried to focus on more than one thing at a time, she'd end up dropping the glass, embarrassing herself, putting others at risk, and potentially making an enemy of Scorpia for breaking one of her glasses.
Thinking about her answer, Elora considered the boldness of her last statement and decided she might as well roll with it. “Up in the air, on your hips, around your waist, wherever the music takes us?” She winked at the girl, “I don’t want anyone to try to take my husband away from me.” She added, feeling it was safer to put it back in the context of an act.
"So you plan on touching me?" Hazel asked, wanting to be clear on the woman's intent and mentally prepare herself.
“I would like to if you are into it or allow it,” Elora answered honestly, raising her glass as she led them back to an area where they could dance but not get crowded, Hazel following close behind, mumbling apologies to people and guarding her drink as if her life depended on it.
Relieved to be through the crowd, Hazel took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. "If you warn me first, it's better," she replied, holding up a finger as she downed the rest of her drink and set her empty glass on a side table, thankful it was nearby. "Ok, now we can try."
“Of course, I'll warn you, babe,” Elora reassured, as she spun around and then danced a circle around the woman, smiling and laughing as Hazel turned in circles to keep her in sight.
"You're gonna drop your drink," Hazel warned, watching the glass in the woman's hand intently, very worried about it.
“No, I won't,” Elora promised as she brought the drink to her lips and kept her eyes on Hazel as she sucked the rest of the drink, hips swaying to the Latin beat of the music.
"You could," Hazel argued as her eyes followed the woman's movements, and her stomach fluttered a little in what she assumed was the alcohol finally kicking in.
"You have so little faith in me, hubby," Elora tsked playfully, finding a ledge to set her glass down. "All done; I'm no longer dangerous," she chuckled, moving closer to Hazel without touching but barely leaving any space between them as she twirled her hands up in the air.
"It's not that. I just know how easy it is to drop stuff." Hazel laughed and looked up at Elora's hands, deciding to focus on them instead of the woman's proximity to her and how it made her feel like running laps or going swimming, anything to burn off the charged feeling she interpreted as excess energy.
Observing Hazel's mannerisms, Elora noticed her need to release energy, so she spoke, “On the count of three, we’ll jump, ok?” She encouraged with an excited smile
Meeting the woman's eyes briefly, Hazel nodded. "Ok, but if I fall, it's not my fault." She warned and clenched her fists by her side, mentally preparing to jump.
“I can catch you,” Elora smiled and started counting. “One, two, three, jump!” She yelled over the music and started jumping.
Following Elora's lead, Hazel jumped to the beat of the song, laughing as she tried to get higher each time, remembering she'd enjoyed doing the same the last time they'd danced. "This is fun!” She called over the music, a big smile on her face.
“Yes, it is,” Elora agreed, continuing to jump around to the beat. She smiled as Hazel followed her every move, laughing the whole time. Seeing Hazel so carefree and happy filled Elora’s heart with joy.
On the other side of the room, Kit finally broke away from the random people she'd been dancing with and made her way over to Jade. "Not feeling the music tonight?" She asked with a smile, having noticed the woman had barely danced.
With a smirk, Jade spoke, “I like to watch,” She winked over her drink as she sipped from it.
"Kinky." Kit quipped and grabbed Jade's drink, taking a big sip of it. "Mmm, good choice." She complimented with a cheeky smile as she offered it back to the woman.
Jade tilted her head as though to say, ‘You got me,’ and smiled at Kit. “Meet someone you like?” she asked, moving to the beat and using her free hand to pull Kit closer.
"I've had my eyes on somebody the whole night, yeah," Kit replied with a playful smirk, grinding against Jade the best she could in a dress and not for the first time that night, regretting not wearing pants.
Picking up on the playfulness in Kit's demeanor, Jade found herself hopeful. “Hmm… they’re very lucky and better have stamina,” she quipped, raising an eyebrow and giving Kit a curious look at the distracted smile the woman responded with, “The dress is a bit limiting, isn’t it, princess?” she asked with a knowing smile.
"God, you have no idea." Kit groaned and paused her dancing to pull at the fabric a little, thinking it had been a steep price to pay for Jade's attention.
Jade chuckled at Kit's boyish antics, finding them adorable. “But it’s so beautiful,” She replied with a smile as she rested her hands on the flair of Kit’s hips and let her eyes roam down to the woman's cleavage, appreciating it not for the first time that night. “This line here is…" She started, ghosting a finger down the neckline, smiling as Kit drew in a sharp breath, admiring how it accentuated the swell of the woman's breasts perfectly. “very freeing,” she concluded softly and looked back up to meet Kit’s eyes.
“That’s right, eyes up here, Claymore." Kit admonished playfully as she regained her composure and draped her arms over the woman's shoulders, swaying slowly as she considered what they meant to each other. "You haven't taken Hazel on a date yet." She pointed out and glanced towards her sister, who had finally stopped jumping and was now standing awkwardly by a wall, looking very uncomfortable as all the other couples danced to the slow song.
“Of course, Princess, that’s for your lucky secret girl,” Jade teased with a smile before sobering at the slight frown Kit gave her, very aware that the woman would never trust her until she went on that date, despite how sure she now was that Kit was the only one for her. "No, I haven’t. It’s been busy, and she’s been with Elora; I'll schedule it this week,” she answered, pulling Kit closer, her fingers tracing patterns as she caressed the swell of the woman's hips idly and glanced toward the other two women, seeing Elora approaching Hazel with a glass of water and thinking they looked good together.
"Yeah." Kit sighed and pulled away from Jade, feeling like the woman's interest in her was purely sexual, something she welcomed from anybody else, anybody but Jade. Jade was different; Kit wanted a future with her, something that would last, built on love and respect, an idea she realized she compromised by giving in to her own desires in New York. ”You should go dance with her." She spoke sharply and bit her tongue, resisting the urge to make a snarky remark about Hazel's costume being too modest for Jade's taste.
Jade furrowed her brow, a little taken aback by Kit's sharp tone. “But I waited all night to dance with you,” she pouted playfully, trying to lighten the mood as she pulled Kit closer and thought about resting her head on the woman's shoulder but didn’t want to push her luck.
"And if Hazel were the one wearing the dress, it would have been her you waited for," Kit replied simply, spinning on her heel and disappearing into the group of partygoers.
“Fuck!” Jade exclaimed, looking to the ceiling in exasperation. She knew it was ultimately her fault for being confused in the first place, but Kit had a way of making things more complicated than they needed to be, and it frustrated her to no end. Knowing it was best to let Kit stew for a while, Jade headed over to Hazel and Elora, smiling as she approached the two women. "Can we dance?" She asked the older twin and gave Elora an apologetic look, feeling bad for taking Hazel away but needing a moment to relax and be herself.
Hazel glanced at Elora quickly before turning her eyes back to Jade and nodding. "Sure." She agreed with a quick smile and took a step closer to Jade, finding the woman's familiarity comforting.
Observing the effortless way, Hazel took Jade’s hand and leaned into the woman as they started dancing; Elora immediately recognized that she might never achieve that same level of intimacy with the woman.
“Are you having fun?” Jade asked as she smiled at Hazel, oblivious to Elora's watchful eyes.
"Mhm, I can jump." Hazel laughed and shrugged.
“You can slow dance too,” Jade observed and smiled as she noted them moving from side to side.
Looking down at their feet, Hazel grinned. "I guess I can." She agreed happily, beaming at Jade. “Elora got me this cool-looking drink called Midnight Kiss. It tasted good, but it didn't do much. I think the one I had earlier tonight was more effective,” she stated with a thoughtful frown. “But it was still good." She decided, satisfied enough with the drink despite its underwhelming performance.
“Yeah? Why? Was the other one more alcoholic?” Jade asked, slightly distracted as she looked around and spotted Elora taking a few shots at the bar with Kit. Of course, Kit would start drinking.
"I don't know. I don't know a lot about that stuff," Hazel shrugged and leaned to the right a bit to try and get Jade's attention back on her. “I'd like another one, though. Could you order it for me?" she asked with a hopeful smile as the woman finally looked at her again.
“Yeah, sure.” Jade nodded. “I hear you and Elora are married. Congratulations,” She said with a smile, kissing Hazel’s cheek playfully as she guided her towards the bar.
Hazel glared at the woman and rubbed at her cheek in irritation. "We're not actually married, but our characters are, so we've been playing, yes," Hazel answered, sticking close to Jade's side as they got to the bar, trying to avoid people bumping into her.
Smiling at Hazel's reply, Jade shook her head and rested her hand on Kit's waist as she leaned past the woman to talk to the bartender. “Can I please have...what was it again, Aze?” She asked, looking back at Hazel, ignoring the questioning look she got from Kit.
"Uh, midnight kiss," Hazel answered shyly, eyes darting to the bartender self-consciously and then back to Jade, resisting the urge to hide behind the taller woman.
“One Midnight kiss and one sex on the beach, and whatever these two lovely women want,” Jade said, motioning towards the other two and winking at Elora, who was having a mild panic attack as she tried to think of subtle ways to cue Jade into the fact she'd ordered Hazel's first drink virgin, though with Hazel so close she knew it was pointless and just hoped the alcohol wouldn't be too hard on the woman and that Hazel would forgive her for tricking her in the first place.
"Sex on the beach? That's the name of a drink?" Hazel asked in a surprised tone. She didn't even want to venture a guess as to why it was called that.
“Yes, that's the name of a drink,” Jade smiled, and Hazel nodded thoughtfully. Seeing Hazel lost in thought, Jade looked at Kit. “You seemed to be having a good time over here,” she said, filling a cup with water. “Here.” She held the glass out to Kit, still trying to take care of her.
"We were," Kit replied pointedly, taking the glass and setting it back on the bar, showing she didn't want it.
Accepting that Kit was still stewing, Jade shifted her focus to Elora with a smile. "Save a dance for me, Lor," she requested as she grabbed their drinks and handed one to Hazel. Before stepping away, she leaned into Kit. "I like it when you’re bratty, even though you don’t like it when I am or when I’m being soft. Make up your mind," she teased gently before moving away. Despite being accustomed to their long-standing game of hot and cold, Jade couldn’t help but feel frustrated that Kit was never satisfied.
"That's real rich coming from you, Jade." Kit scoffed and rolled her eyes, not caring that the woman was already leading Hazel back out to dance. "She's the worst." She grumbled to Elora and downed another shot.
"I think Kit's mad at you," Hazel pointed out before taking a sip of her drink and flinching at the harsh champagne flavor. “Ewww, they gave me the wrong drink." She protested, looking into her glass to see if it looked any different. The taste was similar but harsh, with the burn of alcohol, unlike the first one.
“Kit’s always mad at me, Aze,” Jade sighed as she took a drink of her cocktail and looked at Hazel. “Are you sure?” she asked, eyeing Hazel's drink curiously, thinking it looked like the one she'd seen her drinking before.
"Yeah, try it. It tastes weird. The one I had before just tasted fruity.” Hazel explained and thrust her drink at Jade. "I don't think she's always mad at you, Jade. You guys have always been super close. Maybe you said or did something she misunderstood?" she suggested.
“I don't know, maybe I was an ass; I just want her to see me like she sees other people,” Jade sulked as she tried Hazel's drink. “Maybe they put less alcohol in it this time, but it tastes good to me."
"Hmm." Hazel hummed and took her drink back, taking a few more drinks to get used to the flavor before looking back up at Jade. "Why do you want her to see you like she sees other people? Other people aren't very special to her; you are." She pointed out casually as though it was just a known fact.
“Well, she likes people who are bol… What? You said I'm special to her?” Jade asked, looking at the woman, guiding her to a quieter area of the house so she could focus on the conversation.
Hazel furrowed her brow in confusion. "Of course you are; how do you not know that?" She asked in a surprised tone. "She used to get super happy when you were coming over; she'd even try to clean our room and stuff." She added with a shrug. "I had to share that room with her, and she'd never clean it for me." She grumbled and went back to drinking her drink, enjoying the pleasant buzz she was getting from it as she looked around, observing the other partygoers, trying to figure out what different people were dressed as.
“Kit likes girls who are forward, sexual… very flirty. I'm not like that,” Jade said quietly, opening up to Hazel. While not the best idea, Hazel had been her best friend once.
Moving her eyes back to Jade, Hazel raised a questioning eyebrow. "You're not?" She asked, shocked, having thought Jade seemed pretty forward to her. "You said you wanted to have sex with me." She reminded, watching the woman with a confused expression.
Feeling guilty for how she'd treated Hazel, Jade looked down regretfully. “Well, I don’t like to be; I guess I am a little, but not everything is about that, you know?” Jade said, looking back up. “Sorry if I scared you with that,” She winced, not proud that she’d let her abstinence get the best of her.
"I know. Nothing is about that for me. I don't understand any of that stuff." Hazel laughed and downed the last of her drink. "It's ok; I know you didn't believe I didn't know anything about it. It's not your fault." She assured and leaned back against the wall, eyeing her friend curiously. "You thought I was Kit for a while; maybe you were trying to be what you thought she wanted?" She suggested carefully, knowing a thing or two about pretending to please others.
Jade nodded. “Yeah. I think that’s true.” She agreed, looking at Hazel. “I’m not a douche.”
"But you did kind of want to practice with me, huh?" Hazel asked with a little knowing look.
“Well, yes, I’m sorry. I've been very confused,” Jade admitted in a guilty tone, smiling a little at Hazel's good nature, very aware she didn’t deserve the woman’s kindness.
Hazel nodded and looked down at her empty glass. "Can I try a shot?" She asked, looking up and giving the woman a small smile, unbothered.
“Sure,” Jade chuckled and shook her head. “I'll be right back," she reassured before heading over to the bar and grabbing them both a shot of tequila. "Here." She smiled as she returned to Hazel, handing the woman her drink.
"Thanks." Hazel smiled and clinked her glass against Jade's. "Cheers." She said, downing her drink in one go, shivering and shaking out her arms at the sensation. "That's strong." She laughed and set the glass down on the windowsill. "Why are you confused? You like Kit... you liked me because you thought I was Kit... even when we were kids, you liked Kit; I bet you didn't think of me in that way until that dare." She laughed and watched Jade closely, not offended, even if it did sting just a little.
“You’re always so kind” Jade spoke softly.
"That wasn't an answer, Jade," Hazel replied gently, sounding like the adult she was.
Happy to see the mature side of Hazel, Jade replied, “I always liked that you let me help you. You were always sweet, and I liked that day and all the days after that one, Hazey.” The woman said honestly, “But you never pushed back, and I realize now that I like pushback, too.”
"You always liked me as a friend; you didn't think of me as more until that day. You always liked Kit. I knew it then, too; that's why I was so surprised when you wanted to kiss me again." Hazel shrugged and looked away, watching the other people for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "I like you, Jade. I think I like you as more than a friend, but if I'm being honest, I'm not entirely sure. You're the only person I've ever kissed, and we've always been close. Also, I think we both know I'm not the best at understanding my emotions, but whatever I feel toward you, you're my friend first, and I'll support you." She reassured and gave the woman an understanding smile.
“You should kiss other people, like Elora,” Jade encouraged with a smile. “You seem to like each other, and Elora’s a good kisser.”
"I think we've had this conversation before... why would I kiss her? I barely know her." Hazel argued. "I never would have kissed you if PJ hadn't dared me, and I knew you really well." She added, trying to make the woman see how silly the idea was. "And..." She started and quickly stopped. "Wait, how do you know she's a good kisser?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at the woman suspiciously.
“What?” Jade asked, feeling guilty. “It was once at a frat party." She shrugged. "She likes you, Hazey; look at her!” She motioned towards where Elora was still sitting at the bar, this time alone.
"Wait, so the only person from our group you haven't kissed is Kit?" Hazel asked and shook her head at the woman, ignoring the rest of Jade's statement.
“Well, I never said that! We were in college together. She kissed a lot of girls, and one night, I was one of them, but it was just a small drunken peck. It wasn't either of our greatest moments. And… well…” Jade trailed off.
"Well, what?" Hazel pushed, watching the woman with a more scrutinizing look. "Did you two used to date or something? How did you not know I wasn't Kit then? Doesn't it feel different to kiss different people?" She asked curiously, assuming Jade and Kit had gotten together before.
“It was one peck; it hardly counted as a kiss. We never dated, lots of teasing and torturing, no dating ever. We did have sex, though, recent development.” Jade spoke calmly, guiding the woman into a bedroom to dampen the music. “I haven’t shared it with anyone because Kit wanted me to go on my date with you to figure out my feelings. She thinks I'm in love with you.” She opened up, looking down at her cup and smiling dimly. “What a strange problem to have,” She mumbled to herself.
"Oh." Hazel nodded and let herself absorb this new information. "how recent?" She asked carefully, thinking back over the last couple of days. It wasn't that she was jealous; she honestly didn't care if Jade liked Kit more. It was a simple fact in her mind, but she did care about being lied to or having things kept from her. She already struggled enough with knowing who and what to trust, and the idea that Jade would keep something from her made alarm bells go off in her mind.
“At the hotel… in New York. But we haven’t talked about or done anything since. In fact, she’s rejected me every step of the way,” Jade said honestly, watching Hazel for a reaction.
Surprised, Hazel took a few steps back and sat down on the edge of the bed. "You and Kit..." She trailed off, remembering her mother complained about the noise coming from their room, and she started to put the pieces together. "Did you hurt her? Her neck was bruised." She mumbled, fidgeting with her fingers as she recalled the details of the next morning in the hotel and wondered if Jade had put those marks on her sister.
“No, I didn’t… I didn’t hurt her. Those were what people call love bites; she left some on me, too. Full consent given,” Jade said quickly.
"I see,” Hazel muttered, keeping her eyes on her hands, embarrassed for not knowing anything about that stuff and realizing Kit had lied to her in a way when she'd asked about the bruises. "The next morning, you..." She trailed off and looked up at the woman, chewing on her bottom lip as she tried to work out what she wanted to say, eventually deciding she didn't want to talk about it anymore. "I guess I should look up some stuff." She laughed ruefully, clenching her jaw and looking around the room, anything to avoid looking at Jade. She suddenly found herself wanting to research and ensure she couldn't look stupid again. It was something she'd avoided, having no genuine interest and believing it all to be bad, but now it seemed necessary.
“Hazel, I need to be honest with you; after it, Kit told me I needed to make a choice and decide. I went to you, and we talked, and those things happened." Jade recounted regretfully. "I want you to know I have been confused, as I mentioned, but seeing you and Elora together has made me realize I'm just very protective." She continued gently, feeling a sense of relief as she felt the truth in her own words. "And Kit probably wasn’t honest with you because she was embarrassed and didn’t want you to be hurt if you knew I gave her the hickeys. - that’s what those bruises are called.” She watched Hazel closely as the woman nodded, seemingly absorbing the information. “Don’t be embarrassed, though. There’s stuff you don’t know, and you can always ask, I can answer, or Elora can answer.” She concluded in a reassuring tone.
"First, I'm not asking Elora about that stuff." Hazel scoffed and got up. "Second, you stopped liking me because I have a friend? I don't understand Jade." She added incredulously and continued before Jade could answer. "I don't care that you like Kit more; I get it. But I do care about being lied to." She scowled. "I know I don't know everything I should know at my age; trust me, I'm well aware of it but don't treat me like I'm a fucking child. I'm not! sex just hasn't been something I've had the time to care about." She added firmly, leveling Jade with a severe look. "You say you're just protective; what does that mean? Tell me." She insisted, stepping closer to the woman. "If I asked you to have sex right now, would you say no?" She challenged, narrowing her eyes at Jade as she stood right before her and looked up to meet her eyes.
Trying to process everything Hazel had said, Jade looked down at the shorter woman and gave her a soft, curious look, understanding Hazel's anger but surprised by the challenge. “There's a lot to unpack there, and I'm going to try my best, but first, why don't you want to ask Elora about that stuff? She doesn’t get embarrassed! Think about it while I address the other stuff,” She said gently and took a deep breath, knowing she needed to truly open up. “I love you, Hazel. I will always love you, and you’ll always hold a part of my heart. You’re smart, attractive, and kind. Everything a woman wants. And none of my actions are because of your upbringing or lack of experience.” She gave the woman an earnest look before continuing. “I’m protective, and at first, I wasn't happy with you hanging out with Elora; then I saw how she looks at you, and I see how she cares and is able to soothe you so easily.” She sat down, taking the woman’s hand. “I’d be very tempted to say yes, Haze, maybe for the right or wrong reasons.” She admitted, letting herself ponder those reasons for a moment and choosing to ignore the questionable ones as she looked up at the younger woman with a sincere look, a part of her wishing she could help the woman learn this part of life like she'd helped with many other things in their youth and wondering if maybe she owed it to her for everything she'd put her through. Still, another more rational part recognized how unfair it would be. Hazel deserved to figure those things out with somebody who loved her like Jade loved Kit. “Because I want you to have the best time, but we’d both know it wouldn’t feel right, wouldn't we?” she asked gently, a little reflective and sad as she silently acknowledged closing a chapter of her life she'd carried with her for years.
Looking down at their joined hands, Hazel idly played with Jade's fingers as she thought about it. "I trust you; you and Kit are the only two people I've ever really trusted..." She trailed off and glanced at the woman's face, "Do you love Kit? Because you didn't say no, Jade... you said it might be wrong, but that's not no." She pointed out carefully, taking a deep breath, knowing she should walk away and let it go, but she couldn't do it; the alcohol made her bolder, and she needed to be sure for her sake and Kit's.
“I do. I love her, Hazey. So much,” Jade spoke softly.
Satisfied, Hazel let go of Jade's hand and stepped back, accepting the shift in their dynamic. "Then the answer is no." She added decisively, giving the woman a small smile. "Don't hurt her, Jade... I've spent almost my whole life learning how to hurt people, and trust me when I tell you, I will use all of that knowledge on you if you hurt her." She warned gently, feeling a sense of loss but also hoping the woman would be good for her sister.
“I can't promise I won’t, but I can promise I will try my damnest not to,” Jade said sincerely. "Are we okay? Can we still be best friends?” she asked, worried.
“Well, if you do hurt her, I can't promise I won't hurt you,” Hazel threatened with a playful wink before becoming more serious. “We’re okay," she reassured softly. “I do want another drink, though." She laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
“Noted. Thank you, Haze,” Jade said and offered her hand for a shake. “And I'm serious. You can come to me to ask questions.”
"Thanks, but I don't think I'll have any more questions about that stuff,” Hazel replied honestly as she shook the woman's hand.
“Oh, Hazel.” Jade sighed. “Promise me you’ll be open to possibilities,” She said, standing up.
"Sure, but I've never really cared about that stuff. You were the only reason I even thought about it, 'cause kissing you was fun, but I don't need it. Honestly, it all seems like a huge hassle." Hazel laughed and shrugged. "Help me get that drink though?" She asked and smiled at the woman.
“Sure, let’s go. But really, you should kiss someone else to see how you feel.” Jade opened the door and let the girl exit first.
"Nah, I'm good." Hazel dismissed and made her way to the bar, navigating through the people easier. "I honestly don't even know how I was able to kiss you." She admitted, calling over the music.
Jade laughed, “Gee, thanks.”
"I didn't mean it like that. I just mean, I don't know how I managed to kiss you. And you're the only person outside my family I ever felt close to, so I can't even imagine kissing anybody else." Hazel explained and pointed to the bar, wiggling her eyebrows playfully, really wanting that next drink.
“You’ll get there,” Jade said, knowing Elora was very much into the girl.
"But I don't want to get there. All I want is a drink, and you seem to be avoiding getting me one," Hazel smirked. “Come on, Jade. You can't break a person's heart and then refuse to get them a drink to drown their sorrows," she joked.
“You’re funny!” Jade rolled her eyes in amusement and motioned the bartender over, quickly ordering them each a drink and handing it to the girl. "Cheers."
"Cheers." Hazel grinned, lifting her glass to Jade and then downing it, chasing more of the relaxed feeling the drinks brought.
“OK, the thing with alcohol is don’t overdo it, ok? Cause you’ll regret it if you do,” Jade warned with a smile, then waved to Kit and Elora, who were bringing down the dance floor, noticing Kit was no longer in the dress, but under the blacklights, it was hard to make out what precisely the outfit was, other than pants and a shirt of some sort, whatever it was, it looked just as good as the dress had. It didn't shock her that Kit had brought a change of clothes; the girl never did like dresses much.
"I'll be fine,” Hazel assured with a big smile, words Kit had spoken many times before being decidedly not fine. Looking around, her eyes found Kit and Elora in the crowd, and she took a moment to watch the way they danced with abandon, thinking it looked fun and scary all at the same time, so she dragged her eyes away, surveying the rest of the room, focus zeroing in on a tall man cheering people on in a very animated way. "Come here." She spoke, grabbing Jade's wrist and pulling the woman towards what appeared to be a competition of sorts. People were taking shot after shot, and others were cheering them on. "I wanna try." She spoke at Jade a little louder than she intended, drawing the tall man's attention.
“Sure, love...I'm sure you'll do great." The man laughed sarcastically as he sized her up and then glanced at Jade with an amused look.
Frowning, Hazel looked between the goofy-looking man and Jade for a second. "Sarcasm?" she asked Jade.
“Yes!” Jade said emphatically, “Hazel, you barely drink alcohol. This will fuck you up,” she said, looking at the dance floor, trying to get Kit’s or Elora’s attention; either would work as long as they came to the rescue. “Not cool, Boorman!” she said to the tall man, who threw up his hands like it wasn't on him.
"What did I do?" He asked innocently as Hazel ignored Jade and pushed her way into the line of people waiting to play, never one to turn down a challenge. Pretty soon, it was Hazel's turn, and what she lacked in experience, she made up for in determination, taking shot after shot and grinning devilishly each time a competitor dropped out. It wasn't that it didn't affect her; it was more that she didn't recognize limits and could ignore the effects as long as she was sitting and spurred on by the high of winning.
Hearing the commotion, Elora pulled Kit to see what was happening and found Hazel going shot for shot with each competitor. “Oh my god! Why did you let her do that?!” Elora exclaimed, punching Jade’s arm, while Kit rolled up her sleeves and sized up the men in line to go next.
“What the hell, Lor! Like I could stop her? I tried to get your attention! But you two were too busy humping each other on the dance floor,” Jade defended, rubbing her arm, doing a double take as she finally got a good look at Kit's new outfit, leather pants and a green tunic with a plunging neckline much like the dress, a little Peter pan, a little Robinhood and a lot attractive in Jade’s opinion.
“Okay, eyes on our girl Claymore; what's wrong with you?” Elora said, exasperated as she watched Hazel take another shot and winced, knowing the woman would pay for it later.
"I'm next!” Kit announced, holding her hand up and pushing in front of the waiting line, ignoring their protests. Knowing Hazel would never let them pull her away from the game, Kit figured she’d beat her at it and force her away instead. At least that was the noble reason she gave herself, choosing to ignore the deeply competitive side of herself that simply wanted to beat her sister at something.
“Oh great,” Jade face palmed, “now they'll compete until they drop. it's like our childhood all over again.” She groaned as she watched Kit bouncing impatiently, waiting for the current challenger to drop out so she could join.
“That bad, huh?” Elora asked and thought better of it. “Never mind, don’t tell me. I gotta go over there,” she said and rushed over to “Hazel. Haze, hey husband, are you OK?” she asked sweetly, and Hazel held up a finger as she took another shot.
Slamming her shot glass onto the table, Hazel wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked up at Elora with blurry eyes, resting her hands on her knees for stability. "Yup." She answered, popping the p and flashing the woman a huge smile before focusing on the person who sat down across from her, unknowingly tuning Elora out. ”Kit.” She exclaimed, opening her arms excitedly before leaning forward a bit. "You wouldn't believe what I've been doing." She spoke in a conspiratorial tone but still loud enough to be heard, not quite registering that Kit was her next challenger.
“Oh yes, I would. Prepare to lose.” Kit grinned as she looked across at her sister and then at Elora. “Don’t worry; I got this; she won’t last.” She smirked and winked at the redhead, who shook her head disapprovingly.
Realizing what her sister meant, Hazel scoffed. "I've been lasting just fine. You're going down." She announced and motioned for another shot. “Another," She called, far more social in her drunken state.
“Dad’s gonna kill me, Sorsha’s gonna kill me,” Jade muttered to no one in particular, knowing how bad this was about to get.
"If I don't kill you first." Scorpia quipped, slapping a hand onto Jade's shoulder to get her sister's attention. "What exactly is happening here?" She asked and then shot her fiance a glare. "I go out for fifteen minutes for more ice and I come back to my kitchen turned into..." She trailed off, motioning towards the mess that was happening in front of them: alcohol running off the sides of the table and onto the floor, glasses tipped over, some broken, and the Tanthalos twins going shot for shot, neither looking particularly sober to start with.
“Well, we decided to give the party a more lively activity,” Boorman defended with a sheepish smile, knowing he would be in big trouble later.
"Yeah? Well, you're cleaning up and dealing with those two after." Scorpia spoke in an authoritative tone as she motioned to the twins. “And you're sleeping on the couch," she added and rolled her eyes at the man before marching off.
“She didn’t say we have to stop!” Boorman cheered, then leaned close to Elora. “I’ll win my way back into bed,” he whispered confidently, waggling his eyebrows at Elora, who frowned in disgust and moved away, to which he shrugged, nonplussed.
“Kit, hon. Maybe just let her win?” Jade suggested carefully, “She’s pretty hammered and not used to alcohol. I know you can drink everyone here under the table, but that doesn’t mean you should,” She spoke softly, her hand resting on the woman’s upper back.
Setting her glass down, Kit watched her sister call for another drink and shook her head before looking up at Jade and grabbing the back of her neck, pulling her down. "If she wins, she goes against somebody else. If I win, she has to stop." She spoke into the woman’s ear.
Jade gulped, and Kit let her go. “You’re brilliant, and the outfit is chef’s kiss,” Jade complimented with a smile. “Good luck, babe,” she added, proud that Kit had an actual plan and wasn't just being competitive.
"I don't need luck... It's all skill and natural talent, remember?" Kit threw out a variation of her favorite childhood line with a cocky grin, followed by a wink.
“Don’t forget the arrogance, Princess,” Jade reminded softly, kissing the woman’s cheek, a sucker for the woman’s bravado.
"Can't forget that." Kit agreed with a big smile and turned her attention back to winning. She was honestly shocked Hazel was still matching her.
Jade shook her head and looked at Hazel’s eyes, noting how glassy they were. Then she looked at Elora, silently asking the woman not to let the older twin fall. And Elora nodded, having already been thinking of ways to pull Hazel away from the game.
Once the twins went another full round, Elora grabbed a cup of cranberry juice and spilled it on her leg before leaning down near Hazel and speaking softly. “Haze, I need your help.”
Tearing her eyes away from Kit, Hazel looked up at Elora, squinting to try and make her vision clear. "My help?" She asked, pointing to herself and giggling, her words coming out slightly slurred.
“Yeah, a jerk spilled his drink on me, and I need help cleaning up. Can you come with me? Please?” Elora asked in her best sweet tone. She hated lying but couldn't think of any other way to get through.
"Who did it? Where is he? I'll kick his ass!” Hazel proclaimed, standing up abruptly and sitting back down just as fast, grabbing the edges of the table for support. "Ohhh, it's a boathouse." She muttered to herself and Jade and Elora shot each other an amused look.
“Alright, woah, Rocky, you won’t be kicking any butt like this,” Elora said as she moved closer, holding the girl's shoulders to help steady her. “Help?” she asked Jade. “And No, you’re just a bit tipsy.” She smiled, finding it all adorable despite her worry. She knew the way Hazel experienced the world was, at times, challenging and sad, but some experiences seemed joyful, such as this one. A cute, very drunk Hazel made for a bit more of the pouty look Elora had grown accustomed to and adored.
"I win! She stood up! I win!" Kit proclaimed quickly, pointing at Hazel, making sure everybody acknowledged her victory.
"No, the table's a bit tipsy." Hazel slurred back to Elora, placing her palms flat on either edge of the table, trying to keep it still. "Stop moving!” she commanded in an irritated tone before Kit's words registered. “Hey, that's not fair. I won; you're just a sore loser." She accused and glared at her sister; at least she was pretty sure it was Kit she was looking at.
“Maybe I am a sore loser, but this time, you’re out.” Kit jeered. “Next, please,” She called, motioning for Elora to start moving her sister, Hazel's words stinging a bit since deep down she thought she’d lost Jade to her, given that she'd seen them disappear into a room together.
“Hazel, come on, I think I saw donuts over in the game room,” Elora said as she tried to hold the woman steady, not loving this part of seeing Hazel drunk.
"You're a cheater, Kit." Hazel glowered at her sister. “But I do love donuts, so we'll finish this later." She promised, pointing a finger at Kit before grabbing onto Elora's shoulder firmly with one hand while making a sweeping gesture with her other arm. "To the donuts," she announced, nearly falling over with the momentum of her arm.
Elora giggled at the woman’s gesture, gripping her waist and walking toward the game room where all the hangover cures and fatty foods were located. “You’re hilarious, Anakin!” she remarked as they took careful steps, swaying all the way to the back room.
"Hmm, I won, you know... Kit's a big fat cheater. I shoulda force choked her." Hazel grumbled, her face running through a myriad of expressions, ranging from upset and thoughtful to pleased with herself.
Laughing at the way Hazel protested and the pleased look on the woman’s face, Elora was fascinated and torn. She wanted to both hold this woman near and kiss the cute smile and cute expressions and be mad at her for being drunk, but all she could do was smile earnestly at the radiant face in front of her. “You did win, and I’m proud of you, but I’m glad to eat some donuts,“ Elora said, sitting them both on a couch and reaching for the pastries, feeding Hazel a Boston cream one. ”I think force-choking her would’ve been a good bit, too,” she chuckled, thinking back to Hazel's comment.
"Mhm, it's one of my special talents!” Hazel proclaimed proudly after swallowing the bite she'd taken and promptly opened her mouth for the next bite, waiting for Elora to feed it to her again.
Withholding the donut with a smile, Elora looked at the woman. “Is that so?” she asked in a playful tone. Watching the girl, open-mouthed and waiting to be fed, lit a different fire in Elora’s chest. Hazel was handsome and soft, and Elora was now sure she couldn’t get over her.
Leaning forward to try to get the donut, Hazel pouted a little as it continued to be held away from her. “Mhm, want me to show you?" she asked in a playful warning tone, narrowing her eyes at the woman and pointing to the donut, making it clear she wanted another bite.
Giggling like a schoolgirl at Hazel's pouty look, Elora looked at her with squinted eyes. “Is that a threat, Rocky? Gonna force choke me, too? What if I like it?” she challenged playfully, offering Hazel the donut but pulling it away at the last second, appreciating getting to be equally playful with the woman, who leaned forward, trying to chase the bite while Elora leaned back to dodge her, Hazel nearly landing in her lap but pulling back at the last possible second with a scowl on her face.
Steadying herself again, Hazel huffed and eyed the donut intensely as though trying to use ‘the force’ to bring it her way, but gave up quickly as she remembered what they'd been talking about. "Why would you like it?" she asked, tilting her head to the side curiously as she focused on Elora. “And why do you keep calling me Rocky? I'm Anakin," she reminded in an offended tone, pulling at the front of her costume to show the woman.
“Easy tiger, some people like playful choking. I may be some people,” she said, playfully dangling the sweet in front of Hazel. “You were threatening to kick someone’s ass like the boxing fighter Rocky, but I am very aware you’re my Anakin, hot shot,” she said, finally feeding Hazel the bite and then licking the chocolate from her fingers.
"Mmm." Hazel moaned in delight and nodded a little to acknowledge the woman's words. "So good." She muttered and gave the woman a goofy and expectant smile, eyeing the last bite of the donut hopefully.
Elora giggled as she followed the woman's eyes. “Hm… you’re hoping to get this piece?” she asked, leaning a bit closer as she watched Hazel intently, fighting the temptation to close the gap, knowing it wouldn’t be the right move.
"Mhm." Hazel nodded, eyes still on the donut.
Seeing Hazel's total lack of interest in her, Elora shook her head in amusement and held the dessert in front of her and closer to the woman's lips. “Hmm… I wonder if you deserve it.” She spoke softly and gently placed the dessert against Hazel's lips.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed and nodded again, this time licking into the donut to get a taste since Elora's fingers were too close for her to take a proper bite.
With a smile on her lips, Elora spoke up. “Babe, open up?” she gulped hard, feeling her stomach do happy flops as she watched the woman with rapt attention.
Hazel quirked an eyebrow and smirked at the woman, feeling triumphant. “Yes, Ma'am." She answered in a playfully obedient tone and did as she was told, happily waiting for the donut to be fed to her.
Yes, she'll be the death of me … she will literally kill me, Elora thought as she dropped the donut into the woman’s mouth. “Good girl,” she spoke with a smirk.
Wincing a little at Elora's comment, Hazel pulled back and finished the bite, hands in her lap and eyes downcast. "You shouldn't like people choking you; that could be dangerous," she mumbled after swallowing her food, her mind drifting back to the earlier subject.
Noting the woman's reaction, Elora filed it away for a later time: “I will take it under advisement. Going to kiss your cheek now, ok?” She said, knowing what she wanted to do couldn’t happen then. Hazel was drunk. Buzzed, OK, drunk was a no-go. Hazel glanced at the woman and nodded, offering the smallest quirk of a smile, happy the woman warned her. “Let’s dance that alcohol away?” Elora asked, trying to be responsible and cautious with both of their emotions and kissed the girl's cheek, accidentally catching just the corner of her mouth when Hazel turned her head to look at a passing couple.
Startled, Hazel looked at Elora curiously for a moment before nodding. "I can try." She shrugged and got up carefully, taking a moment to catch her balance before offering Elora her hand to help her, not forgetting her manners.
“Thank you, my dear husband,” Elora said, smiling and happily taking Hazel's hand. She was amazed that the woman was chivalrous, even in a drunken state.
"Of course." Hazel smiled and tightened her hold on the woman's hand, leaning into her subtly for support as they made their way back to the dance floor, the lights and sounds even more overwhelming as she really concentrated on them.
“Hey, I know it’s a lot; just close your eyes and follow the music,” Elora said carefully, ready to take them back to the game room if needed.
"I think closing my eyes actually makes it worse," Hazel called back to the woman and focused on Elora instead as she took her place in front of the woman, taking her other hand for extra support.
“Ok, let’s not close your eyes then. Can you keep looking at me?” Elora asked as she moved them lightly, getting used to the beat.
"Mhm, I think I can do that," Hazel replied almost too quietly to be heard as she took a moment to study the woman's features, trying to block everything out but also finding she really liked looking at the woman.
“First-time drunk, huh?” Elora asked with a smile, unable to stop smiling at the way Hazel looked at her, a force field almost too strong to resist.
"Not drunk, just mildly... " Hazel trailed off, scrunching up her face as she tried to think of a better word that wouldn't mean defeat.
“Buzzed?” Elora offered with an indulgent smile as she moved their hips closer, picking up the pace as the music got faster.
"Maybe." Hazel accepted and smiled sheepishly at the woman before looking down, noticing how close they were, finding it a lot easier to be loose in her 'buzzed' state.
“Hmm…” Elora smiled. “You’re adorable. I'm going to place my arms around your neck, okay?” she asked carefully, waiting until she was sure Hazel was ok with it.
"Ok, as long as you don't try and choke me." Hazel joked and then bit her lip, letting go of Elora's hands and looking at her own, trying to figure out what to do with them.
Elora giggled at the perplexed look on Hazel's face. “You can put yours around my waist,” She offered sweetly as she looped her arms around the back of Hazel's neck, smiling as the girl looked up and nodded sheepishly, looking a little embarrassed as she mumbled a quick thank you and rested her hands on Elora's hips tentatively instead, causing Elora to bite her lip lightly as she felt her pulse quicken and temperature rise at the light touch. “I won’t choke you, sweetheart, but that reminds me. When were you going to tell me I die?” Elora inquired playfully, arching an eyebrow at the younger woman.
Giving Elora a guilty look, Hazel shrugged. "You looked it up, huh?" she asked sheepishly as she idly ran her thumbs over the material on the woman's hips, liking the texture of the costume.
“Yeah, I want to watch the movie, but when I was looking at the costume, I saw some spoilers. You didn’t have to protect me, but I love that you did. It was very sweet and caring,” Elora said with a smile, toying with the hair at the base of the girl's neck.
"I never liked that part of the movie,” Hazel admitted and closed her eyes a little at the soothing feeling of Elora's touch, finding it grounding when everything else felt a little wobbly; she briefly wondered if she would enjoy it when she was sober, too.
“Yeah? What would you do differently if you were the writer?” Elora asked, pulling the girl closer as the Ghostbuster’s theme started.
"I don't know... for the story, it had to happen, but ideally, Anakin would have seen what the emperor was doing to him and listened to Obi-Wan and Padme when they tried to save him instead of letting his fear and jealousy consume him." Hazel shrugged and then smiled as she recognized the song. "I like this one." She announced happily, tightening her hold on Elora's hips to keep her balance.
Once again, Elora couldn't help but notice the parallels. “I hope you don’t let fear consume you," she spoke gently. “And yes, it’s my Halloween favorite,” she added with a big smile as she let go of Hazel and backed up a bit, dancing animatedly to the music, miming actions that went along with the lyrics while Hazel laughed.
Knowing she often did, Hazel chose not to answer Elora directly, instead focusing on trying to mirror her moves without falling while coming up with her own for the lyrics, pointing at Elora and imitating a phone call whenever it said, 'Who you gonna call?' "The Monster Mash is my favorite," she divulged after a while, chuckling softly.
“Yeah? I like that one, too!” Elora said as she moved into Hazel, placing her hands back on the woman's shoulders as the song faded, just in time for the monster Mash to start.
“Hey!" Hazel exclaimed with a big goofy smile and pointed up, indicating the song. "What do you think the monster mash looks like?" She asked curiously, Elora's hands on her shoulders being the only thing keeping her from falling.
“As in the dance? I imagine it's something like this,” Elora smirked as she rolled her hips into the woman.
"Yeah..." Hazel started and lost track of whatever she was going to say. “Oh," she muttered and gulped, feeling a little warm all of a sudden.
“What do you think?” Elora asked as she watched the girl with a curious smile.
"I think it's possible... "Hazel mumbled and licked her lips lightly as she stroked her thumbs over the woman's hips a bit more, looking for something to ground her.
Elora smiled and looked at the girl. “Ok, so it also works if we dance this way,” She said as she turned around and moved back into Hazel, pressing her back to the girl’s front, moving to the beat as she placed the girl’s hands on her hips and reached back wrapping her hands around Hazel’s neck pulling them close as she moved to the monster mash, showing the woman a different way to dance.
Not sure where else to place her head, Hazel rested her chin on the woman's shoulder like she had at the haunted house, pressing her fingers into Elora's hips and taking a quick breath at the feeling of the woman pressed up against her. "This is... close." She muttered softly near the woman's neck, resisting the urge to bury her face there as she caught a whiff of her perfume, a scent that was pleasant and not overwhelming.
Elora smiled as she rolled her hips to the beat. “Yeah, do you hate it?” she asked, wanting to make sure the woman wasn't uncomfortable.
Closing her eyes in response to the woman's move, Hazel shook her head. "N-No... it's just new." She spoke softly, fingers clenching and unclenching on the woman's hips in a nervous tick.
Biting her lip at how perfect her body felt against Hazel’s, Elora spoke, “If you need, you can squeeze hard.” She knew the girl might need an outlet as the song ended, but they kept moving, as Elora was not ready to let go of Hazel.
"I don't want to hurt you," Hazel replied softly, lips almost brushing against the woman's neck as she turned her face to try and look at the woman, biting at her bottom lip to resist the temptation to bite the woman in reflex, much like she'd captured Jade's fingers.
“Oh, you won’t hurt me, promise,” Elora said, letting out a moan as she felt the girl’s proximity to her neck, almost melting under the woman’s embrace.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed disbelievingly, eyeing Elora’s profile curiously and squeezing her hips a bit harder as instructed, still being careful not to hurt her. "You smell good," Hazel spoke suddenly, finally losing her battle to keep her mouth shut and saying what she'd been thinking for a few minutes.
The sound of Hazel’s voice entranced Elora. "Yeah? Thanks,” she spoke softly, letting out another little moan, biting her lip, as her hand dove into Hazel’s hair, massaging the girl's head lightly.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed and closed her eyes, nuzzling her chin against the woman's shoulder lightly, taking comfort in the texture of her shirt as she got used to the feel of the woman's hand in her hair. It was pleasant, like when Jade had done it, but just like then, it made her feel like burrowing as close to the woman as possible.
“Closer,” Elora requested softly, loving how her body felt so comfortable pressed against Hazel. “You see, moving as one.” She said as she thrust her hips back and rolled her bottom against the woman.
"Ah." Hazel gasped in surprise and bit the woman's shoulder lightly, trying to find a way to soothe her nerves, and instantly pulled away from the woman when she realized what she'd done, stumbling into another partygoer in the process and suddenly the lights, the sounds, the smells and the press of other people around her was too much, assaulting her senses from all directions until she was walking in circles hitting out randomly to try and find space and keep from tripping.
Seeing what was happening, Elora instantly felt guilty for pushing too far. “Hazel, it’s okay. I’m fine. Come on, let’s get some air,” she said quickly, pulling Hazel by her tunic.
“No! Don't touch! Don't touch!” Hazel yelped and tried to pull away from the woman, afraid the girl would touch her. "Space, give space." She added, smacking at the sides of her head in an effort to calm back down.
Putting her hands up, Elora nodded in understanding. “Ok, I won’t touch, but follow me, okay?” She spoke softly, and Hazel nodded, still hitting herself in the head. But Elora knew she couldn't help her until she got away from all of the extra stimulation, so she quickly cleared a path to the backyard, moving people out of Hazel's way, glancing back at her continuously to ensure she was still following.
Hazel continued to hit her head but followed the woman carefully, staggering the whole way, alcohol still heavy in her system, making everything feel like a funhouse maze without the support of the other woman keeping her up. "I think I'm gonna be sick." She announced in a panicked tone, stopping suddenly and bracing her hand on a wall for support, eyeing the glass door that led to the backyard as she tried to determine how many more steps it would take to get there.
Elora cautiously approached, feeling helpless as she watched the woman struggle and wished she could offer physical support. “Deep breath, I’m sorry,” She said soothingly, doing her best to comfort from an acceptable distance.
"It's fine." Hazel bit back defensively, embarrassed and irritated with herself, not even registering as Kit and Jade came to check on her.
"What did you do?" Kit asked, turning accusing eyes toward Elora as she moved to stand between the woman and Hazel; not much better off than Hazel when it came to the amount of Alcohol in her system, but far better at handling it. Not waiting for Elora to answer, she huffed and turned around to focus on her sister. "Come here." She instructed, grabbing Hazel by the shoulders, ignoring the girl's protests as she guided her into the guest bedroom, knowing she needed a quiet space to calm down. "Sit." She commanded, forcibly sitting her sister down on the bed and then letting go of her, rolling her eyes as Hazel started scratching at her shoulders angrily in protest. "Thank you, Kit, for being so nice and finding me a quiet place to relax..." Kit spoke as though she were Hazel. "You're welcome, dear sister. Anything for you." She continued, earning an irritated glare from Hazel who groaned and laid back on the bed miserably.
"Thank you, Kit... I'm sorry, everything is just a lot right now." Hazel groaned and laid an arm across her eyes to block out the light.
Indignant at how Kit talked to her, Elora glared at the woman. “Thank you, Kit, but I had it handled. And I don't appreciate the accusation; it wasn't right.” the redhead said, looking at Jade with a look that said, ‘Tame your woman.’ Jade held up her hands, making it clear she didn't want to be a part of whatever was happening. "We were dancing. Jade let her get drunk. I was trying to get her to sober up.” Elora added, too angry to accept that Kit wasn't exactly wrong. Jade scoffed at Elora's accusation but kept her thoughts to herself, knowing tempers were too hot.
Seeing the look the woman gave Jade, Kit narrowed her eyes. "Don't fucking look at her like she controls me, Elora... If you want her to control anybody, it should be her girlfriend." She snapped and motioned towards Hazel, who'd passed out moments after covering her eyes.
At that, Jade couldn't hold her tongue any longer. “Excuse me. She’s not my girlfriend.” She protested, frustrated with Kit’s insistence.
"No? So just somebody you fuck for fun, then?" Kit sneered and glared at Jade. "I saw you two sneak in here earlier. We're not thirteen anymore; you can stop sneaking around." She hissed, poking Jade in the chest.
“What the fuck Kit!?” Jade asked angrily. “I didn’t… we didn’t; we came here to escape the noise.”
Looking at Jade, Elora gave her a doubtful look. “Okay, but why did you take forever to leave? Why did you have her drink a lot? I was giving her virgin drinks so she'd do stuff on her own and relax without needing the assistance of alcohol.”
“Yeah, Jade, why?" Kit agreed and gave the woman a challenging look.
“We talked, we talked about things, and we agreed on a few things, and not having sex was one of them,” Jade said, looking at Kit sadly, disappointed the woman she loved doubted her this much.
"So sex was on the table," Kit replied with raised eyebrows, arms crossed, as she watched Jade closely, practically daring her to say the wrong thing.
“No, it was not, but it was discussed. My feelings and our friendship were also discussed. Not that it matters,” Jade said, looking at Kit, trying to convey the conversation with her eyes but clearly failing.
"I don't think I believe you, Jade,” Kit replied honestly, thinking back on how the woman had nearly slept with Hazel, then had slept with her and seemed only interested in checking her out the whole night. "I know you said sex wasn't on the table, but can you look me in the eye and honestly say that, Jade?" She asked, taking a step closer and looking the woman in the eye. "I told you to figure yourself out, and it's fine if you chose her, but don't lie to me. I didn't say what I said to upset you; I said it because Elora was acting like you're my girlfriend when that isn't the case." She added in a calmer tone, reigning in her jealousy as she remembered that she'd encouraged Jade to explore her feelings.
Elora sat on the bed next to Hazel, watching the woman sleep as she let the other two women discuss whatever issue they clearly had.
Looking at Kit and controlling the emotions that boiled in her, Jade spoke quietly. “Yeah, I can look you in the face and tell you that while we discussed sex, I made up my mind about not having sex with her. I got myself figured out.” Jade said, watching Kit intently, and then looked at Elora. “Then we decided to get drinks, that’s all!”
Taking a deep breath, Kit gave Jade a searching look, not daring to hope the woman had chosen her. "So if she'd wanted it... you would have said no?" She asked one more time, trying to be certain it was Jade who had made the choice and not Hazel.
Jade looked at the woman, her expression revealing nothing. "Yes, Kit, I told her. If I said yes, it would be for the wrong reasons. I also told her I was tempted." She fixed Kit with an unwavering look, owning up to her brief temptation.
"So she asked you to?" Kit asked and glanced toward her passed-out sister. "What would the wrong reasons be, Jade?" She asked, turning her attention back to the taller woman, doing her best to stay calm and not just walk away before she heard the woman out.
Jade gave the woman a guilty look and sighed. "Untamed lust, to even some imaginary score because I'm petty and jealous, fast relief because she looks like you." The woman said, glancing around and spotting Elora. This wasn't how she wanted to do this, especially not in front of others. "To be completely honest, I was acting different because I thought that’s what you liked," Jade admitted, her voice sincere. "And Hazel helped me see what I was blind to all those years." She looked at Kit with hope in her eyes.
Kit took a moment to process the woman's words, trying to figure out if she believed her and if it was enough anymore. "Jade... if you're lusting after her, how can you stand there and try and convince me I'm your choice?" She asked seriously. "I'd like to believe you, I'd like to be happy with what I'm hearing, but all I feel is apprehensive. I'm quite frankly terrified of giving you my heart and having you break it. I'm scared you're gonna give into that temptation someday. Maybe when we fight, you'll go find the version of me that doesn't fight back, the one who's always made you feel needed or wanted in ways I failed to, and you'll take from her what you can't get from me, and you'll end up hurting us all in the end." She admitted, laying all her cards on the table for the woman.
"I wasn’t lusting after her, Kit. I was lusting after you in that dress and this tunic, the one who’s independent and combative. I love your sister, but now I know it’s not the same as how I feel about you. She’s my best friend, but you… you’re the best friend I want to spend my life with." She spoke softly. "I understand you not wanting to get hurt. I've been in that position, and I hope you do protect your heart. But I’m going to prove it to you. I’m going to prove that my feelings are real." She concluded, opening her heart. She felt like she'd run a marathon; her pulse was fast, and her hands were shaking—all cards on the table.
"And if I say no? If it's too late for us? What then? Would you seek comfort with her?" Kit pressed; she refused to give Jade her heart so easily.
“No, I will go back to my life of pining alone,” Jade spoke decidedly.
"Are you saying that because you think it's the right answer or because your feelings for her truly don't go beyond friendship?" Kit continued to interrogate the woman, not sure she'd be satisfied with any answer the woman could give, but also not ready to just walk away either. She loved Jade, even if it was possibly the dumbest thing she'd ever done.
Jade took a step closer to Kit and looked her in the eye. “I'm saying this because your sister is a friend. I realized she’s not my first thought in the morning or my last thought at night; you are, Kit.”
Feeling tears well up in her eyes, Kit quickly looked away, not comfortable being so vulnerable when she was still so scared. "If you're being honest, you won't mind taking this slow. I want to go on real dates and see where this goes. I don't want to just jump into a relationship." She stated her terms and looked up at the woman with defiance, leaving no room for sympathy.
“Whatever you need, you control the speed. Your terms.” Jade said, nodding emphatically. Even if this was the closest she’d ever get to being with Kit, she was going to do her best.
"It's not what I need, Jade; it's what we need. You've been confused. You can't just pretend like everything’s perfect because you think you had an epiphany. I want you to get to know me the way anybody else would have to. We're best friends, but this is different." Kit reasoned and took Jade's hands in hers. "You said yourself you haven't been acting like yourself because you thought I wanted a certain type of person; that proves you don't know me the way you think you do." She added with a knowing look. "Show me the real you, and I promise to do the same." She finished kindly.
Jade listened attentively and looked at their joined hands. “Katherine Tanthalos, will you go on a date with me?” she asked with a small smile. “I want to get to know you.”
Allowing a slow smile to spread across her face, Kit nodded. "I'd be very into that." She answered softly.
Notes:
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Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Summary:
Post-party consequences, Feelings blossom, Our faves get outside!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
As the party wound down and the other guests departed, Hazel, Kit, Jade, and Elora remained behind. With Hazel sound asleep on the guest bed and the others having indulged in drinks, Scorpia suggested they spend the night. She insisted that Kit stay with Hazel while Elora and Jade shared the pull-out bed in the den, her way of ensuring Jade would have to keep her distance from Kit and that her guest bed wouldn't be used for any 'hanky panky' as she'd put it.
After getting the room assignment, Jade decided to walk Kit to her bedroom. As they got to the door, she leaned closer to the woman. “I want to state for the record that I resent you not dancing with me after the outfit change,” she said, tracing a finger down Kit’s neckline, flirty but a bit tamer than before.
"Hmm, and I want to state for the record, I resent you ever kissing my sister. So I think maybe we're even?" Kit shot back with a playful smirk, doing her best to appear unphased by Jade's flirtation.
“Touche,” Jade said, nodding with an amused expression as she looked up to meet the woman’s eyes. “You look stunning; just has to be said.” She added sheepishly.
Thankful Jade didn't argue, Kit gave a soft smile and allowed her eyes to travel over the taller woman's outfit, taking a moment to appreciate the way it accentuated all of the woman's assets just perfectly, and quietly resenting herself for putting the brakes on diving right into a relationship. She decided she must have been too drunk for her own good because there was just no way she'd turned Jade down sober. "So do you." She answered simply, betraying none of her inner turmoil. "You should go before your sister tries to kill me." She added playfully and made a shooing motion, partially serious but mostly just trying to get the woman to leave before she changed her mind.
Jade couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "She's rather occupied with her fiancée," she remarked, glancing over at a still sound asleep Hazel. Then, looking back at Kit, she added softly, "Goodnight, beautiful."
Not wanting to say good night, Kit gave the woman a longing look and quickly shook her head. "Goodnight, Jade," she answered, quickly kissing the woman's cheek. “You're wearing this again next Halloween." She spoke firmly and poked Jade in the chest, deciding she'd get to enjoy the costume even if it meant waiting an entire year.
Jade smirked, resisting the urge to kiss the woman. “I’ll take it under consideration,” She replied calmly, expertly hiding the giddy excitement just under the surface.
"You'd be wise to," Kit replied with a wink before shutting the door in Jade's face and then turning to lean back against it, a dreamy smile on her lips as she thought about the possible future they could share, though she'd deny every bit of it if anybody ever asked her. Kit Tanthalos did not do dreamy smiles and daydreams; she wasn't some stupid girly girl; she was smart, tough, independent, and totally and completely smitten by her best friend. "Fuck." she muttered to herself, slapping a hand to her face and dragging it down with an audible groan. When did I turn into such a girl? She thought and shook her head as she walked over to the bed and carefully crawled under the covers, being cautious not to wake her sister.
~
Not even two hours later, Hazel was hunched over the toilet, thoroughly ill, with Kit rubbing firm circles into her back, a gesture Hazel would typically balk at but, under the circumstances, found comforting.
"I'm gonna die.” Hazel groaned dramatically as her stomach calmed just long enough to allow her to lean back against the side of the tub, a deep frown etched into her features as she held her stomach, too ill to think, all of her nerves and senses on high alert and too weak to do much more than rock side to side a little, the motion both helping and making her situation ten times worse.
Kit gave Hazel a sympathetic look, knowing exactly what she was going through. “No, but you will feel like shit in the morning,” She sighed as she continued to rub circles on her sister’s back. “It’s a milestone and a lesson. Alcohol has its good, bad, and ugly sides,” she spoke softly. "It’s ok, sis, I'm here to help. Drink some water; it'll help you get it all out.”
"In the morning?" Hazel asked incredulously. "I feel like shit now." She whined, drawing her knees up to her chest and laying her head on her arms. "I don't think I can drink anything else ever again." She muttered, her voice muffled.
“Well, that makes survival hard since you need water,” Kit teased playfully. She knew she shouldn’t make fun of her sister but also needed them to get into a rhythm where they could be themselves.
"Hence, I'm gonna die." Hazel retorted smartly, peering over her arms at Kit, most of her face still hidden.
Kit laughed. “You’re not going to die. You will need a very greasy breakfast, which I’m sure Scorpia and Boorman will provide, some Aspirin—there’s already some on the bedside table—and lots of water." She paused, watching Hazel thoughtfully. "Why did you drink that much anyway?” she asked gently, trying to determine if the woman was heartbroken over Jade.
"You just said I'll die without water, and I told you I never want to drink anything ever again." Hazel reminded the woman with a small groan, squishing her face against her arms harder. "I liked how it made me stop thinking so much, and it was a challenge. I like challenges." She mumbled, seriously regretting her decision.
Kit chuckled and shook her head at her sister's dramatics. “Then I'll get a needle and insert an IV line,” She threatened playfully. “But in all seriousness, you’ll want water in a few hours, and you shouldn’t enter random challenges,” she advised.
"You can't do that. You're not a doctor, and you don't have access to that type of stuff," Hazel mumbled, unbothered by her sister’s empty threat. “And no, obviously, I've learned my lesson." She added as an afterthought, continuing to groan miserably. She had no intentions of joining any more challenges.
“Not personally, no, but I have access to a nurse who gives me B2 infusions occasionally, so I’m sure I can arrange it. Either way, It’s not important,” Kit said, trying to distract herself from Hazel's strange noises as she continued to move her hand on her sister’s back. “Feeling a bit better? You haven’t thrown up in eight minutes. Think we can make it to the bed?” She asked in a gentle tone, ducking her head to try and get Hazel's attention.
Grunting in response, Hazel shook her head briefly before looking up at her sister again, squinting a little as she considered the short journey back to the bed. "Maybe, but we should take the trash can," she muttered, glancing at the little container in question.
“Of course. Come on.” Kit stood up and offered her hand to Hazel, who groaned softly in protest before reluctantly taking the assistance. Kit couldn't help but smile, enjoying that Hazel trusted her enough to let her help. “So, did you tell Elora you’re a widower?” She asked in a playful tone, trying to get Hazel’s mind off her sickness as she steadied her.
"Huh? I've never even been married. How can I be a widower? Also, I think the term you're looking for is widow." Hazel corrected and shook her head at her sister as they slowly walked back to the bed, fully convinced Kit had cheated to make it through school.
“Well, your characters were married,” Kit reminded her. “Weren’t they?” she asked, confused. “Anakin's a man… hence widower.” She looked at Hazel and settled her on the bed, ensuring the trash can was accessible.
Irritated that she'd misunderstood again, Hazel flopped down on her chest and pulled a pillow over the back of her head. "Go away." She muttered.
Kit looked at the woman and shook her head. “Literally can’t. Everyone’s asleep, but somehow, Scorpia would still find a way to rip my head off if I shared a room with Jade,” she said, moving to her side of the bed and getting under the covers.
"Mmm, probably doesn't want you two having sex in her house. It makes sense." Hazel reasoned, shrugging her shoulders despite still hiding under the pillow.
"I'm sorry, what?" Kit asked, shocked as she glanced toward Hazel, grateful to find the girl was still under the pillow since she couldn't stop the blush that appeared.
Pulling the pillow off her head, Hazel looked back at Kit. "Isn't that what you'd do if you were in the same room? Like at the hotel?" She asked bluntly, genuinely thinking that was the case.
“No, what? How do you know that?” Kit asked, giving Hazel a quizzical look.
Feeling like maybe she'd said the wrong thing, Hazel cringed and brought her shoulders up to her ears. "Jade told me. Was she not supposed to?" She asked in a worried tone.
“Oh. Ok, but no, Jade and I are going to take it real slow; we‘re going on a date soon, but sex is off the table for a while, besides not under Scorpia’s roof!” Kit said, shaking her head, trying to convince herself more than Hazel.
"How come?" Hazel asked curiously, shifting around to sit up against the headboard and give her sister her full attention. "I mean, I get why you wouldn't do it here; you wouldn't want to scar Scorpia like you did, Mom, but why don't you want to have sex with Jade? Did you not like it?" She questioned further.
Kit narrowed her eyes at Hazel’s comment but chose not to grace it with a response. “I do, oh how I do, but I don’t want to rush into things and have my heart broken. I loved our first time, but I need to be sure that's not all she wants and that I'm who she wants,” Kit said honestly, having needed someone to talk to.
"Ok..." Hazel trailed off, frowning deeply as she contemplated whether to ask her next question and risk looking stupid or just leave it. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. You already had sex, so how is it rushing now? I mean, you can't take it back, so I don't get what the big deal is." She spoke honestly, deciding she had to know, even if it made her look dumb.
“Having sex isn’t the end game of a relationship. It’s just a step. We did start a little backward, but I want to slow down and get to know her romantically. I love Jade, my best friend. But will I love dating Jade? And how will she treat me as a girlfriend?” Kit watched Hazel to see if she understood.
Contemplating the woman's words, Hazel frowned. "I know, but it seems like it's kind of the only thing that makes relationships different from normal friendships." She shrugged. “And it's the worst part of it, too, so if you're already past that, it seems like everything else wouldn't be too hard," she reasoned.
“I’d like to think so, but I’m not easy to deal with,” Kit said, looking down. “Also, no, kissing, making out, petting, and cuddling are all things that don't happen in friendship. Or are you kissing your friends on the mouth, Hazel?” she asked, giving her sister an inquisitive look, waiting to see what the girl would say.
Raising her eyebrows, Hazel nodded. "Well, I've only ever kissed one person, but yeah, she was just my friend." She confirmed and gave Kit a curious look. She really wanted to ask what petting was but figured it was probably best not to.
"Right, well, there are a lot of differences... for instance, if I start dating Jade, I wouldn't sleep with anyone else anymore or flirt with pretty girls at the bar, and I'd attend functions with her instead of some random date,” Kit explained gently as the thought about how different her thinking on Jade was. She hadn't even changed her ways for Stella, and she'd cared a lot about her, or at least she thought she had.
"Yeah, I know that. If you go places with somebody else or flirt with another person, that's basically cheating,” Hazel replied. “I know that much, Kit; I just haven't had a relationship myself." She clarified, slightly offended, as she assumed Kit thought she didn't know anything at all.
"I know, and I wouldn't do that to Jade," Kit said earnestly. "But it's still scary, you know? Also, I hope you know I'm not mansplaining to you... I just think out loud in conversation. I haven’t had anyone I could talk to about this. I hope it’s not too much," she added, looking at her sister with a mixture of concern and conflict. Kit worried that if Hazel liked Jade, the subject of conversation could be cruel, and while she enjoyed being controversial, she didn't want to be cruel.
Hazel studied Kit's expression closely, trying to determine if the woman was lying to her, but quickly decided she didn't appear to be. "No, it's fine. I just thought you assumed I knew nothing about relationship stuff, and that's not true. I know some stuff." She shrugged and looked down at the comforter, tracing the designs on it with a finger. She found the texture tolerable but not the best.
“You know, I think we can talk about anything, so if you have questions, you can ask me. I'm never going to keep knowledge from you,” Kit answered, smiling at her sister, enjoying getting to talk to her openly probably for the first time.
Sighing, Hazel glanced up at Kit and shook her head, thinking the conversation was starting to sound an awful lot like the one she'd had with Jade. “No, thank you. I don't have any questions; I asked the only ones I had." She answered honestly, pulling her fingers away from the comforter and resting her hands in her lap as she pulled her legs into a crossed position under her.
“Ok, that’s fair. But enough about me and my issues. I'll get them sorted,” Kit said and played with her thumbs a bit, nervous about approaching the next subject since her sister had the tendency to close herself off. “So you danced with Elora. She was super happy about it,” the younger sibling said as she looked up, watching her sister, trying to understand Hazel and Elora’s friendship.
Hazel scoffed. "Yeah, or tried to dance; I'm not very good at it. Too clumsy." She muttered as she looked around the room, noticing it had a distinct forest theme, with lots of deep greens and browns throughout.
“You seemed to do good; you didn’t trip or fall,” Kit answered, noticing her sister’s eyes taking in the room, “I guess I should explain. Scorpia is a forensic Archeologist; she spent a couple of years living in a village in the middle of a forest just out of college before all of the criminal stuff called to her; she met Tharaxus on a dig; he worked for the Jeffersonian. After meeting him, she went on to study and join his team. Their bedroom decor represents each place they’ve been together,” Kit explained, looking around. "Jade and Elora have the DC-themed room."
Raising her eyebrows, Hazel nodded with an impressed expression. "That's super cool; I guess she's kind of like a real-life tomb raider then, huh?" She chuckled, thinking about Elora's costume the previous night.
“Yes, which is why Jade kinda giggled at Elora,” Kit explained. “They live here off and on, so I’m glad she was home to see you.” She said and smiled kindly at Hazel. “Headache?”
Hazel nodded along to Kit's explanation and then shook her head. "No, the room is still a little floaty, though." She sighed, wishing the effects would hurry and wear off. "Do you think Jade and Elora are gonna have sex?” She asked curiously as she remembered Kit mentioning the room they were in, which led to her thinking about them sharing a bed and how Jade had said they'd kissed in the past.
“What? Why? No! Did Elora say something to you?” Kit asked, wheels turning, clearly jealous and alarmed because she knew her own past actions and was worried that she’d given her heart away, only for Jade to stomp on it as she’d likely done to Jade many times before.
"No, Jade told me they kissed before, and I think Jade likes sex, but I'm not sure 'cause she kind of always ran away from me," Hazel shrugged.
“And did you offer Jade sex?” Kit asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to confirm whether Jade had been telling the truth.
"Yeah." Hazel shrugged like it was no big deal.
Kit couldn't believe it. On the one hand, she was thrilled Jade hadn't been lying, but on the other, she was surprised and a little unnerved, feeling any happiness start to crumble as she considered the distinct possibility Hazel was still interested in Jade after all. “I'm sorry, what? You offered her sex? When exactly?” She needed to make sure they were talking about the same event, just in case Hazel was misunderstanding.
“Earlier," Hazel shrugged. "She told me it wouldn't be for the right reasons, and she told me she loves you." She added honestly, looking unbothered.
Kit's heart fluttered as she heard Hazel's version of events, wondering if Jade had really said that. “And you're not upset about you offering sex and her rejecting it?” She asked delicately.
"No, I didn't really want to do it anyhow. I was just asking to see if she'd say no," Hazel explained, as though it was no big deal.
“And you’re okay with that? And with the fact she said she loves me?” Kit asked, trying to see if there was any jealousy or anger in the girl’s tone.
"Of course. I told her I'd kick her ass if she hurts you. I just wanted to be sure she really did love you. I don't want her hurting you. You're my little sister; I gotta watch out for you." Hazel replied seriously, offering Kit a shy smile.
“So you don’t want to date her?” Kit asked, her eyes filling with tears at the way Hazel referred to her. She had missed her sister's protectiveness. While Kit usually rejected the idea of anybody thinking she needed their help or protection, Hazel was the one person she hadn’t minded it from as much.
"No... I would have considered it if she liked me and not you, but only because she's the only person I've ever gotten that close to," Hazel explained. "Why are you crying? Did I say something mean?" She asked curiously.
“No, I just missed you! And now you want to protect me, and I’m just so happy; I hope it’s not a dream,” Kit said as she hugged her sister tightly, unable to keep herself from physically expressing her feelings.
"It's not... But Kit?" Hazel squeaked and lightly tapped the back of her sister's shoulder.
“Yeah?” Kit asked, looking at her sister goofily.
"A little warning next time?" Hazel asked and laughed a little.
Kit nodded sheepishly. “Yes, I’ll give you a warning...Tight hug warning,” she said and waited for an answer.
"You're already hugging me, Kit," Hazel replied flatly, shaking her head. "But ok, tight hug." She agreed and squeezed the younger woman as hard as she could to see if she'd call mercy.
Kit giggled happily and cuddled into her sister’s embrace. “So good to have you back, Azel.”
"You're not supposed to like it, ya weirdo." Hazel laughed and moved a hand up to grip the back of Kit's shoulder tightly, taking a staggering breath as she allowed herself to really absorb the fact that she was hugging her sister for the umpteenth time and that things felt almost normal. "I love you, Kit. I think I missed you," she added softly, feeling tears stinging her own eyes.
Overcome with emotion, Kit let the tears flow, allowing herself to feel all the pain, the happiness, and the importance of this moment, knowing Hazel wasn't one to open up easily, "How could you not? I'm unforgettable." She quipped to try and lighten the mood but quickly realized it was futile and squeezed her sister tighter. “Oh, how I missed you!" She admitted and tried to pull back to see Hazel better, not getting far, as the older girl squeezed tighter. "Are you feeling any better?" She asked and winced. "Ok, bone-crushing, now bone-crushing." She squeaked and chuckled, tears and laughter mixing joyfully.
Chuckling softly, Hazel loosened her grip and pulled away from the hug, holding Kit by the shoulders instead. "You are hard to forget, but having the same face might contribute to that a bit." She joked and nodded before answering the question. "A little better, yeah." She finally let go of her sister and settled back against the headboard again.
“OK, drink some water, and try to get some sleep. In my experience, Scorpia will be up bright and early, banging pans and serving breakfast to get us out of here before 9 am. which is too early in my book.” Kit said with a fond smile, thinking about how the older woman could one day become her sister-in-law. If Jade ever marries me.
"Nine?" Hazel groaned and immediately laid down, pulling the covers over her and snuggling into the pillows as best she could, considering she didn't have her own pillow.
“Yeah… if not earlier,” Kit said, lying down. “This is so random… but would you like to go camping with me?” she asked, knowing she was asking something different of her sister.
Not really paying attention, Hazel nodded. "Sure," she muttered, eyes already closing from exhaustion.
~
By seven AM, Scorpia was ringing a bell to wake all the guests. And Kit quickly placed a pillow over Hazel’s head to muffle the sound, aware of her sister's hangover and sensitivity to noise.
Startled, Hazel yelped and flipped over, quickly throwing the pillow off her head and pinning Kit to the bed, thinking her sister was trying to kill her. "Did you honestly think it would be that easy?" She snapped, eyes wild in anger and the effort to ignore the horrible throbbing in her head.
Kit struggled under the hold, trying her best to regain some leverage. “Dude, chill the fuck out! I am trying to protect you from the loud noises! I wasn’t even pushing it down!” she said as she quickly tried to push Hazel away, trying to flip them unsuccessfully.
"Chill out? You had a pillow over my head!” Hazel exclaimed in disbelief, squeezing her knees into Kit's hips, not letting her up. "I knew you'd try and kill me!” She growled, glaring at her sister.
Still fighting against Hazel's hold Kit moved from side to side in a futile attempt to have the woman loosen her grip. “Yes! Yes, I put a pillow over your head; there was a bell going off, and you have a massive headache! I was trying to dampen the sounds since I know how sensitive your ears are! “ She exclaimed, "I don’t want to kill you! I’d kill myself first,” she added with conviction. She would always choose Hazel over herself.
Hazel frowned as she thought about it more, finally registering the bell that was still going off and wincing at it. "How can I be sure?" She asked quickly, trying to keep a menacing look about her, not to give away just how afraid she was.
“How about good faith or the fact that I would never try to harm you?” Kit asked, looking at her twin and biting her lip nervously.
"I don't know that you wouldn’t; that's the point, Kit. I don't know who to fucking trust." Hazel threw up her hands and frowned deeply. "I don't think I ever will." She admitted quietly and moved off of her sister, deciding if the girl wanted to harm her, it wouldn't be then.
“I wouldn’t kill you because I love you, and I don’t gain anything from doing that. Just lose more. And trust me, I don’t want to lose you.” Kit spoke seriously, hurt Hazel could even think such a thing.
"Words are just words, Kit. You can say whatever you want. The point is I have no way of knowing it's true." Hazel sighed and pulled her knees up to her chin, wrapping her arms around them tightly and burying her face against them. Her head hurt so bad she could barely think.
"Yeah, I get it. It’s hard to trust someone you don’t know," Kit said as she looked at the girl in understanding. "But I would never hurt you.” She gave Hazel an earnest look, trying to convey the truth in her words. “Anyway, take two aspirin and a glass of water; it will help you,” she advised, pointing to the travel-size aspirin bottle on the side table.
Nodding, Hazel sighed. “Thanks; I'll take some when we get home." She mumbled and watched Kit, trying to determine whether she should trust the woman.
Seeing Hazel wasn't believing her, Kit frowned. “Hazel, I get that you may have trust issues, but for real, I don’t want to kill you. We just had a nice moment last night, and today, you think I want to kill you?." She asked incredulously. "I'll give you your space, but for the love of Bubba, the bear, it’s just aspirin for a hangover.” She added, getting up, exasperated, and shaking her head. “Take it, don’t take it, but you will have to go through a very loud breakfast with lots of people before you can go home. Breakfast is non-negotiable with Scorpia. It’s a Claymore thing. That you should remember. Ballantine’s house rules stuck with both of his daughters.”
Hazel looked at Kit warily, then glanced at the aspirin. "Fine, don't know why I care anyhow." She mumbled and snatched the bottle off the nightstand, opening it and taking the pills quickly before she could change her mind. "Satisfied?" She asked, setting the glass down and frowning at Kit.
“Sure, but I can assure you, you’re the one who’s going to be happy in twenty minutes,” Kit said, looking at her sister, knowing that once the medicine kicked in, she would feel much more like herself. “Bacon will make your stomach feel better, though.”
Hazel looked away and nodded, feeling a little bad for being so rude. "Look, I'm sorry I wasn't very nice. I guess it's gonna take me a while to get used to having people around again and trusting you. I'm not used to thinking of you as a nice person, so I think sometimes I'm gonna forget and be mean." She explained quietly and glanced at Kit again. "Thanks for the aspirin, but do you think I could just wait in here? They won't know how I like my eggs or bacon, and I don't want to be rude." She muttered and started fidgeting.
Kit nodded. Her sister was right; they needed to learn to be around each other again. Always one to break the tension with a punchline, she joked, “I am so nice!” and folded her arms in front of her chest, much like a child. “How do you like your eggs and bacon?” She decided to change the subject, interested in every little thing she could learn about her sister, cherishing each new piece of information like a treasure that might one day serve to rebuild their bond.
Giving Kit a disbelieving look, Hazel shook her head and smirked. "To be determined." She muttered, then let a slow smile take over her features. "Over hard or poached, sometimes scrambled, but only if they're dry. I hate it when they're wet and mushy, and I like bacon kind of soft, crunchy tastes gross." She informed and shrugged. "Oh, and I can't eat eggs without toast unless it's benedict, and then the English muffin works," She added, watching Kit to see how irritated the woman would be with her pickiness.
“Oh, that’s easy. I got you, Azel,” Kit said, smiling. “Come on, let’s go get breakfast. I’m positive Scor has it figured out for you.”
"But she already cooked. I don't want to be a bother, and I usually don't eat breakfast anyhow. I'm never up early enough on my own," Hazel argued, looking towards the door apprehensively, not wanting to face the other people in the house.
“Nah, it’s a cooked-to-order deal. Come on, we’ll sort it,” Kit encouraged her sister. “Besides, I can always cook for you,” she informed.
“Ha! Then I'll know you're trying to kill me." Hazel laughed and got up, shaking her head at the idea of Kit cooking anything. She vividly remembered a thirteen-year-old Kit trying to cook eggs and toast for their parents and the resulting fire alarm that left her running around in circles with her hands over her ears and Kit hiding under a bed while their father employed the fire extinguisher and their mother tried to wrangle both of them.
“Oh no, you didn’t! I've matured, big sister; I live alone; I had to learn how to cook.” Kit boasted with a big smile to show she wasn’t mad.
Hazel raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, but you can't blame me for being skeptical. Remember, you nearly burned the house down when we were kids," she reminded with a playful smirk.
Kit laughed, gasping and shaking her head in disbelief. "It was one time, Hazel!" she exclaimed, tossing a pillow at her sister, content with their playfulness. The harmonious moment was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"That's one more than most people have," Hazel retorted, throwing the pillow back at Kit, hitting her in the head. "Sorry." She winced sheepishly and quickly opened the door.
Facing a very tired-looking Hazel, Jade snickered at the woman and spoke, “Oh, morning champ, how are you feeling?” her voice barely above a whisper.
"Like a freight training is running through my head,” Hazel answered honestly. “Morning." She added as an afterthought and flashed the woman a quick smile before stepping aside to let her see Kit.
Jade laughed. “Sounds accurate,” she said as she playfully punched Hazel’s arm and looked at Kit, giving her a charming smile. “How are you?” she asked in a sweeter tone.
"Better than her,” Kit laughed, jerking a thumb towards Hazel, who was rubbing at her arm and grumbling to herself. “How about you? Sleep well? Or did Elora keep you up?" she asked with a playful smile, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, knowing she shouldn't be paranoid but unable to control it.
“Oh yeah, Elora is wild. She took me so well, all the way in…from both sides,” Jade joked, laughing before she shook her head and provided the honest answer. “I slept like a log. I just wanted the night to end so I could see you again.” She took a step closer to Kit.
At Jade's first remark, Kit frowned and started to protest before realizing the woman was just being stupid. "You're such an ass." She huffed and moved past the woman. "Come on, Hazel, we'll miss breakfast if we don't hurry up." She mumbled, and Hazel quickly got up to follow, shooting Jade a curious look on the way past, trying to figure out what the woman had meant and deciding she'd ask Elora.
“Kitty! It was your joke!” Jade said as she followed them to the dining room, where Elora was placing two plates down.
"You can keep somebody up talking, Jade." Kit retorted in a harsh whisper before smiling uneasily at Scorpia and taking a seat at the table.
“Morning Hazel! I got you some poached eggs, toast, and some bacon,” Elora greeted with a smile. “You feeling ok?” she asked, as Hazel smiled and walked over to her, glancing at the plate in what appeared to be an effort to make sure everything looked edible to her standards. Elora would expect nothing less.
Once satisfied that everything looked right, Hazel glanced at Elora. "Yes, I feel okay. Thank you, and good morning. I'm sorry you didn't sleep well." She greeted and gave the woman a sympathetic look as she took the plate. "You remembered what I like from just one breakfast together," she stated in an amazed tone as she set her plate down and pulled Elora's chair out for her before taking a seat.
Confused, Elora looked around. “What? I slept really well,” she said and nodded proudly to Hazel before addressing the rest of the woman's statement. “Of course, I remember,” she started with a smile. "You remember how I like my tea.” She continued, bumping shoulders with the woman playfully. However, her smile faded as she took a closer look at Hazel. “You didn’t get sick, did you?” she asked, worried, noticing Hazel looked a bit tired.
"Really? Jade said you kept her up. She also said something about you taking her well from both sides. I was gonna ask you what that meant after breakfast." Hazel answered with a casual shrug as she buttered her toast. "Also, yes, I threw up. It wasn't fun, but Kit helped me." She explained while Scorpia glared at Jade with a look that promised a conversation later.
Elora almost spit out her tea because her dreams had a similar theme, only Jade had not been the star. “Yeah… that didn’t happen; I'm sure Jade was just trying to get your sister riled up,” she said, coughing a little, still recovering as she looked at Scorpia and then at Kit, who ducked her head and started scarfing down her eggs quickly, having settled for scrambled instead of asking for anything special. Elora narrowed her eyes at the woman before shaking her head, just about ready to acknowledge the rest of Hazel’s statement, when the woman gave her a worried look and asked in the gentlest tone if she was ok. The genuine concern in Hazel’s voice brought an instant smile to Elora’s face. “Yeah, I’m good, thank you. We’ll talk after breakfast.” She answered softly. “I’m sorry you got sick last night; you could’ve texted me; I would’ve gone and helped you, but I’m glad Kit was there and helpful for once.” She concluded and cast another disapproving look towards Kit, who frowned at her comment but still refused to look up from her plate.
"She can be helpful sometimes, but this morning, she was holding a pillow over my head," Hazel casually informed, shrugging her shoulders and taking a drink of water.
"I'm sorry, what?" Scorpia asked in a perplexed tone, casting a disturbed look at Kit and then at Jade, seriously questioning her sister's taste in friends and women.
"I was not holding a pillow over your head," Kit protested, looking around Jade to see her sister. “I wasn't!" she added, glancing at Scorpia. “I just put a pillow over her head to muffle the sound of the bell because she has sensitive ears, and I knew she'd have a headache." She explained, and Scorpia narrowed her eyes dubiously.
"Yeah, you put a pillow over my head; that's what I said." Hazel shrugged and shook her head, then continued eating her food, not seeing the issue.
“No, you said I was holding a pillow over your head like I was trying to kill you,” Kit exclaimed in an exasperated tone. She was already on rocky ground with Scorpia; she did not need to give the woman any more reason to hate her.
"I thought you were,” Hazel replied with another shrug, totally unbothered, causing Boreman to laugh.
"You two are quite the pair." The man spoke in an amused tone, pointing his fork between Kit and Hazel and wincing as an elbow caught him between the ribs.
"Don't encourage them." Scorpia scolded her fiance and shook her head at the sheepish look the man gave her in return.
“Hazel, the way you say it doesn’t sound factual; it kind of makes your sister look bad. And for the record, I was joking. I slept all night.” Jade said, looking at Kit and then at Hazel. “I’m sorry you were sick, Hazel and Scor… just listen, don’t take things at face value for now,” she said, trying to make things better. This caused Elora to look at her and cover her mouth to hide her laughter from the flustered, freckled redhead.
Irritated with the whole conversation, Hazel took a deep breath and set her fork and knife down. "It was factual; I said she put a pillow over my head, and that's what she did. Held, put, same difference. I woke up to a pillow over my head and her holding it, so what was I supposed to think?" She huffed and shook her head. "It's fine; I'm not sick anymore; now, can I finish eating?" She asked seriously, waiting a moment before going back to her food.
Scorpia smirked, waiting until the woman's rant was over before answering Jade. “Oh, calm down, little sister. I do remember Hazel, but maybe be a little more careful with your jokes, yes?" She raised an eyebrow at her sister.
Jade looked at Elora, then Kit, and finally at Scorpia. "Sorry. I’ll be careful,” she said as she placed her hand on Kit’s leg, trying to show her she was sorry. Kit looked at Jade, giving her a shy smile and bumping shoulders with her to show she was forgiven, and then quietly went back to eating her breakfast.
Still wanting to be cautious around Hazel, Elora lowered her head and ate her breakfast quickly, observing the girl with a clinical eye.
“So Hazel, next time we throw a party, I’ll have a couple of fellas compete for your title because I know you’re the true winner of the chugging challenge,” Boorman said, winking at the woman, who sat up straighter and grinned proudly in return.
"What did I say about encouraging them?" Scorpia whispered harshly to the man. "Couch for you tonight." She added firmly and glared at him, knowing it wasn't a good idea to have Hazel drinking so much; in fact, she thought it was a bad idea for Kit as well, but she would never admit to worrying about her.
“Scor… come on! I was just playing… you can’t say no.. to Relaxus… please not that lumpy couch,” Boorman whined with pleading eyes, a true puppy dog face.
"Should have thought about that before you decided not to listen,” Scorpia shot back with a raised eyebrow before getting up and clearing their plates.
Promptly getting up, Boorman followed Scorpia into the kitchen. “My queen, please… let me redeem myself,” he said loudly.
Kit laughed. “Poor bastard,” she said, looking at Jade. “I may take this example and keep it for a rainy day,” she said, looking pointedly at Jade.
“Oh, please." Jade scoffed and rolled her eyes playfully.
"Is the couch a horrible texture or something?" Hazel asked in a confused tone as she finished her last bite of food.
“Don’t test me, Claymore,” Kit said as she looked at Jade and watched the woman carefully, too focused on Jade to hear Hazel.
Smirking, Jade watched Kit for a second before shaking her head. "I wouldn't dream of it." She answered with an affectionate smile, finding Kit absolutely adorable when she got all riled up and feisty. It wasn't that Kit wasn't capable, but she'd always been smaller than Jade, and it amused the hell out of the woman.
Seeing that nobody was answering Hazel, Elora thought she should. “If you walk with me, I can explain that too,” she said as she got up from the table.
"Ok, just let me clear this real quick." Hazel agreed, getting up and taking both of their plates to the kitchen for Scorpia. She cringed and avoided looking as she noticed Scorpia and Boreman kissing. “Sorry…just gonna leave these here." She muttered, placing the plates on top of the other dishes and scurrying out of the kitchen quickly. "God, people are so weird." She grumbled as she followed Elora out of the house and sat down on the porch swing.
“What was that?” Elora asked as she took a seat next to Hazel.
"Scorpia and that weird-looking guy were kissing in the kitchen instead of doing the dishes,” Hazel grumbled and braced her feet, pushing the swing back a bit before letting it go, starting a gentle swinging motion.
“Good, they already made up. At least he won’t be sleeping on the couch tonight.” Elora laughed and looked at Hazel, who didn't appear to understand, so she continued. “She was mad at him, so she told him she was kicking him out of their bed,” She hoped her explanation was good enough.
"I know. I just don't get why that's so bad. Unless the couch is weird. I mean, sleeping alone is way better." Hazel shrugged and looked at the colorful flowers adorning the yard, smiling a little at the perfectly tended garden.
“Well, when you’re dating or living with your girlfriend, it's not that great,” Elora said, looking ahead of them but giving the girl a few glances here and there.
"Hmm, that's why you should always have two rooms, one for each of you. That way, you have your own beds and don't have to worry about stuff like that. Plus, you wouldn't have to worry about if the other person likes a different comfort level or prefers scratchy sheets." Hazel reasoned, glancing at Elora with a proud little smile, happy she had it all figured out.
“So your wife will sleep in a separate room?” Elora asked, watching the woman with an amused smile, secretly intrigued by Hazel’s decisive methods.
“Oh, I'll never get married, but if things were different and I could, then yes,” Hazel replied in a matter-of-fact tone, her eyes back on the flowers.
“Is that right? You’re just going to break pretty girls' hearts? And be a forever bachelor?” Elora paused, “Why?” She knew she shouldn’t let herself get roped in, but she had to ask.
Tearing her eyes away from the garden, Hazel looked at Elora again and took a second to think about her answer. "Well, for one, I can't be a bachelor ‘cause I'm not a guy." She answered with a playful smile, trying to keep the conversation light despite how much the subject actually bothered her. "And It's not like I have any girls lining up to be with me, plus I'm just not built for that stuff, ya know? I'd just end up hurting somebody's feelings because I don't know how to communicate right, and I'm so picky; it wouldn't be fair to anybody else." She explained quietly, looking down at her hands and smiling as a cold breeze blew over them.
“I wouldn’t sell yourself short, Haze. I say bachelor ‘cause you don’t emote bachelorette, but that’s beside the point. How picky are we talking?” Elora asked, curious to know more about the woman, finding her beauty extremely captivating. She could feel herself getting drawn in again, feeling almost powerless to stop it.
Pleased that Elora didn't think she was very girly, Hazel smiled to herself and nodded shyly. "I guess that works, but it's technically not accurate." She muttered in a disappointed tone and shrugged. "I dunno, I'm picky about everything, even that. You call me a bachelor, and I don't hate it, but I can't let it go because it's not factually accurate, and it drives me nuts." She sighed. "Nobody should have to put up with that. Besides, I have no real interest in people like that. I think it might be fun to have somebody who likes me exclusively and have a friend for life, but that doesn't seem to be what relationships are all about, and I don't get the other stuff." She explained, glancing at Elora to see if she was making sense.
“You don’t think you can learn or experiment with the other stuff?” Elora asked with a quiet tone, shyly looking at Hazel.
"No, I don't think so, and that's a deal breaker for people. I get it; that stuff's important for normal people, but I’m just not normal." Hazel shrugged and looked down at her hands, clenching them together in an effort to control her emotions. She hated how weak and vulnerable she felt talking about her deepest feelings and worries.
“I think if they truly love you, it can be arranged. You see, love is the most powerful force in the universe,” Elora said gently. “Just watch your idiot sister and Jade.” She chuckled.
Hazel glanced over at Elora with a hopeful look before looking down again, thinking about Kit and Jade. "They had sex at the hotel... Jade says she loves Kit, but she kissed me and only ever rejected me after she knew it wouldn't go further... after I..." She trailed off and let out a harsh breath. "It's not that I didn't always know she preferred Kit, and I don't even care, but they're not a great example of people loving each other without the need for all that other stuff." She mumbled and leaned back, staring at the sky. "It's gonna rain." She mumbled, observing the dark clouds rolling in and thinking it was pretty fitting for how she was feeling at that moment.
“I stand by it. It can be arranged,” Elora said, using two fingers to tilt the girl's face towards her in a moment of weakness, almost giving in to her attraction to this enigmatic woman.
Furrowing her brow, Hazel gave the woman a searching look. "You really think so?" She asked curiously. "Would you ever consider dating somebody who might never be with you the way other people would be?" She asked carefully, trying to see if even one person would consider such a relationship.
Elora nodded with a smile. “Yes, sex isn’t everything. There are many ways one can achieve pleasure without having to be with another person. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you have to be beholden to their body,” She explained kindly. "A relationship is better than thirty seconds of fun. And on that note, I did not have sex with Jade last night.”
Hazel frowned deeper as she listened and considered the woman's words, having a whole lot of questions she wanted answered, but decided to address the biggest thing that stood out to her first. "You're really special. If you're not just saying that to make me feel better, somebody's gonna be really lucky to have you as a girlfriend someday." She replied with a fond smile. "Now that I have that out of the way... I never thought you had sex with Jade; she didn't say you did; she just said you kept her up, and you took her well, which I don't understand." She explained with a shrug. "Also, you said people don't need another person..." She trailed off with a curious look but quickly shook her head. “Never mind." She dismissed and waved a hand.
Elora smiled kindly. “I’m not saying it to make you feel better. And if the right girl wants me one day, I'll be the lucky one,” she said, looking directly at Hazel’s eyes, pleased when Hazel waited a moment before averting them with a shy look. “But to answer your question, Jade made a stupid sexual joke because Kit probably teased her about sharing a room with me. What Jade meant is that she... excuse my language. Fucked me from the front and back, and she did a good job." She paused as Hazel cringed. "See? They’re idiots! Why would you even tease the girl you love like that?” She said, shaking her head. “If you have any more questions, I can answer them all. Just ask,” She concluded, rocking the swing and resting her hand on Hazel’s thigh.
"Eww, that's not nice." Hazel continued to cringe, shaking her head at how rude Jade was. "I don't feel comfortable asking some stuff. I should already know all of it. I'm an adult; it's stupid that I don't know this stuff." She muttered and took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of rain in the air.
Waving the Jade thing off, Elora smiled, “Eh. They're idiots, like I said. How about you do your own research, and if you're left with any questions, you can ask me? I don’t mind helping, and I'm sure Kit’s internet has no filters or locks on content.” Elora encouraged with a smile.
Hazel nodded, spinning her thumb ring around nervously as she focused on a little bird at the end of the driveway, finding it hard to talk about certain subjects for too long. "I know I should, and I wanted to, but sometimes, if something bothers me, I get in my head, and then I have issues. I can't control it, and I'm afraid that stuff will be too weird for me." She explained softly, glancing at the woman. "There are reasons I wasn't allowed to know about those things." She added. "It's ok, I've gone this long without looking it up; I'll be ok; I just have to learn how to be around more than one person at a time and try and ignore when they say stuff I don't get." She reasoned, feeling like that was the best approach.
“I think that you shouldn’t recuse yourself from that. Hazey…” Elora looked at the girl, and with her hand raised towards her face, she silently asked for permission, receiving an approving nod from the younger woman. “I think she kept you away from those things to keep you trapped, to keep you from wanting to meet someone you could love so that you could do her bidding. You should know what people say; knowledge is power, and the more you understand, the more you may know what causes you to be upset and bothered and maybe even turn it around. I'm not promising a cure, but understanding yourself and your body is a huge win.” She said, caressing the girl’s cheek. You’re so perfect, sweet, and adorable. The woman thought, trying her best not to say the words out loud.
Leaning into Elora's touch, Hazel nodded and closed her eyes, deciding she was right. "Can you maybe give me a website for that type of information or something you trust?" She asked quietly, keeping her eyes closed, too embarrassed to look at the woman.
“Of course, sweetheart,” Elora said and smiled softly. “When you come over on Sunday, I’ll give it to you,” she said as a matter of fact. “Sor... your mom said she would try to spend the day with you tomorrow. So I'll patiently wait for Sunday,” she said, lifting Hazel’s chin to meet her eyes.
Feeling like Elora was looking at her, Hazel opened one eye to peek at her. "Thank you." She squeaked and quickly cleared her throat, horrified by the embarrassing pitch of her voice. "Sorry, I mean, thank you." She repeated in a deeper tone, closer to Kit's pitch.
Elora smiled at the way the girl’s voice sounded. I get to her, somehow, “You’re welcome, no need to apologize. I get a pitchy voice sometimes.” She leaned in and whispered, “been happening a lot more lately.” She smiled.
Hazel shivered at the woman's proximity and giggled, leaning back a little and crossing her arms. "Chilly out." She muttered weakly, offering an embarrassed smile, unsure what was wrong with her. She scooted away from Elora a little and watched the woman curiously, smiling as a ray of sun caught the woman's hair, making it appear to almost glow. "You're really pretty." She breathed out, widening her eyes as she realized what she'd said. "I mean, your hair, your hair is really cool, the sun... it... your hair, it glows...I..." She stammered and got up, pacing the driveway, her shoulders drawn up to her ears as she kicked at a couple of loose rocks.
With a warm feeling in her chest, the loud thump of her heart in her ears, and a blush on her cheeks, Elora looked down shyly as she got up and went over to the girl. “Hey Hazel, it’s okay. It’s not a bad thing to say someone's pretty. I say you’re handsome all the time,” she reminded with a reassuring smile, trying to ease the woman’s tension.
"I know, but you're just being nice,” Hazel replied and shook her head rapidly. "I mean... so am I, but maybe it didn't sound just nice, and I don't want you to think I like you like that or something. I'm sorry." She added and quickly darted back into the house and sat on the couch, instantly springing back up with a disgusted face. "Ugh, now I get it." She grumbled to herself, glaring at the lumpy piece of furniture.
“Get what?” Kit asked as she found her sister looking a bit conflicted. This caused her to look around the room, trying to see who Hazel was talking to.
"Why that dude didn't want to sleep on the couch,” Hazel replied with a shrug. "Can we go now, please?" She asked hopefully, already dreading the long car ride back, knowing she'd be sitting next to Elora the whole time and she'd just made herself look like an idiot.
Having seen Hazel outside with Elora, Kit had a sneaking suspicion she knew what was bothering her sister. “Oh, Azey!” she said, hugging her sister tightly. “She likes you too, silly,” she assured, kissing Hazel's cheek mercilessly. “Yes, we can go home.”
"Ewwww Kit... no... you know I hate that." Hazel squealed and rubbed at her cheek, not registering the woman's words.
“Get used to it because soon, “Elora Danan will be kissing your cheek like that,” Kit said, smiling. “Come on!”
"She already does, it's so gross." Hazel protested and glared at Kit, though if she was honest, she liked it a little more when Elora did it.
The car ride home was quiet, with Hazel passed out with her airpods in, the music keeping her content and in her own little world. At the same time, Kit held Jade's hand as the other woman drove, and Elora couldn’t help but keep her eyes on Hazel, thinking about their moment on the porch swing and the decision she had in front of her whether to embrace her feelings or keep her guard up. She squeezed Hazel’s thigh lightly before leaving the car and thanked Kit and Jade for the invitation to the party.
~
The next day, Sorsha came over and picked up Hazel, taking her out for a special 'mother-daughter day' as she had put it. She started by taking Hazel to all her favorite shops before quickly noticing the younger woman was bored and not interested in any of the dressier outfits. She ended up having Hazel lead her to her favorite shops instead, enjoying how the girl's face lit up when she found a particularly cool button-down shirt or sweater vest that met her criteria for comfort. After several of those shops, they stopped by a cologne store, picked up a new bottle of Hazel’s favorite, and finally went to dinner and ice cream. A full day of getting reacquainted with no stressful events; by the time Hazel got home that night, she was beaming and talked Kit's ear off, gushing about how much fun she'd had with their mother until she finally got too tired and went to bed happier than she'd been in years.
~
A week later, Kit was lugging equipment towards the door of her penthouse. "Hazel, are you almost done?" she called out as she wrestled with her sleeping bag, ending up half tangled in it as she fought gallantly to stuff it inside a tote.
"Fuck no!” Hazel called back, grunting as she heaved her heavy backpack full of way more clothes than was necessary for the weekend trip and all of her survival supplies. "And I never will be." She added as she made it out to the living room, adorned with a fishing vest, khaki shorts and what could only be described as a dad shirt. She tilted her head back to try and see out from under the fishing hat that the backpack was pushing over her eyes. "I can't believe you suckered me into this. I was drunk. That yes shouldn't count." She grumbled, stopping next to Kit.
Looking at Hazel's unseasonable choice of clothes, Kit shook her head, thinking, She's gonna freeze in this outfit. She made a mental note to pack extra warm clothes for Hazel before speaking. "Wow, you look like a dad on vacation who went on a shopping spree at Cabela’s," she laughed. "It’s only three days, Hazel. You'll barely even change clothes," she added honestly.
"I did,” Hazel answered honestly and shook her head. "You said we were going camping. I didn't have any camping stuff." She defended with a huff. "Also, that's disgusting, Kit. I'm changing my clothes every day, and there had better be bathrooms, or I swear to god I will throw a fit like you've never seen." She threatened and narrowed her eyes at her sister.
“Ease up, woman; there are bathrooms. And I have most of the gear; you didn’t need to get all that stuff,” Kit said as she shook her head. “How much more do you have left?”
"Just my tent and sleeping bag... Oh, and the fishing pole." Hazel muttered, looking down. "And my guitar." She added, then looked up at her sister, holding up a finger before the woman could protest. "Don't say it, Kit... I get that you had stuff, but you know how I am; if your sleeping bag didn't feel right, I wouldn't be able to sleep. I know I'm a pain in the ass; I don't need you to remind me." She huffed. "Do you really think I want to carry around a week’s worth of clothes for a weekend? No, I have to because today, this shirt feels fine, but tomorrow, it might make my skin itchy. So unless you want me running around without clothes on, I suggest you keep your trap shut." She added with a decisive nod and an irritated little humph before putting her chin in the air and marching off to go put her stuff in the car.
“I think the only person who would appreciate the naked bit is Elora…” Kit said under her breath, but audible enough.
"I heard that! And that's not true!” Hazel retorted before slamming the door shut.
~
Thirty minutes later, Kit honked the horn of her utility vehicle. “Come on, Ms. Hippie,” she called as she checked the GPS. “I’d like to beat traffic,” she added as she tapped the steering wheel.
"Oh my god, for the last time, stop honking, and please let Jade drive." Hazel pleaded, turning hopeful eyes to Jade, hoping the woman could convince Kit. "While you work on her, I'm gonna go get Elora before her neighbors come out and shoot us." She groaned and quickly exited the car, adjusting her fishing hat as she approached the door and knocked four times, paused, and knocked another four.
“Coming!” Elora called as she approached the door. “One more second,” she said as she leaned something against the wall loudly and then opened the door. "Hi. Sorry, I got caught up packing some snacks.” She looked at the woman and gave her a goofy smile, taking in the woman's summer attire, not surprised but a little concerned. She decided she'd talk to Kit about it, knowing mentioning it to Hazel after the woman had already packed could overwhelm her. "Well… you did dress for the event...” If the event was held in the winter, she thought to herself and opened her arms, silently asking to hug the girl.
"Yes...You want a hug?" Hazel asked curiously and looked down at the different buttons and loops on her vest, thinking it wouldn't be very comfortable for the woman.
“We’ll make it quick, so you don’t have to worry about those,” Elora said, tracing a hand down the girl’s buttons. In the last few days, Elora had learned to read Hazel a bit more, and while they hadn’t shared another intimate moment like the one on Scorpia’s porch, they had talked daily. “Come’ere,” she said, hugging the girl quickly and breaking apart fast. “When you said you went shopping, I really didn’t think bucket hat and fishing vest,” she said, adjusting the hat. “Adorable.”
Flushing at the woman's compliment, Hazel ducked her head. "Kinda want to try fishing, and this is how fisher people look." She muttered shyly and shrugged a little, unsure whether the woman was making fun of her or not.
“Yes, I have some experience in that. Hang on, do you mind taking these to the car?” Elora said, giving Hazel her bongo drums and a camping backpack before going back to her room.
"You have drums?" Hazel asked in an amused tone, slinging the backpack over her shoulder before looking the drums over curiously.
“Yes,” Elora called from somewhere inside the house. “Since college,” she said, coming back with a fishing pole and a much more colorful version of a fishermen’s vest. “So… when I said I have experience with it, I meant it,” she laughed. “What do you think?”
Hazel grinned at the sight. "You're very colorful." She chuckled, not sure which color to let her eyes settle on, but too happy the woman liked vests to really care.
“Is it good or bad?” Elora asked, picking up her tent pack and locking the house. “All set. Is Kit driving?” she asked, cringing.
"It's whatever the right answer is... and yes, unfortunately." Hazel laughed as she followed the woman to the car and put her things in the back.
“You’re gonna be a great girlfriend,” Elora said, nodding. Then she got in the car and frowned. “Wait. I thought Kit was driving?”
"Why do you think I'd be a good girlfriend?" Hazel asked curiously, then glanced to the front seat, smirking at the disgruntled look on Kit's face. "I think Jade made her switch." She spoke softly, leaning closer to Elora to ensure the woman could hear her.
“That bad, huh?” Elora asked into the woman’s ear. "And because you favored whatever my preferred answer was,” she winked at the girl.
"Oh... so if I ever get a girlfriend, that's how I should answer everything?" Hazel asked in an amused tone.
Elora felt slightly disappointed that the girl didn’t think of her as girlfriend material. “No, not everything, just the hard ones.”
"Hmm, give me an example of one I shouldn't answer like that." Hazel requested, genuinely curious to learn.
“Mostly questions of preference like do you like chicken or rice?” Elora replied and watched the woman intently.
"But that's a question about me. I mean, which questions about the other person should I avoid not answering honestly?" Hazel clarified, holding the seatbelt away from her neck so it wouldn't lock up and irritate her.
“Do I look fat?” Elora asked and watched for a minute, misunderstanding Hazel's question.
“Don’t answer that, Hazel!” Jade said quickly.
“It’s a trap! It’s a trap!” Kit exclaimed, quoting Star Wars.
Hazel blinked in confusion, looking at Jade in the rearview mirror and then at Kit with a questioning look before shifting her eyes back to Elora. "But... “ she trailed off. "This is a question I should always answer honestly, right?" she asked carefully, looking a little worried.
Elora glanced at the woman and smiled. “Well, you should be honest, but I mean, you should be supportive of your partner. Like if they wear a crazy fishing vest and ask, ‘Is this too much?' You should always answer, ‘No, honey, it’s beautiful.’ You know, supportive," she said, smiling.
"But if I don't actually think that, I can't say that ‘cause it would be a lie. So I'd just say, 'Whatever the best answer is.'" Hazel replied honestly and shrugged. “Also, I know they said not to answer, but I want to. You're not fat, and you don't look fat either." She spoke seriously.
“Thank you for your honesty.” Elora smiled, “That reminds me, very important lesson, who’s your favorite actress? Like the most beautiful actress?” she looked at the woman, patiently waiting.
"I don't know... Lucy Lawless is nice looking." Hazel answered with a curious look, trying to figure out where the woman was going with it.
“So picture this: you and your girlfriend are watching Xena, and she asks, ‘Babe, who’s the prettiest? Me or her?’ What do you answer?” Elora said in a sultry tone.
Hazel glanced up with her signature contemplative/pouty look, totally unphased by the woman's tone. "Is she asking if Xena is prettier or Lucy? ‘Cause there's a difference: Xena is Xena, so she's probably prettier, but in real life, it would depend on what my girlfriend looks like. I'd have to compare them." Hazel answered honestly. Hearing her sister's answer, Kit winced and pretended to say a silent prayer.
“Fine, if we’re playing this way, let’s pretend I'm your girlfriend,” Elora said and tried again. “Babe, is Lucy Lawless prettier than me?” she watched Hazel intently.
“Jade. Drive faster,” Kit said between her teeth.
Tilting her head, Hazel looked at Elora objectively for a moment before answering. "You are two totally different looks; she has dark hair, you have red hair." She paused and bit her lip. "I like the way your hair glows in the sun, and how your eyes shine kind of like blue gems, and your smile... it lights up your whole face... Your nose is cute, and your lips look soft... You're real. I don't know details like that about her, so you're prettier. Also, If I just looked at pictures side by side, I still think you'd be prettier." She spoke sincerely and shrugged, unsure if she'd said the right thing.
Elora blushed at the compliment and smiled. “You’re very, very sweet,” She said, smirking and placing her hand on the woman’s thigh.
"Was that the right answer?" Hazel asked timidly, swallowing hard as she glanced down at the woman's hand, feeling the heat of her palm through the material of her shorts.
“Yes, Hazel, that was the right answer!" Kit called from her seat, trying to tell the girl she did the right thing.
Elora ran her hand up and down and then removed it, still blushing, completely smitten by the older twin. “Well, it’s very sweet and nice that you think I could be prettier than her,” she said, kissing Hazel's cheek lightly.
"I was just being honest," Hazel replied softly and rubbed at her cheek lightly, for once not protesting. "So, that means my answer was right?" she asked, trying to be sure since Kit's opinion wasn't the one she cared about.
Blushing a deeper shade of red, Elora smiled and bit her bottom lip. “Yes, your answer was right, Haze, not that I'm looking for that validation,” she spoke quietly. “Always be honest, but remember, happy wife, happy life,” she joked.
"I wouldn't marry somebody I didn't think was perfect because I don't like lying. So if I were married, I'd always be able to be honest." Hazel answered seriously, flashing the woman a quick smile.
“Perfect is hard; nobody’s perfect,” Elora said, smiling. In the front seat, Jade squeezed Kit’s hand.
"I dunno, you're pretty perfect,” Hazel answered with a shrug and signature pouty face, complete with puppy dog eyes, thinking nothing of it.
Kit leaned into Jade and spoke quietly, “Did she just?” And Jade waved her off with an amused look.
At a loss for words Elora melted, her hand reaching to touch Hazel’s face and she leaned forward pressing a kiss to the corner of the woman’s mouth. “Hazel…” she said trying hard to calm her racing heart.
"Hmm?" Hazel hummed, eyes a little wide as she brought her thumb up to touch her mouth lightly, enjoying the tingly sensation left behind on the small corner of her mouth the other woman's lips had brushed against.
“You’re pretty perfect, too,” Elora said, playing with Hazel’s vest, “but I'll still catch more fish than you.”
"Of course you will; I've never fished before." Hazel chuckled and glanced down at the woman's hands.
With a sly smile on her lips, envisioning what it would be like to teach Hazel to fish, Elora spoke softly, "I'll be your guide for fishing fun."
"Thank you. I'm really looking forward to learning." Hazel smiled big and settled back in her chair, preparing to sleep for the rest of the hour-long trip.
~
After another forty minutes, Jade got them safely to their campsite and started unpacking their equipment. Glancing at the amount they had brought, she asked, "Hey Hazel... no judgment, but did you think we were going to be completely remote from society?"
Hazel stopped reading the instructions to her tent and glanced at Jade with a hurt look. "You know when you say no judgment, it means you're judging, right?" She asked tiredly. "And the answer is I don't know; I never know what to expect most days anyhow, but in this case, I've never been camping, and I didn't want to take any chances. I figure better safe than sorry." She answered with a slight shrug. "Me being extra careful actually makes it easier on you guys. You don't have to worry about me being a freak about stuff if I'm mostly prepared. Just leave my shit in the car; I'll get it out myself." She finished and shook her head as she returned to reading, feeling almost ready to tackle the building phase.
“Hey buddy, I wasn’t being mean,” Jade said carefully. She held up her hands in surrender, feeling a little guilty for hurting Hazel's feelings.
"You might not have meant to be mean, but it is," Hazel replied quietly as she started laying her tent out. She had opted for the kind that just clicked into place, knowing that if she had to try and thread the bars through material or bend them as she'd seen in the YouTube videos she'd watched, she'd get frustrated and most likely have a meltdown, and she wanted to avoid that at all costs.
"Need some help?" Elora called over from the other side of the campsite where she had set up the camp kitchen, offering Hazel an encouraging smile.
“No, thank you, I think I've got this," Hazel answered, smoothing out the material before getting up and clicking the different sides into place, pleased with how much easier it was than what Kit was working with. After a couple more minutes she finally finished building her tent, and only got frustrated when she got to the rain fly. No matter how much she tried to jump and throw it over her tent, it never made it very far or ended up back on her head. "Ughhhh." She growled and ripped it off her head after the sixth attempt. "Forget it, I don't need you." She grunted and kicked the obnoxious fabric away from her.
“Hey now, let me help you,” Elora said from behind the girl, picking up the fabric and easily working it over the structure. “All done, teamwork, hon.”
Squinting at the woman, Hazel shook her head and started clipping the rainfly into place. "You're taller; you have an advantage." She grumbled under her breath, unaccustomed to working with people.
“Tall people can protect you from monsters,” Elora joked. “But hey, at least you’re faster. I can’t run fast.” she pouted playfully, hugging the girl from behind. “That's an invaluable skill.”
Tensing at Elora's comment, Hazel huffed. "You've never seen me run." She grumbled. "You're thinking of Kit." She added and wiggled out of the woman's arms to finish setting up her stuff.
"She's not very coordinated," Kit informed Elora, rolling her eyes at her. "Why don't you make yourself useful and set these up." She tossed a couple of hammocks at the woman.
“Fine, sorry, Hazel, but I still think your size is much better,” Elora said, taking the hammocks and setting them up. “Voila!” she said proudly after a couple of minutes. “Come try this.”
Hazel looked over and gave the woman a skeptical look. "That looks dangerous." She muttered and went back to setting up the camp chairs around the fire ring.
"Come on, I bet you’ll like it,” Elora encouraged with a teasing smile. “Please?”
"Or I'll fall and break my neck,” Hazel shot back. “No, thank you. I like to keep my feet firmly on the ground.” She huffed and sat on one of the newly set up chairs.
"Remind me again why I thought this was a good idea?" Kit muttered to Jade as they unloaded the firewood.
“She'll have fun; it’s just new to her. Just try to relax. Everything will be okay.” Jade said, kissing the woman on the cheek
"I'm always relaxed," Kit replied indignantly, marching over to start building the fire.
Jade instantly knew she'd said the wrong thing and followed Kit. “You’re nervous because it was your idea, and you want her to like it, and she will; it’s essentially adult fort-building. Now forgibe?” Jade said with her puppy-dog-look directed at Kit.
Looking up at Jade, Kit rolled her eyes. "You've been talking to Elora too much." She grumbled and sat back on her heels, dusting her hands off on her pants as she admired her handy work. "This should work." She muttered happily, then looked back up at Jade. "I might be a little worried, but it's only because I only just got her back, and I don't want her to hate me; you can't blame me for that." She huffed a little and got up, casting her eyes to where Hazel had wandered off to check on the bathroom situation.
“Of course, I don’t blame you. She’s lucky you care so much.” Jade said proudly, “I’m proud of you, Kitty.”
"Yeah, well, wait until we tell her she's sharing her tent; I doubt she'll feel so lucky then, and you might change your tune too." Kit sighed, seriously starting to second-guess her idea. She just wanted a place free from the outside world where they could all reconnect without the constant threat of being recognized or found. However, seeing how uncomfortable Hazel looked made her think that perhaps she was better off in the city despite the dangers.
Jade hugged Kit and squeezed her tightly. “We’ll be fine,” she said, letting go of the woman. ”you should tell her soon.”
"I know. I'm dreading it, though," Kit whined, then turned her attention to Elora. "Hey..." she started with a sweet smile.
“Yes?” Elora gave her a wary look, slightly scared of her sweet demeanor.
"You want to tell Hazel you'll be sharing a tent with her?" Kit asked with a big smile, the same one Hazel used when trying to trick somebody into doing something for her.
Elora gave an incredulous look. "You didn't tell her?" She narrowed her eyes at Kit.
"Slipped my mind?" Kit asked with a sheepish smile and gallic shrug.
“I know you're aware of how she is with change; this better not backfire, Katherine!” Elora said as she took a deep breath.
“Just the fact that she’s willing to do it is amazing to me,” Jade whispered to Kit with a smile as Elora started to walk towards Hazel, who was on her way back from the bathrooms, a deep frown etched into her features.
"Of course she is... I'm pretty sure she'd do anything for Hazel." Kit smirked, no longer worried about her sister's reaction, confident Elora would soften the blow enough.
“That’s nice, but you think she’s that smitten? I don’t know,” Jade said as they could see Elora starting a conversation with Hazel.
"Totally." Kit chuckled and glanced towards the other two, wincing as Hazel caught her eye and instantly started walking towards her.
"Did you know those toilets don't flush? It's a giant hole, Kit... there had better be normal toilets somewhere, or I swear I'm driving back!” Hazel exclaimed, throwing her hands around wildly.
“Pit toilets, super safe, great for the environment. Super clean, I triple-checked.” Kit shrugged and watched her sister. There were also regular bathrooms with running water, but Kit couldn't miss an opportunity to antagonize her sister.
Hazel looked at Kit in disbelief. "So what I'm hearing is…there are no normal toilets, and I'm going home," she replied, her eyes narrowing at her sister, who snickered and buried her face against Jade's arm to hide her amusement.
Knowing there were more bathrooms, Elora glared at Kit. “Oh Haze, don’t go home,” She said carefully, choosing not to give Kit away just yet, wanting to give the woman the opportunity to do the right thing and tell Hazel the truth. “if you go home, who’s gonna protect me?”
Turning around, Hazel gave the woman a dumbfounded look. "You're not actually gonna stay, are you? We can just go back together." She reasoned. "I can pick them up when the weekend is over." She added with a shrug, feeling like it was a reasonable enough solution.
Looking at Hazel with pleading eyes, Elora spoke softly. “I was really hoping we would connect over this weekend,” she touched her fishing vest and then Hazel’s. “Sharing a tent,” she added gingerly, testing the woman's reaction.
Looking down at Elora's hand on her vest, Hazel considered how much she'd been looking forward to trying fishing and sighed. "Those toilets are so gross, though." She grumbled, then frowned as she registered the rest of the woman's sentence. "Wait, what? Sharing a tent?" She asked, looking up at the woman with a questioning look, immediately ready to leave again.
Kit and Jade quickly made themselves scarce, and Elora shook her head in disbelief; not only had she been put in an uncomfortable situation, but Kit apparently had no intentions of telling Hazel the truth about any of it. She turned her attention back to Hazel and sighed. “First, your sister is just being ornery; there are flush toilets and even showers on the other side of the campground." She assured and then continued. "But, yeah, I didn’t bring a tent; I was hoping maybe we could share yours?” She gave a charming smile, again choosing not to disclose that it was Kit's fault, partly because she didn't want Hazel any more angry at her sister than she already was and partly because she wanted to see if the idea of her company would be enough to persuade the woman. “Connect a bit and have more time together, away from distractions.” She gave the woman a hopeful look.
"What? She's such an ass!” Hazel exclaimed and shot Kit a dirty look before turning her attention back to Elora. "We can connect out here... the tent’s for sleeping." She reasoned in a confused tone. "Where would you even sleep? My cot is only big enough for one person." She added in a thoughtful tone, biting her lip as she glanced towards her tent, considering it.
"I know. I would sleep on the ground in a sleeping bag." Elora answered carefully and glanced back to find Kit and Jade watching them.
“Ten dollars, she’s gonna make Elora sleep on the floor,” Jade said, knowing Hazel was not a fan of sharing things with people she wasn’t comfortable with.
"Nah, I say she makes Elora take the cot,” Kit smirked, knowing despite Hazel's difficulties, she still put others first in the end.
"You can't sleep on the floor." Hazel frowned and glanced towards the car, deciding she knew how to deal with their issue. "You can sleep on my cot; I'll sleep in the car." She offered with a satisfied smile, proud of herself for finding a solution.
“No, I'm not kicking you out of your tent,” Elora said simply. "What if we make a bed on the floor of your tent? Or we could try to share the Cot?” She proposed and instantly regretted it, realizing how it could be taken.
Hazel widened her eyes at the suggestion and quickly shook her head. "No, it's too thin; we wouldn't fit together," she answered quickly, starting to panic a bit at the idea of having to be that close to another person in such a small space.
Seeing how distraught Hazel was, Elora felt terrible. “Maybe I should just go in Kit and Jade’s tent,” She offered gently, a little saddened but understanding. “Sorry for messing up.”
Tilting her head to the side, Hazel tried to determine the woman's emotions. "Are you upset?" She asked curiously, very worried she'd upset the woman.
“Disappointed in myself. I should’ve prepared for this,” Elora said, looking down. It was true; she never should have trusted Kit when she'd said they had a spare tent. “Honestly, I feel silly.”
"Don't feel silly. I'm really ok staying in the car." Hazel assured again, not wanting Elora to go without a tent, and she felt making her share with Kit and Jade wasn't nice either.
“No, I’ll take the car; I was the one who didn’t bring equipment,” Elora said, looking at Hazel and thinking how stupid she had been for falling for Kit’s idiotic plan. She should have told Hazel what had happened the minute she found out they didn't have enough tents, but a part of her had hoped maybe Kit was right, maybe Hazel wouldn't mind sharing.
"But the car isn't comfortable,” Hazel argued in a concerned tone, looking extremely distraught at the notion.
“And I wouldn’t want to impose discomfort on you, Haze,” Elora said, reaching for the woman’s cheek.
Hazel flinched and took a step back. "You touch me a lot." She observed in a curious tone.
Embarrassed, Elora looked down. “Is that bad?” she asked, slightly more defensive than she should’ve been, annoyed with herself for doing the wrong thing again. She knew better and couldn't understand why she kept making mistakes; it was so unlike her.
"I don't know," Hazel answered honestly, looking down at her hands as she fiddled with the zipper on her vest. She was pretty sure Elora's tone wasn't a happy one.
“I personally don’t think it’s bad; I don’t have the urge to touch every woman’s face,” Elora said, placing her hands behind her back. “But I can stop if you want me to,” she spoke softly.
Looking up, Hazel lifted her shoulders a bit in an awkward little shrug. "I don't think I want you to. I just noticed you do it a lot." She replied quietly and glanced towards the hammock. "Would you like to show me that now? I think maybe I wasn't nice earlier when you wanted to show it to me, and I'd like to fix that." She looked at Elora, hopefully, desperate to make the woman feel better.
Elora smiled softly at this and nodded. “Good. I like touching your face; it feels nice,” she replied honestly as she motioned for Hazel to follow her to the hammock and opened it for the woman to sit on, giving her an expectant look.
"Hmm, I like that your hand is warm and soft,” Hazel admitted shyly, then looked down at the hammock with an apprehensive look. "I'm scared of it... you sure I won't fall?" she asked worriedly.
“Positive, but if you do, I’ll pick you up,” Elora assured, waiting for Hazel to sit down.
"That means there's a chance I'll fall, and if I fall, I could hurt myself, and we're very far away from any hospitals, and I hate hospitals." Hazel started to spiral, shaking her head and backing away.
“Hazel! “ Elora called. “You're spiraling; look, I’ll demonstrate,” she said, getting in the hammock.“See? No problem.” She smiled and held her arms open wide to demonstrate how sturdy it was.
"Then why did you say you'd pick me up if I fell? That would only happen if there's a chance I could fall,” Hazel pointed out quickly, a little upset that Elora didn't understand.
“I was trying to show you I’m here for you, for whatever you need,” Elora explained. “Just sit here with me.” She patted the space beside her encouragingly.
"But you said I couldn't fall, so that doesn't make sense,” Hazel informed flatly. Then she carefully lowered herself, closing her eyes fearfully until she felt the tension of the fabric against the back of her thighs, and finally sat down fully. "Woah!" she exclaimed as it swung a little, nearly making her fall back into it before she caught herself, gripping the fabric under her legs tightly to keep herself up.
"You're right. I should have worded it better. I only meant I would catch you if it were possible you could fall," Elora explained softly and tilted her head, observing Hazel's tense posture. "It's cool, huh?" she asked, hoping to ease the woman's nerves as the hammock continued to gently sway under their combined weight.
"Maybe a little, but I'm still scared,” Hazel answered, wincing every time it moved, her legs still hanging over the side like she was ready to bolt at any moment.
Upon hearing the fear in Hazel's voice, Elora asked gently, "How can I help you feel less scared?" She wanted to be there for the woman as her support system.
"I don't know, make it stop being scary?" Hazel shot back quickly, not meaning for her comment to sound rude at all, just too scared to control the tone or cadence of her speech.
Elora nodded and got up carefully, taking care not to rock the hammock too much; she then held it in place for Hazel. “Lay back and ease into it,” she instructed soothingly.
Giving Elora a dubious look, Hazel thought about it as she looked at how the woman was still holding the hammock for her. "Don't let me fall." She spoke firmly and whimpered and winced a little as she finally laid back slowly, a look of surprise taking over her features as she realized it was actually comfortable, like being wrapped in a comforting embrace, a sensation she couldn't always enjoy when it was offered by people but often desired. "Oh, this isn't bad." She muttered with a guilty smile, feeling silly for being so scared.
"See? I told you." Elora beamed, hoping Hazel now understood that her intentions hadn't been bad; she'd only wanted to spend time with the woman and show her something she genuinely thought she'd like. Watching Hazel's relaxed and pleased expression, Elora smirked at how cute she looked, all cuddled in her little fabric cocoon, and only wished she could be cuddled right next to her.
"Yeah, you did... sorry I didn't trust you.." Hazel replied apologetically as she wrapped the fabric around her tighter, smiling pleasantly to herself.
“It’s all good, I understand,” Elora assured as she continued to watch the woman fondly, chuckling a little as Hazel continued to nestle herself into the hammock more, reminding the woman of a small animal trying to nest and get comfy, it was adorable. Still, she couldn’t help the small frown that took over her features as she realized she might only ever get to enjoy the woman from a distance.
Seeing what Elora was standing next to, Kit couldn't resist the urge to investigate."Hey Jade, look who got in the hammock!” She called as she peered in at Hazel, startling the girl. "Move over,” Kit instructed, causing Hazel to widen her eyes and shake her head.
"Don't you dare, Kit!” Hazel warned and started trying to squirm out of the hammock, grunting as Kit rolled in on top of her. "Kiiiit, get off of me." She groaned and kneed her sister in the stomach.
“Ouch! Be cool, just stay still, will you?!” Kit exclaimed as she tried to get adjusted without hitting her sister in the process.
"Me? I have to be cool? You're literally on top of me; get your bony elbows out of my ribs." Hazel protested in a very disgruntled tone, grabbing Kit's shoulders and trying to push the girl off of her.
Jade observed the scene with an amused smile as she approached Elora, who now stood a few steps away, giving the siblings space, knowing it was important for them to spend time together. “I was going to tell her it fits two people, but I'm glad Kit has a unique way of showing her things.” She said, looking at Jade as they heard Kit replying. “Hazel, I'm sorry. Scoot over so I can get off of you. These are made for two people! We shared a womb; I’m sure we can share a big ass hammock” Elora shook her head, amused by the banter.
“Yeah, she’s not going to stay cool,” Jade smirked, placing her hands in her pockets as she continued to watch the twins squabble. "I'm not sure Hazel is fond of two people in a confined space.” She spoke carefully, eyeing Elora, knowing she possibly had feelings for the younger woman. Elora nodded in response, keeping her expression neutral.
"What do our asses have to do with two of us fitting in this thing? Get off... I can't move; you're on top of me, and I told you never to mention the womb thing again. You're so gross." Hazel exclaimed, and Jade laughed out loud at the woman's literal response.
Kit looked at Hazel and shook her head before speaking, “It’s a figure of speech, Haze, not a literal ass! Now scoot a bit, then I can get off of you."
Elora looked at Jade. “Guess that’s a common dynamic from the past?” And Jade nodded as the sisters continued to argue.
"Whatever, I still can't move. Like I said, you're on top of me, and you're heavy; you keep poking me with your elbows. You need to move, or better yet, get out." Hazel snapped and growled as she tried to roll Kit off her, squealing as her arm caught the hammock's edge, pulling it down enough to make her feel like they were both gonna topple out.
"Oh boy," Elora took a sharp breath. "She's afraid of falling," she remarked, stepping forward but pausing as Kit addressed Hazel.
"Okay, fine, I'll move," Kit conceded, shifting to lie beside her twin. "Are you and the good doctor okay?" she asked in a more serious tone as they lay side by side. "She looked annoyed before I jumped on you.”
"Finally, that took way too long,” Hazel grumbled and shifted again, elbowing Kit right in the ribs by accident. "Sorry." She muttered and continued trying to sit up. "I don't really understand your question... I don't know if she was annoyed. I didn't think so, but maybe she was. I wouldn't know, and you know that." She added with a huff, finally getting her legs over the side and trying her best to sit up again but ending up falling back on Kit, the other girl's weight throwing the balance off. "Fuuuuck... This is my nightmare." She groaned and covered her face, her upper back firmly on Kit's stomach.
Jade looked to Elora for an answer to Kit’s question. Elora nodded. "I’m fine; she just wants to sleep in the car," the doctor told Jade, who nodded in understanding.
“Azel, breathe. Sit up and focus on your legs; then you can stand up,” Kit instructed, her voice calm and reassuring.
"I can't sit up... what do you think I'm trying to do? And this wouldn't be a problem if you hadn't jumped on top of me ." Hazel complained as she tried and failed to sit up again. "Jaaaaade." She called desperately, kicking her legs angrily.
Jade was already approaching when she heard her name. “ok, I’m right here. Give me your hand,” she spoke, and just like at the Halloween party, Elora saw how easily Hazel trusted Jade as the younger woman immediately took Jade's hand, allowing herself to be pulled up. Elora also noted how Jade was the one she called when she needed help and hoped one day Hazel would trust her like that.
"Thank you,” Hazel muttered to Jade and shot Kit an irritated glare.
"Stop being so dramatic; you're fine." Kit huffed and reached her hand out. "Would you mind helping me out?" she asked, batting her eyes at Jade playfully while Hazel rolled hers and walked over to her tent.
“Of course, princess,” Jade said, smiling and offering a hand, only to have Kit give her a shitting-eating grin as she took her hand and yanked her into the hammock with her. “Gotcha," Kit exclaimed with a maliciously playful laugh.
"Oh my god," Elora reacted, laughing as she saw a stunned Jade fall on top of Kit. "You all okay?" she asked, looking around and noticing Hazel was back in her tent.
Hearing Jade grumble, "You little shit," to Kit, Elora couldn't help but smile at their playful exchange.
"Don't pretend like you don't love it," Kit replied, poking Jade in the side. She shifted around until she was lying halfway on top of the taller woman. "Much comfier," she muttered, cuddling up to Jade with a small, content smile. Closing her eyes to enjoy the moment, she answered Elora, "We're fine."
Amused, Elora shook her head and headed over to the makeshift kitchen.
“Well, you could’ve asked me to join you… I’d never deny you,” Jade said, smiling, hugging the girl closer.
"Hmm, but where's the fun in that?" Kit asked, propping herself up a little to look at the woman with a teasing smirk on her face, loving that she could finally be more openly affectionate with her, even if they were taking things slow.
“Well, the fun is what we could be doing while laying like this,” Jade remarked with a warm smile as she absently ran her hand up and down the leg Kit had over her and instantly started mentally berating herself. Being close to Kit made her feel things, and now that she could act on some of those feelings, they seemed to take over sometimes, despite her desire to court the girl and slowly build a foundation. She stopped moving her hand and squeezed the woman's thigh lightly with the intent to show Kit some affection without sexualizing the moment, wanting to get it right for once.
"Slow, remember?" Kit chuckled, squirming a bit closer to Jade, struggling not to give in.
Jade winced and nodded, humming softly, feeling horrible for her comment. The last thing she wanted was to give Kit the idea that she was always looking for a sexual favor. "Yes, I know, I'm not rushing.” She wanted to elaborate and start profusely apologizing, but she didn’t want to start a conversation at that moment, preferring instead to take the opportunity to enjoy Kit cuddled in her arms and quiet. Kit was hardly ever quiet or still; getting her to be calm was like trying to tame the wind.
~
Meanwhile, Hazel exited her tent and walked over to Elora, leaning against a tree and watching the woman curiously. "Would you like to go for a walk with me? I read that there's a little waterfall around here, and I wanted to check it out, but hiking alone isn't recommended." She spoke in a slightly awkward tone, averting her eyes to stare at the tree bark, observing how rough it was, just distracting herself.
“Yeah, of course,” Elora said as she nodded, trying not to look eager.
Hazel smiled and mirrored Elora's nod. "Cool, do you need to grab anything? You might want to fill your water pack; I think it's a mile or so away, so that would be two miles round trip." She explained and turned to show Elora the fully filled pack on her back.
"Okay, give me a minute," Elora smiled and grabbed her water bag, adding some snacks before quickly returning to Hazel. “Ready!" she announced, observing Hazel's body language, not as concerned about her safety anymore but whether the woman might break her heart.
"That was more like five minutes," Hazel pointed out, giving Elora a quick smile before starting to walk.
‘Thanks, smart ass,” Elora joked back and followed her. “Are you uncomfortable with Jade and Kit’s affection?”
"No," Hazel replied honestly, matching her pace to Elora's. "Smart ass is one of those weird things people say, right?" She asked, pretty sure she had it correct but wanting to confirm.
"Yep, because I'm pretty sure your actual ass has zero brain power," Elora quipped, winking mischievously at Hazel, clearly enjoying their banter.
"You're right, it doesn’t," Hazel replied in a completely serious tone as her eyes scanned their surroundings. She smiled a little as she enjoyed looking at all the different trees.
Elora smiled and nodded as she looked around, taking in and appreciating the natural beauty that surrounded them. Pausing to admire Hazel, she remarked, “Everything's so beautiful."
"Yeah." Hazel breathed out, her eyes still on the tree tops, oblivious to Elora's attention.
Notes:
Thank you for sticking with us! We are happy you're still here! Tell us what you think? What's your favorite interaction?
Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Summary:
A hike, a waterfall, a cookout, a serenade and a heart-to-heart. AKA: Camping part 2.
(Quick Disclaimer... in the last chapter we accidentally referenced an actress that at least one person took offense to. ( We changed it as soon as we knew the reference could be offensive. ) But first I want to apologize for inadvertently upsetting someone, and second I'd like to make it clear that any people, actors, actresses, musicians, or songs referenced are random, or because they fit best at the time. We don't have the time to research every person, and we write quickly, so please know if any of them have questionable views or stances, we're unaware and it does not reflect our views in any way. This is purely for entertainment and a way to unwind for us. So again, my sincerest apologies if anything is ever offensive, it's certainly not intentional... anyway, with that said. Happy reading :). )
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
After an hour of quiet walking and stopping to check out interesting rock formations and fallen logs, Hazel and Elora finally got close enough to the waterfall to hear the roar of the falling water. "I think we're close," Hazel informed excitedly, pointing up to the final accent they needed to make to reach the top.
“That’s exciting! Elora said, looking at the woman. “What do you think so far?”
"Everything's so pretty; I love it," Hazel replied with a big smile. “What about you? I'm sorry it took so long to get here. I promise it'll be faster going back. I've already seen everything, so we won't need to stop," she assured with a sheepish smile, feeling guilty for wanting to stop to check out every new thing she saw.
“I love it. Simply love it. I love how vibrant everything is, how the leaves are all different colors this time of year, the rustling sounds when the wind blows through the trees, and you observing each detail.” Elora said with a big smile.
"Really? I didn't annoy you?" Hazel asked softly, blushing and looking down at her feet, kicking at the soft dirt and smiling at the tiny dust clouds it produced.
"Yes, and of course, you didn’t annoy me. I like that you’re curious and observant.” Elora said, looking at Hazel with kind, adoring eyes.
Glancing at Elora, Hazel ducked her head at the look, quickly shifting her eyes back to the dirt. "Most people get annoyed when I get caught up looking at stuff. It's nice that you don't." She mumbled and put an arm out in front of the woman as she noticed a big rock. "Careful, don't trip," she warned, nodding to a protruding boulder.
“Oh my goodness!” Elora stopped abruptly, cringing at how close she'd come to tripping.
"Yeah, watch your step here; it's a little steep," Hazel replied, stepping up over a small log and offering Elora her hand.
“Thank you. I was going to trip, and that would’ve been ungraceful,” Elora laughed, taking the woman’s hand. “You don’t need to see me with a muddy face or scrambling to get up,” she rambled.
Giving Elora a confused look, Hazel shook her head. "I'm far less worried about that than I am about you hurting yourself. We don't have phone service, and we forgot to tell Kit and Jade where we are, so if something happened to you, nobody would know." She replied seriously, squeezing the woman's hand and pulling her up to her level.
Elora smiled cautiously and chuckled as she gave Hazel's hand a slight squeeze, looking for some comfort to offset the wave of apprehension that washed over her at the woman's words. "Yeah, I'm a really easy target, I guess." She laughed nervously. She couldn't help but remember the lyrics of the song she'd heard in Hazel's car as she silently acknowledged everything Hazel said was true; they were indeed all alone, with no cell reception; if the woman wanted to harm her, it would be the easiest thing in the world, it would simply look like an accident. Shaking off the dark thoughts, Elora put on a brave face and offered a wider smile. “If something happened, I'm sure you could help me though. You seem adept at first aid." She spoke confidently, all the while hoping she wasn't being stupid. "But I do appreciate your level of care."
"Mhm, we're both easy targets," Hazel replied, watching Elora cautiously. “Do you know CPR?" she asked curiously, trying to get her mind off the fact that she was alone with somebody she didn't know very well and had no way of contacting people if she needed help. Sometimes, she could forget to be cautious around Elora, but with nobody around for miles, she found herself thinking about all of the warnings Lili had given her about people.
Elora nodded and spoke. “Yes, I also renew it every year,” she affirmed. “What about You? I assume you keep up to date as well?” she asked, trying to keep the conversation going to feel the woman out. “What do you carry in your pack? Any food in case we get lost?” she continued, glancing at Hazel's backpack.
"Mhm, I like to be prepared, so I took CPR every year too," Hazel replied quietly as she kept a hold of Elora's hand and kept walking, keeping the other woman close, suddenly a little afraid of having the woman walk behind her. "I have some protein bars, trail mix, jerky, and electrolytes. Are you hungry?" She asked, glancing at Elora.
“No, not hungry, just trying to figure out what rations we have to survive until they find us,” Elora joked, swinging their hands in an attempt to calm her nerves and seem at ease.
Looking at their hands, Hazel smiled. "We're not lost. We'll be able to get back just fine unless you get injured or plan on throwing me off a cliff." She joked lightly but observed Elora very carefully, trying to figure out if she was just being paranoid or should actually be concerned.
“Nah, you won’t be thrown down a cliff by me; not my style,” Elora joked back, giving the woman an inquisitive look. She couldn't figure her out.
"No, you're right; you seem more like the type who charms their victims, gains their trust, and then poisons them quietly over a few months until they finally die." Hazel laughed, but her expression remained cautious. She was still watching Elora intently, knowing she was at a disadvantage since reading people's expressions and intentions didn't come naturally to her. She was never confident she had it right and had relied heavily on Lili growing up, and any other time, she had to just trust people and hope they were being honest with her, which left her in a constant state of anxiety.
“You think I’m a serpent? Charming and tempting you?” Elora gasped in mock indignance and laughed, hoping to ease the tension between them. She was starting to realize that Hazel seemed as cautious about her as she was Hazel.
Furrowing her brow, Hazel looked down at the ground and shrugged. "No." She mumbled, deciding to drop the subject since it was useless.
“Haze, I’m joking. Have I charmed you?” Elora asked, squeezing the woman’s hand, hoping the answer was yes, that maybe this charmingly handsome woman could have feelings for her, too.
Swallowing hard, Hazel dared another glance toward the woman and bit her lip. "If I say yes, does that mean you'll start poisoning me?" She asked carefully, giving the woman a timid smile to try and appear playful but not quite managing it.
“That depends…” Elora said with a playful smile. “If poison doesn’t mean something harmful, then maybe,” she continued, feeling proud of Hazel for opening up a bit, too focused on that to consider how her words could be taken.
Suddenly very confused, Hazel pulled her hand away from the woman, looping her thumbs under the straps of her backpack instead, near the knife and bear spray she had hooked there. "Poison is always harmful; it's poison." She spoke tensely, watching Elora more than she was watching the ground as they continued to make their way up to the top of the falls.
Recognizing her error, Elora wanted to smack herself for failing to think before she spoke. “I'm sorry, I was just being playful. Of course, I don’t intend to poison you, but I also don’t intend to stop charming you, if that’s ok?” she asked in a hopeful tone. Already missing the girl’s hand, she looked at Hazel and flinched when she saw how close the woman's hand was to her knife.
"Sure," Hazel muttered, walking a little faster and stepping to the side, creating some distance from Elora. She was acutely aware of her disadvantage and unwilling to give the woman any more opportunities to exploit that weakness.
Elora felt unnerved by Hazel's behavior, reading it as a sign of guilt instead of genuine fear. She considered how they might have inadvertently given Hazel the perfect opportunity to eliminate them all individually, starting with her. Taking the shrink out of the picture first made perfect sense to her, so she hung back, following at a safe distance and trying to harden her heart once again in the process.
The next ten minutes were spent with Hazel constantly looking back to make sure Elora wasn't sneaking up on her as they got closer and closer to the top; she had a couple of near trips but managed to catch herself each time and finally breathed a sigh of relief as she got to the top and stopped to wait for Elora, placing the mouthpiece of her water pack in her mouth and sucking on it absently as she observed the other woman, wishing she was more like Kit, and able to be confident in her assessment of people.
Seeing Hazel against the waterfall backdrop, Elora couldn't help but admire the image. "It's beautiful, Hazel, truly stunning." She breathed and quickly took out her camera. Apprehension momentarily forgotten, she snapped a quick photo of Hazel. "Amazing," she added softly as she checked the picture.
Raising an eyebrow, Hazel let the mouthpiece drop out of her mouth and tilted her head, looking at Elora curiously for a second. "Yeah, it really is." She answered, not taking her eyes off the woman, then sighing and glancing towards the waterfall. Deciding she had to know once and for all, she strode right up to the edge of the cliff overlooking the water, so close the mist soaked through her clothes. She kept her back to Elora as she looked down, feeling her stomach drop uncomfortably at the sight, but it wasn't enough to make her step back. Her fear of Elora wasn't a fear of dying but rather a fear of being made to look stupid, of being tricked again; it was the thing she feared the most and was the most susceptible to, so instead of being willing to live with that constant fear; she resolved to give the woman an easy target, preferring to get it over with if that was the woman's intention.
Elora watched in terror, holding her breath as fear gripped her. “Hazel, what are you doing? Please step back!” she called out, taking a step closer to the cliff, endangering herself in the process.
"I'm fine," Hazel called back without turning around. She took a deep breath as she waited for Elora to get closer, keeping her eyes on the water below, fully expecting to be pushed at any moment. She wasn't looking forward to the falling part but still thought it was better than the anxiety of not knowing.
Seeing that Hazel had no intention of stepping away from the edge, Elora took another cautious step closer, worried that moving too quickly might scare her into falling. "Hazel! This is not some magical waterfall at the edge of the world that will transport you to a distant land,” she called over the roar of the water. “Please, look at me, sweetheart.”
Hazel smiled sadly at the thought, thinking how she'd jump without a second thought if it were some magical door to a world where she was different, more capable, more like everybody else. "I wish it was." She answered simply, without turning around.
"Maybe so, but instead of giving you all that you desire, that land would bring your worst nightmares to life and take whatever you hold most dear, whatever that may be,” Elora spoke with conviction, imploring the woman to listen. "Hazey, I don't want to lose you." The pain in her voice was evident as she got closer with the single-minded focus of keeping Hazel safe at all costs, even if it meant risking her own life. The fear of losing Hazel was far greater than any fear for her own safety.
Feeling water stinging her eyes, Hazel rubbed at them a little, not sure if she was crying or if it was the waterfall. "I've lived my nightmare already." She answered honestly and turned to look at Elora, losing her balance and nearly tripping.
“Hazel! No!” Elora screamed and launched herself forward, catching the woman around the waist and pulling her back so hard they both landed on the ground, a safe distance from the falls.
It all happened so fast that Hazel barely had time to register being startled before she was lying safe in Elora's embrace. The relief she felt was so overwhelming she turned and clung to the woman tightly. "You could have pushed me, but you didn't." She mumbled into Elora's shoulder, hiding her face.
“Why on Earth would I push you, sweet girl?” Elora asked as she rubbed the woman’s back, still processing the last few moments.
"I don't know... I don't know you very well... maybe Kit asked you to get close to me so you could hurt me. I'm not sure who to trust, and I'm terrified," Hazel admitted quietly, flinching slightly at Elora's touch but not asking her to stop, knowing she was only trying to be helpful.
Elora's heart broke at Hazel's thought process. “First, I'm sorry you're scared Hazel. I understand why you're reluctant to trust people, but Kit adores you; she doesn't want anything to happen to you, and neither do I. I would never carry out orders like that." She used a soothing tone. "To be honest, I was scared you might hurt me when you were touching your blade,” Elora confessed—kissing the top of Hazel's head.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just scared..." Hazel trailed off and looked up at the woman, meeting her eyes for a moment. "I wouldn't hurt you unless you were trying to hurt me, and even then, I don't think I could." She admitted and glanced away. "I'm not scared of dying; I'm scared of not understanding, so if you want to hurt me, you can, but please don't trick me... don't treat me nice, only to hurt me in the end." She pleaded softly, keeping her eyes on the rocks surrounding them, realizing how many things she could have tripped over while she'd been close to the edge.
Hazel's pain was so raw that Elora could feel it as though it was her own, and in many ways, she felt like it was starting to be. "Hazel, I promise I will never intentionally hurt you. I never want to see you in pain... I... I like you." She said quietly, caressing the woman's face.
"Do you really Promise? Please don't be lying. You know I won't be able to tell." Hazel replied quietly as she pulled away from the woman and sat up, realizing she'd been in her arms far longer than necessary. Looking down at her shorts, she scowled at how muddy they were and started dusting them off, visibly shuddering as her hands got messy and she wiped them on her wet shirt.
“Yes, I promise.” Elora smiled and propped herself up on her elbows as she watched Hazel. “Also, I’ll do my best to explain things to you so you can understand.”
Tearing her eyes away from her dirty shorts, Hazel nodded at Elora again. "Thank you. I hope I can trust you. I don't think I'll survive any more lies." She replied honestly and got up, offering the woman her hand and a small smile as a peace offering, her way of showing she'd decided to put her trust in the woman.
"You can. All I want is to be worthy of you, Prince Azel," Elora smiled, taking the woman's hand. "That is what they call you, right?" She asked apprehensively, noting the woman's unreadable expression and fearing she might have said the wrong thing.
"It's what Kit and Jade used to call me when we were kids; yes... sometimes they still say it, I guess," Hazel replied with a small shrug. She secretly liked the playful title but was still cautious, afraid the woman could be making fun of her. "If you're honest with me... that's all I need from you," she added seriously as she pulled the woman up and gave her a hopeful look.
"I can do that," Elora agreed, feeling instantly guilty as she looked at Hazel. “I didn’t bring a tent because Kit told me I wouldn’t need one," she admitted, wanting to be honest and transparent. "But I can go home or sleep in the car," she quickly added.
Narrowing her eyes, Hazel glanced back in the direction they'd come from and shook her head. "Of course she did... she's so scattered-brained." She grumbled and sighed as she brought her attention back to Elora. "It's not your fault, and I would never make you sleep in the car. I can, or... if you don't want to be alone, I guess I could sleep on the floor in the tent." She offered meekly, deciding it wouldn't be so bad if it meant keeping Elora feeling comfortable.
Elora smiled at the offer but couldn't take it. “I’ll be more comfortable if I’m not running you out of your tent, so I’ll be on the floor, and you sleep on your cot,” She said decisively.
"No way. You're not sleeping on the floor." Hazel replied in a very serious tone, shaking her head with a stubborn look.
“Hazel, I don’t want to take you out of your bed,” Elora said, giving Hazel a puppy-dog look.
Taking in a deep breath, Hazel pursed her lips and looked to the side, considering her options. "Ok, what if there's no cot? To make it fair, we'll take it out; that way, neither of us get it." She suggested, cringing a little at the idea of Elora having to sleep on the ground but feeling like it might be the only option the woman would accept.
“Okay, I can agree to that,” Elora smiled, giving the woman a pleased nod.
"Cool, so it's settled. We'll both be super uncomfortable.” Hazel laughed and shook her head. “Come here, let's look at the waterfall. We walked all this way; you should enjoy it too." She motioned the woman to a spot that gave a perfect view of the falls without being too close or dangerous.
Elora chuckled at the woman’s comment. “I think we’ll be okay,” she said, and she meant it in more ways than one as she followed Hazel to get a better view of the falls.
"Maybe." Hazel smiled, watching Elora closely. She waited until Elora's attention was fully on the falls before slipping off her backpack and pulling out a little film camera. She snapped a few photos of the woman, carefully lining up the shot with the waterfall in the background, a prominent rainbow in front of it, and the sun glinting off Elora's hair—an image she couldn't resist capturing. "Gorgeous," she muttered softly to herself, looking down at her camera and smiling, hoping the image would turn out the way she envisioned it.
Elora looked at Hazel and shook her head. “You’re gorgeous. Come here, let’s take one together,” she said, smiling at Hazel.
Hazel laughed. "No, but you are... stay right there for a sec." She instructed and brought her camera back up to capture the same shot with Elora looking at her this time. "Prettier than any painting." She declared happily and then walked over to stand next to the woman. "Alright, how do you want to do this?" She asked curiously, pulling out her phone and holding up the little camera, giving Elora options. "Or we could do one with each." She offered.
“One with each, and let’s do different positions so we have options Elora suggested and positioned herself side-by-side with Hazel.
"Sure, that works." Hazel smiled and leaned closer to Elora before bringing her phone up to take the picture, looking a little off to the side so she wouldn't have to look at the image, not a fan of seeing herself. After taking that picture, she quickly stowed her phone in her front pocket and brought the film camera up, this time looking directly at the camera since she couldn't see the image.
“Cheese?” Elora asked as she looked at the girl affectionately.
Putting her camera down by her side, Hazel looked at the woman. “No, I'm sorry I didn't bring any because it has to stay cold, but I have cashews and stuff if you're hungry." She offered and started rifling through her bag to find Elora a snack.
"No, Hazel, I don't need a snack; I meant, do we say cheese when we smile at the camera ?" Elora clarified as she rested her hand over Hazel's, stopping the woman's search with a gentle smile.
Pausing, Hazel looked up at Elora and blinked, very confused for a moment. "Wait... why do people want you to say cheese when you smile? I never got why people say that; I thought maybe they were hungry." She informed with a small wince, again feeling stupid in front of the woman.
“It's a term that came up in the 1940s. No one knows the exact reason, but they believe it's because saying Ch—makes you clench your jaw while saying—eese makes you relax so the movement can form a smile.” Elora explained, happy to satisfy the woman’s curiosity
"Oh... Cheese." Hazel spoke and frowned when her mouth definitely didn't form a smile. "Doesn't work," she declared and shook her head. “We don't need to say it. Also, I already took two pictures. Did you smile?" she asked curiously.
“Yes, I did smile,” Elora assured. “You’re just too adorable for words, Hazel Tanthalos.”
"Why? What did I do that you think is adorable?" Hazel asked curiously.
“You tried using 'cheese,' and you didn’t think it worked,” Elora explained. “Yet, it made me smile. The way you experience the world is so pure. I really love it.”
“Oh," Hazel blushed and ducked her head, raising her shoulders to her ears in embarrassment. "Well, it really doesn't work. You say it, you'll see." She defended gently, feeling a little self-conscious about the attention.
Elora nodded and repeated the phrase quietly to herself, quickly realizing that Hazel was correct. “You’re right, it doesn’t!” she exclaimed, surprised she'd never noticed that. “I guess you have to be thinking about smiling for it to work.”
"Exactly, but if you don't know that or don't know how to smile, it won't help," Hazel replied with a small shrug. "You want to take a few more pictures in those different poses you suggested?" She offered and pulled her phone back out with a frown and audible groan as she found it wet from her pocket.
"Yes, I'd love to, but first, let me help you with that." Elora motioned for Hazel to hand her the phone and quickly dried it on the hem of her shirt. "There you go." She smiled, handing the phone back.
"Thanks," Hazel muttered. "Guess I'm all wet." She shrugged and glanced at Elora’s disheveled shirt. "Your shirt... it rode up,” she pointed to it.
Elora nodded and pulled her shirt down, all the while giggling at Hazel's comment. "I guess you are, I'm sorry." She tried to keep her thoughts clean, knowing Hazel hadn't meant it suggestively.
"It's ok; I guess I was too caught up in all the pretty things around me to notice until now." Hazel shrugged as she looked at the woman and then quickly back to the waterfall. "It's my own fault for standing so close to the water,” she added, motioning to where the mist was strongest.
You’re making this hard! Elora thought as she looked at the girl. “Hazel, if I may, I want to help you so people don’t make fun of you. When you say I’m all wet… some people may think you're talking about being wet down there, which is in a sexual way.” the woman spoke in a serious tone.
"What?" Hazel exclaimed, widening her eyes in horror. "No, No, I didn't mean that; I mean, I'm sure everything is wet, but not because of... not in that way." She spoke rapidly, terrified that Elora thought that. "You mean how it was at the hotel, right?" She tried to clarify, shuddering at the memory.
“Yes.” Elora nodded, happy the woman remembered. “Yes, just like that.”
"Well, then, how else am I supposed to say it? I'm soaked?" Hazel asked curiously, eyebrows up under her bangs as she gave the woman an earnest look.
“Well, that can be taken out of context as well. I mean, I know what you meant, but I want to make sure you word it appropriately for others, like your sister, who has a horribly dirty mind.” Elora spoke softly.
Sighing, Hazel slouched in defeat. "Fine, but you didn't tell me how else to say it," she pointed out in a slightly frustrated tone, raising both hands and dropping them in exasperation.
“You can say your clothes are wet or your pocket got wet,” Elora suggested, hoping Hazel recognized the differences.
"Hmm, seems stupid but alright. My clothes are all wet, even in my pocket; that's why my phone got wet, too." Hazel replied carefully, watching Elora to see if she’d said it right.
“I know what you meant, love, but yes, that's better.” Elora nodded, considering telling the woman she didn't have to be quite so detailed but ultimately deciding to keep things simple. She could delve further into the nuance of conversation at a later time.
"So I won't be made fun of for saying it that way?" Hazel asked hopefully.
“Correct.” Elora nodded and smiled.
"Cool, thank you for telling me," Hazel replied, genuinely grateful as she moved to stand next to the woman again. "Ready for more pictures? You choose the poses, and I'll try and keep up." She instructed with a bright smile.
“You're welcome; I'm happy to help,” Elora answered with a smile. “Ok, let’s find out if you can!” She quickly moved on, wasting no time as she started striking the funniest poses she could think of.
"Wait, what am I supposed to do?” Hazel asked blankly, watching Elora with a dumbfounded look.
“Move around, make faces, be silly,” Elora instructed as she kept moving around, trying to lead by example.
"I don't know how to do that," Hazel admitted with an apologetic look. “I'll just try to smile," she decided and grinned at the camera as she snapped a couple more pictures.
“That’s perfect,” Elora agreed, moving behind Hazel and pulling her close. “Two more?” she asked, checking to ensure they were both in frame.
"Sure." Hazel laughed and leaned back against Elora as she looked in the general direction of the camera, snapping the photo without actually looking at the image again.
“That’s a keeper. Will you text me that one?” Elora asked, squeezing Hazel tight before letting her go.
"Sure, what should we do now? You said two more, and that was just one." Hazel pointed out and watched the girl carefully.
Elora gave a thoughtful look and smiled. “Oh, I know!” She exclaimed, placing her lips near Hazel's face. "Take it." She laid a small kiss on the woman's now rosy cheek.
Widening her eyes, Hazel temporarily bit back her protest as she snapped the photo, then pulled away, yanking the collar of her shirt up to wipe off her cheek. "You always do that." She protested in a slightly amused tone, far less annoyed than usual.
“Yeah? But now I won’t do it anymore; that was the last time,” Elora promised, noticing Hazel’s protest was much less emphatic this time but not wanting to push the woman any more than she already did.
"Promise?" Hazel asked with a challenging look, accompanied by a tiny smile.
“Yeah, you don’t like it, so no more kissing,” Elora said very seriously, wishing she didn’t have to pull away, but Hazel had to figure herself out.
"Oh... " Hazel trailed off and nodded as she looked down. "Thank you." She added quietly and fiddled with her camera, not sure why she felt a little disappointed.
“Are you sure you’re not cold? It’s like sixty degrees out here.” Elora pointed out quietly, worry evident in her tone, though she knew it wasn’t her place to say much.
Looking at Elora, Hazel pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows as she shook her head. "Nope, I don't really get cold," she explained, recalling countless times her parents had to practically wrestle her into a jacket when they went out in the snow. She simply didn't register temperature changes like everybody else and hated wearing warm clothes, finding them overly confining.
“Hmm, well, I’m getting a little chilly, and the spray is only going to get colder when the sun starts going down,” Elora said as she hugged herself.
"Oh, we should start heading back then," Hazel replied in a worried tone, frowning as she thought of ways to help. "I don't have a jacket with me, or I'd offer it to you." She added apologetically
“It’s okay. Can we just walk close? It'll give me some body heat,” Elora replied with a shy smile.
"Sure." Hazel nodded and moved closer to the woman, wobbling a little as she stepped over a small boulder. "I felt warmer when you were holding me... do you want me to hold you?" She asked carefully, a little worried about how Elora would take her question, afraid of being made fun of.
“You want to hold me?” Elora asked carefully.
"No... but you're cold, and you said body heat would keep you warm, so I thought maybe it would help you," Hazel replied, averting her eyes and kicking at the ground shyly.
“Oh, it helps me, but if you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to,” Elora assured with a small smile.
“Well, I want to help you stay warm," Hazel replied honestly and moved forward. “I'm still wet, though. Do you think it'll still help?" she asked curiously and winced. “I mean, my clothes are wet, and I don't want to get you wet and make you colder." She corrected, watching Elora to see if she'd said it right.
Elora smiled proudly. “I think your body heat may just be warmer,” She answered carefully.
Pleased that Elora didn't seem upset by her wording, Hazel smiled and nodded. "Ok, let's find out." She muttered and moved behind the woman, wrapping her arms around her securely. "Better?" She asked, resting her chin on Elora's shoulder like she'd done in the haunted house.
Elora took a deep breath and smiled. “Yes. Much better.”
"Hmm, good." Hazel sighed softly, snuggling a bit closer as she started guiding the woman back down toward their campsite.
Meanwhile, Kit put another log on the fire and checked her phone. "They've been gone a while. You think they're okay?" She worried, glancing over at Jade as she motioned for the woman to hand her another log.
“Yeah, I'm sure they’re fine. Your sister’s a rule follower; she wouldn’t risk anything, and Elora’s like a human compass,” Jade answered as she handed Kit the log.
"I dunno... Hazel used to be a rule follower, but she's broken lots of rules in the time she's been back in our lives, and I'm sure you've seen the scars..." Kit trailed off and watched Jade carefully, afraid she was revealing something she maybe shouldn't.
“The one on her face, yeah, I mean, you can’t miss it.” Jade nodded, handing the girl another log. “Why are you being a bit… weird about this?” She asked, looking at the woman suspiciously.
Sighing, Kit turned her attention to the fire, poking a stick at it as she considered her answer. "I'm not trying to be weird. I'm sure it's nothing." She answered with a dismissive shrug and looked up at Jade.
“Yeah, maybe they’re just making out,” Jade suggested as she approached Kit and observed the woman.
"Maybe, but I doubt it; I don't think Hazel knows she likes Elora, or maybe she doesn't like her at all. It's hard to say." Kit mumbled, honestly not sure how to read her sister.
“I think she knows. Maybe she’s afraid to admit it, though,” Jade said, giving the woman a small smile, knowing somebody else who had a similar way of dealing with her feelings.
Sighing, Kit gave Jade a contemplative look. She'd always admired how perceptive and in control Jade had always been, but the older she got, the more she realized Jade didn't have it as together as she’d thought. "I think maybe you overestimate how much Hazel knows and doesn't know. Sometimes, I think you underestimate her, but in this case, I think you're wrong." She spoke honestly. "Hazel told me she thought she liked you. She thought she liked you, Jade; she wasn't sure, and she's gotten way closer to you than she's gotten to Elora. If she wasn't sure of you, I highly doubt she has a clue with Elora." She reasoned and got up to start getting the food out, deciding she didn't want to wait any longer to eat. “Hell, you weren't even sure what you wanted, and you don't have the same type of struggles she does." She pointed out with a knowing look.
“But there is a difference, and I think she recognizes that difference. But if they're gone very much longer, I’ll go looking for them,” Jade said, watching Kit for her reaction.
"Maybe," Kit replied. "You want to help me? Cooking isn't really my thing." She admitted as she nodded toward the burgers they brought and then glanced toward the forest, hearing voices approaching and breathing a sigh of relief as Hazel and Elora came into view; Hazel's arms still firmly wrapped around Elora as she giggled and seemed to try not to trip.
“I can help, of course. What do you need?” Jade asked, looking over her shoulder and then toward Hazel and Elora. “See? They’re fine, and apparently more than fine, very, very cozy.”
Keeping her eyes on Hazel and Elora for an extra moment, Kit nodded. “Apparently," she muttered and looked back down at the meat. “Can you shape the burgers for me? I hate that part. I always get distracted, and they come out all wonky. I can grill them, though." She assured, distracted momentarily as Hazel and Elora got closer, hearing Hazel mumble something about warming up by the fire.
“Of course, anything you’d like, Prin… Kit,” Jade said
"I heard that." Kit narrowed her eyes at the woman and nudged her side playfully, knowing the woman was making fun of how needy she was being.
Feeling playful, Jade leaned in and whispered in Kit's ear, “And what are you gonna do about it?”
"You making food already?" Hazel asked as she passed the couple on her way to grab a blanket, leaving Elora sitting by the fire for a moment.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kit shot back at Jade with a playful smirk before glancing at Hazel's retreating form. “No, Hazel, we're calling the bears." She called to her sister sarcastically, groaning as Hazel called back. "That isn't very smart." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kit gave Jade an exasperated look.
“Your answer wasn’t appropriate,” Jade replied with a knowing smile, aware of Kit's tendency to sometimes torment Hazel. “And yes, I’d love to know, and you’re very mean for not sharing.”
"She asked a stupid question. Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers." Kit shrugged and waved her hand dismissively. "And fine, I won't cook your burger." She added and tapped the tip of Jade's nose with a small smile and glanced at the woman's lips briefly before shaking her head, turning her attention back to the meat, grabbing a couple that Jade had already shaped for her, and putting them over the fire.
“She thought Elora was going to cook,” Jade said, leaning her head to talk close to the woman’s neck. Babe… please cook my burger; I’ll do anything you want if you cook my burger.”
Closing her eyes, Kit summoned all of her strength before speaking. "Sorry, no can do..." She laughed and quickly shifted to the other side of the fire, further from Jade, trying to ignore Elora's watchful eyes. "As for Hazel thinking Elora was going to cook, that's no excuse for the dumb question; it was obvious we were working on making food, and how will she ever learn to pick up on sarcasm if nobody's ever sarcastic with her?" She reasoned with a confident look, positive her reasoning was sound.
Jade moved closer again, this time placing her body flush with Kit’s. “Kitty…you’re cooking everybody’s but mine that’s mean”. She chose to ignore everything else Kit had said, not wanting to rile the woman up more.
Kit smirked and reached back to pat Jade's face lightly. "Should have thought of that before you called me princess with rude intent.” She chuckled, playing along with the little game.
“I didn’t mean to,” Jade pouted playfully.
"Uh-huh," Kit hummed in a disbelieving tone. "Hand me that, please," she requested, pointing towards the spices. "If you're really good, I'll think about forgiving you, and maybe you'll get one of these." She added firmly, as though scolding a disobedient child despite fully intending to make Jade two burgers no matter what.
Fully immersed in their little game, Jade immediately retrieved the requested items and gave Kit a big, hopeful smile.
Returning with a blanket, Hazel wrapped it around Elora's shoulders and rubbed the woman's arms over it briefly before sitting next to her and handing over a bottle of bear spray. "If you see a bear, just take the pin out, aim, and shoot. It's like pepper spray." She informed very seriously, while Kit widened and rolled her eyes at what she was hearing, biting her tongue to keep from saying something really mean to her clueless sister.
"Thank you." Elora smiled. "It's freezing out; you need to go change." She gave her best puppy dog look and made a shooing motion, hoping Hazel would listen.
Knowing Elora was right, Hazel gave her a tiny guilty smile followed by a slight nod. "You're right. I'll be right back." She assured and got up. She'd wanted to change the moment her clothes started clinging to her skin, but being around Elora had taken her mind off of it long enough she'd almost forgotten how miserable it felt.
“Is she soaked, too?” Jade motioned towards Elora as she eyed Hazel's drenched outfit, wondering briefly if the woman had fallen in the river.
"Not really, but I think I might have gotten her a little wet," Hazel answered with a shrug as she got sidetracked and went over to check on the food.
Kit snickered and pretended to cough. “Is that right? Sorry, allergies,” she dismissed with a smile.
Shaking her head, Jade rebuked the woman by giving her a stern look, one that told her to quit it. To which Kit obliged, albeit with a disgruntled look.
Thinking Kit's cough sounded fake, Hazel remembered Elora's warning about saying the wrong thing in front of her and thought her next words out very carefully. "Yeah, my clothes are all wet, so when I held her, it got her clothes wet," She explained and glanced at Elora, giving her a thumbs up with a questioning look, hoping she'd gotten it right.
Jade watched the exchange curiously and then focused on Kit, seeing right through the woman's antics. It was clear to her that Hazel seemed to be learning how to keep the ambiguity out of her words—despite initially slipping—and she was proud of her for it. She just hoped Kit would realize it, too, and refrain from teasing her sister as she learned.
Excited she'd gotten it right, Hazel grinned at the woman and gave her two thumbs up.
Kit looked at her sister as she finally registered it hadn't rained. "Wait, you got in the water?" Her eyes grew big as she pictured too many awful scenarios, all of them terrifying her with the potential of losing her sister to the force of the water.
“No, not really; I just stood too close to the falls." Hazel shrugged, rubbing at her left arm absently, feeling just a little chilly.
Relieved, Kit took a deep breath. “You should change and share that blanket with Elora to warm up. Your lips are blue,” She said, her tone urgent as she watched her sister.
"They are? I don't feel very cold." Hazel replied unbothered as she brought her fingers to her lips, trying to see if they felt cold.
Kit gave her an incredulous look. “Yes, they are,” She answered, a bit worried. “Please get yourself warm; I don’t want you to get sick,” she added with the care usually indicative of an older sibling, the fear of losing Hazel ever present in her mind.
"I'm not cold," Hazel retorted, rolling her eyes before remembering she was supposed to be changing anyway. “But I do need to change. My clothes feel disgusting." She shrugged, then abruptly turned and left, not giving Kit a chance to respond.
“She’s gonna kill me; I will absolutely die of worry one day; I’m afraid I won’t even live long enough to see my children,” Kit remarked as she looked at Jade and leaned into the woman. Watching her sister go.
Jade held the girl and smiled, “Don’t worry too much. She’s adjusting, and kids? Really?” She looked at Kit with a raised eyebrow, wondering where this idea came from.
"Hmm, maybe one day," Kit mumbled softly, wrapping her arms around Jade and hugging her close for a moment as she stared into the fire, letting herself get lost in thought.
Holding Kit close, Jade took a deep breath and kissed the woman’s head. “A little Kit running around…Mothers help us,” she chuckled.
Laughing, Kit nodded and looked up at Jade, admiring the woman's features and thinking about how cute a little version of her would be. "I dunno; I think a little Jade would be pretty cute," she said, only realizing how her words could be taken as soon as they were out of her mouth. Feeling uncomfortable, she pulled away. "I should throw the rest of the burgers on now," she muttered, quickly returning to work, inwardly kicking herself for the slip-up.
Surprised by Kit's confession, Jade smiled and nodded. “Kit, we’re taking it slow, but it’s okay to think about the future,” she assured with a big smile, trying her best not to take Kit's avoidance as a bad sign. “Need any more help with the burgers?” she offered.
Barely glancing up from what she was doing, Kit shook her head. "No, I..."She trailed off, catching herself. "If you want to flip them for me, I'll season them." She offered, despite thinking it was silly to share a one-person job; she really wanted to make an effort not to reject the woman's help anymore.
"It doesn't take two people to make a burger. Are you sure you know how to cook?" Hazel asked, exiting her tent in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, still not dressed appropriately for the weather. Jade smiled at Hazel’s comment and moved to take over, flipping the burgers, taking it as a good sign that Kit allowed her to help.
Convinced that Hazel was trying to sabotage her, Kit shot the girl a sharp look before widening her eyes at the woman's attire. "Hazel, go put on pants and a sweater. It's below sixty out here, and it's only getting colder." She exclaimed and pointed towards Hazel's tent much like their mother would if she were there.
Hearing the commotion, Elora looked over and got up, approaching Hazel. "Haze, come here," she called, gesturing for the woman to join her.
"No, I'm fine... I run hot," Hazel protested, crossing her arms like a pouty child. She was tempted to stick her tongue out at Kit but refrained and glanced at Elora instead. “I'm fine, honestly," she whined, practically stomping over to Elora; sure, the woman would try to convince her to change, just like Kit was trying to do.
Jade giggled at Hazel's antics and faked a cough to try and cover it as she let her mind drift back to when they were younger and how she'd always tried to protect the sisters, which led to her daydreaming about protecting kids of her own someday, and what it would be like to have a mini Jade and Kit running around.
Elora pulled Hazel close and wrapped her blanket around them both. “Let me warm you up a bit,” she offered, using a calm demeanor to try to ease any tension the woman might be feeling.
"But I'm not cold." Hazel protested again and squirmed her way out of the blanket and away from Elora, a deep scowl on her features.
Sighing deeply, Kit shook her head. "Hazel, go change now, or you're not getting dinner." She threatened in her best imitation of Sorsha, fixing her sister with a stern look.
"Kit..." Hazel started and quickly changed her mind as she thought about not getting to eat or, worse, having to cook her food in a strange environment. "I only have shorts and short-sleeved shirts. I don't get cold, so I didn't bring anything else," she admitted, throwing her hands up as though it wasn't her fault.
Not surprised at all, Kit nodded. “Well, lucky for you, I came prepared." She retorted and asked Jade to finish seasoning the burgers before bolting into her tent and returning with a pair of black sweatpants, a long-sleeved grey shirt, and a blue sweater. “Put these on. They fit, and they're soft." She spoke and held the clothes out for Hazel to touch, watching as her sister felt and inspected them closely before she reluctantly took them.
"Fine," Hazel grumbled, hugging the clothes to her chest. "Thanks, but when I die of heatstroke, it'll be your fault." She warned and went back to her tent, grumbling to herself the whole way.
“And if you die of hypothermia, who am I blaming? Red?” Kit yelled, causing Elora to turn around and give her a look.
"Don't be dramatic," Hazel called back from inside her tent as she started to change.
“I’m not being dramatic; I'm being cautious,” Kit retorted as she went back to Jade.
“Well, you are being a little bit overprotective, love,” Jade said as she flipped a burger and gave the girl a look that made it clear she thought she should back off of her sister a bit.
A little offended that Jade wasn't taking her side, Kit crossed her arms and scowled at the burgers. "It's like fifty degrees out, and she was soaked... You know I'm right." She huffed and stepped into Jade's space, moving the woman out of the way with her hip. "You're doing it wrong." She grumbled and took the spatula in a petty mood.
“I know you are, but that doesn’t mean you’re not being overprotective, and I understand why. I'd be the same way with you." Jade said as she stood almost directly behind Kit, making sure not to touch her but still close. "But like you, she’s an adult, and she could start to resent you for it." She warned softly, wishing she could wrap her arms around the woman to offer some support, but knowing it would only make Kit angrier.
Scoffing, Kit shook her head and aggressively flipped the same burger Jade had already flipped. "It's called being protective; there's a difference. I'm sorry, but hypothermia is dangerous, and you know as well as I do that Hazel never could tell when she was cold. If it was 70 degrees out and I was acting like she was going to catch her death from the cold, sure... but it's going to be freezing tonight, and she might not recognize she's too cold in time, and I won't have my sister dying because you two think I'm being overprotective." She shot back angrily, flipping every burger more than once.
Recognizing the issue ran deeper than an outfit and her siding with Hazel, Jade moved even closer to the woman, offering comfort without restricting her. “Kit, it’s ok. I’m sorry, but look, she has the clothes on now. And you flipped those burgers more than three times already.”
Taking deep, calming breaths, Kit glanced over to where Hazel was slowly making her way over to Elora, tugging at the front of her sweatshirt like it was bothering her, an action Kit rolled her eyes at, knowing good and well Hazel was just angry she was being forced to wear something she didn't want to wear. "No, it's not ok, Jade... You want me to need you... but when I do need you, you don't have my back. I'm not being stupid. I know you think it's not a big deal, and maybe it wouldn’t be for anybody else, but you, of all people, should know I'm right on this." She spoke firmly, turning around and poking Jade in the chest with the back of the spatula. "I get treating her like everybody else. I get that she's an adult, but it doesn't change how she is and that she sometimes needs extra reminders. She wouldn't normally go camping. I suggested this trip; I'm responsible for her. So you can either back me up and be the support system I need right now, or you can play both sides and see how far that gets you. Your choice." She spoke firmly, glaring up at the woman.
“Kitty,” Jade wrapped her arms around the woman, "I’m on your side. I am. I know you feel responsible for her, and if it were just us here, I’d be barking at her, too. But, I feel like she’s about to have a special person in her life, and she'll be more inclined to listen to her than us." She nodded towards Hazel and Elora, then re-focused on Kit. "I am your support system, every day, all day; I'm team Kit, ay ay Captain Kitty, queen Katherine, my princess.” She saluted playfully.
Kit wanted to laugh at the woman's ridiculous declaration but was still too upset and stubborn to admit it, so she bit her cheek to stifle her smirk and watched Hazel grumbling to Elora animatedly, gesturing wildly in apparent frustration. She found herself wondering if maybe Jade was right; perhaps she should have just left it up to Elora, but she didn't know Elora all that well, and Elora hadn't known Hazel for very long. She didn't trust that the other woman knew how to keep her sister safe. "Even if that's the case... Hazel is my responsibility first... until Elora asks her to be more than a friend. Hazel's my sister, and I won't let something happen to her again because I trusted somebody else to take care of her." She replied seriously and shifted her gaze back to Jade. She knew it wasn't fair, but she'd never really let it go.
Hurt that Kit clearly still blamed her for what had happened to Hazel, Jade gave the woman an unreadable look and took a deep breath, trying her best not to let the woman's words affect her any further, as she knew all the responsibility over the years had taken a toll on Kit and understood the need to lash out from time to time. “Look, for years, I bore the responsibility, I took the fault, and I understand that it's easy to throw that back at me whenever you get a little upset, and yes, maybe you’re right for doing so, but we were young. I made a mistake, Kit, and I've tried to make up for it over the years by dedicating my life to protecting others." She paused, watching the wheels turn in Kit's eyes. "I know you’re trying to make me mad because you’re stressed, but she’s dressed accordingly now, and I'm chastised. So please, genuinely forgive me for opening my mouth, and let me do better to support you.” she continued in her business tone, letting go of the girl, making it clear she was upset with the accusation. “You’re burning the burgers.”
"Fuck the burgers." Kit huffed and glared at Jade. "You don't get it; I don't blame you; I blame myself. She was never your responsibility; she was mine, and I wrongly trusted you because I was upset. I thought you two were together; I thought that meant she was your responsibility. I felt replaced by both of you, so I stopped caring, and that cost all of us fifteen years of hell." She spoke seriously, a pained look taking over her features. "It was never your fault; it was mine, and I can't make that same mistake again." She added in a softer tone, the fight slowly draining out of her as she looked at the now charred burgers and sighed sadly. "Fuck." She groaned with her face to the sky.
“I'll get the burgers, but for now, come here Kit,” Jade said, holding Kit tightly against her. “I'm sorry you felt replaced. I never meant for you to feel that way. I love you; I’m so sorry I hurt you then and now.” She spoke softly.
Allowing herself to be comforted, Kit snuggled into Jade's arms and returned the hug, feeling like she was thirteen again, still confused, angry, jealous, and most of all hurt and just in need of a good hug. "It was never your fault, Jade; I didn't know how to tell you. You didn't know I even cared. I'm terrible at communicating." She muttered into the woman's shoulder. "And now I've ruined dinner. Hazel's gonna hate me." She added quietly, feeling like an all-around failure.
"Those burgers smell burned," Hazel called out, looking over at Kit and Jade and noticing they weren't paying attention to the food. "Hey, I'm pretty sure those are done." She called again as she got up and walked over, cringing as she saw the charred mess on the grill. "Ugh, I knew you couldn't cook." She grumbled and flinched when Kit burst into tears, crying into Jade's shoulder harder. Hazel quickly backed up in response and gave Jade a questioning look.
“Hazel, not now,” Jade said in a serious tone. “I burned the burgers. She told me to watch it, and I was careless.” She took the blame.
Startled by Jade's sharp tone, Hazel flinched again and glanced at the burned food, thinking about what she remembered seeing. "No, Kit was the last one flipping them; I know I saw. I was watching because I'm hungry, and it was taking forever." She replied seriously, frowning and covering her ears as Kit cried louder.
“Hazel, can you please give us some space? I will get you food in just a moment. Meanwhile, there are chips over there. Have at it.” Jade pointed to the table filled with supplies and camping food, then turned her attention back to Kit. “Baby, it’s okay; she's going to be fine.” She soothed and hugged Kit tighter.
Pulling her hands down slowly, Hazel gave Jade an unsure look. “But..." she started, furrowing her brow as she watched the woman comforting her sister and began to understand that maybe she'd upset her. "It's okay, Kit." She spoke gently, moving closer and patting her sister's shoulder lightly in her best attempt at a comforting gesture.
Knowing she had to be careful how she reacted to Hazel, Kit took a couple of shaky breaths and turned her face enough to see the woman. "Thank you,” she replied softly, and Hazel nodded, still looking unsure.
"You're welcome," Hazel replied quietly and shot Jade an irritated look, not happy that the woman had tried to get her to leave.
Jade shook her head and decided to give Hazel something to do. “Can you do us a favor and pull those burgers off?” she requested as she looked at Kit, trying to check on her.
Hazel's expression softened at the request, and she nodded. "Sure." She agreed and took one more glance at her sister before moving to do as she was asked.
"I'm fine,” Kit assured Jade softly, not wanting Hazel to overhear anything and get upset.
"Okay, I'm here, though," Jade replied, kissing the girl's head and remaining still. She waited for Kit to move away, hoping to convey that she would stay by her side until asked otherwise.
"Thank you, Jade." Kit smiled and leaned up, placing a soft kiss on the woman's cheek and then pulling away. "Alright, if you want burgers, go wait over there; I promise I'll watch them this time." She spoke to Hazel in a firm tone but gave her a smile to show she wasn't upset.
Hazel was about to protest but thought better when she caught Jade giving her a look she'd learned to read as a warning. "Okay." She agreed simply and stuffed her hands into her pockets as she walked over to sit next to the fire and picked up her guitar to keep herself busy, plucking at it softly as she stared into the fire and started to sing quietly to herself, eyes finding Elora across the campsite every once in a while, an unknowing smile quirking the edge of her mouth as she admired the woman's profile and wondered what the woman was reading.
Don't you just wanna wake up, dark as a lake?
Smelling like a bonfire, lost in a haze?
If you're drunk on life, babe, I think it's great
But while in this world
I think I'll take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
Hearing the soft melody, Elora started to sway to it and turned her focus to Hazel, noticing the woman was singing. Why does she have to not only play but sing Universe? Are you trying to kill me? She thought as she let her eyes find Hazel's across the fire, sending her a smile.
Returning the woman's smile, Hazel winked before glancing down at her guitar as she changed chords.
Taking Hazel's wink as an invitation, Elora moved closer and sat beside her, facing her. “I like that a lot. Can you sing it from the start? I couldn’t hear from over there.” she said, looking at the girl earnestly as Hazel paused.
"Oh, you want me to start over?" Hazel asked curiously, knowing that's what the woman was asking but trying to wrap her mind around it. "I didn't finish." She added with a slight frown, hating the idea of starting over without finishing but also not wanting to say no. Something about how the woman looked at her made her want to push past the discomfort and give Elora what she asked for. "You know what, sure, I'll start over." She agreed with a big smile before re-adjusting a little and starting over, keeping her eyes on her guitar shyly, her voice low and calm, feeling the music.
It can't be said I'm an early bird
It's ten o'clock before I say a word
Baby, I can never tell
How do you sleep so well?
You keep telling me to live right
To go to bed before the daylight
But then you wake up for the sunrise
You know you don't gotta pretend, baby, now and then
Don't you just wanna wake up, dark as a lake?
Smelling like a bonfire, lost in a haze?
If you're drunk on life, babe, I think it's great
But while in this world
I think I'll take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
Elora let the music guide her into a soft sway, and she kept her eyes on Hazel, the glow of the fire reflecting off the guitar, illuminating Hazel’s face. And everything felt like it slowed down, and it was just them, the music, and Hazel’s voice, a beautiful symphony to the doctor’s ears. “You’re beautiful… I mean, the song…” she said, clearing her throat, “no, you’re beautiful.” she repeated, firm in her decision, done being cautious about her feelings,
Raising her eyebrows at the woman's compliment, Hazel smirked and continued to sing, gaining a little more confidence for the next part.
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
I aim low
I aim true, and the ground's where I go
I work late where I'm free from the phone
And the job gets done
But you worry some, I know
But who wants to live forever, babe?
Hazel sang the next part in a breathier tone and closed her eyes.
You treat your mouth as if it's Heaven's gate.
The rest of you like you're the TSA
Hazel looked at Elora and winked again, smiling as she turned her attention back to her guitar, changing chords easily but simply unable to look at Elora for too long.
I wish I could go along
Babe, don't get me wrong
Hazel looked back up, taking in Elora's features as she sang the next part.
You know you're bright as the morning, as soft as the rain
Pretty as a vine, as sweet as a grape
If you can sit in a barrel, maybe I'll wait
Until that day
She shifted her eyes to the fire, thinking about her life, how bitter it had been, and just how opposite she and Elora were. While she struggled to communicate in a way that made others see her as the adult she was, on the inside, she was no child, and while neither was Elora, the other woman seemed sweet and innocent, unlike her.
I'd rather take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at 3
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at 3
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
Woah, woah
Woah, woah
Woah, woah
Woah, woah
I take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at 3
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me
Mesmerized by how easily Hazel got lost in song, Elora smiled, proud of the woman, as she felt like the song was also Hazel’s way of communicating, of slowly showing her what they could be and laying some guidelines. “That was so good, Haze,” she spoke softly, leaning forward a little.
Laughing, Hazel leaned away from the woman and shook her head. “Thanks. I don't really sing for other people, but it was the one real escape I had when I got overwhelmed..." She explained and set her guitar down. “You have a drum. Do you play it often?" she asked, wanting to keep the conversation going.
Elora smiled and nodded, accepting that Hazel wasn't ready to get that close. “I feel very honored and privileged,” she spoke softly. “I play it to the moon,” she answered, studying the girl lightly.
"To the moon? I'm sorry I don't understand." Hazel replied with a curious tilt of her head.
“It’s a holistic thing; I used to play in college at parties. Nowadays, it's just me,” Elora said, smiling.
"But what does it mean?" Hazel asked curiously, still trying to understand.
Nodding, Elora started.“Well, I like to sit under the moonlight, feel the universe's vibrations, and let them move me to play the drums. I let go of all my issues and worries that way.” She explained, “It’s unorthodox, not something my colleagues would approve of, but it makes me happy.”
"Oh, weird." Hazel laughed and then frowned. “I mean, it's not weird; it's different, but I like it, and if it makes you happy, that's what matters." She finished with a smile.
Touched by the girl’s words, Elora smiled back. “Thank you. Would you like me to play the drums as you play your guitar?” she asked.
"You can if you want." Hazel shrugged and looked to where Kit and Jade were, hoping the food would turn out ok.
“Hang on,” Elora said as she rushed to the tent and returned with her drums. She sat beside Hazel but didn’t face her anymore, determined to have at least some self-preservation. “Alright, ready!” she said as she settled.
"Cool, you start a rhythm, and I'll jump in,” Hazel suggested, food forgotten as she focused on Elora.
The next few hours were spent eating the food that Kit and Jade successfully finished making and playing easy games that wouldn't frustrate Hazel. They decided to leave the smores and storytelling for the following night to avoid overwhelming Hazel with too much at once. After a while, the fire died down, and Kit and Elora went to change, leaving Jade and Hazel to pick up around the campsite and douse what remained of the fire.
"Jade...can I ask you something?" Hazel started in a gentle tone as she closed one of their totes, keeping her eyes on her task.
“Yeah, of course,” Jade answered as she put the food away into a different tote. “What’s the question?”
Standing up, Hazel walked over to Jade and leaned against a tree, watching the woman work for a moment as she considered how to phrase her question. "Thanks, I was just wondering... You liked Kit before you ever kissed her. How did you know you liked her?" She asked curiously, hoping her question made sense.
Jade smiled and looked at Hazel. “Everything was better when she was around. I thought about her constantly. I counted the hours until I could see her and looked forward to sharing even the silliest things with her.” she started. “As we grew, when she touched my hand, I felt warm and blushed a lot,” she confessed. “When we cuddled, I wanted to cuddle closer. “Little things like that,” Jade explained and finished tidying the food quarter before moving to set the equipment totes on top of the food totes for the night.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed and nodded, getting lost in thought briefly before remembering she was supposed to be helping. "Here, let me get that." She offered and moved quickly to pick up the next tote before Jade could.
“Thanks, does that answer your question? Or do you have more?” Jade asked as she gave Hazel a smile.
"I don't know,” Hazel answered honestly as she dusted her hands off and looked around to see if there was anything else to do. She wished Jade's answer had been what she needed, but she wasn't sure since she wasn't very good at recognizing her feelings or the motivation behind them. She thought of many people constantly, especially those she relied on, so that didn't seem like a good example. She didn't have a lot of friends, so she got excited to share things with anybody who would listen, making that example equally unhelpful. She tended to blush at almost anything, and while she wasn't prone to cuddling, sometimes she did enjoy a good hug, but none of that was exclusive to just one person, and it frustrated her, but she didn't want to share any of it with Jade, afraid of bothering the woman.
Jade looked at the girl and saw she may still have questions, so she volunteered, “One thing that made me sure was I thought about Kit kissing another girl, like Elora, for instance, and that made me mad and jealous, so I knew.”
Looking down, Hazel nodded slowly and tried to picture it. "I don't think I'd like it if Elora kissed Kit." She spoke carefully, still thinking about it and finding it upset her. "Kit doesn't like Elora, so she shouldn't kiss her." She reasoned and looked up to watch Jade to see if her reasoning was correct, the glow of the fire just bright enough to illuminate the woman's face.
“True. Now, picture anyone else with the girl you may like. How do you feel?” Jade pressed, trying to get a bit more precise with her example.
Tilting her head, Hazel thought about Jade kissing Elora and frowned. "I don't like it." She decided firmly and glared at Jade.
“Why the glare?” Jade asked, smiling, pretty sure she knew why.
"Because you kissed her," Hazel replied with a tiny huff and placed a small log on the fire, not quite ready to go to bed.
“Who? Kit?” Jade asked, and then it dawned on her. “Oh… well, that was a long, long time ago. For all it's worth, I don’t remember.”
Still scowling, Hazel threw another stick in the fire and sat in front of it to warm her hands, finally starting to feel cold. "So she's not good at kissing?" She asked quietly, keeping her eyes on the flames.
“That is not what I said! I was drunk, that's why I don't remember,” Jade clarified. “You like her, huh? Maybe you should find out how good she is for yourself,” she suggested gently.
Looking at Jade, Hazel shrugged with an unsure look. "I dunno." She muttered. "I don't want to kiss her." She added and winced as the log popped loudly, catching her off guard.
“You don’t?” Jade asked, confused. “But you got mad thinking I kissed her?”
Frustrated that she didn't have a good answer for the woman, Hazel shrugged again and went back to staring into the fire, getting lost in how the flames flickered and danced, casting strange shadows all over the campsite, a sight that would creep her out a lot more if she wasn't so in her head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore; you can go to bed." She answered in a flat tone.
“I know you’re confused and overwhelmed right now, but Haze… just let things happen, go with the flow. You may not know what you like until you try it. Elora is a wonderful person, respectful, and a great friend. She'll understand.”
Bringing her shoulders up to her ears, Hazel glared into the flames. "I don't want to talk." She repeated defiantly, unable to deal with her emotions properly.
“When you do. I'm here, and so is your sister.” Jade said, offering her fist for a bump.
Glancing up, Hazel reluctantly bumped her fist against Jade's and nodded. "Thanks, but I don't think I'll want to talk about it again." She replied honestly and got up, rubbing at her arms a little. "Are you sure we have to put the fire out?" She asked, suddenly realizing it was about to be pitch black and a lot colder than she was used to.
“Yes, you can go ahead to your tent, and I'll put it out for us. I sincerely doubt your sister will come out with how cold it is right now,” Jade smiled. “And if you do need to or want to, I'm here,” she added, making sure the woman knew she had a support system.
"Thank you,” Hazel replied softly and shivered again. "I don't want to leave you out here alone; I'll wait." She added and motioned for Jade to put out the fire.
“Okay, so here's a light,” Jade said, giving Hazel a flashlight. She grabbed the water and started to douse the fire. Suddenly, the light gave way to darkness, and the only sounds left were the hiss of the coals and trickling water.
Not a fan of the dark, Hazel kept her light pointed at Jade, focusing her attention on the woman to avoid looking at the inky darkness around them, jumping and whimpering at the sound of a pinecone falling somewhere to her left. "Jade, hurry up, it's dark out here." She hissed quietly, as though afraid of waking whatever might be lurking just out of sight.
“All done. Sorry, it took a bit, but you have to wait until it's totally out." Jade explained. “Now, come on, I'll walk you to your tent.” She motioned for Hazel to follow as she started walking.
Frowning at the idea, Hazel shook her head. "No, I'll walk you to yours. You're not my bodyguard out here," she stated firmly before quickly turning her light in the direction of a crunching sound not far away from them. Her hand shook mildly from a combination of cold and fear, though she'd never admit to either.
“Fine, you can act tough. Don’t let the squirrels get you on your way back,” Jade teased with a smirk.
Huffing, Hazel turned her light back to Jade, shining it right in her face and holding it just out of reach as Jade made a grab for it. "I'll try not to,” Hazel replied in a sarcastic tone. Then, she lowered the light and motioned for Jade to get in her tent, all the while looking around, gauging how quickly she could run to her tent and just how likely it was she might trip on something on the six-foot journey.
"Alright, don't let the bed bugs bite," Jade teased playfully as she entered the tent. From under the covers, Kit called, "Jay… is that you?" Jade closed the tent and replied, "Yes, love, it's me. Just sending your sister to bed."
"Bed bugs?" Hazel squeaked, bouncing from foot to foot nervously until Jade finished closing the tent and then bolted across the campground as fast as she could, hopping over a couple of small logs to avoid falling and skidding to a stop in front of her tent. "Come on, open you stupid thing." She grumbled, yanking at the zipper roughly and groaning and whimpering in frustration as it got stuck. "Fuck." She hissed, trying to pry the fabric open and force the zipper in her desperation to get into the tent and away from all of the creepy sounds around her, everything sounding so much louder now that she was alone; even the crickets sounded like they were taunting her with their chorus of chirps.
Hearing Hazel’s agony, Elora got up and assisted with opening the zipper. “Come on in, sweetheart; it’s freezing out there,” she said, rushing the girl in.
"It's no warmer in here,” Hazel muttered and yelped as her foot caught the bottom of the tent door, and she landed face-first in the pile of blankets on the floor. "I hate camping." She muttered to herself, not bothering to move.
“Oh, come on. That part around the fire was fun, and the hike,” Elora said, closing the tent and getting into the sheets. “Well, get under the covers, silly,” she said, smiling.
“I can’t," Hazel whined miserably because as she'd lay there pouting, she realized she hadn't changed for bed. While she could manage in different clothes, she still preferred her night shorts and t-shirt when boxers weren't an option. Now neither was available to her unless she trekked back out in the dark, but even then, she couldn't imagine changing in that nasty bathroom, and the car had windows.
“And why not?” Elora asked with a raised eyebrow.
Turning her face to peek up at the woman through the limited light provided by their tent lantern, she frowned. "'Cause I didn't change." She mumbled with a small pout.
“Oh, that's super simple. Go to the corner and change under the covers,” Elora suggested with a smile, solving the problem quickly. “On second thought, you'll be freezing if you wear your normal sleeping clothes, so just think about it; you might be more comfortable in what you're wearing,” She added as she caught a chill.
"Maybe, but I've only slept in pants and long sleeves a few times, and it was so uncomfortable,” Hazel grumbled, remembering how miserable Kit's pj's had been, but she also considered that Elora could be correct; the temperature seemed a lot colder than she'd anticipated, maybe even colder than the forecast had predicted.
Elora nodded and kept her eyes on the covers in front of her, pulling her hood over her head. “Okay, well, do what you need. If you get cold, you can move closer. Remember, body heat helps. I also made sure it's one big cover so we keep as much warmth inside as possible.”
Frowning deeply, Hazel shook her head and moved as far away from Elora as possible, bunching her own blankets between them to create a barrier. “Maybe so, but it sounds gross. I'll be fine." She muttered and pulled the main blanket over her shoulders, leaving her legs uncovered so she wouldn't feel trapped.
Elora nodded and tucked herself in. “Fine, Hazel. Look, if you do feel cold overnight, please wake me up,” She advised, not wanting Hazel to suffer any discomfort. “I can help. Promise.”
Uncomfortable with her potential feelings for Elora, Hazel turned her back on the woman with a small grunt and cuddled closer to her pillow. In her mind, the easiest approach to dealing with things she didn't understand or want to think about was to simply ignore it or ask endless questions until she could grasp whatever it was that bothered her, but in this case, ignoring it seemed like the easiest solution. So that's what she did. After several restless minutes of tossing and turning, she finally fell asleep, only to wake up an hour later, shivering so hard that her bones ached. Teeth chattering and whole body shaking, Hazel reached out to check her phone, groaning quietly when she saw only an hour had passed and the temperature had dropped significantly. Too cold to think, Hazel got up slowly, rubbing at her arms for a moment before trying to get the tent unzipped, fully intending to get in the car. "Oh come on... o-pen pl-please." She whispered, her teeth chattering hard and her fingers so numb she could barely feel the zipper between them.
Hearing the commotion, Elora stirred in her sleep. “Where are you going? Are you nuts? It’s colder out there; just come here,” she said, pulling the covers back for the girl, inviting her to a warmer area.
Wincing at the woman's comment, Hazel clenched her jaw and worked on the zipper harder. Frustrated, cold, tired, and hurt, she stammered out, ”Not nuts... just c-cold... the c-car has a heater." She refused to look back at Elora.
Shaking her head, Elora took a deep breath and tried to focus and wake up more before speaking. “Hazel, it’s like 28 degrees outside; you don’t want to go out there. Listen to that, the wind.” She warned softly, unwrapping herself from the blankets and immediately shivering.
"It's gonna be w-warmer in the c-car... either help me or leave me alone." Hazel snapped and growled at the unmoving zipper as she struggled to keep from totally freaking out, unaccustomed to being so cold.
Hearing the stubbornness in Hazel’s tone, Elora shook her head. “Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She got up, quickly unzipping the tent, and shivered as another gust of wind whipped past, howling through the trees. “Damn, that’s cold,” she muttered, diving back under the covers. “Do you have a light with you?” she asked, eyeing Hazel and noting her lack of preparation for the weather.
"I have my phone; it'll do,” Hazel muttered and stepped outside, whimpering at the icy wind. Thanks for helping me," she added, glancing back in and closing the tent before quickly making her way over to Jade and Kit’s tent. “Kit, I need the keys... please. I'm too cold." She called to her sister.
Hearing Hazel, Kit moved away from Jade and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Hazel, what the hell? Where's Elora?" She called back and groaned, dreading getting up and letting more cold air in.
Jade gave the woman some space and got ready to climb out. “Hazel, are you OK?” she asked as she kissed Kit’s forehead and got the keys to hand to the younger woman.
"No, I'm really cold." Hazel shuddered and bounced in place outside as she waited, hugging herself tightly. "Elora is still in the tent. She thinks it's warmer, but I can’t handle it; everything hurts." She whimpered miserably and backed up a step as Jade worked on opening the door.
"Alright, here you go; you yell for me if something happens, ok?” Jade instructed as she handed over the keys.
“And me, and we’ll figure it out,” Kit piped up. Still hesitant to send Hazel alone, she went to the door and prepared to watch to ensure she got to the car safely.
"K, thank you,” Hazel replied, already running to the car before either Jade or Kit could respond. Getting in, she shivered and pushed the start button, receiving a click in response. She frowned and tried again, only to get the very same click, the lights on the dash barely flickering before dimming and going out altogether. "What the fuck?" She groaned. "This can't be happening." She muttered to herself, trying the ignition several more times before giving up and just smacking her head against the steering wheel repeatedly in frustration. It was going to be a very long, very cold night.
Notes:
Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Hope you share what you liked about it with us.
Song credit: Too Sweet by Hozier.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20
Summary:
A cold night in a tent, the use of survivor skills, some smut, some martial arts and a flashback - Camping trip part 3!
Notes:
Warning for some smut in this chapter. It's not our forte so apologies in advance LOL. - Ghostwriter88
We are currently on separate continents - so you may see some delays on chapter 21 - we tried but couldn't finish editing before Ghostwriter's summer vacation. - Ingy
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
With the car battery dead, Hazel knew she wouldn't be any warmer in there, so she reluctantly made her way back to her tent. She decided not to worry Kit or Jade about the issue until the morning since there wouldn't be anything they could do about it anyway. "Elora?" she called softly, knowing she wouldn't be able to open the tent and was too tired and cold to fight with it anymore.
Drained of energy from the long day, Elora had finally gotten cozy and was starting to fall asleep when she heard her name through a half-conscious haze and tried to open her eyes. It was like trying to lift boulders; they wouldn't budge. "Yes?" she managed to ask.
Hearing a difference in Elora's tone, Hazel thought maybe the woman was angry with her and quickly decided against going back into the tent. "Nothing." She muttered almost too quietly to be heard and turned back, resigned to sleeping in the car and hoping she wouldn't freeze to death.
Registering whose voice she’d heard, Elora jolted awake and immediately looked around, expecting to find Hazel. “Hazel, Hazel, are you okay?” she asked urgently, flipping the covers and exiting the tent.
Pausing at Elora's voice, Hazel turned around and shined her light towards the tent. "Oh, did you say something?" She asked, practically lisping against the numbness of her lips, finding it difficult to get words out.
Concerned, Elora strode over to Hazel quickly. "Haze, what’s going on? Come on, let's go back to the tent," she encouraged, motioning for the woman to follow her.
Looking guilty, Hazel shrugged. “Car won't start, and I'm freezing, but you seem angry at me. I'm sorry." She answered quietly, hugging herself harder as she bounced in place, wincing with every new gust of icy wind
Too tired to process what she'd just been told, Elora shook her head and grabbed Hazel by the shoulders. "Nonsense, I'm not angry at all, just tired. We can deal with the car tomorrow, but for now, come on." She quickly guided Hazel back into the tent. "Ok, hurry and get under those covers." She instructed and closed the tent, joining Hazel under the covers shortly after.
Burying herself into the covers, Hazel shuddered. "It wasn't supposed to be this cold." She shivered, for once not wanting any of her limbs outside of the blankets.
“No, it wasn’t, but that’s nature,” Elora shivered and pulled the blankets around her tighter, trying to seal them against the cold air. “You getting warm Haze?” she asked, scooting closer to her, looking for warmth.
"N-Not r-really." Hazel shivered, gripping the blankets harder as she, too, tried to tuck them in around her, accidentally pulling them away from Elora in the process.
“Hey, give some back,” Elora protested with a shudder. “How about you move closer, and we can both be engulfed in blankets?” She tried to negotiate as she scooted even closer to Hazel.
"Don't we have more blankets?" Hazel whined, reluctant to move closer, afraid of sleeping so close to the woman, scared it would cause a meltdown in an unfamiliar environment.
"No, and these are the biggest and warmest blankets I own. I'm sorry." Elora felt terrible, knowing if it was miserable for her, it had to be so much worse for Hazel. "Whatever you're afraid of, we'll face it together, I promise, but for now, we're just gonna get warm and sleep," She reassured calmly and positioned herself about two feet away from Hazel. "This is as close as I'll get. It gives us enough blankets and warmth," she added carefully, afraid of upsetting the woman.
Biting her lip, Hazel tried to look at the woman through the darkness but could barely make out her features. "Okay," she agreed softly, knowing it was too cold to be stubborn. Pulling her arms into her sweater, she hunkered under the covers and closed her eyes, desperately trying to feel warmer.
“Okay, good,” Elora muttered and started humming a calming melody, trying to soothe herself and Hazel into sleep.
"Night," Hazel mumbled, despite feeling like she would never fall asleep.
Meanwhile, in the other tent, Kit had cuddled so close to Jade that she was practically on top of the woman. "Hey, I never heard the car start, did you?" She asked in a concerned tone, lifting her head just enough to see Jade.
"No, but I heard shuffling a minute ago," Jade answered quietly, running her hands over Kit's back to keep her warm. "And the tent opening, so she's probably back with Elora. Do you want to go check?" She asked, pausing her soothing ministrations for a moment.
Shaking her head, Kit snuggled closer and slid her icy hands under Jade's shirt to try to warm them, eliciting a sharp yelp from the woman. "Sorry." She muttered sheepishly. "No, I don't want to move at all. I've never been so cold in my life, but I'm worried. What if she had a meltdown or something? She could freeze to death." She answered in a genuinely concerned tone, thinking about calling out to her sister but afraid she'd wake her up if she had managed to fall asleep.
Adjusting to Kit's frigid hands against her stomach, Jade shivered and spoke softly. “Honey, if she had a meltdown, we would’ve heard her. But I’ll go check, and when I come back, my cold hands are going under your shirt,” she warned, mentally readying herself to get up and face the outside air.
"Not if she's in the car," Kit reasoned and then warned. “And you better not." She didn't wait for an answer before squirming her way closer and slinging one leg over Jade, seeking her warmth. "Maybe we should just call them?" she suggested, trying to see what Jade thought.
Jade laughed. “I am in a very advantageous position for warmth right now,” she mused and snuck a hand under Kit’s shirt, feeling her back muscles contract under the touch. “Go ahead and call for them.” She didn't want to move if she didn't have to.
"Shit, that's cold." Kit squealed and squirmed around, not enjoying getting a taste of her own medicine.
“Babe, please stay still,” Jade giggled, pulling Kit closer. “It’s just for a minute; you’ll adjust to it.”
"Easier said than done... get your icy mitts off me." Kit laughed and squirmed harder before calling out. "Elora, Hazel, you two ok?" She tried to keep her volume loud enough to be heard in the other tent but quiet enough not to wake any nearby campers. "Define ok?" Came Hazel's shaky response, causing Kit to wince guiltily, feeling terrible for taking her sister on a miserable trip. "Just wanted to make sure you're in your tent. Go back to sleep." Kit replied. "I was never asleep," Hazel grunted, and Kit sighed, nuzzling her face into Jade's neck. "She hates me." She muttered weakly.
“She does not. She may be uncomfortable right now, but she’ll be happy she did this. Trust me,” Jade reassured as she hugged the girl close and kissed her head.
"No, she'll resent it, just like she resents I was ever born," Kit grumbled, moving her hands against Jade's stomach and side a bit to try and warm her up.
“She doesn’t resent you, Kit; she just wants to understand you. You might be her biggest cheerleader, but you're also her biggest pain in the butt; just try to relax a little; you’ll see she loves you,” Jade said, drawing in a deep breath. “Your hands are so cold, Kitty.”
"Sorry, they're warmer than they were, though. Skin-to-skin is supposed to be better," Kit reasoned softly, brushing her lips against the woman's neck lightly, unable to resist the temptation.
“Is that right?” Jade challenged softly and squirmed under the woman's touch as she allowed her hands to move up Kit's sides, drawing a sharp breath from the younger woman. Jade smiled at this, delighting at the reaction.
"Mhm... according to all of those survival shows, at least," Kit murmured, drawing in another sharp breath, noticing the woman's touch wasn't as cold as before and far more exciting. “You watch a lot of those. Princess?”Jade asked and let out a sigh as her hand found the contour of the sides of Kit’s breasts. "Mmm." Kit hummed and nodded, biting her lip at the soft touch, a touch that retreated far too quickly, finding a home on her back instead. Kit resisted the urge to protest. "I feel warmer already." She spoke quietly, rubbing slow circles on Jade's stomach, savoring how it flexed under her fingers and smiling as the woman whispered in her ear. “Hm…bet you do.” her breath warm against Kit's ear. Kit closed her eyes, humming softly. Jade smirked. “I guess I don’t have to offer to take off my shirt since you’re all warm now.” she teased, playing with the waistband of Kit’s sweats.
Smiling, Kit nipped at Jade's jaw playfully. "I said warmer, not warm enough." She rasped lowly, her voice thick with desire, the timber of it sending a chill up Jade's spine.
“I see… well… in that case...” Jade let her words trail off with a smile as one hand quickly found Kit’s stomach, the younger woman moaning at the contact. “So this skin-to-skin thing,” Jade purred.
"Mmm, very important for survival," Kit affirmed in her most studious tone, a slight smirk tipping the corner of her mouth as she moved up enough to place another kiss on Jade's face, this one dangerously close to her mouth, despite knowing she shouldn't give in to her desires when they hadn't even had their first date yet. However, all doubt was immediately eliminated the moment Jade's hand grazed the swell of her breast again, followed by a deliciously accented question, “How much skin are we talking about here, Princess?” The woman's voice, thick with anticipation, ignited a new fire in Kit's belly. "That depends," she answered in a playful tone, sliding her hand down Jade's stomach slowly and playing with the drawstring of her pants, tugging it loose ever so slowly, a mischievous grin playing at her lips as Jade took a deep breath and slid the hand not occupied on Kit's chest down the back of her pants teasingly, subtly pressing her closer and eliciting a soft moan from the younger woman. "O-On what?" Kit bit her lip at the adorable stammer and slight tremble in Jade's tone. "Whether you want to live or not." She joked and shifted ever closer, her breath tickling Jade's cheek.
Jade smirked and dipped her fingers a touch lower, rubbing the area lightly then withdrawing them a bit, as her other hand continued to skirt around the woman's breasts in a teasing dance that had Kit squirming not so subtly against her, her soft pants hot on Jade's cheek. “Oh, I want... to live... so bad. Tell me more." She spoke softly into the girl’s ear. Kit shivered, her heart pounding in time with the now urgent throb in her pants. She swallowed hard and composed herself. "Hmm, then we'll definitely need full contact," Kit spoke in a decided tone, doing her best to keep her voice steady under the woman's attention. "In the name of survival, of course." She added astutely, groaning softly as she rubbed herself against Jade's thigh subtly in a search for friction. The move wasn't lost on Jade, who took it as a cue to slide her hand all the way down, cupping and squeezing the right side of Kit's butt in a firm grip, the younger woman groaning and dropping her head to Jade's neck in response, sending a pulse of pleasure straight to Jade's core. "Oh my, you're freezing." She commented, managing to keep up the playful banter. Though her words were playful, her tone dripped with desire.
"Uh huh... but you're warming me up." Kit breathed out and slid her hand down the front of Jade's pants, running the tips of her fingers back and forth over the edge of her underwear teasingly and whimpering softly as Jade sucked in a breath and wiggled around, her hand, finding the other side of Kit's ass and squeezing harder, coaxing Kit to grind against her harder. “E-enough to keep your clothes on? Or…” Jade struggled to get her words out, and Kit smirked. Feeling like she had the upper hand again, Kit dipped a finger into Jade's underwear and drew it back out slowly, watching as Jade's breath caught and stuttered."What do you think?" She asked, pressing a kiss to Jade's throat, smiling as the woman's pulse quickened under her lips.
“I think you want to dip that finger just a bit deeper,” Jade breathed in a challenging tone, tilting her head back, exposing more of her neck for Kit's exploration. Kit had other ideas and pulled away, frustrating Jade's expectations and causing her to groan in protest. Kit loved every minute of it. "Oh, do I?" She raised an eyebrow and smirked at the pleading look she received in reply. "I suppose my hand is cold..." Kit trailed off, pretending to think it over, before mercifully sliding her hand slowly back down, watching as Jade's chest rose and fell faster the lower it got until it finally disappeared into her underwear, where she pressed it against Jade's heat, both of them moaning in unison. "Much better." Kit breathed.
"Yeah, it is." Jade breathed and bit her lip as Kit's hand pressed against her in a way that made her ache. Wise to Kit's game, Jade palmed the woman's breast, feeling the hard nipple pressing against her hand; she smirked. "But baby, you still seem very cold." She teased the woman's nipple, earning a strangled moan. "So hard." She marveled.
"Mmm, that has nothing to do with the cold," Kit breathed out, pulling her hand away from Jade and moving to straddle the woman's hips. “I want you," she declared firmly, done playing as her hands found the hem of the woman's shirt in a silent question.
Immediately missing Kit’s touch, Jade sighed, “You sure? Because I could use this warming technique, I learned once with my mouth.” She offered playfully, then sobered at Kit's warning look. “Yes, please.” She gulped and nodded, wanting Kit just as badly, her body quite literally trembling with desire.
Smirking, Kit nodded and motioned for Jade to sit up before tugging the shirt over the woman's head, immediately kissing her as soon as it was off. "Hmm, now that I think about it, it might be due to the cold." She chuckled into the kiss as she slid her hands up Jade's body, resting them on her full breasts and squeezing possessively, smiling as it had the desired effect of Jade moaning into her mouth while desperately tugging at her shirt.
“We mustn't delay; it could cause the condition to evolve.” Jade declared playfully as she pulled away for air.
"Wouldn't want that," Kit mumbled as she gave the woman another quick kiss and sat back up, ready to tug her shirt off but stopping short and instead taking Jade's hands in hers, pulling them to the hem of her shirt. "Could you help me?" She asked gently with an open and vulnerable expression. Hearing Kit ask her for help, Jade's body responded instantly, her arousal doubling. “Of course, Princess.” She breathed and removed the woman's shirt slowly. The darkness obscured Kit's curves, revealing only a silhouette of the body she so desperately desired, and somehow, it was even more enticing. Tonight would be all about their senses, and Jade wanted to get to know Kit all over again, in every way.
Biting her lip, Kit watched Jade closely, her heart swelling with love. "I..." She started and kissed the woman desperately instead, feeling the weight of the moment and struggling to know how to deal with it in any way other than what she was used to, abrupt and demanding, pressing her whole body against the older woman firmly and moaning at the contact, any thoughts of being cold forgotten. Jade returned the kiss with the same kind of desperation, tugging at the woman's nipple, loving the way Kit's moans got deeper in response and the way the woman's breast felt against her hand, the weight and size of it perfect. She moaned quietly and pulled from the kiss, her right hand now back inside Kit's sweatpants, grabbing Kit from behind and pulling her close, and Kit gasped. "Oh my..."Jade breathed out as her body continued to respond to her princess. "Mhm." Kit hummed and ground her hips into Jade hard, a devilish smirk gracing her lips before she kissed her again, deepening it immediately, desperate for more.
Pulling away for air, Jade immediately found Kit's neck, latching onto her pulse point as Kit tilted her head back and gasped softly. Still out of breath, Jade spoke against Kit's neck. "Babe...gonna need those pants off too.
"Yes." Kit breathed out, tangling her fingers in Jade's hair, practically delirious with desire.
“Will you please let me take them off?” Jade asked as she tugged the back of the woman's pants down just enough to get her point across.
"I might hurt you if you don't." Kit threatened playfully, dipping her head to nip at Jade's neck, sucking the skin there lightly before kissing her way back up to the woman's jawline. “Hurt me anyway,” Jade breathed out in a playful tone, smirking a little at the thought. Kit shivered. "Don't tempt me..." She whispered against Jade's lips, adding, "And yours need to go too."
“Yes, I need it so bad,” Jade trembled, lips brushing against Kit's as she tugged the woman's pants off little by little, leaving the underwear alone; she had a plan for that.
"Hmm, is Jade Claymore a little kinky?" Kit teased as she wriggled the rest of the way out of her pants and moved back to worshiping the other woman's body, sliding down to run her tongue around the woman's right nipple slowly before biting it gently, just enough to sting a little before soothing it with her tongue, looking up, wishing she could see the woman better, but satisfied enough to listen to the sounds she was making.
“Wouldn’t you like to know? Ahh… that’s good, again,” Jade moaned and searched for Kit’s body, grasping at whatever she could to keep the woman near. Chuckling, Kit nodded and went back for more, switching to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment before sucking it into her mouth slowly, moaning a little louder than before as she pressed her hips against Jade, rubbing herself against the woman's sweatpants, looking for the friction they provided and driving Jade mad as she fantasized about the size of the mark Kit was leaving on her sweats, evidence of how badly Kit wanted her, something she'd dreamed of many times as a teen. "Kitty, you need something?' She teased, smacking the woman's ass and being rewarded with a gasp that quickened her pulse and made her weak.
"You," Kit repeated her earlier sentiment as she slid her hand between them and into Jade's pants, rubbing the woman's center as she ground herself against it, letting out a breathy moan as Jade whimpered and Kit found the woman's pulse point again. Jade moaned and cleared her throat, trying hard to focus on her plan and not all the ways Kit was making her come undone. “Hmm, seems you have me in your hand… but can I have you?” she asked as she traced her fingers over Kit's underwear, feeling for the strategic opening she knew she'd find at the front of the boxer briefs. Jade groaned, momentarily distracted as Kit bit her neck, whining softly as she squirmed needily against Jade's touch. Jade was in heaven, almost drooling as she felt the woman's heat teasing her fingers through the barrier. “hmmm… this is hot,” she murmured, slipping a finger into the opening while biting her lip and moaning as Kit stopped holding back and bucked her hips against her fingers wantingly, moaning loudly, a sound Jade wanted to listen to on repeat, but knew other campers might not share her sentiment. “Shhh… don’t make me gag you,” she laughed.
"Hmm, Don't tease. I might like it,” Kit breathed out, reminding Jade she wasn't patient, as she moved her fingers against the older woman expertly, finding her need and stroking it in a way that made Jade melt and bite her lip harder, stifling a moan as she pushed Kit’s underwear off "Up." She commanded softly, and Kit obliged, giving her enough room to quickly raise her hips and remove her pants, underwear included. Kit watched intently, though she couldn't see much; the mere knowledge of Jade being naked in front of her again was enough to make her heart race and her lower half tingle. Unable to wait another second, Kit quickly straddled the woman again, adjusting herself until her center was pressed firmly against Jade's, drawing a needy whimper from both of them as she captured the woman's lips in a searing kiss, her tongue finding Jade's in a playful fight for dominance before a horrible thought occurred and she pulled away. "Should we lock the tent?" She asked breathlessly, realizing there was a chance Hazel could panic at some point and try to get into their tent.
Taking a deep breath, Jade tried not to let the momentary interruption kill the mood. “She's not thirteen anymore,” Jade reminded, kissing Kit again as she guided the woman's hips in a gentle rocking motion against her throbbing center, building them both up slowly, smiling into the kiss as Kit whimpered and shuddered above her. “we'll only move if it’s for me to top you” she added, breaking the kiss as she rubbed her thumb against the woman's need.
"Ah, f-fuck." Kit whimpered and pressed her mouth against Jade's neck, sucking it hard as she pressed her hips into the woman's hand and body in a steady building rhythm, accepting that Jade was right; Hazel was an adult, even if it was hard for her to accept at times. "Please." She breathed out, finding a rhythm that worked for her and chasing that high. Knowing she'd successfully gotten Kit's attention again, Jade smiled and pulled the woman closer as she continued to coax her closer to her release, wanting to please her right.
Meanwhile, in the tent next door, Elora shivered, the cold making it harder to fall asleep. Not to mention the not-so-discreet sounds coming from Kit and Jade’s tent.
With her back to Elora, Hazel pulled a pillow over her head to try and block out the sounds and warm up her ears. "Please tell me there's a wild animal out there or something." She muttered in a disgruntled tone, thinking she'd much rather be eaten by an animal and put out of her misery than have to listen to her sister and best friend having fun in the tent next door. She didn't know a lot about it, but she was pretty sure she had a guess as to what they were doing.
“I can’t lie to you, Haze,” Elora said simply, turning to try to see the woman. “Do you have a pillow over your head?” she asked, noticing the woman’s voice came out muffled.
"Yes... if I'm gonna die tonight, I don't need that to be the last thing I hear." Hazel grumbled. "I left my earplugs in the car,” she added in an irritated tone, hitting the pillow against her head in irritation as the sounds got louder. "That sounds painful." She shuddered and briefly wondered if perhaps there really was a wild animal and maybe it had gotten to Kit and Jade first.
Elora giggled at Hazel's commentary. “I assure you, it’s not painful,” she said, wiggling a bit, genuinely wishing the other two didn’t do this here. “Sorry, I can turn on some music on my phone so we don’t hear them. What do you say?” She offered, her smile evident in her tone.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed dubiously. "I don't think that's a good idea because the car's dead, so if our phones die, there won't be a way to charge them; it's smarter to turn it off." She reasoned. "I'm still freezing, are you?" She asked worriedly, wondering how Kit and Jade were warm enough to even think about having sex.
Knowing Hazel had a point, Elora turned off her phone. "Ok, it's off, and yes, I’m like an ice cube,” She answered as she shoved her hands under her sweater, trying her best to heat them up.
"I'm sorry," Hazel mumbled and moved the pillow enough to glance back over her shoulder at the other woman. "Maybe if we got up and ran in place or something?" She suggested weakly, trying to think of anything to help.
“We would risk bringing the tent down,” Elora joked, mostly because she didn't even want to think about standing up and risking getting colder for even a moment. “Body warmth is the best option,” she spoke softly, moving a bit closer to Hazel. “I'll keep my hands to myself.” She promised, worried about Hazel finding her too close and panicking.
"It's a big tent; we wouldn't bring it down," Hazel replied honestly and flipped over to face the woman, squinting to try and see her. "Maybe if you... " She trailed off and rethought it. "Never mind." She muttered and snuggled into the blankets more, trying to resist the urge to move closer to the warmth she could feel radiating off Elora.
“Maybe if I what?” Elora asked curiously, rolling ever closer to the woman and ending up facing away from her. She was desperate for the body heat she could feel from Hazel and figured this position would allow her to be closer without being too intimidating.
"Ok, but don't take this wrong, please," Hazel warned gently and bit her lip with a deeply concerned look. "You could move closer, and I could hold you like in the haunted house... My arm over you might help keep you warm, and I think it would help me too, but I don't mean it badly." She suggested shyly and hurried to clarify.
Elora felt touched that the girl was willing to hug her when she knew Hazel wasn’t big on it. “OK, I'm not taking it wrong, but what would be bad about it? I think it’s a great idea!” she said as she moved closer to Hazel. “Thank you.”
"Because it's not nice to hold people in bed," Hazel answered simply as she slung her left arm over Elora and firmly pulled the woman back against her chest. She sighed softly at the relief the woman's warmth brought, taking the edge off the cold a little. “You're welcome," she added quietly as an afterthought, burying her face against the woman's back to warm her nose.
“Yes, it is. Cuddling is very nice,” Elora said with a sigh of comfort, feeling a bit more warm just with the woman’s arm around her.
"I guess..."Hazel trailed off, accepting that maybe it was another thing that Lili had lied about the one or two times she'd gotten scared and sought comfort from the woman, only to be scolded and told nice people didn't do things like that.
“I know we don’t talk about what happened when you were growing up, and I'm not your doctor, so you should find one to talk to, but I hope you know that being kind and loving is not a bad thing, okay? It’s nice to hug your family and friends and cuddle the ones you love for comfort.” Elora said, pulling the girl’s hand tighter around her.
Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Hazel nodded, staying silent for a moment as she tried to find her voice. "I used to get scared... when I was little, I'd sometimes go to Kit's bed or Jade's if she was over, so when I was with her... That house was so big and scary when I was young... the heater would make this awful creaking, breathing-like noise, it terrified me..." She trailed off, taking a deep breath at the awful memory. "I ran to her room and tried to get close to her for comfort, but she told me it wasn't a good thing to do and put me back to bed... but the next time it happened, she got really mad. I never did it again. I shouldn't have cared. I don't like touching people anyhow, but when I was scared, I guess it felt different." She explained softly, embarrassed.
Feeling her blood boil, Elora closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "That Bitch." She muttered angrily. "I don't understand how anybody could deny a person comfort... especially you. You're so sweet, and back then, you were only a child." She spoke softly as she turned to face Hazel.
Surprised, Hazel flinched back a little and blushed. "I don't... she said I was being a baby... and she marched me down to the basement to show me where the sound was coming from... Then she turned out the lights and locked me down there to break me of my fear..." She spoke softly as her eyes scanned the woman's face through the limited glow provided by the moonlight. "It worked...I never left my bed when the heater turned on after that night." She spoke honestly, thinking there was some validity to Lili's tactics.
Fuming, Elora started making angry noises. “Oh, when I get my hands on that woman! None of it worked, Hazel. That wasn’t nice, and she shouldn’t have done that or convinced you she was helping you; you were a child! You were scared! That was not the solution! She made you not trust what you knew was right, comfort in someone you trust and love. And that is a horrible thing to steal from someone.” Elora said passionately, hugging the woman closer and resting her head on the girl’s chest.
Not sure what to do with Elora, Hazel sucked in a quick breath and patted at her back awkwardly, the tension so strong in her body it felt like a rubberband ready to snap. "It's ok... I'm sorry it upset you. I shouldn't have told you. I didn't mean to upset you." She apologized in a rush, feeling guilty for opening her big mouth and saying the wrong thing.
“Haze, it’s good that you told me. You should tell me. I'm mad at her, not you. You're precious like the sunshine after a storm,” Elora said, snuggling into the woman, her tone calmer and sweeter.
Swallowing hard, Hazel froze in response, her heart rate speeding up as a sense of panic washed over her. "I don't know what to do." She managed to speak in an almost frantic-sounding tone, not wanting to push the woman away but also desperately wanting to run from the feeling.
“With what?” Elora asked, feeling it wasn’t about her anger with Lili, but she didn’t want to assume.
"You... this... I don't know what to do." Hazel replied in a more agitated tone, holding her hand away from the woman as though afraid to touch her.
Elora placed a hand on the girl’s face. “Hey, Hazel. Just hold me, keep me from the cold. Nothing else. Nothing you don’t want, nothing more.” she said with a smile. “Now, take a deep breath for me.”
Nodding with wide eyes, Hazel took a deep breath as instructed. "I don't know what I want... I think maybe I want you to stay close, but I'm afraid to hold you." She admitted quietly, trying to work out her thoughts and untangle her feelings.
“Are you afraid I won't like it?” Elora asked quietly.
"No, I don't know," Hazel replied in a confused tone and brought her hands up to her head, covering her face miserably.
“I wouldn’t worry about that. At all,” Elora said as she smiled. “Maybe I could just hold you, and we'll take the pressure off you?” Elora suggested, wanting to show the woman how supportive she was.
"No, I just... I think I need space." Hazel muttered into her hands, feeling like sobbing.
“Ok, that’s fine.” Elora said as she moved away, “I’ll turn around; you can keep your back close to me for warmth.” She said and turned around giving her back to Hazel again. “Sorry for breaking your boundaries. I may have overstepped,” she said as she took a deep breath, happy that the noise coming from the other tent seemed to have stopped.
Peeking through her fingers, Hazel stared at Elora's back for a couple of quiet minutes, the sound of her own labored breathing being the only thing she could hear until it got to be too much, and she abruptly turned to face the other way, silently hitting her forehead angrily, hating herself for making the woman feel like she'd done something wrong when it was her who'd messed everything up.
“Hazel,” Elora called, hearing the girl in the quiet of the tent. Hazel froze at the sound of her name and tried to take quieter breaths, not wanting the woman to rebuke her. “It’s okay not to know. Please don’t blame yourself.” Elora said carefully, very aware of Hazel’s tendencies and trying to think of what else she could do to make the woman comfortable.
Unable to communicate clearly, Hazel said the first thing that popped into her mind. "Please leave me alone," It wasn't what she wanted to say or what she wanted, but she'd said it anyway, stirring a new wave of anger. She ran her nails over her face in irritation, feeling as though she had no control over her own mouth. Nothing she was saying or doing matched her feelings, and the disconnect felt too great to fix.
Elora turned over and watched the woman for a moment, still trying to figure out the best way to help without upsetting her more. “I can’t, Hazel. I don’t want to leave you alone. Not now… possibly not ever.” She confessed and felt a sense of relief.
"You probably should,” Hazel grumbled quietly, hugging her blanket tight, trying to strain her muscles enough to dull the tension in them without contorting them into awkward angles to get the same effect, not wanting to embarrass herself or weird Elora out.
“I won’t,” Elora said resolutely, moving closer to give the woman the comfort she could feel she needed. “I’m gonna squeeze your arm,” she said gently, knowing Hazel needed a bit of warning as she let her hand hover over the woman's arm, waiting for the okay.
Feeling like it might help, Hazel nodded and braced herself for the touch. "K." She mumbled softly, in case the woman couldn't see her well enough.
“You want to tell me why you can’t hold me to warm up?” Elora asked, squeezing the girl’s arm as she moved closer. “I’m gonna hug you now, k?” she warned and quickly made her move, wrapping the woman in a tight one-armed hug, much like Jade had shown her. Relief washed over her as Hazel took a deep breath and pressed back against her hard, a sign she took to mean the woman wanted more pressure.
"Squeeze tighter?" Hazel asked softly, confirming Elora's suspicion. She quickly squeezed the younger woman tighter, wrapping both arms around her to provide the pressure and comfort she needed and Hazel melted into the embrace with a small sigh and decided to try to explain herself. "I don't know. When you face me, it's different. I don't know why..." Hazel started. "It makes me feel strange; everything feels too big, and I just want to stretch until it hurts... I feel this way sometimes, but I don't know why or what it is... It doesn't happen to normal people." She added in a tired tone, sick of feeling confused by herself. "I don't want this." She finished with a deep sigh.
Listening, Elora nodded in understanding. “I, for one, don’t care if you stretch if it helps you,” she said as she thought about what the woman was telling her. "What don't you want?" she asked softly. “Do you not want me to hold you? Or is it that you don't like the way you feel?" She asked seriously, trying to gauge how the woman felt about the comfort she was trying to provide.
With no idea how to answer that question, Hazel just shook her head. "Existing... it hurts." She sighed and pushed herself against Elora harder, needing a tighter squeeze, which Elora immediately provided, tightening her hold as soon as she felt the woman pressing against her again. “Oh honey,” Elora breathed sadly, holding the girl tighter. “I know it feels like so much right now,” she said quietly, tightening her hold even more and resting her head on Hazel’s shoulder. She felt holding her was better than talking a lot at that moment, words often feeling weak.
"Mhm." Hazel nodded quickly, thankful the woman heard her and didn't invalidate her feelings. "I don't know what to do." She repeated her earlier sentiment, the closest way she could think to express her inner turmoil, as she wriggled her way out of the woman's hold and got up, hugging herself and pacing the tent. "I'm gonna go start a fire. I can't sleep; it's too cold." She muttered, "Can you open the tent for me, please?" She asked in an exhausted tone.
A little disappointed and worried about Hazel's decision, Elora looked at her with concern. “Hazel, it’s much colder out there; it will take a long while for a fire to start if Jade drowned it correctly.” She tried to reason with the woman, then decided her approach was all wrong. “I'm clearly making you uncomfortable. I can leave,” she spoke softly. Reaching for her sleeping bag. She felt terrible for not making the decision earlier.
"First, I'd rather take my chances out there working on the fire than go crazy in here…besides, I'm sure it's not that hard to start one,” Hazel replied seriously and started trying to unzip the tent. "You stay, there's nowhere for you to go, and I need fresh air and space." She added, inwardly smacking herself for the harsh tone she was using, hating how what she wanted and what she needed conflicted in such a confusing way.
Trying not to get frustrated with Hazel's stubbornness, Elora took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and silently asked the universe to grant her calm before speaking. “It can be. Hazel, it's almost impossible with this much moisture in the air.” She said, looking at the tent door, wanting to find some way to keep the woman inside. Not only was it too cold, but with Hazel's lack of experience, it would be almost impossible for her to do anything to remedy the situation, and Elora knew it.
Groaning in frustration, Hazel stopped fiddling with the zipper and kicked at the stubborn fabric. "Fuck, then what am I supposed to do?" She snapped, and squeezed the sides of her head in a sort of punishment for being harsh, unable to control her tone.
“You are supposed to come back to the blankets, and I will hold you super tight,” Elora replied bluntly. “Your other option is invading your sister’s tent and being traumatized because I’m sure they are not wearing anything under their blankets.”
"I can’t; you're the problem... You're...Wait, what? Why the hell wouldn't they be wearing anything? It's below freezing out here; they'd have to be nuts." Hazel exclaimed a lot louder than she intended.
Elora chuckled at Hazel's horrified response. “Body heat helps you warm up, so without clothes, you heat up faster...” She paused and frowned. “Wait. I'm the problem?” she asked, feeling a pang of hurt that Hazel wanted to run from her. Sighing, she set her flashlight down, letting it bathe the tent in a soft glow, and watched Hazel curiously, wondering what was going through her mind.
"Huh... I'd rather die." Hazel shuddered and glared in the direction of Kit's tent. "And yes, I told you..." She trailed off and shoved her hands into her pockets as she bounced in place, trying to keep warm.
Elora looked at the woman and pondered her response. “Yes, and you also said that you didn’t know what to do, but why don’t you just do the first thing that comes to your mind? Maybe that will help? No matter how impulsive it is.” She suggested as she looked at Hazel, hopeful, truly wanting to help her, giving her a way to relieve her stress.
"I'm trying, but you won't open the fucking tent." Hazel snapped harshly, feeling like she was about two minutes from grabbing her knife and slashing it open to escape, suddenly claustrophobic in her own body.
Taken aback by Hazel's tone, Elora shot her a look and stood. “First, let’s not talk like that,” she said gently, moving closer. Feeling bad for causing Hazel to feel so trapped, she touched her bicep and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Don't touch." Hazel hissed and pulled her arm free of the woman, wanting to take a step back but finding she was too close to the wall. Elora frowned. “This won’t solve the problem; it will only aggravate it,” she spoke calmly yet firmly, ensuring Hazel understood she was serious. Hazel shook her head, not thinking clearly, "Move!" She demanded, then frowned at Elora's appalled expression. "Please." She grumbled, feeling bad.
Elora huffed and looked at Hazel seriously, quietly reminding herself that Hazel was just panicking and didn't mean to be cruel. “If I let you out of this tent, you will have a few minutes to collect your thoughts, but then you will come back, and we will sleep, okay?” she said firmly, making it clear that her concern and care for Hazel wouldn’t waver, even if Hazel wasn't being the nicest to her right now.
"And what if I don't want to come back?" Hazel asked stubbornly, crossing her arms and giving the woman a challenging look, much like Kit.
The defiant look on Hazel's face made Elora's blood boil, and her patience faltered. "Then I'll get you myself," she replied decidedly, making it clear she wasn't playing around.
Raising an eyebrow, Hazel sized the woman up and laughed. "Please, like you could make me do anything." She scoffed.
“Try me, Tanthalos,” Elora said, flexing her wrists.
Chuckling, Hazel should her head. "Elora, I know several forms of martial arts; I would flatten you." She smirked and cocked her head to the side in amusement.
Reassuring herself that Hazel wouldn’t hurt her, Elora said confidently, “Yeah, I don’t think so.” And with a swift movement, she swept Hazel’s leg out from under her, tackling her to the floor and quickly straddling her, asserting control.
So taken off guard she couldn't think, Hazel blinked up at the woman dumbly for a moment. "You cheated... I wasn't ready, and you tripped me." She argued, swallowing hard and clenching her fists beside her nervously.
“The element of surprise is the best weapon a fighter can have,” Elora said simply and pinned Hazel’s hands by her sides. “All is fair and square in war,” she added as she hovered over the woman’s face, blushing as their position dawned on her.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel nodded and glanced at the woman's lips curiously. "You're on top of me." She pointed out quietly, forgetting whatever smart-ass response she'd been trying to think up.
“Mhm, that I am.” Elora said, watching the younger woman intently, noticing where her eyes were fixed. “what are you gonna do about it?” She asked, licking her lips lightly before shaking her head. Knowing Hazel didn’t like kisses, she completely dismissed the thought. Yeah, she’d never do it.
Raising her eyebrows at the challenge, Hazel locked her legs around Elora's hips and quickly flipped them over, freeing her hands in the process and pinning Elora's hands above her head before she had time to react. "Told ya I'd win,” Hazel spoke with a cocky smirk, breathing a little harder as her eyes found Elora's lips again, both tempted and terrified.
Seeing Hazel was distracted, Elora thrust her hips up, trying to free herself. “it’s not over, cowboy,” she said as she arched against the woman hard and flipped them, using her thighs to pin Hazel down, a slight moan escaping her lips at the struggle.
Gulping, Hazel looked up with a dumbfounded look, feeling like the woman had cheated somehow. "I'm pretty sure that was illegal." She spoke in a low tone, clearing her throat and averting her eyes, wanting to push the woman away and pull her closer simultaneously.
Noticing the woman's tone, Elora smirked. “Come on, cowboy, that wasn’t illegal at all!” She teased playfully as she moved to adjust her hold on the woman’s body, accidentally riding her a bit in the process, causing friction and causing her to close her eyes at the sensation. Hazel's eyes, on the other hand, widened in surprise. "Oh, fuck... don't move." She yelped and grabbed Elora's hips out of reflex, holding her still. Listening to the woman, Elora stayed still. “All my moves are allowed.” She spoke softly, watching Hazel closely. "No, don't move,” Hazel repeated and took a couple of deep breaths. Elora bit her lip as her center pulsed in response to the woman’s tone, and she watched Hazel intently, thinking about apologizing but deciding against it as she noticed the woman seemed to be trying to think of something to say.
"You..." Hazel started but stopped herself, suddenly strangely warm despite the temperature. She wanted to ask the woman to get up but was terrified to let her move again, remembering the last time she'd felt anything similar had sent her into a complete meltdown, and she was already walking a fine line. "I'm not sure what to do right now. You confuse me..." She started to explain slowly, biting her lip as she thought out her words. "I think I like holding you, but I don't like it either, and I know that doesn't make sense, but I'm going to try to explain... It's kind of like this... if you're allergic to cats but see an adorable fluffy one, you might want to hold it, but it's not a good idea because it hurts you... that's kind of how I feel right now. When you were facing me earlier, that's how I felt, too." She spoke carefully, watching to see if the woman would understand.
Seeing the younger woman’s struggle, Elora nodded and made sure not to move, knowing their position wasn’t helping, but Hazel’s grip on her hips made it impossible to try and get up without making it worse. “Hazel, I know you’re overwhelmed, and I’m sorry for scaring you earlier, but if I may use your analogy…People who are allergic to cats can still hold them; there are solutions out there that help with it, like allergy pills, eye drops, and other things; they just have to find the one that works for them…” She spoke gently, watching Hazel through the dim light cast by her discarded flashlight and noting the woman’s thoughtful expression as if she’d never considered there might be a solution. “I’m not saying it’ll be super easy, most things in life that are worth a damn aren’t, but we can find you a solution; it just takes a little trial and error and the will to find it.” She finished with a kind smile.
“You really think there’s a way?” Hazel asked quietly, hopefully, as she ran her thumbs over Elora’s hips idly, not thinking about it, just enjoying the texture of the woman’s sweats.
Elora nodded and hummed her agreement. “Yes, I think so,” she said, letting herself enjoy Hazel’s touch, staying locked in place. She felt as though something had shifted, like there was a new energy flowing between them, like no obstacle would be a match for them if they faced it together, and it gave her a sense of hope. She nodded again and squeezed Hazel's arms, hoping to share the feeling somehow.
Swallowing hard, Hazel glanced at the woman's hands and then back up, squinting to see her better. "Any suggestions?" She asked softly, taking a deep breath as her fingers continued to fidget over the fabric of the woman's pants.
Elora looked at the woman; realistically, she wanted to ask for a kiss, but she knew she couldn’t ask such a thing from Hazel, not when a little hugging was overwhelming baby steps. She told herself, “I think you should do whatever you’re thinking of doing.” She said simply, trying to encourage the woman without placing her in a situation she couldn’t escape. Elora knew very little about Hazel’s past, but she knew enough to know how she’d done everything someone had told her to in the last few years and that it wasn’t a choice she made. Elora wanted to be Hazel’s choice.
Chewing her bottom lip, Hazel nodded and averted her eyes; even in the dark, it was hard to look at another person for too long, no matter how much she wanted to. "I'm not sure I know what I want to do." She spoke softly and took another deep breath. "I think maybe I like you." She admitted and winced as she looked at the woman again, terrified of rejection. "I don't need you to like me or whatever, don't worry. I'm just telling you because I think it's the right thing to do. It's not fair to like you without you knowing because it might change how you want to be around me." She added quickly, starting to panic as she realized she couldn't take it back.
In the dim light, Elora had never seen someone so beautiful. Hazel was also cute, and how she confessed her feelings tugged at all of the redhead’s heartstrings. “I know you don’t need me to, but would you be okay with me liking you back?” she asked with a small smile, giving the woman a shy look as she tugged on the strings of Hazel’s hoodie.
Widening her eyes, Hazel gave the woman a searching look, trying to figure out if she was joking or making fun of her or something. "Are you playing? I understand if you are, but I can't tell. I don't know why you'd like me, so it feels like maybe you're joking or messing with me?" She spoke carefully and glanced down, watching Elora's hands on the ties of her shirt, thankful it gave her something different to focus on besides her rising nerves.
“Hazel. For real. I like you; I’m into you. Believe me,” Elora said, nervously crossing and uncrossing the drawstrings. “Because you’re sweet, handsome as hell, and so kind,” she continued, her cheeks flushing a rosy hue with embarrassment.
Looking up, Hazel smiled wide. "You're serious,” she affirmed in an awestruck tone before realizing she hadn't answered the woman's question. "Yes, yes, it's very okay." She responded quickly, nodding rapidly to make sure the woman knew just how okay it was. She couldn't believe anybody like Elora would ever want somebody like her. It didn't make any sense to her, but she was thrilled.
Elora found Hazel's reaction cute and amusing. When Hazel's eyes met hers, it took all of her strength not to cave and kiss the woman first. Stealing herself, Elora returned the eye contact, wanting Hazel to feel loved with just a look, even though it didn't last long. "I am very, very serious," she affirmed with a little smile. "For a while now," she added as she tugged on the drawstrings of the woman's shirt again.
“Oh," Hazel muttered shyly and looked down, continuing to watch Elora play with the strings. "Jade knew she liked Kit before she kissed her, so I'm pretty confident I'm right about liking you, but I'd like to find out for sure..." She started, glancing up to meet the woman's eyes again briefly, thankful it was dim enough that she could maintain it a bit longer than usual.
“Yeah?” Elora asked eagerly, urging Hazel to continue as she got lost in the warmth, kindness, and love she saw reflected in the baby blue pools of Hazel's eyes, the limited light catching them just right.
"Mhm, so what I'm asking you is, would you ever be ok with me kissing you?" Hazel asked carefully, wanting to make sure Elora understood her.
“I like the sound of that,” Elora replied, nodding emphatically, feeling like she was on cloud nine.
"Oh." Hazel nodded and frowned, not thinking she used a very different tone at all. "OK, but what's your answer to the question?" She asked curiously, tilting her head a little.
Elora smiled at the misunderstanding. “Haze, you’re so precious. Of course, I would like to be kissed by you. I would be enchanted, ” she answered, “delighted.” She continued softly, “Please do.” She clarified and gave the woman a huge smile. Her heart thumped so hard she thought it might leap out of her chest at just how soft Hazel was.
"Oh, cool." Hazel nodded awkwardly and looked away, not sure what to do next. "Does that mean you'd be okay with me taking you on a date, too, then?" she asked, giving the woman a curious look.
“Mhm, I’d love to go on a date with you,” Elora said, her smile widening as she massaged Hazel’s collarbone. She had never encountered anyone as considerate as Hazel in her dating history, and the thought thrilled her.
"Ok, cool," Hazel repeated and grabbed Elora's wrists. "That's distracting, and I'm trying to think." She informed the woman very seriously and sighed at her. "Do you want to go to dinner or a movie? Or something else? I don't know much about dating, but I've heard those are good options. I'm open to ideas, though." She added in the same earnest tone, very serious about getting all the details correct.
Elora looked at the woman and made a very over-the-top thinking face. “We can go to a movie, then dinner,” She suggested. “I don’t need fancy,” she added with a smile.
Thinking it sounded like a good plan, Hazel nodded in agreement. "Right, I'll ask Kit for her credit card." She thought out loud, trying to work out the details. "Mom said she'll get me access to her account until I'm officially alive again, but that might take another week. I don't really want to wait that long for our date, though." She added, realizing she might need to give more details. "Oh, please tell me what kind of movie you want to see. If it's an action movie, I'll bring my earplugs. I guess I'll have them anyway, but I'll wear them the whole time if it's one of those movies because... noise." She rambled as she twisted the material at Elora's hips anxiously.
Watching this angel on Earth, Elora gave the woman an amused look. “Babe, it doesn’t matter who pays for dinner as long as we get to go together," she reassured. “As for the movie, maybe we could watch a scary movie?” she asked, and Hazel nodded thoughtfully. “Also, you should bring your earplugs everywhere,” Elora advised, quietly wondering why the woman wouldn't.
“Well, first, It does matter. I asked you out on a date; I pay." Hazel replied firmly, almost offended at the idea of Elora paying for herself, then continued. "A scary movie, huh? Yeah, I'll be wearing my earplugs then, and don't worry I do take them everywhere." She assured and bit her lip in thought, wishing they weren't camping the whole weekend so they could hurry up and go on their date. "Would Monday work for you? This Monday, after we get home?" She suggested. "I think the weekend would be better, but this weekend is already taken, and I don't want to wait until next weekend; that's very far away." She explained.
Finding Hazel’s eagerness and rambling adorable, Elora giggled. “Yes, Monday’s fine with me, as long as you’re not sick of me by then,” she said with a warm smile.
"No, I won't be," Hazel assured, then frowned. “Should I bring chapstick? I should kiss you when the date is over, right?" she asked, wanting to make a mental list of the things she'd need.
“If you think a chapstick is needed, yes, and if you want to kiss me at the end of the night, I won't say no,” Elora replied, truly amazed and enamored by the woman’s planning, even if it meant that they wouldn’t kiss until Monday night. She could wait; the last thing she wanted to do was force Hazel into anything she wasn’t ready for. “You’re adorable.” She added softly.
"It might be needed; I don't really know, but I'll bring it just in case,” Hazel affirmed with a small nod, mentally checking it off her list. "Thank you, and I will want to kiss you." She added, very sure.
“Decisive, I like that,” Elora smiled, wishing she could lean to give the girl little nose kisses. But she knew that would be pushing it, and ultimately, restraint was better for both of them, even for innocent things.
“Well, yes. I want to kiss you now, but we haven't even been on a date yet, and I don't want the same thing I had with Jade... I kissed her on a dare, and we never went on any dates; I never even knew if we were girlfriends, and then..."She trailed off with a frown. "I want to do it right with you because I think I might like you a lot, and you're very nice. I don't want to do to you what she did to me." She explained very seriously.
Filled with emotions over Hazel's genuine desire to do things right, Elora was momentarily struck speechless. “Oh, Hazel... It's ok; I can wait three more days." She said as she got her bearings again.
"Cool." Hazel smiled, not great with words when she was thinking. "And then after we kiss, if we like it, I'd like to ask you to be my girlfriend, if you'd like that, but only if the kiss goes well, cause if we don't actually like each other, it wouldn't make sense to be girlfriends." She reasoned studiously.
Elora smiled affectionately. “You think there's a possibility of us not being able to have a good kiss?” she asked, looking at Hazel and caressing the girl’s cheek lightly.
"I'm not sure; I've never kissed anybody other than Jade." Hazel shrugged. "So it's possible, plus I have those issues with texture and you have a wet mouth." She informed and scrubbed at her cheek a little at the memory of all the cheek kisses she'd gotten from the woman, even if it wasn't as bad as she made it out to be in her mind.
Elora raised an amused eyebrow at the woman and nodded. “Makes sense, but I'm a phenomenal kisser,” she boasted playfully and smirked.
"Have people told you that?" Hazel asked curiously, frowning a bit at the idea.
“If I say yes, will you not be mad?” Elora asked cautiously, wanting to ensure they started their relationship with honesty and transparency.
"I won't be mad, but I might not like those people," Hazel replied with a decisive nod. "I already know Jade is one of them. Is she a good kisser? I liked it, but I had nothing to compare it to." She spoke curiously, realizing she wasn't actually sure.
“Yeah, Jade's a good kisser, but she called me Kit the whole time,” Elora laughed. “I swear they've been playing games for too long.”
"Funny, the last time we kissed, she called me Kit, too," Hazel joked and gave the woman a crooked smile. “I think they're making up for lost time; I wouldn't worry too much," she added and glanced to where Kit and Jade's tent would be.
Not missing Hazel's little joke, Elora smirked and shook her head. “You're funny, and yes, it sounded like they were,” she said with a hearty laugh. “Now we have a few things decided, so what's the solution for tonight?” she asked as she continued to caress Hazel's cheek lightly, loving how the woman nuzzled her face into the touch.
Blushing, Hazel bit her lip. "I'm still not sure... last time I felt this way..." She trailed off, embarrassed. "You know, at the hotel... it was difficult." She muttered, thankful it was dark. "I don't want to have sex," she added quickly, realizing she hadn't made that clear, and it was probably an essential piece of information for somebody who would date her.
"Hey, it's ok... I know you had a hard time that day, and I'm not going to ask you for sex. I just want to make sure you're warm, and we rest." Elora spoke sincerely. "I respect you, Hazel."
"Don't worry, I'm really warm now." Hazel laughed, unaware of the implications. "I'm sorry, I just don't think it would be good for me. I would understand if you don't like that; I know it's important to most people." She added as she went back to playing with the fabric at Elora's hips, and her eyes found the woman's lips again.
“You know, it’s not very important to me, but what you just said, and the look you’re giving me, that’s sexual in nature, and you seem to handle that very well,” Elora said smiling, feeling it was essential to bring awareness to things, so Hazel could make informed decisions and understand herself better.
Widening her eyes, Hazel shook her head. "It is? Are you sure? Because I'm not thinking about sex, I've never had sex; I don't even know much about it." She replied quickly, feeling terrible for giving the wrong impression. "I really just meant I'm warm." She tried to clarify.
“Just because it’s sexual doesn’t mean you’re consciously thinking about sex, Hazey,” Elora said, pinching Hazel's cheek playfully, earning a small giggle from the girl. “And I know, I'm warm too. But I bet I'll be cold when we separate, and so will you." She laughed and then gave the girl a serious look. "Don't sweat the sex stuff. I’m not worried about it, nor will I ever ask for anything you can’t give me. So don’t worry about it, okay?” She advised gently.
"Oh, yeah, okay." Hazel nodded distantly as she tried to examine her thoughts and feelings on the subject. She couldn't help but worry.
“I see you worrying. Tell me what’s on your mind?” Elora asked softly and smiled sadly, feeling helpless since it was clear her words weren't helping ease the woman's mind.
Focussing on Elora again, Hazel shrugged. "I guess I don't know how things can be sexual when I'm not wanting them to be. I don't like not understanding things; it makes me feel dumb, and I worry I'll mess up or something." She admitted, feeling safe enough to be more open with the woman. "And before you ask, I did try and look at that stuff you sent me on the subject, but some of the words... my brain didn't like them, so I couldn't focus or read them." She added sheepishly, more than a little embarrassed.
Elora leaned down as gently as she could and smiled. “First, you can’t mess up with me. Second, I wasn't going to ask, but I will send you more stuff with maybe less scientific names?” She suggested, scrunching her face as she touched the tip of the girl’s nose, trying to ease the tension.
Smiling shyly, Hazel nodded. "That might help." She agreed softly as she let her eyes scan Elora's face, enjoying the woman's gentle features and the feeling of safety she got from her.
Accidentally yawning, Elora giggled hard, surprised by how tired she suddenly felt. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. That was weird,” she winced sheepishly, feeling bad.
"It's okay; I'm pretty tired, too." Hazel smiled in understanding. “We should probably try to sleep," she added, slightly nervous.
“Yes, it’ll be okay. The moment I start snoring, you’ll stop liking me,” Elora joked, her eyes shifting to where Hazel’s hands still held her in place.
"I don't know. You just yawned in my face, and I still think you're pretty cute." Hazel replied fondly and followed Elora's eyes. "Oh, sorry." She winced and let go.
“I didn’t mind it at all; you don’t have to wince or worry, honey, promise,” Elora said with a smile.
"Thanks. I just felt bad for not letting you move," Hazel explained and shrugged. "If you want to try sleeping now, we can," she suggested shyly.
Looking at Hazel with a smirk on her lips, the doctor spoke as she dismounted. “Maybe I was fine staying still as long as I was connected to you.” She blushed as she wrapped herself in the blankets, already missing being that close to Hazel.
“Oh," Hazel muttered softly, biting her lip as she stared thoughtfully at the top of the tent for a moment, missing the woman's warmth. “Do you want me to... should I sleep close still?" she asked curiously, turning her head to see Elora.
Feeling an urgency not to hold back or overanalyze, Elora nodded, “Yes, please. That will help us with the cold, and I won’t miss you.” She confessed, glancing at the woman.
Nodding, Hazel rolled onto her right side and lifted her arm for Elora to get under. "Like before? I know how to do it that way." She offered, hopeful Elora would be ok with it.
Inundated with emotion, Elora nodded and eagerly went to Hazel’s arms. She immediately felt a sense of peace and belonging. “Yes, like this, it works,” she said, adjusting the blankets. “Are you okay? Warm enough?" she asked, her tone conveying her care for the woman.
"Mhm, better." Hazel sighed and tightened her hold around Elora's waist, bringing the woman back against her tighter and rubbing her forehead against the woman's back like a cat would, feeling the texture of the woman's sweater, trying to get as close as possible.
Elora held her breath with the press of their bodies, and when she exhaled, she felt her heart flutter. ”Haze…” she called.
"Hmm?" Hazel hummed and froze, realizing what she was doing was probably weird by ‘normal’ people's standards. "Sorry." She muttered quickly, fingers fidgeting at the front of Elora's sweater, tugging and twisting the fabric nervously.
“Don’t apologize; you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just going to ask if we could maybe go hiking alone again, maybe move that first date a little.” Elora breathed, letting out a relieved sigh of contentment, proud for letting her thoughts out.
“Oh," Hazel muttered in a disappointed tone, misunderstanding the request and inwardly smacking herself for letting herself do weird things around the woman. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable; I just... the texture, I guess... I dunno... " She trailed off sadly, gripping the woman's sweater unconsciously, really trying not to have a meltdown.
Looking over her shoulder, Elora replied, “Haze, I liked it. Also, you don’t have to have an answer today, or we don’t have to move it at all,” she said, placing her hand over Hazel’s and massaging it.
"If I didn't do anything wrong, why do you want to move our date?" Hazel asked quietly, very confused and sure Elora was just trying to make her feel better.
“I was thinking about our walk earlier, how that was a perfect first date scenario,” Elora spoke softly. “I’d still have dinner with you on Monday, but if we go on a date tomorrow, you could kiss me tomorrow if you want to,” she said, sure that she was blushing from head to toe.
Frowning, Hazel leaned up on her elbow to look down at Elora, trying to see her face, at least the side of it. "You're being very confusing. You told me you want to move our date, but now you're saying you still want to go on Monday. Please explain." She spoke very firmly, breathing a little harder with rising agitation.
Seeing Hazel stuck in her head, Elora took a deep breath. “Two dates. One tomorrow, our first official one, and a second one on Monday. I think we would benefit from the calm in the forest, and for the second one, we can go to dinner like we planned. I'm not canceling, just adding.” She explained, “In fewer words, I just want to spend more time with you.” She added honestly.
"But you said you wanted to move the date, but it won’t be moved if it's still on Monday. You're not making any sense; that's very confusing. Why did you say you want to move it when you don't actually want to move it?" Hazel asked in an exasperated tone, her voice pitching up a little. "And it was supposed to be a movie and then dinner!" She added firmly, having already been planning it in her head and not good with changes.
Catching her mistake, Elora spoke softly, “Hazey, I meant move it up.” She said simply, very aware that in times like this, less was more.
"Move it up? We can't move it up because we're here until Sunday unless you want to do it Sunday night, but that would be really hard since we have to unpack the gear and stuff, and things close earlier on Sundays." Hazel replied quickly, already trying to think out how she could make it work on Sunday instead.
Knowing Hazel was starting to panic, Elora took a deep breath and began massaging the woman’s fingers, using enough pressure to hopefully alleviate her tension and help her focus.“We can make that our second date, and it could be on Monday or Sunday, but tomorrow, you and I can pack some snacks, go hiking, and maybe have lunch on a trail, like we did today. Can that be a date?” she asked, trying to see if the woman could see the benefit of having a first date sooner.
Frowning deeply, Hazel shook her head, having difficulty grasping the concept. "But... but there's no movie out here... or restaurants... unless you want me to drive you to the nearest town? I could do that, but I would need a few hours to do some research first." She spoke in a contemplative tone, far off in her own head, trying to figure out a way to change plans with very little notice, but she thought Elora would be worth it, so she was willing to make the effort.
“Baby, for tomorrow, no dinner, just a hike and some snacks, just us and nature, nothing fancy, no restaurants or dressing up, just us,” Elora said, feeling bad for confusing the woman.
Whining, Hazel yanked her hand away from Elora and got up. "But if I hike, I'll get hungry... it's not good to go without dinner; I always have dinner." She mumbled and paced. "Also, you said you wanted tomorrow to be our first date, but our first date is a movie and dinner." She added, taking quick, deep breaths to try and control her rising anxiety, struggling not to have a meltdown.
“Hazel, look at me and take a deep breath with me,” Elora said, standing and meeting Hazel where she was, extending her hands for the woman to hold.
Glancing at Elora briefly, Hazel took a deep breath and shook her head at the offered hands, knowing touching wouldn't be ok. "No touching, please." She spoke quickly.
“No touching,” Elora repeated and held her hands up. “A first date can be more than just dinner and a movie. It can be a walk in the park, a hike to a waterfall, a bike ride to the beach, or whatever you want. You get to define what a first date looks like,” she spoke softly to make sure the woman was following.
Furrowing her brow, Hazel looked at the woman again. "I know it can, but you said you wanted a movie and dinner." She reminded her with a raised eyebrow, thinking Elora was having trouble remembering the choice she'd made.
Aware of Hazel's fixation on their original plans, Elora nodded. “I know, I know I said that, but I was thinking… While I still want that, I'd also like a date here,” she said with a touch of formality. “I want two first dates: one informal and one formal,” she explained, trying to convey her thoughts as clearly as possible.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed in consideration and nodded. "You can't have two first dates because if you have one, then the other would be the second, but I think maybe I understand. You want a first date here in the woods and then a first date in the city? Because it would be a first in both of those places?" She tried to clarify, watching Elora closely to see if she got it right.
Understanding and respecting Hazel's need to create order or rules for things she found chaotic, Elora smiled, willing to accept that answer. “Yes, you got it perfectly,” She agreed encouragingly.
"Oh. You should have just said that in the first place; I would have understood faster. You're very confusing sometimes." Hazel sighed and shook her head.
Elora nodded and smiled. “You're right, I'm sorry. I guess I could have worded it that way from the start." She agreed gently, feeling it was easier to accept the blame for the miscommunication than try and make Hazel understand where she'd misunderstood. There would be time to teach things like that later when it wasn't so cold and the woman wasn't already agitated. "I'll do better. I think in my mission not to be like I am at work, I forget to keep the skills I need in life.” She added in a regretful tone, genuinely feeling bad for confusing Hazel.
Noticing the woman seemed sad, Hazel sighed and stepped closer. "It's ok; I'm not mad; I'm sorry if I sounded mad; I don't always know how to control my tone." She spoke gently and patted Elora's shoulder to try and comfort the woman. "We can hike tomorrow, and it'll be our first camping date, but can we please still eat dinner? I think I'll get sick if I don't." She spoke in the same gentle tone, doing her best to ensure she didn't sound upset.
Elora couldn't help but smile widely at how adorable Hazel was in her attempt to comfort her. “Of course, yes, we can have dinner tomorrow,” Elora said happily, her heart warmed by the gesture.
"Thank you... I know you said you didn't want dinner, but I don't do well if I don't eat. I used to forget to eat when I was having fun, but it's not good for me, and it makes me have more meltdowns, so I always make sure to eat all three meals." Hazel explained. "I eat breakfast late most days, though, because I hate waking up in the morning." She added with a shrug, then sat down and motioned for Elora to join her. ”Come here; we should try to sleep if we're gonna hike tomorrow." Elora nodded in understanding and shyly joined Hazel on the ground again, pulling the covers around them. "I didn't mean we shouldn't eat dinner; I just meant we didn't need to go out for a fancy dinner." Elora clarified gently and smiled at the look of dawning that appeared on Hazel's face. “Oh," Hazel mumbled sheepishly and chewed her bottom lip in thought, watching Elora for a moment. "Um, would it be ok if I tried holding you again? For warmth? I promise I won't do that weird thing I was doing before." She asked gently. "Well, I'll try really hard not to." She added with a slight frown, afraid of making a promise she couldn't keep.
Giggling, Elora nodded. “Yes, you can hold me for warmth. You can also do that thing; I don’t think it's weird; I actually find it relaxing,” she said, scooting a bit closer and waiting for the girl.
Thrilled that Elora was willing to let her try again and didn't hate her strange behavior, Hazel clapped excitedly and, having an overwhelming urge to show how happy she was, kissed the tips of her fingers and pressed them to Elora's cheek, knowing people tended to kiss her cheek when they were happy. "Thank you." She grinned and wrapped her arm around the woman's waist again, snuggling close and pressing her forehead against Elora's back like before, only this time doing her best to stay still, just to be safe.
Elora smiled contently. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” If this is what it feels like to receive affection from Hazel, I don’t ever want this to change, the woman thought. “Nighty night,” she said, cuddling close but trying her best to make very stiff movements to not frustrate the woman.
"Mhm, nighty night." Hazel agreed softly and closed her eyes, finally letting the exhaustion take over.
~
“No, please don't leave me here." Hazel pleaded, running as fast as she could toward the retreating form.
"It's for your own good. You'll thank me later." Came the sympathetic-sounding response before the door slammed shut, sucking all light from the room, the audible click of the lock echoing in Hazel's ears as she collapsed where she stood, terrified to move as she pulled her knees to her chest and rocked, flinching as every new creak and groan felt like invincible fingers reaching out to touch her, the one small glowing red orb watching her from the corner of the room; the eye of a monster she was sure. It was all too much; she was surrounded, and all she knew how to do was scream and claw at the back of her neck as she held her head down and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. She didn't know how long it lasted or when her screams turned to throwing up and inevitably passing out on the cold, hard, unforgiving cement floor, but at some point, she woke up to Lili standing over her with a disapproving look, yet all she could focus on was the light, it was back on, and the monster that had been staring at her all night was just the furnace.
"God, look at the mess you made. You'll have to clean this up; then I expect you to go wash up and meet me in the kitchen. It's time for breakfast." Lili spoke firmly and shook her head disapprovingly as she stared down at the young girl. "Don't just blink at me, Hazel. I expect an answer. All of this drama over a furnace? You should be ashamed of yourself." She huffed disgustedly.
Hazel swallowed hard, wincing at how raw her throat felt. "I'm s-sorry." She managed to choke out, tears welling in her eyes as she thought about having to clean up her puke and felt the shame of disappointing the woman.
"You should be; you're nearly fifteen; you're not a baby. I know your family treated you like one, but I expect more from you." Lili spoke and ducked down to the teen's level. "I know last night was hard on you, but now you know nothing down here will harm you. The noises you hear at night are only the furnace." She added gently, brushing hair out of the girl's face and offering her a kind smile, ignoring how Hazel flinched under the touch. "Now, I made your favorite, so hurry before it gets cold." She encouraged and stood back up, disappearing almost as fast as she'd appeared.
Notes:
Thank you for reading - Please leave us your comments - what are your guesses to next steps with our favorite couples?
Chapter 21: Chapter 21
Summary:
Camping part 3
Kit & Hazel spend some time around nature, our couples go on a date and learn about each other.
Notes:
Hey, we just wanted to apologize for the huge delay in putting this chapter up. Between vacations and what might be full-on burnout, I just couldn't focus and edit fast enough. I'm still not thrilled with the finished product, but didn't want to delay anymore, so without further ado, we hope you enjoy chapter 21 :) ~ Ghostwriter88
I'd like to apologize for the delay, I also wanted to publicly apologize to Ghostwriter88 for making edits almost impossible. I take full responsibility for the delay. My mind is a bit out of sorts. Thanks for reading - Hope you have a great day and enjoy the update ~ Ingy18.
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
A few hours later, Elora stirred awake, feeling disoriented and trapped, unable to move. Panic flared for a moment, her heart racing until she heard the soft whimper that jolted her memory. The tent. The camping. Hazel—Hazel holding her. But something was wrong; Hazel was crying. Worry surged through Elora as she gently massaged Hazel’s hands, her voice soothing yet urgent. “Haze, Hazel… wake up, baby, you’re okay,” she whispered, hoping to pull Hazel out of whatever nightmare had its hold on her.
At the sound of her name, Hazel twitched, waiting for the basement door to open again, but It never did; instead, the voice kept repeating her name over and over until suddenly, sunlight pierced her eyes, and she found herself outside, surrounded by birds. "Ahh, Fuck!!" She exclaimed, waking with a start and blinking to adjust. She was no longer in a basement, and she certainly wasn't outside, but there was the distinct sound of birds chirping and the unpleasant brightness of early morning sun, barely blocked out by the thin fabric of the tent. A tent! That's where she was, and the person lying beside her was... "Shit, I'm sorry." She muttered, immediately letting go of the woman and scrambling away, realizing she'd been holding Elora extra tight. "What time is it?" She muttered, reaching for her phone and powering it up.
“Hazel, hon, it’s okay. It’s about 7 a.m.,” Elora said as she twisted to look at the woman. “Are you okay? You seemed upset.”
"Seven?" Hazel asked and checked her phone, groaning as the clock confirmed Elora's words. "We barely slept, and I hate mornings." She whined and slapped a hand to her face, letting it drag down in irritation, entirely ignoring the woman's question.
“I know,” Elora said softly, her voice filled with concern. “I think you were having a bad dream—you were crying,” she added, choosing to leave out just how tight Hazel’s grip had been. That could wait. Right now, she just wanted to make sure Hazel was okay.
Uncomfortable with the subject, Hazel got up and turned her back on Elora, quickly rubbing at her eyes to clear any residual tears. "Once I'm awake, I can't go back to sleep; I'm gonna go get ready for the day." She mumbled as she grabbed her day pack and tried to undo the tent, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath when it still wouldn't open for her. "Please, work, just this once." She muttered quietly to herself, yanking at the zipper in frustration.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay in bed for another hour? You must be exhausted, Hazey,” Elora said softly. “And Jade and Kit definitely won’t be up in the next hour. You don’t have to sleep, but just lay down and relax. It’s still cold out there,” she added, hoping to coax Hazel into a bit more rest.
Huffing, Hazel let go of the zipper and stood straight, still with her back to the other woman. "What's the point of lying down if I don't sleep?" she asked earnestly. "Doesn't matter; I'm up. I need to brush my teeth, take a shower, and all that." She added quickly, thinking about her morning routine.
Nodding with a clinical understanding, Elora smiled warmly at Hazel. "You have a morning routine, one that starts the moment you wake up and it’s light out. I get it," she said softly. "But the point is, I’m cold—and now that you’ve moved, I’m getting colder by the second." Elora gave a small smile, deciding she had made her point. She didn't want to interfere with Hazel’s routine but was determined to help her start the day. Maybe one day, she’d be part of that routine. "But I’ll help you," she added, getting up and moving toward the door.
"Yes, I'm sorry. Maybe you should come out and walk around; it should help you warm up, but I need to brush my teeth and shower," Hazel replied seriously as she watched the woman.
The thought of standing out in the cold without a fire wasn’t one Elora could fully process in her half-awake state, but the fire needed to be built, food needed to be made, and Hazel wasn’t coming back to bed with her. So why not? She looked at Hazel, her thoughts lingering on what had occupied her mind since waking the woman from her nightmare. “Hazel, before you venture over there, I want to thank you for last night and tell you that whatever was hurting you in your dream, it can't hurt you anymore,” She spoke with a softness that matched the morning light filtering into the tent, her hand gently pulling open the zipper for Hazel to step out.
At Elora's words, Hazel's expression softened, and she nodded. "You're welcome; thanks for helping with this." She mumbled, motioning towards the open door, before ducking her head and stepping outside, shivering at the icy blast of air that hit her. “I'll be back in maybe thirty minutes or an hour. It'll depend on what the shower is like. I didn't get to check them out last night." She sighed, not looking forward to whatever awaited her.
Elora braced against the cold as she held the tent door open, doing her best to cling to the warmth still left in her. "Okay, be careful out there," she said softly, her voice trembling and breath visible in the chilly morning air as a small shiver ran through her. But then, As if the cold breeze had shaken her fully awake, she suddenly remembered the promise the new morning held for them. "I can't wait until our date later today," she called out, excitement buzzing in her voice as the thought of spending more time with Hazel filled her with anticipation.
Pausing halfway to the edge of their campsite, Hazel turned around and nodded. "You'll have to wait a few more hours, or at least until I'm done getting ready, but I'm looking forward to it." She replied with a quick smile and an awkward little wave before turning and heading in the direction of the civilized bathrooms as she'd deemed them, having already studied the map of the grounds the night before to get a feel for the layout and avoid any other unfortunate encounters with what Kit had called drop toilets, a thing Hazel thoroughly wished she'd never learned about.
After several minutes of figuring out where to put all of her toiletries and clothes and several additional mishaps with the water temperature, Hazel finally managed to get it all figured out, muttering and grumbling to herself the entire time to keep from having a meltdown, reminding herself she'd managed in new environments plenty of times. She had all of her favorite items with her; she just had to ignore the spiders and strange buzzy lighting, and the fact there was a tiny window just a couple of feet above where she stood, open to the outside, it was enough to make her on edge the entire time. Still, she made it through and managed to shave off a couple of minutes, hurrying to get it done as fast as humanly possible; once that was accomplished, she moved on to her teeth-cleaning routine.
She finished with a big smile, squinting to try and see her teeth clearly through the poor excuse for a mirror, which she'd discovered was just badly dented and hardly reflective metal. She couldn't imagine what people found fun about camping; nevertheless, she'd agreed to try and have fun, and try she would, so with that in mind, she packed her stuff back into her daypack and marched her way back to the campsite.
"One star!" She said simply as she brushed past Elora to put her stuff back into the thankfully open tent. "And that's being generous." She proclaimed as she returned and settled into one of the chairs facing the now raging fire, where she happily started warming her hands and sniffing at the air as she finally registered that Elora was cooking.
“But the company, though, makes up for the lack of amenities, I hope?” Elora asked, a playful glint in her eye, as she carefully poured the boiling water into the pot to brew some coffee.
"You weren't in the shower with me," Hazel replied without thinking about it, simply stating facts. She didn't see how Elora's company was supposed to help with her shower experience when she hadn't been there.
Trying not to laugh at Hazel’s serious clarification, Elora was again struck by her literalness. “You’re right, I wasn’t. If I had been, it could’ve been a lot more fun,” she joked, then immediately felt a twinge of regret. “I’m just being silly. What I actually mean is the overall trip— how do you feel about it?” she asked, looking to see if Hazel was enjoying the experience despite the bumps along the way.
“No, it would’ve been more difficult,” Hazel said with a shudder. “The water pressure is terrible, and the space is tiny; we would’ve been practically on top of each other. It also didn’t stay warm for very long.” She shrugged, holding her hands closer to the flames for warmth. “But you’re making the camping part fun. I wouldn’t like it at all if I were here with just Kit and Jade,” she concluded honestly, glancing over at Elora again.
Unable to contain her laughter, Elora giggled. “Being on top of each other isn’t always a bad thing,” she joked, observing Hazel’s unphased reaction with amusement. She handed Hazel a plate heaping with bacon and eggs and was met with a warm, grateful smile in return.
"It is if you're naked," Hazel replied matter-of-factly, nodding in affirmation. "Not that I'd ever be naked around another person, but you have to be in a shower, so that's another reason why you wouldn't be there." She added honestly, turning her attention to the plate of food. "Thank you. This looks and smells amazing." Her focus shifted entirely to the delicious meal, leaving any other thoughts behind.
Hearing Hazel’s words, Elora nodded. “You’re right. Next time, I’ll bring the camper; the water pressure in my shower is fantastic,” she said, taking a sip of her tea. “And Kit and Jade aren’t so bad, come on…” she added with a smile.
"They were last night... they sounded like dying animals," Hazel muttered, swallowing a bite of food and looking across at Elora. "And I don't care how good your water pressure is; you can't get in the shower with me." She added seriously, just to make sure she was clear.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to imply I’d actually join you in the shower, Hazel,” Elora said with a soft laugh. “As for Kit and Jade, well, they’re in love…,” she added with a tender smile, daydreaming of a future where Hazel could one day be in love with her.
"Uh huh, whatever was happening last night sounded more like murder than love, but to each their own," Hazel quipped, waving a piece of bacon around as she spoke. "If that's love, I want nothing to do with it." She added, taking a bite of the bacon while Elora shook her head.
“Oh, be a bit nicer, big sister,” Kit said as she emerged from the tent, her face flushed red.
Glancing at Kit, Hazel smirked. "Why? You were the one who chose to skin a wild animal in your tent last night. I bet you woke the whole campground." She teased with a big, obnoxious smile.
“Oh, she was wild, that’s for sure,” Kit answered, blushing and laughing as she grabbed a cup of coffee from the table. “You didn’t freeze, so I suppose you and Elora got creative:"
Rolling her eyes, Hazel stabbed her fork into her eggs and shook her head. "I was joking, Kit. I meant the sex was loud." She sighed, thinking Kit had missed her attempt at humor. “And no, we just slept close. Body heat is what's recommended in survival scenarios." She added simply and took a bite of her food. “Oh, the car battery's dead, by the way." She added casually as she stabbed another forkful of food.
“The car battery is what? Seriously? Why didn’t you mention this last night? And yes, I got your joke, sis,” Kit said with a smile as Jade stepped out of the tent, bag in hand, ready to start the day. “So, how about we turn this day around with a hike? Interested?” Kit asked Hazel, taking a bite of her breakfast. Jade then sauntered over, planted a kiss on Kit’s cheek, and whispered, “I’ll be back soon. Behave yourself!” Kit shivered and turned back to look at her best friend with a mischievous grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m always, always good, babe," Kit spoke in a lower tone. Jade chuckled softly, shaking her head with a smile, and headed off toward the showers.
"Dead," Hazel repeated after swallowing her food. "I didn’t tell you last night because it was so cold I could barely think, and there was nothing you could have done then." She added, momentarily distracted, noticing Jade had a toiletry bag in hand as she passed by. "Be careful in there; there are spiders, and the window's open for some reason. It’s weird." She warned with a shudder and then returned her attention to Kit. "No, I’m already going to be hiking with Elora." She finished the conversation and went back to eating.
Feeling lively from the previous night's antics and Kit's playful jabs, Jade laughed heartily, “Oh, they’ll have to watch out for me!” She chuckled to herself and carried on toward the showers, ready to face whatever the day had in store.
Hazel shook her head at Jade's unusual pep before catching sight of Kit. “Why are you frowning? It's not like I'd ask to go on a date with you and Jade,” Hazel said seriously, her expression neutral.
"I'm sorry, did you say date?" Kit asked, her interest suddenly piqued.
"Yes, I can date, Kit," Hazel replied defensively and stabbed at her eggs roughly, remembering what Lili and her therapists had thought about the possibility of her ever dating.
"I know you can, and I’m fully supportive; I’m just surprised you never told me. Why didn’t you share this with me?" Kit asked, frowning at her sister. She felt a pang of nostalgia for when they used to share everything and was reminded of the times she felt left out, like when Hazel and Jade were hanging out as teens.
"I just did." Hazel blinked at her sister.
“How long have you guys been dating?” Kit asked, looking between Hazel and Elora.
"We haven't, that's the point. We're going on our first camping date today. She wanted to Hike." Hazel explained and quickly smiled at Elora, who smiled back but stayed quiet, wanting to let the sisters bond.
“Ohhh, exciting!" Kit replied, genuinely happy that her sister was giving Elora a chance. "So, what do you find so appealing about her?" She asked, clearly eager to tease and provoke Elora in a light-hearted way.
"Uh..." Hazel trailed off and glanced at Elora again, blushing and ducking her head. "If you want, we could take a small hike after breakfast before I go with her." She offered, thinking it would be easier to talk privately and wanting to give Kit some attention, too.
Excited by the prospect of spending time with her sister, Kit beamed.“Yeah, that would be awesome, thanks.”
"Sure, now finish your food so we can go soon," Hazel replied simply and ate her last piece of toast, wondering exactly how Elora had accomplished toasting it out there.
Nodding, Kit polished off her breakfast, and they headed out for their hike. “Alright, spill it—what’s so special about Elora Danan? I’m really not seeing it,” she remarked in a playfully unimpressed tone, her expression matching.
Taking a deep breath, Hazel reminded herself that Kit liked to poke at her—she always had, even when they were little. "She's kind to me, Kit. The way I am doesn't freak her out. She seems to genuinely like being around me, and even when I'm stupid, she doesn't get mad or run away." She answered honestly and glanced to her side to see her sister. "What do you like about Jade?" She sent the question right back.
Kit observed and listened to her sister carefully, nodding along in understanding, then smiled, distracted by the thought of Jade. “She’s smart, kind, and careful. She listens to me, and she’s hot,” she winked. “No joke, though; she is special; I never felt this way before.” She ended with a dreamy look on her face.
"I'm glad she's careful with you," Hazel replied softly, looking down and kicking at the dirt, recalling how Jade hadn't been that way with her. "She's good for you; I'm glad you two finally found each other." She added sincerely and looked at Kit again, gauging the girl's mood and if she should open up any more, finally deciding she wouldn't know until she tried. "I think Elora's pretty too, and I like the sound of her voice and smell of her perfume, and you know how much I hate some perfumes." She added shyly, ducking her head again. "And... she always wears really soft clothes; they're fun to touch." She mumbled almost inaudibly, blushing to the tips of her ears, thankful they were hidden under her hair.
Kit shot her sister a puzzled look at how she started her sentence, then nodded along, intrigued by Hazel's detailed descriptions of Elora. Despite her genuine interest in what Hazel was saying, her mind couldn’t help but fixate on the initial part of Hazel's words. "Did Jade mistreat you?" Kit asked carefully, her ADHD-driven hyperfocus making her appear a bit self-centered. She hoped she could make up for it once her question was answered.
"No, but she wasn't careful with me... you know..." Hazel trailed off and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. “Obviously, she thought I was you at first, but still…” She sighed. “it’s not her fault... I should know more, I understand, but either way... I see how different it is with Elora, and it feels nicer. I hope Jade makes you feel as nice as Elora makes me feel." She added sincerely as she stopped to inspect a fallen log, enjoying the new trail.
“I’m sorry Jade traumatized you; I'm sure she didn’t intend to,” Kit replied quietly as she watched Hazel, a soft smile gracing her lips as she thought about how the woman spoke about Elora. "She makes you feel that good, huh?” She kept smiling, truly happy for her sister, and took a moment to snap a quick picture, wanting to preserve this memory of their time together.
"She didn't traumatize me. Jade's a good person; I love her... but she's always loved you; she and I aren't compatible, and that's ok. I don't think I ever really liked her like I thought I did... not if what I feel for Elora is liking." Hazel replied softly and raised an eyebrow at Kit. "Give me that." She sighed and snatched Kit's phone from her before standing a little in front of her and snapping a quick picture of them, this time looking at the camera, her signature smile on full display. "There ya go." She muttered and handed the phone back to Kit.
"Sending this to Mom," Kit announced with a grin, hitting send on her phone. Then, she turned her attention back to Hazel. “So... are you gonna kiss her?" she asked, unable to hide her excitement.
"No, don't send it to Mom... now she'll want pictures," Hazel whined as she made a grab for Kit's phone again, frowning as the girl pulled it away before she could reach it. "Ugh, and no gross." She replied reflexively and quickly looked away, deciding she'd never seen more interesting rocks in her life. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to her little sister about kissing and how inexperienced she was.
Kit laughed. “Mom just wants to know if you’re okay,” she said, smiling as she ruffled her sister’s hair. Hazel growled in protest and pushed Kit away, which only made Kit’s smile widen in triumph. Raising an eyebrow, Kit continued, “No? You’re not gonna kiss Elora because it’s gross? But you said you liked her.” She looked at Hazel with a challenging expression, clearly skeptical of her sister's reluctance.
"Define okay. Does she count being harassed by my sister as okay?" Hazel asked with narrowed eyes as she smoothed her hair back down. “And yes, it could be gross. I don't know..." She trailed off with a shrug. "Liking her doesn't have to mean kissing." She added stubbornly, trying to avoid admitting she hoped to kiss the woman.
“You should...” Kit trailed off. “I think you should get the experience, you know? But you’re right; it doesn’t have to end in kissing,” she added with a reassuring smile. “When did you ask her out? On Halloween?”
"Maybe I'm a little scared too. What if I have a meltdown out here? When Jade kissed me..." Hazel trailed off and gave Kit an apologetic look; Kit smiled and nodded for her to continue, acknowledging that Jade had kissed Hazel first, and while she was a bit envious, she was also coming to terms with the fact that Jade was hers. Sighing, Hazel continued. "It can just be a lot... so maybe I want to, but it's a little scary. And I asked her out last night; I didn't really know I liked her that way until then." She shrugged.
“What made you realize it?” Kit asked curiously.
"I dunno... I guess I just noticed I felt really happy around her, and when I held her to keep her warm on the hike... it made me feel nice, like at the haunted house. Like I have some purpose beyond harming others…Like, maybe I could protect somebody and be good enough... then I asked Jade how she knew she liked you, and it all fit... so I asked her out." Hazel answered softly and quickly veered off the path to climb on fallen logs, needing a place to focus her nervous energy.
“Hazey...” Kit began, trailing after her sister into the treeline, frustrated by Hazel’s negative self-image. “You shouldn’t see yourself that way. You’re a good person, and you don’t hurt us. We love you.” Kit’s tone was soft and reassuring as she observed Hazel’s familiar tendency to climb, one of many coping mechanisms for tough conversations. “And about the doc... She really seems to like you, so I guess I’ll have to be nicer to her from now on.” Kit added with a playful chuckle to ease the tension.
"But that's what I was raised to do... and I used to like feeling like people could be scared of me. I wanted it; it made me feel safer, but now..." Hazel trailed off and sat on the log she'd been climbing on, rhythmically kicking her feet into the bark. "I feel lost being back with you all, Kit... or I did... it's like I've had this purpose for fifteen years; I knew the plan, the rules, I knew what I was, and then suddenly I'm thirteen again, scared and adrift... but Elora... she kind of feels like a compass. I want to see where she leads." She mumbled softly as she played with her fingers, feeling stupid for saying the last part.
Kit kicked at the dirt beneath her feet, torn by the emotions Hazel's words provoked. On the one hand, her blood boiled at the thought of the loneliness and mistreatment her sister must have endured over the years. On the other, she was deeply moved by the positive impact Elora had made on her sister in such a short period, evident in how Hazel spoke about her.
“You’re never alone," Kit said, her voice steady but warm." I’m here for you to talk about anything. And if she doesn’t treat you right, I’ll kick her butt,” she said protectively. Despite her protective stance, Kit held onto the hope that Elora could offer Hazel a fresh start.
"I know, thank you..." Hazel said softly, tugging at her pant legs as she searched for the right words. "It's just hard because I've hated you for so many years, fair or not, and on the other side of that, you're my little sister. I know it's only by a few minutes, but I'm still older, and that was the only thing that made me feel special in a good way when we were little..." She admitted with a small, self-deprecating scoff. "I wanted so badly to protect you and be the person you could look up to, but instead, you were always protecting and saving me. It felt horrible."
She paused and looked up, studying the treetops for a moment, a brief distraction as she considered the possible impact of her words. Kit mercifully stayed quiet. ”I think maybe it was easier to hate you and see you as the enemy than to accept that I would never be what I should have been for you," she continued, her gaze returning to Kit. "It wasn’t fair to you, Kit. You should have had more sleepovers and been able to do more things when we were little, but you were always stuck with me." Hazel looked at her sister regretfully. "And don’t tell me it was okay. I know I'm different and don't always get things, but I saw how hard it was for you and knew it was stressful. I never forgave myself for it. At first, I thought maybe, in a way, it was better for you that you thought I was dead." She shrugged and looked back at the treetops, pondering how many birds might be making their homes there.
Kit nodded, the weight of Hazel’s words making her feel small and helpless against the past. She extended her hand to Hazel, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Come here, big sis,” she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion.
Smiling softly, Hazel got up and took Kit's hand without protest. "I don't hate you, Kit, and I feel like I've said this all before, so if I have, I'm sorry..." She trailed off, thinking about what she wanted to ask next and if it was a good idea. "I have just one request from you, Kit, something that will make me feel like the big sister I'm supposed to be and hopefully set things straight moving forward." She paused and watched Kit closely, waiting to see if the girl was listening.
“Yeah? What is it?” Kit asked carefully, looking at Hazel apprehensively.
Smiling gently, Hazel took a deep breath. "This really shouldn't be hard for you..." She trailed off with a small smirk. "I want you never to stop being the pain in the ass, little sister you're meant to be. When we were little, I know you sometimes held yourself back for me, and I don't want that. I don't want you to ever hold yourself back because of how I am or ever feel guilty if I react negatively to something you do." She paused, making sure Kit was listening before continuing. "I want you to treat me like an adult. I'm autistic, not a child. I might have childish antics at times, and I might not always get things, but I'm an adult and need to feel like one. Let me hate the stupid shit you pull, and know that underneath it all, I love you more for it." She smiled, and Kit struggled not to pull her into a hug right then but managed to refrain.
"In fact, I feel closest to you when you're being a brat to me," Hazel continued, tilting her head slightly. "Not because I like fighting with you, but because it makes me feel like a normal person, and that feels good." She paused again, her gaze softening. "And if you want to talk about relationship stuff, I might need to do some research, but I'm here to listen. And if anybody hurts you, I'll kick their ass into next year." She finished with a big smile.
As soon as Hazel finished talking, Kit pulled her into a tight hug, heeding her sister's request and paying no mind to how she might react. “I can do that, I can, Hazel,” she said quickly. “I love you. And I will be the brattiest brat.” She promised, pulling away with a big smile. “Well, I’ll save some brattiness 'cause I have to be bratty for Jade too,” she added, winking and wiggling her eyebrows even though she knew her sister may miss the meaning.
"You're the worst." Hazel laughed and shook her head. “The one thing about this deal is I also get to return the favor from time to time," she informed with a big cheesy grin. “I think when I get home, I'm gonna ask Mom what brand of earplugs she prefers. I might have to tell her there were a couple of wild animals in the tent next to mine." She threatened and quickly darted off, narrowly avoiding tripping over scattered rocks and loose branches.
“Oh, I will hurt you if you do,” Kit yelled and took off after her.
"Yeah? Then I'll tell Mom." Hazel shot back, sticking her tongue out at Kit to add to the childishness of her antics as she stopped running for a moment to catch her breath.
“We weren’t that loud,” Kit protested with a frown as she caught up to her sister.
"No, you were louder... I swear I thought the legend of Big Foot might actually be true." Hazel shot back with a smirk.
“And what were you two doing awake when Jade and I were… conversing?” Kit challenged
"Uh, we were sleeping until you two monsters woke us up... and then... we were attempting to cover our ears. My earplugs weren't even enough; not even music could drown it out." Hazel replied dramatically and then winced. "Ok, no, that's a lie. Sorry... but you did wake us up, and I did want to drown it out, but we were mostly talking." She admitted, tired of lying, even if it was to tease Kit.
“Talking and cuddling!” Kit teased with a smile.
"It was not cuddling, Kit; it was survival. It was freezing last night." Hazel protested and crossed her arms as she eyed the trail, trying to determine whether they should keep walking or start heading back.
“Jade and I were also cuddling for survival,” Kit defended in a playfully indignant tone.
Hazel scoffed. "Well, next time, could you ‘cuddle' a little quieter?" she requested with a knowing look.
"Fine, I'll try," Kit replied with a mock-serious tone, though she couldn't quite keep a straight face. "But I can't be held responsible for how the cold makes me feel," she added, trying her best to hold in a laugh—only to burst out laughing a second later.
"I thought the cold was supposed to do the opposite," Hazel muttered, giving Kit a strange look. "Admittedly, I know nearly nothing about what you were doing last night, but I'm genuinely happy for you, Kit; I'm happy you have Jade." She added softly, hesitating before punching Kit lightly on the shoulder, then giving her a questioning look as if to ask if she did it right.
Kit chuckled and nodded approvingly at Hazel, then looked away as her thoughts drifted to Jade and the relationship she so deeply wanted to cultivate. “Thanks, sis," she said softly and sat on a nearby rock. "I just wish we could take it slower. I want this to be a proper relationship, but… I keep caving in." Her voice trailed off, her expression growing more pensive.
"I don't know what that's like. I've never felt that way for anybody, but it sounds difficult; I'm sorry," Hazel replied as she joined Kit on the rock and wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a strong side hug.
"Yeah," Kit breathed, leaning into her sister. "I love her, Hazey… She’s it." Her voice softened with the weight of the admission. "I don’t want to lose her or mess it up because..." She trailed off, pulling away from Hazel, her gaze falling to the ground. "I should’ve stopped last night. It had just been so long... I mean, I waited for her for so long." She sighed heavily, frustration tugging at her. Tired of talking about herself, Kit shook her head and nudged Hazel playfully with her elbow. "But enough about me, we’ve gotta get you ready for a date with your lady!" She grinned, her playful nature returning, unable to stay serious for too long.
Hazel rolled her eyes at Kit's comment but softened quickly. "I kind of have the opposite problem... most people want sex, and I not only know next to nothing about it, but I just don't need it. I've never had much of an interest in it outside of it being a milestone, and while Elora says she's ok with that, I worry that maybe she'll change her mind if I never find an interest in it, ya know?" She shrugged. "It almost feels unfair to date people." She added honestly.
Kit listened closely, her playful demeanor fading as she took in Hazel's words. "I don't think you’re giving the good doctor enough credit. According to my sources, she used to be easy and free-spirited, but when you mature, things change, so if she told you she's ok with it, I think you need to trust her." She encouraged gently. "Plus, It’s easy for people to fulfill a sexual need on their own, Haze." She added honestly. "If you want, I can talk to her, but according to Jade, she's really into you and ready to be serious." She concluded with a big smile.
"If it's so easy to fulfill on your own, why can't you say no to Jade?" Hazel asked innocently before deciding she didn't want to know, and quickly continued, "And no, please don't talk to her. I don't want her to know... it might change how she treats me... I mean, she knows I'm not into that stuff, but if she knows I talked to you or whatever, it might upset her." She shrugged and got up, scuffing some dirt and motioning for Kit to follow as she slowly started walking back towards the trail.
“Ok, I won’t,” Kit assured and followed Hazel. "And for the record, Hazel. I do it. But Jade is just that… mmm.” She bit her lip dramatically, unable to resist an opportunity to be obnoxious.
"Eww." Hazel laughed and shook her head at Kit's antics as they got back on the trail. "Let's head back, I'm sure Jade's there by now."
“Sorry, but you asked,” Kit grinned and happily started skipping back down the trail.
"Remind me never to ask again," Hazel deadpanned and followed Kit, skipping from time to time when the ground was flat enough, enjoying the chance to act like a teenager again.
Watching Kit and Hazel skip back into camp, Jade grinned, adoring how playful and carefree both women looked, a sight she took a moment to truly appreciate before approaching Kit from behind and wrapping her arms around her waist. “Where have you two been?” She asked in an amused tone, unable to hide her delight.
"Bonding with my sister." Kit smiled and placed her hands over Jade's, enjoying the moment but also feeling a little guilty for giving in so easily. She was totally hopeless, and she knew it.
Feeling like Jade and Kit should be alone, Hazel walked over to Elora. "Hey, what time did you want to head out for our date?" She asked, smiling at the outdoorsy fishermen-style outfit the woman wore; even if it didn't look as soft as her other clothes, the prospect of maybe getting to try fishing had Hazel giddy with excitement.
“I think in about two hours or so; that way, we're back before dinner,” Elora replied with a smile. “I figure we can have a snack and lunch out there. That'll give us time to fish and potentially read or nap if we find a nice shady spot under a tree. Then we return just before dinner, giving them plenty of time to do whatever they want so they hopefully don't keep us awake tonight,”
"Sounds good," Hazel grinned and tried to reign in her excitement, doing her best to appear mature, eager to show she was a capable adult. “I think I might hang out in one of those hammocks until then. I was thinking about it last night, and I feel like it might be relaxing," she added in a more casual tone, pointing to the hammock closest to them. "Is that OK?" she asked curiously, her anxiety getting the best of her.
Elora bit back a small smile. “Yeah, do you want me to join you?” She asked, wanting to make sure she was understanding Hazel correctly.
"Oh..." Hazel trailed off and looked at the hammock thoughtfully, thinking about how close she'd been to Elora the night before and how she hadn't hated it. "Um, if you want to, sure?" She replied in a questioning tone, looking shy.
Upon realizing her misunderstanding, Elora immediately felt a pang of regret, but her concern faded when she saw Hazel wasn’t objecting. “Right, ok,” Elora said with a warm smile. “I’ll get in first, so you don’t have to worry about feeling trapped.” She settled into the hammock, stretching out comfortably. “All set!”
"Hmm." Hazel hummed and looked down at Elora skeptically. “I’m not sure what the best way to do this is," she admitted, tugging the fabric closer to her and then letting it go, starting Elora to swing slowly.
“You can sit on the side, right on the edge, then lay down,” Elora instructed, pointing to where Hazel should sit. “Or I could sit sideways and leave my legs out, and you could sit beside me..whatever's more comfortable for you." She offered.
Grabbing the hammock, Hazel nodded. "Ok, I can do this, but I'm sorry if I land on top of you; I'm horrible with coordination." She warned and sat on the edge as instructed, then promptly fell as soon as she lifted her feet off the ground, landing on top of Elora, back first, as she'd feared. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed and scrambled to try to roll off of the woman.
“I’m not. This was fun,” Elora said, smirking and wrapping her arms around Hazel's stomach, holding her close. “Just relax. I got you.”
Hazel chuckled softly. "I don't think you had much choice in the matter,” she said, managing to roll onto her side beside Elora, her back turned as she wasn’t quite ready to face her directly.
“I always have a choice, and I will keep choosing you,” Elora said with a smile as she shifted slightly, starting them in a gentle swing. Hazel smiled at the woman's words and closed her eyes, relaxing into her embrace.
Across from them, Jade was still talking to Kit about her time with Hazel. “And you were good, right?” she asked with a smirk.
"Like I said earlier, I'm always good," Kit replied with a cocky smile and then got serious. "We had a good talk... I think we're in a better place now." She spoke with a small smile, feeling more at peace than she had in years. "That said, I'm gonna need you to put those strong arms to work and fix the car. It seems the battery's dead. I'm not sure how it happened or how to fix it, but I'm sure you know what to do." She added and gave the car a look Jade would best describe as slightly deranged, clearly upset with the whole ordeal. Jade couldn't help but chuckle. Never in her life did she think she'd hear Kit Tanthalos genuinely need or ask her for help and look like such a kicked puppy doing it, though perhaps that last part was more predictable. “Please, babe?" Kit implored, squeezing Jade's biceps, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Of course, I'll help, but it's going to take a phone call rather than muscle this time. Without a replacement battery, there's not much I can do... but don't worry, I'd be glad to work on your car another time." Jade winked and tapped the tip of Kit's nose playfully, grinning at the death glare the woman gave her. "I reckon the cold is what did it in." She pondered as she looked at the car and shook her head, silently wondering when was the last time Kit had gotten her car serviced, though she thought better of voicing those thoughts out loud as the younger woman made a disgruntled noise next to her.
"No matter, it'll be fixed soon enough, but in the meantime, I just want to say I'm happy you and Hazel got a chance to talk and come to an understanding." She added as she held Kit by the shoulders and watched a slight smile tug at the corner of her lips despite her efforts to look still upset. It was irresistibly cute, and Jade wanted nothing more than to kiss her right then but was unsure where they stood when they weren't having sex, the rules not clearly defined.
Seeing Jade's dilemma, Kit smiled and leaned up to kiss the corner of her mouth. "We haven't had that date yet..." She trailed off and looked out toward the forest thoughtfully, irritation over the car forgotten. "How about we take a page out of their playbook and go on one out here? Just us and nature." She suggested hopefully, thinking it could be a solution of sorts.
Jade bit her lip at the unexpected but very welcome suggestion.“That sounds perfect." She agreed softly, worried about sounding too eager. "They went to the waterfall yesterday; maybe we can go up there?” She suggested with a hopeful look, “Also, I guess I didn’t say it, but last night was fun, the bit with the hands over my mouth specifically,” She added with a playful wink and blushed. In the face of uncertainty, it seemed wiser to lean on the tried and true rather than risk getting too emotional and running Kit off.
"Babe, that wasn't for fun; that was necessary," Kit smirked and shook her head in amusement. "And yes, the waterfall sounds like a good plan, but Jade... No sex today... let's make it a proper first date." She requested gently, the words feeling a little bitter as they left her mouth because she always wanted Jade, but she still needed to be sure Jade's interest in her was more than physical, something she envied in Hazel and Elora's blooming relationship, Hazel would never have to question that.
“I’m okay with it,” Jade said, her thoughts lingering on Kit’s reputation. Kit was impulsive, a one-night-stand kind of person, often diving headfirst into flings—sometimes literally, in the middle of dinner in the bathroom, no less. Jade had heard all the wild stories. While she valued the slower pace Kit seemed to be taking with her, there was an undercurrent of worry. What if Kit got bored? What if she moved on like she had so many times before? “Yeah, sure, I’ll get some snacks packed,” Jade added, trying to push the thoughts away.
Seeing the worried look on Jade's face, Kit grabbed the woman's hand, feeling like she had an idea of where Jade's mind was. "Jade, I meant it when I said I want to get to know you as a partner and not just a friend... I never cared about the others. They were always a means to an end; I don't want that with you." She spoke seriously, "You're worth waiting for... and I hope maybe I'm worth it for you too. I feel like I've fucked that up twice now and to be honest, it makes me uneasy, but I really want to do this right." She added earnestly, looking into Jade's eyes to ensure the woman saw her sincerity.
Jade was touched by the idea behind Kit's words. She wanted to believe them and almost did. But after years of longing, she still harbored a trace of unease. Yet, she trusted that Kit believed in what she was saying and decided that was good enough for the moment. “Anything for you, Princess. I’ll go fully celibate if you want,” she said softly.
"That's a nice thought, but I'd die." Kit joked, and Jade chuckled softly. "You gotta trust me, Jade, and I'm gonna do my best to trust you." She smiled and squeezed the woman's hands.
“Agreed," Jade replied with a small nod, smiling at their still joined hands.
"And to be clear, I know I'm the one who's messed up both times; you're just so...." Kit trailed off and shook her head. Jade raised an amused eyebrow, and Kit waved her off. "Pack the bag; I think a walk will do us some good." She chuckled and let go of the woman.
“You are so right,” Jade said, kissing the girl’s cheek lightly.
"I'm always right." Kit grinned and kissed the woman's cheek right back before spinning on her heel and walking away in a playfully showy way, just to tease. She couldn't help herself.
Jade watched the woman walking away and bit her lip. "Today's gonna be interestin’,” She mumbled to herself and tried to look away but found her eyes drawn right back to Kit's perfect behind. ”Ugh." She groaned, looking skyward in exasperation with herself and Kit. She knew the little menace knew exactly what she was doing.
"You bet it will," Kit smirked and cast a wink over her shoulder before swaggering the rest of the way to their tent.
~
“Are you positive this is the right way?” Jade asked skeptically, glancing around after they had walked a solid mile with no signs of water in sight while Kit, carefree as ever, skipped happily ahead.
"Positive," Kit called back confidently. "I looked at the map before we left."
“Did you bring the map?” Jade asked, very aware of Kit’s ADHD and its challenges.
Pausing, Kit turned around, hands on her hips. "Don't you trust me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I trust you, baby, I do, but… I just haven’t heard water yet, and Haze made it seem like it was a bit closer than this.” Jade replied gently, knowing she was risking upsetting Kit. She seriously wished she'd remembered to check the map, but she hadn't, and why hadn't she? Because Kit distracted her, strutting around the campsite in a deliberately provocative way. Smirking at the memory, Jade shook her head and ran to catch up with the woman, who was already scampering off again. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you. I’m sure Hazel just doesn’t know forests well; besides, with Elora talking, she was probably distracted most of the time.”
"Yeah, Hazel has never camped before; I'm hurt you'd even consider taking her word over trusting my amazing navigation skills." Kit faked a pout as she stopped to look at Jade, arms crossed. "And like you said, Elora never shuts up; Hazel was probably covering her ears and just trying to stay focused on walking the whole time." She added and chuckled to herself as she darted off once again.
“Come on, Kitty!” Jade called, running after the woman and catching up without a problem. “I’m sorry,” she added, walking backward in front of Kit, utterly oblivious to the small tree trunk lying across the trail behind her. Before she knew what hit her, she was flat on her back with more than just her pride bruised.
"Ha, that's for doubting me." Kit laughed, hopping up on the log that had tripped Jade and grinning down at the woman. "You ok?" she asked with a big smile.
Jade narrowed her eyes at Kit playfully. “My pride's a bit hurt, but I’ll survive. How can I be a bodyguard and knight to my Princess if I can’t walk backward?” She lamented as she got up, shaking the dirt from her bottom.
"I don't know, maybe in the big bad woods, our roles are reversed?" Kit offered with a big cocky smile as she hopped down and grabbed the woman's waist, pulling her close. "Don't worry, m'lady, I'll protect you." She teased in her best impression of a knight, eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Yeah? What dangers lie in this forest, kind Sir?” Jade played along, always happy to role-play with her princess under any circumstance, loving the playful twinkle in her eyes.
"Oh, too many to mention... ghastly things, far too horrible to speak of in front of a lady such as yourself." Kit continued her little game, standing up tall and looping her arm through Jade's as she pointed at the path ahead. "Onward." she declared.
Jade held on to Kit's arm and pleaded dramatically, "Oh good, Sir, you mustn't leave my side. Guard my back, my brave Knight! I am too young to die." She feigned fear, barely hiding a smirk as they walked on.
~
Meanwhile, on another path, Elora found the perfect spot for them. “I think this is good. We can see the river, and there’s shade if the sun decides to shine too much,” she said, looking at Hazel to see what she thought, only to find her staring at her phone with a frown on her face. “Unless you have a better option?”
"No, this is perfect," Hazel mumbled distractedly, shaking her head at what she was seeing.
“What’s up?” Elora asked, still watching Hazel, feeling ignored
"They're going the wrong way," Hazel grumbled and shook her head again, still hardly paying attention to Elora.
Thoroughly confused, Elora tried to glimpse Hazel's phone but couldn't get the right angle. “Who’s going the wrong way?” She asked with a frown, then took a deep breath, reminding herself Hazel tended to hyper-focus on things and most likely didn't even realize she was being rude. “Have some water; it’s been a minute since you had some.” She offered, holding her water bottle towards the woman, worried about Hazel forgetting simple things, something most of her clients tended to do when too focused or excited. While Elora wasn't sure how excited Hazel was about their date, she was certain the woman wasn’t paying attention to anything outside her phone.
"My stupid sister and Jade." Hazel huffed and showed Elora her phone. "See? They're supposed to be going to the waterfall, but that's over here, and they're all the way over here." She explained, pointing to the different locations and shaking her head, completely missing Elora's offer.
Elora lowered the water bottle and stared at Hazel for a moment, dumbfounded, as countless questions swirled in her mind. "Are you... are you tracking them?" She asked, concerned about why Hazel would have put a tracker on Kit.
"Of course I am... Kit's horrible with directions, and before we came here, I watched all those missing 411 videos. Do you know how many people go missing in the woods every year? It's very concerning." Hazel replied and shuddered as she looked back down at her phone.
Elora smiled, relieved, even if Hazel's tactics were questionable. It was evident she was genuinely concerned for Kit and Jade's safety and meant no harm, though Elora made a mental note that she'd need to talk about boundaries with the woman at some point. “Let’s give Jade a call," she suggested, figuring that would be the best way to alleviate Hazel's concern and get the woman to focus on their date.
Hazel shook her head and frowned at her signal. "I'm not even sure I have enough bars for a call to go through. It's fine. I'll check on them occasionally, and if they aren't headed back before dark, I'll have to go get them.” She sighed and put her phone away. "Sorry, this was supposed to be our date, and I'm kind of screwing it up." She apologized sheepishly.
Shaking her head, Elora spoke softly, “Nonsense, you're worried about your sister, which is very kind and something I really like in you, so no need to apologize, but if you drink a bit of water, I'll be a little more settled." She held the water bottle out to the woman again and Hazel took it with a smile this time, touched that Elora was so worried about her. "We'll give those idiots ten minutes to find their way, then we'll go after them. No lone wolf missions, Hazel. We’re a team.” Elora concluded, watching as Hazel made a show of pouring the water into her mouth.
"Better?" Hazel asked with a smirk.
"Much." Elora agreed.
Laughing, Hazel nodded and handed the bottle back to Elora. "I just wasn't thirsty, but I'm glad you feel better now." She smiled and bit her lip, realizing she was far more interested in starting their date than worrying about Kit and Jade, who she knew were safe for the moment. "How about we give them a couple of hours instead? I want to enjoy this place you found and focus on making this a real date. We have food and everything." She patted her backpack to indicate the lunch they'd packed."
“Are you sure? Wouldn’t it worry and distract you?” Elora asked, watching Hazel, trying to gauge the best option for their situation.
"No, we still have plenty of daylight left; they'll be fine for a couple of hours. They might not have as much fun, but they'll be okay. It still appears to be a trail, just not the right one." Hazel shrugged and stuffed her phone into her back pocket to show she was done looking at it.
Seeing how Hazel handled the situation, Elora couldn't help but think about what a great parent the woman would make if she ever decided to become one, a thought she found swoon-worthy despite knowing how silly it was even to let her mind go there when she barely knew the woman. It was only their first date, for crying out loud. Mentally shaking herself of the thought, Elora walked over to the water's edge and looked out over the river, enjoying its subtle movement, the water calm in the area she'd chosen. "I think this is a good spot for fishing. It looks deep enough, and I already see some fish moving out there." She announced, setting the fishing poles down as Hazel approached and seemed to assess the water, presumably looking for the fish Elora spoke of. "It's chilly, but not too chilly, and I have blankets in my backpack; what do you say?" She asked, pulling lure out of the tackle box.
"I think that sounds like a good plan," Hazel agreed as she pulled her backpack off and pulled out a thermos. “So, since it's cold and you don't like coffee, I thought you might like some hot chocolate?" she asked and shook the thermos with a small, unsure smile, hoping she'd made the right move.
Elora gasped excitedly. “I could kiss you right now…” she exclaimed before realizing what she was saying and clearing her throat. “I mean… yes! I would love some hot chocolate.”
Blushing, Hazel looked down and nodded. "Well, it is our first date..." She trailed off with a small shrug and glanced back up at the woman.
Elora raised an eyebrow at Hazel and asked, “Are you sure?” She watched for the woman's reaction, feeling her body tremble slightly in anticipation.
Biting her lip, Hazel nodded slightly and stepped toward the woman. "If you want, or we could wait. I don't know how this all works." She admitted softly as she anxiously tossed the thermos between her hands.
Elora noted Hazel's nervous energy and smiled as she leaned into the woman's space, causing Hazel to hold her breath, a fact that wasn't lost on Elora. “Hmm… Can I please have some hot chocolate?” she asked as she leaned forward just a bit more until Hazel's expression reflected her anticipation, and in a genuinely diabolical move, kissed her cheek instead, smirking as Hazel blinked in surprise and tossed her thermos one more time, snapping her fingers once in what Elora had noticed was an adorable little nervous tick.
"Of course." Hazel agreed tensely and resisted the urge to rub her cheek, knowing it was more of a habit than a need. She quickly undid the bottle and poured Elora a drink using the built-in mug. "Here, you drink this, and I'll try and figure out my fishing pole." She muttered as she handed Elora the mug and glanced at her fishing pole dubiously, hoping her YouTube research would be enough to help her.
“Sounds like a good plan,” Elora agreed and took a sip of her hot chocolate. “Mmm, this is really good!” she couldn't help but gush over the tasty drink as she watched Hazel try to figure out her fishing pole, a serious and concentrated look carved into her features as she desperately looked for the end of the line, only pausing long enough to glance up and smile at Elora "Yeah? Cool, two packets, that's the trick." She answered and went right back to work, her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth as she finally got purchase on the line and started attempting to thread it, making tiny little humming noises anytime she got frustrated. Elora couldn't help but find it all adorable and took a quick picture, smiling as she checked it. "You need some help there?" She offered gently, noticing Hazel's expression had gotten more focused and her humming had ticked up to a more steady rhythm.
Hazel stopped what she was doing and stared at the fishing pole momentarily, weighing whether she could make it work, ultimately deciding she probably could, but it wasn't worth the trouble. "Maybe." She conceded with a sigh and sat down, crossing her legs under her and staring out at the river with a soft smile, loving their view. "I don't think the videos I watched were enough." She admitted sheepishly as she looked up at Elora, who smiled at the way she was squinting against the sunlight.
"They can be tricky; here, I'll get it set; you work on the lures,” Elora said as she handed her a tackle box and motioned for the fishing pole. Hazel handed it over without protest and immediately looked into the tackle box, a deep frown taking over her features as she regarded the wild assortment of lures. It was all perfectly organized, but it looked like nothing but chaos to Hazel's eyes. "What do I do with them?" She sounded so confused and slightly agitated that Elora paused to look at her. "Those are used to attract the fish; out here, they like things that shine, so ideally, you should choose a couple of small, shiny ones." She explained as she finished setting up Hazel’s pole and double-checked to ensure everything worked correctly. "Then you attach them to the hooks on either of our poles. Yours is ready, by the way." She smiled proudly as she motioned to her handy work and soaked in Hazel's brief look of awe before the woman turned her attention back to the lures, seemingly searching for the perfect ones.
"How do I attach them?" Hazel asked worriedly, hoping it wouldn't take too much dexterity as she selected a couple that matched the criteria Elora had given.
Elora sat down on a rock near Hazel and looked at the girl, sensing the source of her unrest but confident it wouldn't be an issue. “You pierce them through with the hook; I can show you,” she offered, extending her hand for a lure. Hazel handed it over and watched the woman intently. "It would be harder if they were live bait,” Elora added as she proceeded to demonstrate how to attach the fake bait, handling it all with practiced ease.
"Ew, I would never touch a live worm... so slimly." Hazel shuddered, and Elora bit back a smile as she caught it from the corner of her eye.
“They’re not too bad, but I understand the aversion,” Elora replied with a smile, amused at the way Hazel scrunched her nose at her comment. “Now, wanna try yours?” she asked softly, struggling not to giggle at the permanent frown that seemed to be etched into the younger woman's features.
Hazel nodded and glanced at Elora's fishing pole one more time before placing hers between her legs and getting ready to do what she'd seen Elora do. "Worms are disgusting." She grumbled, squinting her eyes in concentration as she lined up the hook and pierced the little rubber worm, smiling as she got it right the first time. "I did it." She exclaimed, grinning at Elora as she showed the woman her accomplishment. She knew it wasn't anything special for most people, but the way Elora beamed at her made her feel like she'd just won gold in the Olympics. Starkly different from when she'd do something new and try to show Lili, only to be met with a bored expression and tired sigh, before being told how mundane the task was and how everybody could do it, until every spark of joy and sense of accomplishment she felt was quickly snuffed out at the mere thought of sharing whatever it was she'd done, but she always did share, hoping one day she'd find the thing that would earn some praise or a proud smile, always seeking what she'd lost. She'd stay up late studying different expressions and tones, trying to make sure she'd recognize it if she ever saw it, but the closest she'd ever gotten to it was when she'd beat an opponent on the mat or discuss how she'd destroy her family. Lili would give her this unreadable smile, squeeze her shoulder, and reward her with hot chocolate. Hazel would bask in it until she'd eventually accepted that even the proud smiles she'd received from her family over the years had all been a lie and that Lili was the real deal. But Elora's smile lit up her whole face in a way that reminded Hazel of how her Mother, Father, Kit, and Jade had looked at her as a small child, further driving home how duped she'd been over the years. She shook her head and quickly looked away, watching tiny fish jump over the water's surface, a welcome distraction.
“Yes, you sure did." Elora's smile faltered as she watched Hazel's excitement dim almost as fast as it had appeared, like a dark cloud passing in front of the sun, and she knew without needing to ask. It was clear Hazel was used to having her accomplishments shot down, and it broke her heart. She longed to fix it, to piece together the fragments of a broken upbringing and smooth sharp edges, but she knew trust was something hard won, and without that, her words would fall flat; the best she could do was show she was trustworthy through actions over time; until then, healing had to start from the inside first. “Next time, I’ll show you how to do it all. I've gone fishing and been in the water a lot.” She added softly, watching the way Hazel stared at the water. She hoped keeping the subject going would take the woman's mind off of whatever pain she was reliving. “When I was younger, I used to sail. I did crew and sailing for a few years. My dad was big on his kids learning how to navigate the seas,” She continued as she looked over the river, reliving her own memories.
"Really? That's so cool." Hazel perked up and smiled, turning her attention to Elora, finding her interesting. She never would have guessed the woman would be the outdoorsy type, not by just looking at her. "I think I'd be afraid out on the ocean, but I love water. I've always wanted to go out on a boat, but the idea of being out there at night or in the middle of it scares me a little." She admitted and turned so she was fully facing Elora. "Tell me more?" She asked in a hopeful tone
Elora smiled, relieved to see the light return to Hazel's eyes. “It’s a bit elitist. I love it, but I hate it equally. I would love to take you out in the summer if you’re into it. I haven’t been out there in a few years.” She answered, “I wasn’t bad competitively, but I wasn’t happy; I don’t like competing.” She said honestly, sharing a big part of her personality and watching for Hazel's reaction.
"Hmm, well, we could focus only on the stuff you loved and none of what you hated; how does that sound?" Hazel suggested with a small smile, glancing at the woman's hands but refraining from taking them. "I'd love to go out there with you; I think it would be fun and exciting." She added sincerely and turned her attention back to the river.
“That sounds like a plan, so I guess it's settled; we’ll go." Elora agreed with a smile as she continued to watch the younger woman. "Speaking of things we like and don’t like, can we talk about your song selection?” She asked curiously, deciding to address the one thing that kept nagging at the back of her mind, figuring it was better to get it out of the way before they went any further.
Pulling her eyes away from the water, Hazel looked at the woman curiously. "What do you mean? There's no music playing," she pointed out, confused.
“Your playlist, those songs, do you relate to their message or just like the sound?” Elora asked carefully.
"You mean... in my car?" Hazel raised an eyebrow and looked away. "I like the lyrics and the sound... " She trailed off and played with her reel a little. "Can you show me how to cast this?" She asked, uncomfortable with the subject, a fact Elora picked up on but chose not to address, preferring instead to observe the woman's mannerisms.
“Yes, watch me... You release it like this, hold it here, then throw it,” Elora demonstrated and observed the woman as she did. “They scare me a bit, if I may be honest... The songs, that is.” She added as she watched Hazel try to cast her line, a frustrated growl leaving the younger woman's lips as the line fell just a couple of feet in front of her. Elora struggled not to smile at the disgruntled look on Hazel's face as she stared at the line with a defeated look.
"I'm sorry..." Hazel finally spoke, letting her words trail off and grinding her teeth uncomfortably, which caused Elora to wince. "Can you cast it for me, please?" She requested and shoved the pole toward Elora, who shook her head and scooted closer until her thigh touched Hazel's. "We'll do it together. Hold here." She spoke softly, and Hazel's mind momentarily short-circuited as Elora took her hand, guided it where it needed to be on the rod, and then pressed her own over it.
She was only pulled out of her stupor by the sound of Elora speaking again. “ok, keep this hand flexible,” She warned before pulling the pole back, her eyes on the water, while Hazel's were firmly on her as she nodded along for a moment, before realizing she was probably expected to be looking at the water and not Elora "Right, thanks." She muttered, swallowing hard as she shifted her attention to the river. "What about them scared you? The songs, I mean?" Hazel asked, wincing and clearing her throat at the gravelly quality of her voice as she continued to stare at the river. While talking about how her musical choices scared a person she was quite fond of wasn't her favorite subject, it felt much safer than dwelling on the strange way the warmth of the woman's hand on her own and the feeling of their thighs touching made her pulse quicken.
Elora silently thrilled at Hazel's flustered tone but needed a moment to collect her thoughts before answering that particular question, so she chose instead to focus on the task at hand. “ok, let’s move it around, then throw it, keep holding it here, and now, throw it” she instructed with a smile, happy to be holding the girl’s hand. She observed the way Hazel took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly in what appeared to be an attempt to calm her nerves before casting the line as instructed and enjoyed the hopeful smile that followed as the younger woman checked in with her, clearly looking for confirmation that she'd done it correctly. Elora smiled and nodded approvingly.
“Yes, that was perfect. Now, reel it in and let it go a bit. Then we wait until the fish bite” Elora said honestly. “And to answer your question, the lyrics, specifically the one that talked about mind games.” she answered quietly. “gotta whisper so we don’t scare the fish.”
Hazel nodded, understanding Elora's concerns. "To be honest, I don't actually want to catch a fish; I just thought the waiting part looked relaxing,” She admitted sheepishly, giving the woman a small, shy smile and looking down, studying the reel for a moment. "You're scared I'm playing games with you." She stated knowingly, a hint of sadness to her tone. "I relate to the lyrics, I'm not gonna lie, but it's because I grew up learning how to trick people... not just preparing to take Kit's place, but also because of how I am... I'm constantly pretending when I'm not around people who get it... so in a way, I've always felt deceptive... maybe even a little evil." She admitted, reeling the line in a little to have something to do.
Elora's heart broke at Hazel's words, imagining what it must have been like growing up in an environment where she constantly had to hide her true nature, forced to live a life that felt so deceptive she started to believe she was evil. “Hazel... you didn't have a choice, you were mistreated, none of that was your fault." She spoke gently, watching the woman fidget with the reel as she listened. "I don't think you're evil, but I can’t help… thinking sometimes..." She trailed off, shaking her head and squinting out at the water, the sunlight reflecting off it in a mesmerizing way. "I'm super into you,” She finished softly, leaving her concerns unspoke for the moment as she looked at her own line, silently wondering if her worries were valid and worth potentially messing up their first date.
"What do you think? Please tell me," Hazel asked softly as she continued to stare at the river, feeling guilty for making the woman afraid and not brave enough to look at her. Elora might have thought none of it was her fault and that she wasn't bad, but Hazel wasn't so sure. Surely, she could have done more and not been so gullible.
Elora glanced at Hazel, studying her strong profile for a moment, silently willing the girl to look at her, before accepting it wasn't going to happen and speaking, “Like you maybe tricked me? I mean, you did; I believed you were Kit! I'm the mind doctor, but you keep me guessing, I don’t remember how to act or anything.” she admitted shyly, an apprehensive look in her eyes as she watched as Hazel took a deep breath and started reeling in her line, her expression giving away nothing except deep concentration, it made Elora nervous but she kept silent, giving Hazel time to gather her thoughts. After a moment, the younger woman set her pole down and turned to face Elora with a serious expression.
"Elora..." Hazel started and stopped, taken aback. For once in her life, seeing fear in another person's eyes didn't make her feel strong and safe, but weak and small instead, and she hated herself for making Elora afraid of her. "I'm so sorry. I understand why you'd worry about that, but I promise I'm not tricking you." She spoke sincerely, doing her level best to make her tone and expression appear honest. "I know I did at first, but I didn't know any better, and I get that me saying that alone can't convince you, but I hope maybe you'll let me show you. You agreed to go on this date with me. I'm hoping that means maybe there’s a chance." She asked softly, "What can I do to help?"
Elora took a minute to think, then spoke carefully. “I want us to have a chance. You can be honest with me, always. Tell me what you feel and how you feel... that would be a start,” she spoke softly, holding herself back. She wanted nothing more than to believe the woman right then and there and reassure her that everything would be fine, but the cautious part of her wouldn't allow it.
"I am,” Hazel said earnestly, almost desperate. “If you were afraid of me and thought I was lying, why did you agree to go on a date? Why didn't you ask me this last night?"
“I agreed to go on this date because I really like you, Hazel; I want us to be together. I feel this thing, a deep pull towards you.” Elora said, touching the girl’s face and giving her a soft, tender look, loving how the woman closed her eyes and nuzzled her face into the touch predictably. Elora didn't think she'd ever get over it. "Honestly, I didn't ask you last night because I'd pushed those fears aside; I told myself I was just being paranoid, but seeing you tracking your sister today... It brought that concern back up."
"The tracking scared you? I'm sorry... I guess it could seem weird, but at first, I just wanted to know where Kit was because I was afraid of her. I stopped using it pretty quick and only re-activated it today because I know how she is with directions, and I wanted to make sure she was safe." Hazel explained apologetically as she opened her eyes, finding Elora watching her carefully, seemingly weighing her words. "Can we try to trust each other? and if you ever doubt me, talk to me, and I'll do my best to prove I'm not trying to do you harm.” Hazel asked hopefully, leaning into the touch more.
Elora nodded slowly, mostly accepting Hazel's explanation, but having been a victim of heartbreak in the past, she was always careful not to fully give in to her feelings, especially when they were as strong as they were for this woman. She resolved to put her fears on the back burner but also stay vigilant in case Hazel gave her reason to doubt her again. “I'd like to try that. Trusting you.” She spoke in the softest tone, giving the girl a look that conveyed just how much she wanted to kiss her, one feeling she did desperately want to give into. “I just don’t want to have my heart broken.” She added honestly, trying to be transparent.
Hazel nodded, oblivious to Elora's desires. "I get it... I'm terrified, too. I've never done anything like this before, and I'm not really equipped for it. I can't read people; I don't understand tone or nuance a lot of the time... in many ways, It's like being thrown into the deep end without knowing how to swim, but I want to try. I think you're worth the risk." She sighed and looked down with a frown, feeling like she had just put all her cards on the table and knowing that meant Elora could use that info against her if she ever chose to, leaving her feeling more vulnerable than she was comfortable with. "Even telling you that scares me." She admitted.
Seeing the softness and vulnerability in how Hazel spoke and looked at her, Elora couldn't help but lose another small piece of her heart to the woman. “I know it's hard for you, Hazel, but if you let me, I would be honored to guide you through this new adventure. I promise I'll do my best to make it less risky for you and help you understand the things you struggle with.” She said, watching the younger woman who looked up with a searching look. Hazel studied Elora's face carefully, looking for tells, letting her mind pull up images of the reference cards she'd studied most of her life until she was satisfied that she couldn't see any blatant deception and slowly let her features relax. “you’re worth it all” Elora added with a big smile, relieved to see Hazel relax.
"Tell me more about your life?" Hazel asked gently, thinking shifting the subject to safer territory was best. While she'd let herself open up some, she still wasn't comfortable with her feelings and didn't like to think about them for long.
Elora smiled, having learned enough about Hazel not to be surprised by the quick change of subject. Pondering what part of her life to talk about, she drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face. “I played soccer for a while, but it wasn't my favorite thing. Kind of like with sailing, I wasn't a fan of the competition aspect, so I ended up joining band class instead." She shared with a small smile, remembering it fondly. "I played the flute.” She confessed and raised an eyebrow at the amused look Hazel gave her.
"A flute?" Hazel asked and giggled, shaking her head in amazement. Elora smiled and nodded, enjoying Hazel's mirth. “You're full of surprises. I love it." Hazel grinned and bit her lip, glancing at Elora's lips briefly before returning her attention to the water. "It's really pretty here," she mumbled softly.
“Not as pretty as you,” Elora replied quickly, watching the girl intently, trying to gauge her reaction. She had started to suspect Hazel might not be completely comfortable with her gender identity and wanted to test different things, knowing coming right out and asking her could be highly confusing for Hazel. The woman's tendency to be literal and rule-oriented made a discussion about complicated gender ideas one that could throw her into a meltdown, so Elora thought it was best to tread lightly and slowly introduce things until she was sure the woman was ready to talk about it.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed thoughtfully and kept her eyes on the water, letting the woman's words settle over her, unsure how she felt about them. She knew Elora was obviously trying to be kind, and she appreciated that, so she decided to focus on that part instead of the minor unrest she felt.
Hazel's reaction not lost on her; Elora decided to acknowledge her mistake and give Hazel an opportunity to start a conversation or ask questions. “That’s not the right word for you. Ugh! Foot in mouth, here I go.” She groaned and smacked a hand to her face.
Raising an eyebrow, Hazel cringed and looked at the woman. "Please don't do that... I wouldn't want to kiss you if you do." She added honestly, too disgusted to think about the first statement.
Elora laughed loudly, internally smacking herself for using such a silly expression around the woman. “Not literally, Hazel; it’s something people say when they say something dumb that embarrasses them.” She informed, still giggling.
"Oh." Hazel blinked. "I see...I thought people actually did that or something." She mumbled and shrugged sheepishly, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Why are you embarrassed? What did you say wrong?" She asked curiously.
“I said you're pretty, and you didn’t like it,” Elora replied softly, gently trying to teach Hazel how to recognize her feelings and emotions.
Hazel frowned slightly in response and turned to face the river again, watching the reflection of clouds across the surface with a contemplative look. "Oh." She finally muttered and turned her head, resting her chin on her arm as she looked at Elora. "I didn't say I didn't like it." She pointed out carefully, making sure her wording was honest. "Thank you, it was nice of you to say." She added, realizing she had never thanked the woman and that hadn't been very polite.
“Oh,” Elora replied with a small, confused frown, wondering if she'd misread the woman. Hazel was right; she'd never actually said she disliked being called pretty. Elora had just assumed based on body language. “Guess we have to find our stride, don’t we?” she asked with a smile, suddenly eager to change the subject. “I know you know some Martial arts, so I was wondering, do you like it? Or was it something Lili made you do?” she asked curiously.
"We're not walking, so I assume maybe you mean figure each other out? If so, maybe, but I think it's more on me than you. I'm just bad at communicating." Hazel shrugged and turned her eyes back to the water. "At first, it was something she made me do, a way to get me used to physical contact and rules that wouldn't bend to my needs. It was tough initially; I hated having my shoes off or other people's feet in my face, and I still hate that part." She sighed and shuddered at the thought, then continued. "I had a lot of meltdowns when I first started, but eventually, I learned how to deal with it, and I found the sparring calming. It was a way to get out all the anger and other feelings that were just too big for me, and I ended up really loving it. Getting to hit something was kind of therapeutic, but honestly, I think getting hit was even better." She concluded with a tiny smile and tossed a rock into the water, remembering how the pain made her feel less numb for a couple of brief moments and forced her to focus on just one feeling instead of multiple things at once. The opposite of how she usually felt, much like the ripples her rock had caused; one little thing was enough to disrupt her calm and domino out until she didn't know what to do with it. Martial arts stopped the ripple effect in ways other things just couldn't.
Elora couldn't help but worry about how Hazel talked about being hit; she knew the woman had self-harming tendencies but wondered how far it went. “And after you returned to the Tanthalos', have you been practicing? Do You need a sparring partner?” Elora asked, fully engaged, wanting to help however she could. While she was against violence and had little training in martial arts, she had some free Krav Maga lessons at one point, and her reflexes were good. Plus, she thought it was an excellent way to keep Hazel safe. “I suck at it, but I really like Capoeira,” she said, lighting up.
"Capoeira, is that that one Brazilian dance fight thing?" Hazel asked with a curious frown, not very familiar with it. "And to answer your question, no, unless you count knocking Kit on her ass a couple of times." She smirked and shook her head in amusement. "I would like a sparring partner. I thought about asking Jade, but I don't know about that anymore." She added and gave Elora a considering look. "I think you'd be pretty good at martial arts... after last night, I thought you knew some." She laughed and blushed as she thought about it, instantly returning her attention to the river.
“Yes, it’s lots of fun and really rips your body. Capoeira is a form of martial arts which allowed me to do that maneuver.” Elora smiled. “Why don’t you want to ask Jade? Because she’s dating your sister?” She asked, point blank.
"Yes," Hazel answered honestly and then smiled to herself. "Well, I wouldn't mind you trying that maneuver on me again sometime." She added with an unknowingly flirtatious look as she glanced at Elora.
It sounds like you’re flirting, but you don’t even know it, Elora thought and smiled. “Yeah? I wouldn't mind trying it again soon.” She smirked at Hazel, a slight blush showing up on her cheeks.
"Really? How about now?" Hazel asked enthusiastically, hopping up and offering Elora her hand. "I promise I'll go easy on you." She added with a big smile.
Elora scoffed. “Might I remind you that your ass was on the ground so fast” She said swinging her leg and catching Hazel by surprise again, the younger woman hitting the ground with an audible "Oof." prompting a cocky smile from Elora as Hazel blinked up at the stormy looking sky, a dazed smile on her face as she shifted her eyes to Elora, squinting and propping herself up on her elbows, "You cheated again, you hadn't agreed yet, so I wasn't prepared." Hazel protested playfully, too caught up admiring Elora to care about getting up and trying again.
“You were supposed to try to stop me; an attacker won't announce themselves,” Elora smirked as she knelt beside Hazel and quickly straddled the brunette’s hips. “I thought you knew martial arts,” she teased playfully, giggling in contentment as the younger woman swallowed hard.
"I do," Hazel replied softly. “Maybe I just don't feel threatened by you." She suggested honestly, having pondered it for a while as she was falling asleep the night before. She wasn't used to letting people get the drop on her, but around Elora, she let her guard down; it both worried and intrigued her.
“I’m flattered and confused; how are we going to spar if you think I’m safe?” Elora asked, watching Hazel intently.
"Because sparring is a game, and it has rules... we stand across from each other, and we set a start time... we don't just trip each other without warning and break each other's hard-earned trust." Hazel shot back with a playful smirk before lifting her hips into the woman and flipping them over quickly, pinning Elora's hands like she'd done before. "But if we're gonna fight dirty..." She trailed off and flashed the woman a winning smile.
“Hey!” Elora protested. “Not fair,” she added in a pouty tone, looking up at the girl and giggling softly, enjoying this more playful and seemingly more confident side of the younger woman.
"Way fairer than sweeping my leg when we're having a conversation." Hazel smiled, letting her eyes roam over the woman's face for a moment before abruptly jumping to her feet and offering the woman her hand again, this time fully prepared if Elora tried anything.
“Debatable,” Elora joked, taking Hazel’s hand and allowing the woman to pull her up before immediately taking a fighting stance, arms up, ready to defend herself.
"Good, but try this," Hazel instructed, stepping forward and moving Elora's hands into a better position. “Now, widen your stance." She smiled, waiting until Elora was in a better position before signaling for them to start and swiftly moving behind the woman, catching her in a light choke hold, being sure not to hurt her. "See? I know what I'm doing." She spoke in an amused tone near the woman's ear.
Elora gulped hard and nodded. “Mhm. I guess you do,” she said, impressed, choosing to tap out on the woman’s side.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Hazel asked, concerned as she let Elora go and moved to stand in front of her again.
“No,” Elora smiled. “Sorry, I tapped because I was testing it, but we could try again, no problem,” she said, turning around and waiting for the hold, almost eager, enjoying the closeness it provided, even if it wasn't exactly the kind she craved.
"You were supposed to tap. You did the right thing. I just wanted to be sure I didn't hurt you, that's all,” Hazel explained. "Why don't you try throwing a punch at me?" she suggested and moved around to be in front of Elora again.
Shaking out her hands as if getting ready for the next thing, Elora looked at Hazel and answered, “Uh… because that’s an act of violence. Also, because I don’t know how,” she confessed, looking at the woman with a sheepish smile.
Raising her eyebrows, Hazel laughed. "And knocking me on my ass last night wasn't?" She asked with a challenging look before standing next to the woman. "Look, it's simple; just pull your arm back and extend it like this." She instructed, demonstrating how to throw a proper punch.
Accepting the challenge, Elora let her hair down. “First of all, knocking you down was not to inflict violence, and in the end, we both liked it,” She defended with a defiant little smirk, experiencing a flash of confidence quickly replaced with self-doubt as Hazel frowned and avoided her eyes. “Didn’t we?” she asked softly as she got into the position Hazel had been trying to show her, internally berating herself for saying something so stupid. "Did we?" Hazel asked in a playfully dubious tone, and that was all it took; Elora wanted to go hide under the nearest rock and never show her face again, humiliated didn't even begin to cover how she felt at that moment, but being the professional she was, she did the only other thing she could think to do and completely ignored the woman's words, continuing her initial rant. “Second, when will I ever need to punch someone? Kit doesn’t hate me anymore." She frowned, second-guessing that too. "I think.” She finished, shaking her head, and Hazel raised her eyebrows.
"Well, You never know when you might have to defend yourself. Hopefully, you'll never need it, but it's good to know." Hazel answered, watching Elora curiously, trying to figure out what was going through the woman's mind.
“Ok, show me again.” Elora lifted her fists and gave Hazel an expectant look, trying to move past her embarrassment.
Hazel nodded and demonstrated again, making sure Elora was paying attention. "Ok, you think you want to try now? She asked, standing in front of the woman and taking a fighting stance, motioning for Elora to try and throw a punch.
“Yeah, let’s go for it.” Elora agreed, watching Hazel's hands for a second, getting her nerve up. “Alright, let’s go, come on, ayah!” she added, throwing a punch that Hazel easily sidestepped with a chuckle and quickly knocked Elora onto the ground, straddling her as Elora had done to her.
"I win," Hazel declared with a big smile, then hopped up again. “Come on, let's try again." She pulled Elora back up and got back into position, taking the next twenty minutes to teach the girl small, easy moves until she was capable of throwing a decently solid punch.
As they took a break for food, Elora smiled, her earlier embarrassment forgotten. “See? Rocky! I was so right!” She spoke, holding Hazel’s water bottle out to her.
"'Bout what?" Hazel asked, taking the offered bottle with a smile. "You're really worried I'll get dehydrated, huh?" She laughed, taking a healthy drink of water and watching Elora to make sure the woman saw she was drinking it.
“About you and you being like Rocky, a boxer. You can box,” Elora spoke softly. “And yes, I am. I take care of my people, Hazel.” She added as she fed the girl a slice of apple, something Hazel didn't protest despite being a little taken off guard.
"That was basic karate. It's a bit different than boxing. I do box from time to time, but that wasn't it." Hazel answered as she finished her bite. "Okay, no more food. I'm not hungry.” She laughed, licking her lips lightly to get rid of any lingering juice.
“Oh, sorry, I thought after all that activity, you would be hungry,” Elora replied in a surprised tone. “Oh wait… is it because it’s wet?” she asked, thinking she had the woman figured out.
"Hmm?" Hazel asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. "No, I like apples if that's what you're wondering," she clarified. “I just don't want to eat," she added with a sheepish shrug, looking away and kicking at the dirt nervously.
Elora leaned against the tree and watched Hazel, quietly analyzing her nervous behavior. “Good to know. I just thought you maybe didn't like them because you don't enjoy the feel of wet things," she explained with a small smile.
Hazel shook her head. "No. Wet food doesn't bother me...That wasn't the issue." She muttered, avoiding giving any more information.
Elora nodded, sensing there was something Hazel was leaving out, but she didn’t push the issue, aware it would eventually come out. "Noted." She smiled. “Come here?" she requested, motioning Hazel closer. The younger woman walked over to her with a quiet affirmative hum, keeping her eyes down as though she felt guilty about something. “Thanks for taking the time to teach me some self-defense.” Elora started carefully, knowing the subject she wanted to broach was delicate.
"You're welcome." Hazel smiled shyly, finally looking up.
Elora smiled and decided to continue. "Just out of curiosity, have You ever gotten a black eye?” She used a casual tone, the question itself just a way to start a conversation that would hopefully get her the answer to what she actually wanted to know: how accustomed to violence the younger woman was and the impact it carried.
"Mhm." Hazel nodded and looked away again.
"Tell me the story of how it happened," Elora encouraged softly and ghosted her fingers over Hazel’s eyes, coaxing them closed, trying to imagine healing all of the woman's pain.
Hazel, soothed by the touch, spoke in a soft tone. "You mean when I was sparring?" She chose her words carefully, her eyes drifting back open as Elora withdrew the touch.
Elora nodded, catching the wording. “Yeah, but also when you were with her when they took you. Did they hurt you?” she asked in the same gentle tone, doing her best to encourage the woman to keep sharing and not withdraw, a task that took every ounce of her professional training to accomplish as anger simmered just under the surface at the mere thought of anybody harming Hazel.
Swallowing hard, Hazel shrugged and averted her eyes a bit. "Not on purpose. That first day, a guy shoved me, and I hit my face pretty hard on a rock... it cut me, and my eye was bruised for a while after that, but I mostly get them from sparring." She explained quietly, wincing a little at the memory.
"The scar, that’s where it’s from,” Elora voiced her thought out loud, lightly running her fingers over the small, jagged white mark, evoking Hazel to flinch momentarily as if afraid to be hurt. Elora took a deep breath. “If you ever come home with a black eye, I’ll cut whoever did it. Sparring or not!” she said in a gentle but firm tone, cupping the woman's cheek and tracing the scar with her thumb, another silent attempt to soothe old wounds, one that was met with a thankful nuzzle. “Maybe it’s a good idea not to spar with anyone else,” she finished quietly and took her hand away.
Letting out a disappointed sigh at the loss of contact, Hazel nodded. "That would be an act of violence, though." She pointed out with a half-hearted smile before adding, "In sparring, it's not on purpose; if they hurt me, it would be an accident." Then, she raised an eyebrow as she considered the woman's wording and how it could sound like they shared a home.
Elora gave the woman a pointed look, “Hazel, I'm telling you, I will go away for murder if you come home with a single bruise.” she warned and caressed the girl’s face again. “This handsome face… nope, no bruises, ok?” she added, and Hazel ducked her head shyly at the compliment, trying to hide a big smile, a reaction that wasn't lost on Elora. Everything about Hazel fascinated her more than anyone she'd ever met, and her preference for masculine or nonbinary-sounding compliments - Now fully noted - somehow made her even more attractive. “Also, while I am against unnecessary violence, nobody should test me by hurting the ones I care about.” She continued firmly, without room for negotiation, and caressed the girl's face again.
"What if I like the bruises?" Hazel asked carefully, meeting the woman's eyes with apprehension.
“Then I’ll find a way to give you some, in a not-so-painful way,” Elora answered with a mischievous smile as she took the rare opportunity to briefly let herself get lost in the deep blue of the younger woman's eyes, enchanted by them.
"And what if I like the pain?" Hazel challenged softly with a raised eyebrow.
“I can make it painful.” Elora nodded, her suspicions all but confirmed. “But baby steps,” she added with a smile, caressing Hazel's chin as she pondered healthy ways to meet the younger woman's needs.
"So, you can punch me, but nobody else can?" Hazel asked in an amused tone.
Elora considered her answer and shook her head slowly, eyeing the woman. “I'm more of a biter,” she replied. Then, she studied Hazel's reaction, noting how the woman visibly winced and shook her head.
"Ouch, It's not nice to bite,” Hazel replied quickly and looked down regretfully, having a vague memory of biting Elora when they were dancing. "In fact, I need to apologize to you for Halloween; I'm so sorry I did that." She added, looking at Elora apologetically.
Elora chuckled and bit her lip lightly at the memory. “I didn’t mind at all; no apologies needed," she assured with a smile.
"No, it is needed. Biting isn't okay, and I shouldn't have done it. It's just sometimes I can't help it. If things get close to my mouth, I kinda..." Hazel trailed off and shrugged, looking towards the water, too embarrassed to look at Elora anymore.
“Is that so?” Elora bit back a smirk, doing her best not to let her mind wander too much as Hazel slowly brought her eyes back to meet hers and nodded. “It’s ok. Oral fixation is real and a way to relieve tension, so I understand.” Elora assured softly. “The pencil you used to do your homework probably had a chewed top, didn't it?” she asked with a smile, her ideation of what Hazel was like before they met, causing her smile to grow.
"Mhm, a couple, but mom didn't want me ruining my teeth, so she suggested gum might help, and I've been chewing it ever since,” Hazel answered and chewed her gum obnoxiously for a second to demonstrate, then flashed the woman a big smile.
“Ah, yes, I noticed the habit, much better than something addicting,” Elora said, leaning her head against the tree again. “You know you can ask me questions, too, right? I don’t want our first date to feel like an interrogation,” she said, resisting the urge to pinch the girl’s cheek.
"Yeah, I used to chew on rubber bands... mostly liked pulling them between my teeth." Hazel shrugged and then gave Elora a curious look. "What do you want me to ask you?"
Elora eyed the woman with a raised eyebrow. “Well, that’s… curious." She commented in an amused tone, then continued. "And I think the real question is, do you want to ask anything? I mean… is there anything you want to know about me?”
"No, I don't think so," Hazel answered honestly, shoving her hands into her pockets and rocking on her heels awkwardly.
Elora nodded, looking at Hazel curiously, wondering if the woman was interested in her at all.
Seeing how Elora was watching her, Hazel winced, concluding that she might have missed a cue. "Fuck, I'm sorry... I'm messing this up, huh? You probably think I don't think you're interesting or something, but it's not that..." Hazel trailed off and ran a hand through her hair in frustration, looking out to the water again to try and gather her thoughts. "I'm not good at this stuff. I think maybe because I know it's a date, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I feel so out of my depth; like I said, this is all new to me. I've never actually been on a date, at least not that I was ever aware of... and I've never been great at small talk, ya know?" She rambled, giving Elora an earnest and apologetic look.
Elora understood the pressure; she felt it herself. “A date can be whatever we want it to be; we make the rules. So there was a little sparring, a little talk, some fishing, and snacks. What do you want our date to be like?” she said with a smile. “we can even choose one thing to do every single date the same way, kinda like a little tradition of sorts,” She added, trying to ease Hazel's nerves “as you know I am not a conventional person, so I’m down for alternatives.”
"No, if you were a conventional person, you would have run away and left me all alone by now," Hazel muttered as she looked down and kicked at the grass a bit. "I want it to be perfect, but I already screwed that up, so I dunno." She huffed and crossed her arms, keeping her eyes on the ground in a full pout, unable to tolerate making errors or the embarrassment it brought.
“What? No!” Elora said as she lifted the girl’s chin, fighting the urge to kiss the pout away. “A conventional person wouldn’t have run. You’re too cute to scare anyone away, but babe, you didn’t. You didn’t screw up. This is perfect, and I am having a good time.” She said, kissing her finger and placing it on the girl’s pout, a way of communicating that Hazel would understand, remembering the girl’s gesture the night before.
Hazel's expression softened slightly at Elora's gesture, and she nodded. "Tell that to Jade; she ran away," she reminded softly, and Elora looked down, her heart deflating a little. Noticing the older woman's demeanor change, Hazel realized she probably said the wrong thing again. "This is one of those foot... and mouth issues, right?" she asked with a slight wince.
Elora nodded and glanced up, smiling shyly, unable to be upset with the younger woman. “Yeah, it is. It was bound to happen, though; you've been in love with her for a long time,” she replied in an understanding tone, placing her hands in her pockets. “She’s an idiot, your sister is not even a little interesting, you are…” She trailed off, not wanting to feed her feelings, accepting that Hazel clearly wasn't into her.
"Hey now... Kit's a pain in the ass, but she's still my little sister... and she is interesting; once you get past the front, she puts up." Hazel defended gently, her expression soft as she looked at the woman, thinking about the other things she'd said. "I do love Jade, to the best of my understanding at least, but... If what I feel for you is liking... it's not the same as I felt for her. It's different somehow." She tried to explain with a hopeful expression.
Accepting defeat, Elora looked down because, of course, Hazel loved Jade; everyone loved Jade. Elora was an odd duckling, loose, and too unconventional for everyone. “Yeah, of course,” She spoke quietly, only then processing the rest of Hazel's statement. “ Wait, what?” she asked, looking at the woman.
"I said I think if what I feel for you is liking, then what I felt for her wasn't," Hazel repeated with a confused shrug. "That's why we're on this date, remember?"
Elora nodded slowly, unable to find any other meaning to Hazel's words. “Yes, you like me, we’ve established that, but you love her,” she said in a firm tone, looking away, eyes watering, but she’d be damned if she was going to cry on a date.
Hazel blinked, taken aback by the woman's tone. "Yes... is that not right?" She asked genuinely confused, wringing her hands as she watched the woman, unsure how to help or what she'd done wrong.
“I suppose it is. Perhaps you would've liked it better if she was on this date with you instead since you have a mild liking for me, different from your love for her!” Elora shot back and took a deep breath, reigning in her hurt, knowing she was acting unreasonably, which was neither mature nor like her. She'd reminded herself she'd agreed to go on a date with full knowledge of Hazel's innocence regarding feelings and emotions; she couldn't possibly blame the woman for the misunderstanding and felt instantly guilty for her bratty attitude.
"You're mad at me. That tone means mad, but your face doesn't look mad... maybe sad?" Hazel asked, genuinely concerned as she tapped her foot and clapped her hands rhythmically, trying to calm her nerves and figure out what to do and what had gone wrong. Thinking of something, she held up a finger and quickly ran to grab the thermos of Hot Chocolate, presenting it to Elora with a hopeful smile, remembering it had made her happy before.
Elora smiled and shook her head, feeling even more guilty. “Sorry, Hazel.” she paused, considering ways to move forward. “Maybe…” she took a sharp breath. “Maybe we don’t talk about your ex-girlfriend on our dates?” she suggested.
"I don't think she was my girlfriend; we only ever kissed," Hazel replied honestly, shoving the thermos towards Elora again, wanting the woman to be happy. "You still want to go on dates with me? Because you didn't seem very happy with me a moment ago." She cringed.
Elora took the thermos and tried not to let jealousy rear its ugly head again at the thought of Jade kissing Hazel. “Yes, I'd still like to go on dates with you if you’re up for it. I'm sorry, I was jealous..." She trailed off and sighed. "No, I am. I guess I am jealous of Jade. But you're on a date with me, and I am honored and happy to be here with you.” she finished softly.
"What? Why are you jealous of Jade?" Hazel asked blankly, frowning in confusion. "Do you like Kit?" She asked curiously, thinking that was the only explanation that made sense, even though Elora had called Kit boring.
“No! What? No. I don’t like your sister. You. Hazel, I like you. But you seem to be in love with Jade.” Elora replied, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
Tilting her head, Hazel looked at the woman perplexed. "What? Yes, I love Jade, but I love Kit and my Mom too... I think I like you." She spoke firmly, putting particular emphasis on the word ‘like.'
Elora's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized that Hazel had placed her in a special category. It was clear now that to Hazel, liking someone held more weight than love, and Elora would have seen that sooner if she hadn’t let jealousy get in the way. A wave of shame washed over her. “Oh, I'm sorry I misunderstood,” she said softly, her voice filled with sincerity. She knew they could discuss the nuances later. "I like you, Hazel. Quite a lot, if I’m being totally honest,” she added, her tone gentle and reassuring, hoping to convey just how much Hazel meant to her.
"Good, because you make me really sick to my stomach, and I keep getting all messed up,” Hazel grumbled and placed a hand over her stomach, rubbing at it lightly.
Elora giggled. “You mean, your stomach flutters?” she asked, finding the way the woman expressed herself endearing. “I’m sorry,” she added with a smile, secretly thrilled to know she had some effect on the woman.
"Yes, and it got worse when you were mad at me," Hazel grumbled, hanging her head and walking over to sit next to the river again, tossing rocks into the water and mumbling to herself about making stupid mistakes.
Elora followed, pulling her jacket closer to her chest before she sat next to Hazel. “Hey, no muttering mean things to yourself,” she said calmly. “I'm sorry I made you nervous when I was upset,” She added quietly and shifted her attention to the water, wishing she could go back twenty minutes and erase the whole ordeal. She looked at Hazel again and sighed before continuing, “You do so many nice things, and I got mad at you for something I didn’t understand, and I’m sorry; that’s on me.” Hazel looked at Elora out of the corner of her eye and nodded along, making little expressions of agreement here and there, before giving the woman a full-on puppy dog expression, not sure how to respond or if she should trust the apology since she had no idea what she'd even done wrong. Elora smiled at the woman's antics. “oh, you’re such a puppy!” she spoke softly. “And before you say anything, I know you're not a real puppy; it’s just this look you have. Also, I get the flutters too, but when I imagined you kissing Jade, it didn’t feel good,” she said honestly.
Unable to contain it, Hazel smiled and nodded. "Really? It doesn't feel good if I picture you kissing another person either... it kind of makes me upset, honestly." She answered and watched to see if that was the right or wrong answer.
“Yeah, so we're both jealous of our past affairs,” Elora stated as she looked at Hazel for confirmation.
Frowning in thought, Hazel decided that term seemed accurate. "Mhm, I think so." She agreed and let her eyes roam over the woman's face. "I'm really hungry." She admitted randomly.
“What? You said you weren’t hungry!” Elora exclaimed, her laughter breaking the moment. She had a pretty strong suspicion about the meaning of Hazel’s behavior, and she couldn’t help but find it both amusing and cute.
“Okay, well, I might have lied... no, actually, I didn't lie. I wasn't hungry then, but I am now. I just didn't want to eat because..." Hazel trailed off and blushed, cringing at her own stupidity.
“Why? Were you afraid I wouldn't kiss you if you ate? Elora teased, testing to see if she was right. "You have gum with you all the time!” She smiled, hoping to keep the moment light.
Wincing, Hazel looked down and shrugged. "It's more, I didn't want to eat something that might be gross to you and could influence if you'd like the kiss or not... and my stomach has been sick the whole time, so I was afraid food might make it worse, and then that would ruin the whole date, but I think I already did that, so it doesn't really matter now." She rambled, ending with a big sigh as she stopped gesturing wildly and let her hands land back in her lap.
“What did I tell you? You can’t ruin this.” Elora said, reaching for the woman's hand and lacing their fingers together. “It wouldn't matter what you ate; I'd still kiss you, Hazel. Besides, all the snacks we brought are delicious,” she said, showing the bottle of hot chocolate, then taking a small sip of it.
"Ok...then when can we kiss? Because I think I might get sicker, and I really want to eat, but not until we've kissed, just in case." Hazel replied quickly, throwing out all ideas of trying to figure out the right time since she was terrified she'd make another mistake. Elora's reassurances did nothing to help settle her nerves; she was unable to let herself trust anybody that much.
“I could name many moments, but I think right now is pretty perfect,” Elora replied with a sheepish smile.
"Right..." Hazel trailed off and scooted around to face the woman, chewing her bottom lip nervously as she looked at Elora's lips, her nerves rising rapidly as she anticipated what it would feel like to kiss the woman. "I can't... this isn't right, it's all wrong... it shouldn't be like this... I think first kisses are supposed to be memorable. Let's just eat." She grumbled and got up, dusting off her pants with a deep scowl, silently berating herself for not just kissing the woman the night before. Looking back, it seemed like it would have been better; there would have been less pressure, so less opportunity to psyche herself out.
“You're overthinking this, hon,” Elora said, getting up and touching the back of the woman's shoulder, making Hazel pause what she was doing for a second.
"No... I just know that didn't feel right." Hazel answered, shrugging the woman's hand off and turning to see what she wanted; however, before she could complete the turn, Elora made an impulsive decision, pivoted quickly, and used her capoeira skills to knock the younger woman down, quickly getting on top of her, much like she'd done the night before. Blinking, wide-eyed, and confused, Hazel tried to figure out how and why she went from standing to looking up at Elora in a matter of seconds. Elora smiled at Hazel's dumbfounded expression, her breathing labored, hardly able to believe what she'd done. “So… " She trailed off, letting her eyes roam over the younger woman's face, appreciating the view.
"I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have a big bruise tomorrow if you keep doing that,” Hazel muttered with a small smile, secretly impressed that the woman had gotten the drop on her more than once.
"Sorry?” Elora asked sheepishly, giving her version of a puppy dog face.
“Uh-huh... I take it you don't want me to eat?" Hazel asked in a playful tone, biting her lip as she studied Elora's features up close. The light of day made it easier to appreciate the woman's beauty.
“I thought you liked bruises,” Elora smirked. “You can eat later.”
"Hmm... maybe not on my butt or back as much?" Hazel replied in an amused tone and glanced at the woman's lips. "Do you think?..." She trailed off, not sure how to ask what she wanted.
“Mmm, how about right here?" Elora asked softly as she lightly ran her fingers over Hazel's neck, her eyes following their path distractedly for a moment. Hazel swallowed hard, unable to find her voice, as Elora glanced back up to meet her eyes. "Do I think what?" She asked, leaning a bit closer.
Hazel averted her eyes nervously. "Throat punching is illegal." She blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind and cringed, inwardly kicking herself for being so awkward, and looked back up to meet Elora's eyes again before taking a deep breath to calm herself and work up her nerve. "Would it be ok if I kissed you? And if so... what do I do with my hands? I don't want to mess up, but I think I'd really like to kiss you right now." She admitted in a rush, instantly turning tomato red.
Elora giggled, always finding Hazel’s way of communicating utterly adorable. "How about you put your hands where they were last night?" she suggested softly, guiding Hazel's hands to her hips and giving her an encouraging smile. "And yes, please, you can kiss me now,” she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper as she leaned down until their lips were just a breath apart, making it easier for Hazel but intentionally leaving that final move for her to make. The anticipation was electric; Elora could feel her heart race as she waited for Hazel to close the gap.
Drawing in a shaky breath, Hazel gave a small affirmative nod, then shut her eyes and closed the remaining distance, brushing her lips against Elora's in a small experimental way. Her heart skipped a beat at the contact. It felt different than it had with Jade, somehow, like every nerve in her body was suddenly alive and demanding something from her, something she couldn't identify. She had to pull away, terrified of what it would be like to kiss the woman harder. "Woah." She breathed with a dazed smile, squeezing Elora's hips tight as a way of focusing her energy. It was too cold to go swimming, and the ground was too uneven to run; she didn't know what to do with herself, and Elora's perfect, knowing smile wasn't helping matters any. "I think kissing you could be dangerous,” Hazel admitted softly.
Chapter 22: Chapter 22
Summary:
Camping trip part 4
A date, a few decisions, Kit + Jade special moment, a flashback and, is it even camping without S'mores?
Notes:
Hey there all! We are back. Editing is kicking Ghostwriter's butt and it's all my fault. We hit the busiest time of the year for us so it slows everything down. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I am excited about this chapter... there is something I have been wanting to see how you all will react. Have a great read! ~ Ingy18.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Seeing double graphic credits to jaded_maven
- Chapter 22: Camping Trip Part 4-
Elora giggled, mesmerized by Hazel's reaction. "How so?" She asked quietly, her breath picking up as she glanced at the woman's lips, resisting the urge to close the distance and risk overwhelming her.
"Because I don't know what to do with myself, and when I get confused, I can make mistakes or get hurt," Hazel answered honestly, squeezing Elora's hips repeatedly to calm her nerves.
Calm despite the rapid flutter of her heart, Elora nodded slowly, attuned to the subtle pressure of Hazel’s fingers squeezing her hips rhythmically. It was a small sign, but it made her hyper-aware of the growing tension in the younger woman, the bubbling anxiety seeking something to anchor onto, and a need for guidance. "Can you tell me what you're feeling?" Elora asked gently, her voice soothing as she cupped Hazel's face in her hand. She wanted to convey with her touch and words that she was a safe space. "Maybe I can help you make sense of it."
Hazel leaned into the touch, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts and calm down. "I can try," she nodded, taking a deep breath and looking at Elora again. “I feel like running or swimming or something, and since I can't do either right now, I feel trapped... and that makes everything confusing." She explained the best way she knew how.
Elora nodded and smiled. “You’re excited and have bounds of energy because you liked the kiss.” She spoke, brushing hair off of Hazel's forehead affectionately. “You should kiss me again; give me some of that energy.” She suggested softly, trying to balance her desire with the need to put Hazel first and ensure she didn't overstep. A task that became more difficult as the pressure against her hips increased, Hazel's grip tightening as she chewed her bottom lip in the most unknowingly tantalizing way and gave a small decided nod before speaking in the softest whisper, voice trembling slightly with nerves. "You have to come back down here then."
Elora smirked and leaned down, brushing her nose against Hazel's in a small bunny kiss, giggling at the adorable way the woman scrunched her nose at the gesture "Hi." She breathed less than an inch from Hazel's lips.
"Hi," Hazel whispered in that same breathy tone, her eyes flickering between Elora's lips and her gaze. She was still thinking about their kiss—if that brief touch could even be called a kiss— and how it had left her wanting more. Deciding she wanted an advantage, Hazel swiftly shifted their positions, flipping Elora onto her back, catching her off guard. Elora let out a surprised giggle that quickly faded as she found the move undeniably attractive.
"Better," Hazel murmured softly, her hands planted firmly against the ground on either side of Elora's head as she hovered just above her lips, teasingly close but not quite touching. Her breath caught as she realized she hadn’t asked for permission yet. Her voice dropped to a low whisper as she mustered every bit of restraint she had left. "Can I kiss you now?" The wait for Elora's answer felt like an eternity, her body practically aching to close the gap.
“You better,” Elora responded with an enticing smile, her body heating up in anticipation.
Hazel cocked a playful eyebrow at Elora’s challenging tone. "Yeah? And what are you gonna do if I don't?" She teased, brushing her lips against Elora's experimentally, shivering lightly at the contact but not giving in.
Elora’s heart raced with excitement, utterly captivated by this daring new side of Hazel. "I might just have to flip you over and steal that kiss," she whispered seductively, her voice laced with mischief. She grazed her teeth over Hazel’s lower lip, reveling in the quiet groan it provoked. Elora smirked in victory—this was a game she had no intention of losing.
"Hmm, theft is a crime..." Hazel whispered as she grabbed Elora's hands, pinning them above her head, and locked her knees tightly against Elora’s hips, effectively trapping her in place. "How about now?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. Her gaze flickered between Elora's lips and eyes again, her willpower slipping away rapidly.
"Hazel Tanthalos..." Elora growled, her voice thick with lust as she stared up at the enticing woman pinning her down. "Cuff me later, punish me if you want—right now, you need to kiss me." Her words were both a plea and a demand as she lifted her head in search of Hazel's lips, her body arching desperately against Hazel's, craving the kiss.
Hazel almost jerked away when she heard Elora say her name, doubt flaring up as she realized she was holding the woman down like they were sparring. Was this okay? What was she even doing? But Elora’s urgent demand and the way her body moved beneath her erased any hesitation. Before she could think, Hazel crashed her lips into Elora’s with a desperate need, moaning softly as relief flooded through her, finally giving in to what she’d been yearning for all day. It was beyond anything she’d ever experienced. Kissing Jade hadn’t even come close. With Jade, she realized it had been more about fear and anxiety, a desperate attempt to push herself into something she didn’t truly want because she thought she’d never get another chance. She had mistaken her comfortable, friendly feelings for Jade for something more. But with Elora, everything felt clear. The desire to get closer wasn’t a frantic search for comfort but a deep, inexplicable need to have Elora as close as possible.
Elora returned the kiss with a blend of desire and gentleness, carefully allowing herself to relax into Hazel’s touch without getting carried away. Using Hazel’s soft moans as a guide, she skillfully alternated between a quicker, more passionate rhythm and a slower, more deliberate pace, maintaining control to keep Hazel centered and grounded. As the need for air became undeniable, she pulled back just enough to whisper into the kiss, "Haze."
"Hmm?" Hazel hummed as she pulled away with a dazed expression, her eyes slightly unfocused, still caught up in the moment; she licked her swollen lips and giggled at the strange yet thrilling sensation.
"Need. To. Breathe." Elora breathed out, trying to steady her racing heart. She had kissed Hazel Tanthalos; at that moment, she knew she would never want to kiss anyone else.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry. Am I squishing you?" Hazel's voice was filled with genuine concern as she quickly released Elora's hands, sitting up in a flustered rush. Despite her worry, she wasn't quite ready to stand.
Noticing Hazel’s worry, Elora quickly leaned up, letting one hand find its way to Hazel’s arm while the other cupped her face. "No, babe, you’re not squishing me at all. Come here," she said softly, her hand sliding to the back of Hazel’s neck, inviting her closer with a reassuring touch.
Hazel bit her lip, nodding slightly. "Am I supposed to kiss you again now?" she asked softly, her voice laced with anticipation, clearly hoping the answer would be yes.
Elora felt herself melting at Hazel’s sweet uncertainty. Giggling softly, she spoke in a low, affectionate tone. “One moment,” she murmured, kissing Hazel’s cheek and forehead. Then, leaning her forehead against Hazel’s, she closed her eyes and breathed, “You may kiss me now, yes,” giving a small nod, her voice full of warmth and invitation.
"Good, 'cause I might explode if I don't," Hazel muttered breathlessly before capturing Elora’s lips again with a bit more urgency, trying to offset the nervous energy she felt, terrified it would turn into what had happened with Jade.
Elora recognized the need for a slower pace and responded to Hazel’s urgency with a soothing touch. She played with the hairs on Hazel’s neck, her movements slow and deliberate, and pulled back just enough to take a deep breath. “If you take it easy, slow, it’s better,” she murmured, guiding their kiss into a more relaxed rhythm.
“Slow?” Hazel asked, her breath coming in quick bursts. “You told me to use my energy, so I wasn’t sure. I’m sorry,” she added with a small wince. “Can you teach me? I don't know a lot about this stuff... Ja…I don't have much experience," she finished embarrassedly, making the quick decision not to mention Jade again.
Elora nodded and placed a tender kiss on Hazel’s cheek, her eyes soft with understanding. “Yes, I can teach you,” she said, her voice soothing as she caressed Hazel’s face, her thumb lightly tracing the scar.
"Thank you," Hazel replied softly, closing her eyes at the touch.
“Of course. We’ll take it slow to avoid you getting overwhelmed, deal?” Elora asked, leaving little butterfly kisses on the girl’s face.
"Ahhh, yes, deal." Hazel yelped and giggled, batting at Elora playfully as she leaned back to try and dodge the barrage of kisses.
“Oh, I see how it is,” Elora teased with a playful smile and tickled Hazel lightly, knowing it was important not to let things get too intense for Hazel.
"Ahh ha, d-don't tickle." Hazel squealed and squirmed away, hopping to her feet quickly and shaking off the strange feeling still lingering in her nerves.
“Sorry, I just had to,” Elora said, her smile widening as she looked up at Hazel. “Little help here?” she asked playfully.
"Sure, sorry." Hazel smiled and gave the woman her hand, easily pulling her to her feet. "Thanks for not running away." She spoke sincerely, realizing the other difference between Jade and Elora was one stayed, and the other always retreated.
“How could I possibly run away when all I want is to run straight into your arms?” Elora asked with a shy smile, opening her arms wide and moving in to hug Hazel tightly.
Hazel returned the hug and smiled. "You know... usually, I only hug people because it's expected or they want it. But this time, I really wanted to hug you," she confessed softly, pulling Elora in a bit tighter.
“My, my. You’re saying you actually like my hugs?” Elora teased, then continued before Hazel could answer. “In all seriousness, I’m honored to get one from you. I know it’s not something you give away easily,” she said, pressing a soft kiss to Hazel’s shoulder.
"No, but it feels different with you. It's nice." Hazel sighed, hugging the woman for a few more seconds before reluctantly pulling away. "Lunch?" she asked softly, fidgeting nervously with her hands as she looked at Elora's. She didn’t really want to lose contact with the woman, but she also didn’t want to come across as weird and risk Elora changing her mind.
Sensing Hazel's desire to stay close, which she deeply shared, Elora smiled and nodded. “How about we move the food closer to the tree? I’ll sit against it, and you can sit between my legs. I’m not ready to let you go yet,” she suggested with a warm smile. “If that’s okay with you, of course?” she added quickly, lacing their pinkies together.
Hazel lit up at the suggestion and nodded eagerly. “Yes, please, that's nice... you make me feel calm, and I need to feel calm right now." She admitted and, without thinking, leaned forward and kissed Elora’s cheek. Widening her eyes in surprise, she quickly darted off to collect the food, not sure what had possessed her to do something so potentially risky but happy it hadn't been as bad as she'd always feared it might be.
Surprised by the kiss, Elora, understanding it was likely a first for Hazel and a significant moment, beamed and spoke softly, “You're sweet," she murmured, her voice tender. She thought back to when Hazel had kissed a finger and placed it on her cheek; this felt monumental in comparison, a clear sign of Hazel’s growing comfort and affection, and Elora felt honored to be part of it.
"Nah," Hazel dismissed bashfully and set the last food items near the tree. "It's ready," she announced and gestured towards the setup.
“Perfect, thank you, my Prince,” Elora said, sitting down and positioning herself carefully, making sure not to make too big of a deal and risk embarrassing Hazel further. “Come on, I’m getting cold,” she urged with open arms, eager to pull Hazel close and share warmth.
"Of course, M'lady." Hazel grinned and moved to sit between Elora's legs, leaning back against the woman and closing her eyes contentedly.
Elora smiled at Hazel’s playful response and how she relaxed against her, a surprising but welcome change that she was eager to savor. “You comfy, babe?” she asked softly, letting her arms slide around Hazel’s waist, enjoying the closeness.
"Mhm." Hazel hummed and closed her eyes, taking a moment to truly acknowledge the way Elora's arms around her felt as calming as a perfect spring breeze, just the right amount of warmth to be pleasant but not overwhelming. "Will you be my girlfriend?" She asked softly, tilting her head back to look at the woman. For once, she didn't feel the need to scurry away and hide or question what would make her ask such a stupid question. Instead, she knew and understood exactly why she'd asked it, and while she knew she was taking a considerable risk, she was confident it was worth it.
“Yes, I'd love to,” Elora replied quickly, almost afraid to let the moment pass for fear Hazel would take it back, well aware of how skittish the younger woman could be. Tightening her hold, she leaned closer, tempted to kiss Hazel but holding back, not wanting to make the wrong move.
Hazel beamed with excitement, turning slightly to face Elora more directly. “Yes? So you’re my girlfriend now?” she asked eagerly, her eyes darting to Elora’s lips, contemplating another kiss but holding back, pretty confident it wasn’t a good idea.
Noticing Hazel's eager gaze, Elora gave her a brief but tender peck on the lips. “Yes, I’m your girlfriend,” she said with a bright smile, delighted. “Now, let’s focus on eating,” she added, her tone both playful and practical, aware that Hazel might get overwhelmed if she didn’t eat.
"If I have to." Hazel sighed and turned her attention forward again as she grabbed their packed lunches and handed Elora's back to her before opening her own sandwich. Happy to eat her food and be cuddled by her girlfriend, something she never dreamed she'd have, she only hoped she could manage not to do something strange and run her off. No matter how much Elora reassured her, it was always a fear.
~
“Kit, you ok?” Jade asked carefully.
"Yup...just checking the weather,” Kit replied, looking up from her phone with a quick smile, trying to look more confident than she felt.
“Hon, we should rest. We've walked for so long, and we need to eat something. We’ll set up here,” Jade said as she found them a shaded area.
"But..." Kit started to protest as she looked around at their surroundings—beautiful trees and rocks but no water. "Fine." She sighed, knowing by now they weren't on the right trail. "What did you pack us?" she asked curiously as she moved to try and look over Jade's arm to see into the bag.
“Some sandwiches, chips, grapes, and apples, and some spiked hot cocoa,” Jade answered with a knowing smirk. “Oh, and pretzel sticks,” she added as she placed the food neatly on the blanket.
"All good choices." Kit smiled. "Ya know what, I think I like this place; maybe we should just hang out here for the day." She suggested, hands on hips while she looked up at the trees with a dreamy smile as though enamored with the spot.
“Yeah? And it has nothing at all to do with the fact that we're on the wrong trail, right?” Jade asked playfully as she wrapped her arms around Kit's waist, giving her a teasing smile.
"What?" Kit asked, her voice hitching up slightly as she gave Jade an offended look. “I'm hurt, Jade. Here I try and be agreeable and like the spot you chose, and you go and accuse me of putting us on the wrong path?" she asked, shaking her head in mock disbelief.
“No accusations, Princess, just factual observation,” Jade replied as she nuzzled Kit’s neck affectionately.
"Factual? You say that like you know this area." Kit scoffed and pulled away from Jade, crossing her arms across her chest in a defiant pout. "That's one strike against you... can't have a girlfriend that doesn't even trust me." She spoke with a little humph and turned her back on the woman. Kit knew she was wrong, but it was the principle of the thing.
“Oh, babe, don’t be like that. I trust you; it’s not about that. I blame myself,” Jade said, settling down and taking a bite of apple. “Mmm, as sinful and sweet as the one Eve ate,” she joked with a playful smirk, hoping the humor would coax Kit to come over and eat with her.
Turning around, Kit gave Jade a disbelieving look. "Ah, I see; you blame yourself because I'm incapable of doing stuff on my own?" She shot back in a challenging tone and huffed as Jade gulped down her bite and blinked innocently back at her. "Ugh, you're insufferable... you're like one of those men who thinks all women are helpless and just waiting for you to come along and save them.." She accused with narrowed eyes.
Jade wanted to protest her innocence and tell Kit how ridiculous she was being, but Kit continued the second she opened her mouth. "I'm no damsel in distress, Jade, and at this point, I wouldn't ask for your help if you were the last person on the planet." She glared and jutted her chin out defiantly.
It took all of Jade's willpower not to burst out laughing at the sight. Something about Kit trying to look angry reminded her of a disgruntled kitten hissing with all its might, thinking it was ferocious instead of the cute little pipsqueak it was. “That’s not fair, babe. All I ever want is for you to be resourceful. I just feel bad because I left all of my emergency equipment, thinking we wouldn’t need it,” she said, looking down and silently berating herself. The one time she decided to be careless, of course, it would bite her in the ass.
"Oh, so you regret putting your trust in me, I see." Kit huffed and rolled her eyes. "You know what, I'm not hungry anymore; let's go back... or if you'd rather, you can find your own damn path since I apparently get you lost." She added angrily and spun on her heel, marching in the direction they'd come from; secretly, she just wanted to get back to camp, having no desire to be caught out after dark on a trail nobody knew they were on.
Jade was well aware of Kit's habit of letting her emotions take control, often leading to long-winded rants. Not about to let Kit derail their date, Jade decided to take charge. “Dammit, Katherine, will you just stop!” she yelled, swiftly getting to her feet and chasing after Kit. In one smooth motion, she picked Kit up in a fireman’s lift and carried her back toward the blanket.
"Put me down, Jade!" Kit demanded, thrashing her legs in a desperate, albeit futile, attempt to escape Jade's grip. The fact that Jade could manhandle her so easily only fueled her anger. "Mother's gonna hear about this!” she spat out, cringing internally at how much she sounded like Hazel. Still, Kit's pride wouldn't let her back down, no matter how ridiculous she knew she was being. She was too stubborn to admit defeat, even when she knew she was way off base.
“Oh yeah? And you’re gonna tell her how you suggested we get naked to keep each other warm and proceeded to fuck me senseless in a tent next to your innocent sister?” Jade challenged before slapping the back of the girl’s thighs. “Quit being a brat,”
"Innocent? Last night, you said she was an adult, remember? Or have you forgotten your part in all of it? I was the one that suggested locking the damn tent!” Kit exclaimed as she struggled harder, earning a frustrated grunt from Jade, who adjusted her grip to try and keep the squirming woman over her shoulder. "Point is, I'm right! You're wrong! And you can't say I don't know how to survive! Now quit being a man and put me down!" Kit demanded.
Jade sighed and shook her head. "Is that really how you see me?" she asked with a frown as she set Kit down, unhappy with how the woman perceived her. “You’re right; I guess inexperienced would be more accurate.” She added quietly and looked down, tired of fighting over stupid stuff.
Huffing, Kit smoothed her hands over her clothes and glared up at Jade. "You don't trust me to know where we're going; you tell me you're not upset with me but with yourself because
you didn't bring the emergency stuff in case we got lost. Which says you think we're lost, and you don't even think I'm smart enough to be mad at! You try and mansplain shit to me, and you just picked me up like some oversized barbarian... yes Jade, right now, you're very much like a man! And I don't date men, never have, in case you've forgotten!" She seethed, managing to get all of her words out in one breath.
Jade looked at Kit, her expression softening. "No, it's not that I don't trust you, Kit. It's not about that. I'm mad because I'm supposed to keep you safe, and I let my guard down. I was careless, and that's on me, not you. Can we not let this ruin our day? I'm trying to move past it. Can I please have my potential, maybe girlfriend, back?" she asked, her tone gentle, hoping to defuse the situation.
"How do you not see that you don't trust me? Your very words make that clear. For one, I don't need you to keep me safe. I never asked you to, and out here, we’re not working." Kit replied harshly, a little hurt that Jade couldn't see her side. "And for two, I don't want you to keep me safe. I like figuring out my own way out of issues; it's what makes me feel alive, and you've never understood that!... So no, if you're gonna sit around kicking yourself for not doing your best to protect my dumb ass because I'm apparently not capable in your eyes, then no, you can not have me back! Frankly, I'd rather walk home alone!" She huffed and got up, eyeing the path, thinking about making a run for it; at the very least, she would make Jade work for it.
Jade rose to her feet, eyes locking onto Kit with a knowing look. "You know I never hike without a bag of supplies," she stated, her tone edged with a hint of challenge. As she noticed Kit's glance toward the path, Jade quickly calculated the distance, ready to sprint and tackle her down if she made a run for it. She knew exactly what was going through Kit's mind, and she wasn't about to let her get away that easily.
"Yes, and the one time you're dumb enough to trust me is the one time you don't bring it; yes, I know, Jade, and I'm so very sorry we're stuck out here in this barren wasteland; whatever will you do?" Kit mocked sarcastically as she spun around in circles, gesturing to the nature all around them. "It's not like we can just hike right back down the same path and wind up where we started,” she added in the same sarcastic tone and shot Jade an irritated look.
Jade shook her head, muttering, "Or get lost deeper in the woods," her own stubborn streak flaring up. She crossed her arms and pouted, matching Kit’s defiance with her own. "I’m not arguing," she said, though her tone made it clear she wasn’t backing down either, her frustration simmering just beneath the surface.
"Jade!!" Kit yelled in exasperation, walking right up to her. "Now you're just being an ass, and you know it." She accused, poking the woman in the chest. "Even if we're not on the right trail, we are on a trail, and all we have to do is turn around and go back the way we came, and you know I’m right!" She added, punctuating each word with an aggressive poke.
“Yes, Kit,” Jade relented, realizing that Kit had a point and recognizing her own stubborn pride was just making things worse. “Okay, you’re right,” she nodded, meeting Kit’s eyes with a mix of affection and exasperation. She loved Kit deeply, but arguing with her was always a challenge.
“Yes, Jade, I know I'm right; I don't need you to tell me that." Kit huffed with a defiant look, not quite ready to admit she just wanted to eat and stop fighting.
“Of course, I’m sorry,” Jade said softly, her eyes shifting from Kit to the trail, then to the snacks she’d carefully laid out. She hated how quickly things had escalated and felt a sharp pang of guilt for her role in it. The last thing she wanted was for their time together to be tainted by this kind of tension.
Seeing where Jade was looking, Kit rolled her eyes. "If you're really that hungry, I guess we can eat." She relented as though it was a chore.
Jade quickly took the opportunity Kit was offering, eager to shift the mood. “Yes, I am very, very hungry,” she said, making her way back to the blanket and eyeing the food with interest. She hoped Kit would join her so they could enjoy the rest of their day together.
"Fine, we'll eat." Kit huffed and marched back over to the blanket, plopping down on it and hugging her knees to her chest. She was starting to feel a little guilty for her tantrum, but Jade did have a tendency to make her feel useless at times, the exact opposite of how she wanted to be perceived. She wanted to be just as strong and capable as Jade, but she never could live up to her own expectations, and it left her bitter.
Jade sat down next to Kit, trying to smooth things over with a soft smile. “So, do you want your sandwich first or last?” she asked, giving Kit a shy, apologetic look, hoping to ease the lingering tension between them and show Kit she was ready to move forward.
Kit glared at Jade over her knees, hating the woman for making her feel more guilty. "First, " she muttered in a disgruntled tone. “You don't have to look at me like that." She grumbled and averted her eyes to the food.
Jade nodded, brushing off Kit's tone to avoid further conflict. “Here you go,” she said, passing Kit the sandwich. Kit took it with an irritated huff, making it clear she wouldn't let her anger go so easily. Jade sighed. “I’m sorry. I really don’t want to fight, Princess,” she added, her voice gentle and sincere, making it clear that she just wanted to enjoy being with Kit.
"Don't call me that right now... it makes me feel like a spoiled brat," Kit grumbled, refusing to look at Jade. She knew it wasn’t exactly wrong, but she didn’t need the reminder. "Just don't be nice to me right now," she requested, taking a bite of her sandwich and adding a small "thank you."
Jade looked at the woman and bit her lip, barely stopping herself from saying what she really wanted to.
"I can feel you thinking, Jade... don't!" Kit warned with a sharp glare.
“Yeah, well, eat your food, Kathy,” Jade retorted, using a name she knew Kit detested, as she popped a grape into her mouth, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
Nearly choking on her bite of sandwich, Kit narrowed her eyes at Jade. "Why would you say that?" She asked in disgust. "How would you like it if I called you Jada?" She challenged and shook her head.
“Sounds hot,” Jade shrugged, casually playing with another grape before popping it into her mouth. “You told me not to be nice,” she added with a teasing smirk, clearly enjoying herself.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it! I know I fucked up, ok? It's not like I meant to, and you made me feel like shit for it." Kit pouted and finished her sandwich aggressively.
“I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, Kit. Come here,” Jade said, patting her lap and encouraging Kit to come closer.
Sighing, Kit shook her head. “I’d rather stay here,” she mumbled stubbornly. “But if you really need to be so close, you can come over here,” she added with a dismissive shrug, casting a sidelong glance at Jade. Seeing right through Kit, Jade took her words as the invitation they were and immediately got on all fours and crawled closer. “What are you doing?” Kit asked, struggling not to laugh at Jade’s antics.
“I want to be right here,” Jade said, tapping Kit’s thighs.
"Oh yeah? Does the big bad knight want cuddles?" Kit teased and smiled a little.
“Mhm... big ones,” Jade said with a playful pout. “Please?”
"Fine... come here." Kit sighed dramatically and opened her arms and legs, motioning for Jade to sit against her.
“Not wasting the chance, Jade quickly snuggled up against Kit, tilting her head back to meet the woman’s gaze, and murmured in a playfully content tone, "Feed me, Kitty."
"Now that's taking it too far." Kit laughed and smacked Jade's shoulder before wrapping her arms around the woman and snuggling up to her back. "I'm sorry I was such an ass." She mumbled, feeling a lot more willing to admit she was wrong with Jade not looking at her. "I just wanted to get it right for once." She sighed and reached for a grape, dangling it in front of Jade's mouth absently.
Jade tried to grab the grape between her teeth, but it was useless. Every time she went for it, Kit would unintentionally pull it away, so she demanded 'gibe' in a funny voice, focusing on keeping things playful, afraid that acknowledging what Kit was saying might lead her to say the wrong thing and upset Kit again.
"What?" Kit blinked in confusion before she realized what Jade was asking for. "Oh my god, I apologize to you, and you care more about the grape?" She asked disbelievingly, shaking her head as she finally fed the grape to Jade properly. "Better?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, tilting her head to get a better look at the woman.
Jade shook her head no and spoke in a childish tone, “‘Elp?’" She knew she was pushing her luck, but it still seemed safer than discussing their previous argument. The fact that she was quite hungry wasn’t helping her already often questionable judgment.
"Jade, staaahpp,” Kit whined, smacking the woman's shoulder again. "I was being serious." She huffed
“Sorry, I heard you. I was just having a moment; I’m a bit hungry,” Jade sighed. “Kit, I get it. You wanted to make things perfect, and it’s fine that you didn’t. You don’t need to impress me. What matters is that you chose me for this date, and that’s all I care about.” She smiled, though she kept her gaze away, giving Kit the space she needed to feel at ease.
Sighing, Kit rested her chin on Jade's shoulder. "You don't understand... I'm tired of being the one everybody knows will screw up, to the point you don't even blame me anymore; you blame yourself for not accounting for my inevitable mistakes." She sighed. "If it were between Hazel and me, you'd trust her more; even with all her quirks, you know she'd get something like this, right" She grumbled, knowing it wasn't a fair comparison, but it was how she felt all the same.
“Kit…” Jade murmured as she leaned closer. “Your mistakes don’t define you, and I know I didn’t handle things in the best way earlier. Taking the long road is okay, but comparing yourself to Hazel? That’s just not fair—to you or her.” Jade took Kit’s hand, kissing it softly. “I wouldn’t trade my Kitty for anything or anyone, not in this world or any other,” she said with a warm smile.
Smiling softly, Kit nuzzled Jade's neck lightly, placing a small kiss there. "My mistakes have defined me, though, and what you said was how you actually felt. I don't want you to start lying to make me feel better. I just want to be good enough that you don't have to feel that way anymore." She muttered softly. "And while you say that now, just a few days ago, you were still deciding, and a lot of that is due to the mistakes I've made along the way." She added with a sigh.
Jade nodded, considering how much of Kit’s unrest stemmed from her ADHD and her reluctance to manage it. “Kit, when was the last time you had a session or took your meds? I’m not saying to go back to feeling like a zombie, but when was the last time?” She asked carefully, knowing that therapy had helped Kit feel more in control and less prone to mistakes. At Kit’s slight frown, she continued, giving the woman a moment to process. “You were always the one, Kit,” She spoke softly. “Whenever I thought about love and us, I always believed it was just a fantasy—that someone like you would never feel the same way about me. I figured I’d have to find a way to make it on my own.” She finished confidently, more sure than ever that her feelings for Hazel had never been the same as what she felt for Kit; there was no comparison.
Feeling guilty, Kit shrugged. "A few months ago, I guess. I don't really remember." She sighed and laced her fingers through Jade's. “You liked me better on the meds, huh?" She asked quietly, ignoring the rest of the woman's statement. As nice as it was, she still wasn't sure if she was ready to fully believe it.
Jade shook her head and turned to look at Kit. “No, I like you just as you are. You don’t have to be on medication, but I don’t want you to feel this way, Kit. You’re brilliant, vivacious, and a much better planner than I am.” She spoke with conviction.
Groaning, Kit leaned her head back in frustration. "I hate those stupid meds," she whined. “But if today is anything to go by, you're right. Maybe I need them more than I'd like to admit." She relented softly. It hurt to acknowledge how much she needed the help. It wasn't just people she didn't like accepting help from; she hated it in all its forms.
“I know, love. Maybe think about trying some natural supplements,” Jade suggested, kissing Kit’s chin softly. “And seriously, don’t stress about us getting lost—Hazel has our coordinates,” she added casually, wanting to lift the weight off Kit’s shoulders. “Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about getting lost ever again,” she chuckled.
"I take natural supplements,” Kit grumbled and then frowned. “Wait, what? What do you mean she has our coordinates? And for the record, I'm not worried about being lost. Like I said earlier, this is a trail; all we have to do is turn around." She added with a deep sigh, feeling Jade was a little dramatic for thinking they could get lost.
"You're right, I'm sorry... and I mean, she tracks us," Jade spoke softly. "I wouldn’t worry about it too much, though." She shrugged, unbothered. "Can you forgive me for handling today wrong?" she asked carefully.
“Yes, you're forgiven, but back to Hazel, what the fuck do you mean she tracks us? Did she tell you this? And why aren't you more upset? Did you put her up to it?" Kit asked, very alarmed.
"No, I didn’t put her up to it!" Jade replied indignantly. "I found her tracker, but I know it’s because she worries. We had a prior discussion, and I understand her reasons. For her sake, I pretend I don’t know she does it." She added honestly, feeling it would be hypocritical to be upset when she also had her own surveillance team monitoring Hazel.
“Jade, that's downright creepy." Kit shivered. "I can't believe you're ok with it or that you trust her that much. What if she's still working for Lili or something?" She asked, suddenly feeling a bit paranoid.
"I have reasons for believing she's not, but I understand your concern, which is why I also have precautions in place. Don’t worry." Jade reassured. "I've got you covered, hon."
"I don't..."Kit trailed off and sighed, giving up protesting the woman's protection; Jade would never understand how much it grated against her. "I know. I'm not worried about that. I am worried about Hazel being creepy. What if she starts doing that to Elora because she doesn't know it's not a nice thing to do?" She asked seriously, thinking it would be super easy for Hazel to cross boundaries without even understanding she was doing it.
“Well, I think we both know Elora is really good at asserting her boundaries,” Jade replied knowingly. “Listen... I know you’re not a fan of all the security and bodyguards, but we have to be cautious. Lili could make a move at any time.” She added with a small shiver, her thoughts lingering on the very real threat that the elusive woman posed. “But this is no conversation for our first date.”
"I don't want to be talking about this on our first date either, but so far, nothing has gone to plan anyway." Kit sighed. "You're right about Elora, but still...don't you think we should have a conversation with Hazel anyway?" She asked softly, still feeling responsible for her sister in a way.
"Yeah, maybe a conversation with Hazel is in order, but let’s save that for after this trip," Jade agreed, spinning around to place Kit’s legs around her waist. "Now, as for us…" she murmured, pulling the girl’s lips into hers with a smile. "Hmmm… hi."
Smiling, Kit rested her forehead against Jade's. "Hi." She repeated, deciding not to comment on their change of positions. If she was being honest, she rather enjoyed it, even if she didn't like admitting it.
“You’re gorgeous,” Jade said as she played with the girl’s lower lip.
"Hmm, so are you," Kit replied as she leaned in, capturing Jade’s lips again in a slow, sensual kiss, forgetting her own rules yet again.
Jade pulled back with a playful smirk and shook her head, “No, no, babe… we’re taking this slow, remember?” she teased, though there was a serious note in her voice. She held Kit close, pressing her head against the woman's chest, savoring the warmth between them.
"But Jade,” Kit whined and tangled her fingers in the woman's hair, massaging her scalp lightly. Deep down, she felt a sense of relief at the fact Jade was asking to stop, but on the other hand, she desperately didn't want to. "How about that rule doesn't apply until we're back in the city?" She suggested in a mischievous tone and lightly scratched the woman's head, trying to get her to look up.
Jade looked up from her place on Kit’s chest and proposed with a soft smile, “How about we kiss and make out, but no sex until we’re home and ready?”
"That sounds like torture,” Kit replied bluntly, frowning a bit, knowing she was messing up again. "You know what, fine... fine, we'll just kiss and make out a little, and then after we see how we are as a couple a few weeks or months down the road, we can talk about sex again." She reasoned, nodding to herself.
Jade nestled her face into Kit’s neck, her breath warm against the skin there. “Let’s pretend we’re back in school,” she suggested softly.
"Mmm, I think you're forgetting just how much sex I had in high school." Kit laughed, sliding her hands under Jade's shirt and lightly raking the tips of her fingernails over the woman's sides.
“Yeah, don’t remind me,” Jade said, closing her eyes at the touch and letting out a low moan as she kissed Kit’s neck.
"I'm sure you were having just as much." Kit sighed softly, tilting her head to give the woman more access as she slid her hands up further, stopping just below Jade's breasts.
“Yeah, no, Kit, I was pining for my best friend, who had a girlfriend but slept with half the cheer squad and the track team,” Jade said, taking a sharp breath. “You’re a tease,” she muttered, melting under the girls’ fingers.
"And before that, you were trying to get in my sister's pants, so…" Kit trailed off and winced at her own jealous comment, pulling away with an apologetic look. "That was uncalled for, I'm sorry." She muttered, sliding her hands down to rest on Jade's waist.
“Yeah, because I never touched her like that,” Jade said. “Maybe we don’t talk about the past; we were both oblivious. I didn’t hit my whore phase until college anyway,” Jade said simply, biting Kit’s neck and sucking on the pale exposed skin.
"In my defense, you're the one... who said to think of... school." Kit breathed out, closing her eyes and moving her hands back up, running her fingers against the bottom of the woman's bra in a teasing manner.
“Hmm… I meant related to how to touch, not a literal trip down memory lane and talk of those bitches who threw themselves at you,” Jade grumbled, jealousy flaring as she sunk her teeth into Kit's neck a bit harder, as though marking Kit as her own could erase ok the past.
“God, you have such a jealous streak,” Kit gasped and giggled as she moved a hand to tangle in Jade’s hair, pulling her away and kissing her roughly while her other hand settled on Jade’s stomach.
"You—clearly… think it's hot," Jade murmured, laughing softly into the kiss, shaking her head, amused by Kit's reaction.
"What gives you that idea?" Kit asked in a playful tone as she moved to nip at the woman's neck lightly.
“Hmm, maybe the fact that you got all worked up when you thought I was jealous?” Jade said quickly and moaned softly. Her hand found the side of Kit's breast over her shirt, then slid up to touch her neck, her thumb tracing lightly over Kit's windpipe, feeling the pulse beneath.
"Did I?" Kit asked in a deliberately obtuse tone, drawing in a sharp breath at the woman's touch.
"Yeah, you did," Jade whispered, her lips barely ghosting over Kit's. "I remember catching you and Stella fooling around in your room. I wanted to kick her ass so hard—She was sloppy, didn't appreciate what she had, didn't know how to touch you right." Jade kissed Kit's chin, her thumb pressing slightly against Kit's windpipe, asserting a gentle but firm pressure.
Kit gasped softly, the pressure on her throat sending a thrill through her. "Maybe I like sloppy," she whispered, her nails dragging teasingly across Jade’s chest, just enough to make her shiver.
Jade inhaled sharply, leaning in closer, her body craving more. “You don’t like sloppy,” she teased with a smirk, her voice dripping with confidence, fully aware of how to push Kit's buttons.
"No?" Kit asked, kissing her way up to Jade's ear. "What do I like?" Her tone was soft and breathy as she bit the woman's earlobe, tugging at it gently.
“Soft,” Jade said, rubbing her thumb on the girl’s right nipple. “Deliberate,” she added as she flicked the now erect nub. “Daring, maybe even rough, kinky,” she finished as she pinched it lightly, dreaming of tasting the woman again. Soon. she thought.
"Hmm." Kit moaned and nodded, running her thumbs over Jade's nipples and smiling as she felt them harden under her touch. "We might have to test your theory... soon." She smirked and kissed the woman deeply.
Jade eagerly nodded into the kiss, her body melding with Kit’s as she deepened it, her tongue exploring every inch of Kit's mouth. When she pulled back, a wicked smirk played on her lips. “I’m favorable to it,” she murmured, her voice dripping with anticipation.
"Yeah, I bet you are," Kit smirked and shook her head before taking a deep breath and moving her hands back to her own lap. "We should stop, huh?" She asked with a sheepish look, knowing if they did much more, she'd have a hard time stopping.
"Yeah, this was supposed to be innocent dating, not heavy petting," Jade mumbled, her words contradicting her actions as she traced a finger down the seam of Kit's pants, applying just the right amount of pressure to draw a reaction, her focus entirely on the not so subtle way Kit’s breathing quicked under her touch.
"Jade..." Kit warned, her eyes closing automatically.
"Hmmm?" Jade asked, her voice still thick with desire. She pulled away, taking a deep breath as if trying to clear the fog of lust clouding her mind. She struggled to regain her composure as she studied Kit’s perfect features, from the way her bangs fell in her face in a perfectly roguish way to perfectly sculpted cheekbones and down the straight ridge of her nose, to her lips - parted slightly- and then the flash of perfectly white teeth as they sunk into the pillowy softness of that lower lip. Jade’s quiet admiration was brought to an abrupt halt as deep blue eyes opened to meet hers, and a knowing look crossed Kit’s features.
"We should eat and start heading back." Kit sighed and reluctantly got up to stretch.
"Yes, and I should show you how I conduct first dates," Jade said, fixing her shirt and standing up with a determined look. "I will do the proper thing with you, Tanthalos, or so help me!" she added with a teasing smirk, biting into a slice of apple, her eyes still holding a glint of mischief.
Kit took a moment to appreciate the sentiment behind Jade's words and how they made her feel like a person worth more than just her body. She'd gotten so used to random and meaningless hookups that it was sometimes hard to see herself as worthy of more; even when she dreamed of a future with Jade, it was always slightly tainted with self-doubt, no matter how much she tried to give herself pep talks, nothing ever made her feel like enough. "I like the sound of that." She spoke softly and looked down at her hands, feeling guilty for taking things further than she'd intended.
Seeing the shift in Kit’s mood, Jade quickly reached out, gently cupping her face. “Hey, Kitty, it takes two to tango. I could’ve stopped it. I just didn’t want you to think I don’t want you. Because I do, a lot,” she said with intense focus, her eyes locked onto Kit’s, trying to reassure her.
Nodding, Kit looked up with tears shining in her eyes, afraid to try and speak for fear she'd start crying. She wanted to apologize for every little misunderstanding she'd caused or all of the times she'd been unintentionally and sometimes even intentionally cruel, but she couldn't find the words. She simply shook her head instead.
“I love you, and if you’re not sure yet, that’s fine,” Jade said tenderly, her fingers lightly tracing Kit’s features. “I’ve been loving you, wanting you, adoring you for a long, long time. I can wait as long as it takes for you to get there.”
Furrowing her brow, Kit drew in a shaky breath. "get where?" She asked softly, voice cracking with emotion.
"Loving me, trusting me, and moving towards our future,” Jade murmured, sighing as she once again took in Kit’s unadorned beauty. With no makeup, her hair tousled, and a beanie perched on her head, Kit looked like the most breathtaking woman Jade had ever laid eyes on.
Kit laughed softly, averting her eyes at Jade’s comment. “You’re so stupid, Jade,” she sighed, her voice tinged with affection. She glanced at Jade again, shaking her head with a smile. “So damn stupid,” Kit muttered the words fondly, her heart swelling as she studied the woman before her.
She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t been utterly and entirely in love with Jade Claymore. Every little thing about her was intoxicating. The freckles that dusted most of her body, her full lips, those strong hands and long fingers, the way her muscles flexed when she reached for something on the top shelf. Kit always had to fight not to stare when Jade wore anything showing off her cleavage or athletic thighs, often lying awake at night dreaming of running her hands over Jade’s toned body.
And those curls—how they always peeked out of the wrap whenever Jade fell asleep on Kit’s couch or bed. Kit adored the way Jade’s voice took on an extra cute tone when she was sick, freshly awake, or slurring a little after drinking. Even in moments when Jade berated her, Kit couldn’t help but find her irresistibly attractive. Every part of Jade, every quirk, every detail, captivated Kit completely. "You were always the future I wanted, Jade, but you weren't mine to have. I always thought you just knew... I thought it was obvious..." She trailed off and shook her head in disbelief, wondering how different things could have been if she'd only spoken up sooner.
“Excuse me?” Jade said, laughing at Kit’s reaction. “I’m stupid? You were always with some model or another; how was I supposed to know? You wouldn’t even hug me for a whole year,” she said with a shrug. “We’ll definitely talk more about this,” she added, feeding Kit a bite of her sandwich. “But seriously, it wasn’t exactly obvious.”
Kit took the time to finish her bite before speaking. "I didn't hug you because I was in love with you, and it hurt to hug somebody I couldn't have." She gave the woman an earnest look, then continued, "I thought it was obvious... you were always the first person I shared anything with. I ran to the door and nearly knocked you over anytime you came to the house when we were kids... I'd try and drag you on all of my stupid adventures and stare at you so hard I'd miss what you were saying to me, and I always wanted to impress you, to show you how good I was at stuff, how capable I was..." She trailed off and swallowed hard. "And then you... you kissed Hazel, and I realized I was nothing like you wanted... because Hazel is nothing like me; we only look alike." She finished softly, frowning and looking back down as she re-lived the pain of that day.
Jade's eyes widened as she looked at Kit, a mixture of surprise and pain crossing her face. She listened intently, her mind racing back to the times when she felt the same kind of angst and longing, being so close yet feeling so far from the one she loved. "You were in love with me? When—when did you fall out of love with me?" Jade asked, her voice trembling with emotion. The thought that Kit might not love her the same way again was almost too much to bear. She continued, her voice soft and filled with regret, "The whole thing with Hazel… It was a dare; yes, she looks like you and was open to my help. We’ve covered this, but Kit, you’ve been my everything since we met." She leaned in to kiss Kit’s eyes gently, her feelings laid bare.
"I know we've covered it. I'm just trying to explain why I thought you knew how I felt and why I tried so desperately to stop feeling that way," Kit said, her voice thick with emotion as she gave a tearful smile. "It's so dumb... everything I did to impress you ended up being the very thing that pushed you away. When I thought you'd chosen Hazel, I had to face some hard truths about myself. I realized I wasn’t actually good at any of the things I tried so hard to impress you with, and it had all been for nothing. I pushed you away when I only wanted to pull you close..." She paused, looking deeply into Jade's eyes. "As we got older, I noticed that people liked me for one of two things, sometimes both—my money or sex. It became easy to rely on both. I think I’ve told you this before, but none of those women meant anything to me. None of them were you. And to answer your question, I never fell out of love with you, Jade," she concluded, her voice earnest and raw.
Jade’s heart ached as she heard how Kit had put so much of her value on things that mattered so little. She wanted to personally confront every model who had made Kit feel this way. “Oh, my love,” Jade whispered, pulling Kit close and holding her tightly. “You’ll never go another day without knowing how desperately in love with you I am,” she said, looking at Kit and kissing her forehead repeatedly.
Smiling, Kit pulled away. "I'm sorry I've been such an ass over the years; I should have told you. I was just scared and felt guilty... I should have just talked to you instead of assuming." She berated herself softly. "In the spirit of being honest... I don't think I know how to have a real relationship. I've wanted it for so many years, but I've never had one, so you might need to guide me at times." She added vulnerably, knowing she had a tendency to rely on sex and jokes and sometimes money to smooth things over or avoid facing her emotions.
Jade gently wiped her hand around Kit’s eyes, tracing the soft lines under them and around her lips, before holding her chin. The depth of her feelings for Kit was almost overwhelming. “We’ll figure it out together,” Jade promised, placing a quick, reassuring kiss on her lips. “Eat some more,” she added, knowing full well that Kit had never been in a truly serious relationship—her past girlfriends had always been more of an afterthought to her.
"Thank you." Kit smiled dreamily and took another bite, feeling at ease.
“Of course, love,” Jade said, her fingers working in soothing circles on Kit’s arm. She sighed, knowing the conversation had to turn serious. “And on a not-so-fun note, we really need to think about how you’re going to handle this with your mum, my job, and the damn press,” She spoke softly, her mind racing as she still tried to process everything Kit had shared with her.
"I think Mom will be okay, and I don't think your job will be an issue. Now that Hazel's back, she'll have my title," Kit reasoned dismissively. “As for the press, they'll get over it. Once we can announce Hazel's return, they'll be too focused on that to care about me or my relationships anymore," she added honestly as she nibbled on her food.
“You’re right. Hang on, I’ve got something for you,” Jade said, getting up and heading to her bag. She dug around until she found what she was looking for—an old, slightly crumpled envelope, folded in half, with ‘To Kitty from J’ scrawled across the front. Jade walked back over to Kit and handed it to her, her eyes filled with a mix of nerves and affection.
Kit took the envelope with a curious smile, her tone light as she asked, "What's this?" Jade shrugged, her expression almost casual, but her eyes encouraged Kit to open it. Kit pulled out the note slowly, noticing the worn lines that hinted at the paper’s history of being crumpled and smoothed out again. As she unfolded it, her eyes scanned the familiar handwriting:
Hey, we’ve been friends forever, and I know people say it’s complicated, but I like you. I want to be your girlfriend. Would you like to go to homecoming with me?
Swallowing hard, Kit's gaze lingered on the words before she noticed the little yes or no checkboxes next to them. "Jade..." she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked up, her eyes locking with Jade's. "Why did you never give this to me?" Her voice wavered slightly as she fought to keep the tears at bay, unwilling to let herself break down anymore; she’d done quite enough of that already, in her opinion.
Jade looked down. “I snuck out of practice—basketball that time—so I could get to your locker before the end of your day. It was a Wednesday, and you always wore that formal debate club outfit... You looked so damn cute." She smiled wistfully, like the memory was still vivid in her mind. "With regionals coming up, I hadn’t seen you all week, and I needed to get that letter to you before some guy got the chance because, let’s be honest, you were so sweet, you would’ve said yes." She let out a small chuckle. "So, I snuck out... got to your locker, and as I opened it, PJ showed up with Josie. God, I still hate her..." Jade’s voice softened as she began recounting the rest of the day’s events, and Kit gave her full, undivided attention.
~
"Oh, what are you doing, Jade? Leaving a love letter to your unrequited crush?" PJ taunted with a sneer, arms crossed in that smug way she liked so much.
"Yeah, it probably says, ‘Hey Kit, sorry for getting your sister kidnapped after I kissed her; now I’ve got a girl boner for you,’" Josie added, laughing like she had just said the funniest thing ever.
Jade always found it ironic how PJ and Josie, two of the most insignificant people in school, still managed to be as nasty as the girls who taunted them. It was their way of feeling powerful, but that didn’t make it any less infuriating.
Jade clenched her fists, resisting the urge to threaten them. She couldn’t risk a suspension—not with college scouts on the line. Frustration boiling inside, she focused on sliding the envelope into Kit’s locker, trying to ignore their jeers. But PJ wasn’t done yet.
"I bet you're inviting her to the dance, huh? Well, too late! Stella Rebecca was all over her at lunch. I’m sure she’s going to tell you they’re dating."
Josie, ever the sidekick, nodded and pointed. "Yeah, look—they’re right there holding hands."
That was all Jade needed to see. She yanked the letter back, slammed Kit’s locker shut, and bolted for the gym, their mocking laughter ringing in her ears the entire way.
~
"It was awful,” Jade concluded with sad eyes, the memory still fresh in her mind.
“Oh, Jade... I'm so sorry. For one, because P.J. and Josie were assholes and because had I seen your note, I would have said no to Stella. She just treated me nice, and I thought you'd never look twice at me in that way, so when she asked..." Kit trailed off with a deep sigh, knowing there was no use reliving the past. "Promise from now on we stop making assumptions and talk? I know I'm just as guilty as you are, so this applies to me, too." She spoke and held out her pinky in a juvenile attempt to seal it.
Jade nodded, her eyes shining with emotion as she locked her pinky with Kit’s. "You would have?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I still wanted you to have this, to show you how long I’ve been waiting to ask you to be my girlfriend. This is my official ask," she said with a nervous grin, her feelings clear.
"Yes..." Kit trailed off and frowned thoughtfully before holding up a finger and grabbing her backpack. She dug through it briefly until she found what she was looking for with a triumphant ‘ah-ha.' Pulling out a match, she quickly lit it and blew it out, using the leftover ash to check the yes box on the paper. She then promptly stuffed it back into its envelope and thrust it at Jade with a shy smile. "Open it." she encouraged.
Jade, who had been nervously watching Kit with the match—afraid her heartfelt confession might get burned—opened the envelope and smiled as she saw Kit’s answer. Seeing that simple check mark felt like Kit reaching into the past to mend the most broken parts of Jade, a small but significant step towards healing old wounds. “Thank you, Kitty,” she said, pulling her into a warm, tight embrace.
“No, thank you,” Kit mumbled into the woman’s shirt as she clung to her tightly. Seeing that note from so many years before had made her feel more secure in Jade’s feelings. It was proof that Jade hadn’t lied when she said she’d liked her since they were kids, something Kit hadn’t fully believed until that moment.
~~
Across the forest, Elora and Hazel had fallen asleep shortly after finishing their snacks. They slept for a couple of hours before Elora woke up, arms still wrapped around her sleeping girlfriend's waist. Hazel was reclining against Elora, her head resting comfortably on the older woman’s chest. Elora smiled, taking a moment to enjoy the sounds of the forest mixed with Hazel's deep, even breathing. Tearing her eyes away from Hazel's relaxed profile, Elora glanced up at the sky and noticed the sun starting to sink, signaling that it was time to get back. She returned her attention to Hazel, gently caressing her collarbone and tapping lightly. "Hazey," she called sweetly and kissed her cheek.
"Hmm?" Hazel murmured, her head drifting to the side until it rested near Elora's chin. The gentle flow of the river nearby, the comforting rhythm of Elora's chest rising and falling against her back, and the warmth of her embrace quickly lulled Hazel back into a peaceful sleep.
Elora smiled and took a moment to study Hazel's relaxed features, appreciating the peaceful expression on her face. "It's getting dark," she murmured, her fingers still gently caressing Hazel's collarbone. "We don’t have enough supplies to stay here overnight, so we should probably start heading back."
"Dark?" Hazel muttered in a lazy tone, Elora's voice gradually pulling her out of sleep. She slowly blinked her eyes open, noticing the rapidly darkening sky. "Oh, shit... how long did we sleep?" she asked, her tone quickly shifting to worry as she fumbled to retrieve her phone from her pocket. Checking on Kit and Jade, she sighed in relief when she saw they were close to camp. Hazel then sat up, breaking Elora’s hold, and rolled her shoulders to work out the kinks from their impromptu nap.
“I think we both slept for at least two hours,” Elora answered with a small smile,
"Ugh." Hazel groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "We gotta hurry and pack our stuff. Hiking in the dark isn’t safe—there could be animals." She spoke with a sense of urgency, immediately standing up and scanning the area to decide what to pack first.
Elora nodded, getting up and dusting off her pants. “I agree. I’ll start cleaning up,” she said, flashing Hazel a reassuring smile. Though she wasn’t nearly as concerned—she’d been hiking and camping enough to know the ropes—she understood Hazel’s worry. So, she packed up the blanket and snacks quickly, making sure they could get moving.
“Okay, I’ll get the fishing gear,” Hazel said, swiftly gathering the equipment and securing it in her backpack to keep her arms free. “Alright, stay close to me... it’s safer to walk in pairs, so animals don’t see us as lunch.” She added, nervously glancing around at the rapidly darkening forest and looping her arm through Elora’s. Suddenly, what had sounded pleasant just a few hours before sounded ominous and like a cue to get back to camp as quickly as possible.
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of leaving your side,” Elora said contentedly, holding Hazel’s arm with a gentle smile. She stayed close, offering comfort and security as they prepared to head back to camp together.
"Good, because truth be told, I'm terrified of being eaten,” Hazel muttered with a shudder as she flicked her headlamp on and focused down the path.
Elora raised an eyebrow at Hazel's comment, a smirk playing on her lips as several teasing comebacks crossed her mind. Instead, she leaned in and playfully asked, “Are you now?” before making a soft chomping noise near Hazel's shoulder, pretending to bite her with a grin.
Jumping at the sound, Hazel turned towards the woman suddenly. "Did you make that sound?" She asked, rubbing at her ear a little.
“Yes, that’s me, coming to eat you… Chomp!” Elora joked with a laugh, making the chomping sound again and watching Hazel’s reaction with mild amusement.
"Oh," Hazel mumbled and gave the woman a tense smile, too worried about their surroundings to have a sense of humor. “We should focus on walking," she advised and continued to rub her ear in irritation.
Noticing that her joking wasn't helping Hazel relax, Elora gave a slight nod. “Alright, sorry, couldn’t resist,” she said with a grin, then added, “I’ll be good and serious now, promise,”
"It's fine. I just don't like the sound; it bothers my ears." Hazel sighed and shot the woman a sidelong glance, knowing it had to not be fun being around somebody like her for too long.
Elora nodded in understanding, feeling slightly guilty for not recognizing Hazel’s discomfort earlier. “Okay, I'm sorry, I’ll think of something else,” she assured softly, trying to devise a way to stay playful without adding to Hazel's anxiety.
"You don't have to... I'm sorry I'm so sensitive. I think it was probably funny. It's just hard for me to think when my senses get like that." Hazel explained with an uneasy smile.
“I know, babe, it’s all good. No need for apologies,” Elora smiled, gripping Hazel’s arm a little tighter for reassurance. “Honestly, I’m scared too,” she admitted, her voice quieter.
"I'm sorry; I'll do my best to protect you. I have bear spray and a knife on me, but hopefully, we won't need either." Hazel replied in a very studious tone as she turned her head side to side, shining her light into dark corners, silently praying she wouldn't see any glowing eyes staring back at her.
“If you apologize one more time, Hazel, I’m seriously leaving you out here in the dark!” Elora joked but couldn’t help the slight nervousness creeping into her voice as she looked around. The encroaching shadows were getting to her. “Are we almost back?” she asked quietly, the humor fading from her tone.
"I'm sor... I mean... I'm not sorry?" Hazel asked curiously and then nodded. "Mhm, I think maybe another ten minutes. We weren't far from camp to start with." She assured, speeding up a little at the sound of rocks falling somewhere behind them. "I want to run so bad right now... but I think I'll fall... so speed walk?" She asked in a higher-pitched tone, holding Elora's arm tight.
Nodding, Elora smiled. “Speed walking sounds lovely,” she said, matching Hazel’s pace as they started moving faster. She kept a steadying hand on Hazel’s arm, making sure she didn’t stumble or lose her footing in the dark.
"Yup, let's do that then," Hazel spoke tensely, giving Elora a quick smile as she sped up.
“Come on, right, left, right, left,” Elora encouraged, her voice calm yet upbeat as they moved in unison, stepping with purpose.
"You sound like a drill instructor." Hazel chuckled and glanced at Elora fondly, happy for the distraction.
While her intention was to distract them from imagining things or letting fear take over, Elora smiled at Hazel’s comparison. Ramping up the pace, she added with a light chuckle, “Just trying to get us back faster.”
"Fair." Hazel agreed, perfectly content to walk as fast as Elora wanted.
~
An hour later, Elora was cooking dinner, her focus divided between the ingredients in front of her and Hazel. At one point, she almost sliced a finger as she looked up while chopping peppers, unable to keep her eyes off the woman.
Noticing Elora look at her again, Hazel got up and walked over to check on the woman. "Would you like me to chop the rest for you?" She offered kindly.
Elora blushed, feeling caught. “If you want, but I wasn’t trying to guilt you into chopping veggies for me,” she said softly. Despite her best efforts, her plan to keep Hazel from catching her staring had failed spectacularly.
Smiling, Hazel carefully took the knife from the woman. "I didn't think you were, " she replied flatly as she started pushing the vegetables into color-coordinated piles, humming softly to herself in the process. "Cutting things is one of the few things I'm not bad at," she explained and proceeded to demonstrate her knife skills on a carrot.
Whistling in admiration, Elora nodded as she stood over Hazel’s shoulder. “I see that; you chop like a chef,” she observed, then proceeded to prepare the foil packets for dinner.
"I practiced... I used to help Lili in the kitchen. She'd cook, I'd chop." Hazel shrugged and glanced at her girlfriend, smiling to herself as she absorbed the fact that, for the first time, she actually had a girlfriend to look at.
“Hmm… well, the skill is impressive,” Elora said, brushing aside any thoughts of Lili as she wrapped her arms around Hazel’s waist and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She was determined to keep the moment sweet and focused on her girlfriend, making the most of the chance to show her affection.
Smiling, Hazel blushed and turned her head towards the woman. "You missed." She stated flatly and raised an eyebrow at her.
“I did? Wow, can’t have that happen,” Elora said with a playful smile, leaning in to kiss Hazel’s lips.
"Hmm, much better,” Hazel muttered, smiling into the kiss before pulling back. She would have preferred to keep kissing Elora, but she was hungry, and the food wasn’t going to cook itself. And as much as she loved Kit, she didn't trust her cooking skills. "Now, you shouldn't touch me anymore because I need to focus on cutting these and not my fingers." She advised and turned back to her task. "You should stay over there." She added and nodded a few feet away from her.
Elora nodded, putting on the biggest pout and puppy dog eyes she could muster. “But can I have a little kiss to get me by?” she asked softly, running her hands along Hazel’s sides.
Hazel flinched at the touch but, as usual, chose to keep her complaints to herself, afraid of scaring the woman off. "We already kissed, though, " she answered with a curious look as she set the knife down.
Taking the cue from Hazel’s body language, Elora pulled her hands away and placed them behind her back. “Yes, but just one more, pleeeeaaase?” she asked, giving Hazel a hopeful look.
"You made that word very long,” Hazel replied and turned to face the woman, instantly drawn in by her. "Fine, but only one..." She trailed off and frowned. "That'll make two overall." She clarified, preferring the sound of even numbers.
“Yes, it will,” Elora murmured, her fingers lightly grazing Hazel’s cheek as she leaned in and kissed her lips slowly and tenderly, savoring the moment.
Sighing softly, Hazel rested her hands on Elora's hips and pulled the woman slightly closer. "When you kiss me like that, it... " She trailed off and rested her forehead against Elora's, deciding not to finish her sentence. "We should finish cooking." She mumbled and glanced towards Kit and Jade's tent, afraid they'd come out and catch them.
“It what?” Elora asked, her voice an octave lower.
Hazel swallowed hard and shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I don't know how to describe it, but I think I like it." She answered. She couldn't say for certain because she often liked something for one thing and hated it for another, and in her experience with Jade, she'd learned not to trust thinking something was good just from a couple of tries.
Smiling broadly, Elora gently played with the hairs at the nape of Hazel’s neck before pulling away. “Okay, I’m going to put those on the fire now,” she said, nodding toward the foil dinners she had prepared.
"That's a good idea," Hazel agreed with a soft smile, watching Elora for a few extra moments before returning to chop the vegetables. Everything felt right at that moment, and she wished she could bottle it for times when things were more uncertain. Knowing that wasn’t possible, she chose to focus on being content in the present and leave future worries for later.
“Thanks; keep your eyes on that carrot, Haze,” Elora joked, pointing to the veggies, all too aware of the hazards of getting distracted while cooking.
"You're much better looking than the carrot,” Hazel replied and went back to humming softly, tossing the freshly chopped vegetable into a bowl and moving onto the next.
Elora blushed and smiled in return. “Nah, but focus, okay? I can’t have you get hurt,” she replied with a playful smirk.
"I am. I haven't taken my eyes off the vegetables, but you keep talking to me, and that's distracting." Hazel answered honestly.
“Seriously, Elora, stop distracting my sister!” Kit called out as she walked over, curiously eyeing the dinner preparations. “Just look at and chat with me—I look just like her.”
At Kit's comment, Hazel's head shot up, and she glared at her sister, then turned her eyes to Elora. "No, don't do that; you can keep talking to me." She spoke quickly, knowing how things had turned out when Jade used her as a substitute; she didn't want to risk the same thing happening between Kit and Elora.
“No offense, Kit, but it’s just not the same,” Elora said, giving Kit a look. Turning back to Hazel, she added softly, “I promise I’ll give you my full attention, but let’s get those veggies chopped first,” she said sweetly, hoping to soothe Hazel’s nerves.
Frowning slightly, Hazel looked down at the vegetables and started grumbling to herself before getting an idea. "Elora, would you mind helping me? I don't want to mix the green and orange vegetables in the same bowl; it hurts my eyes. Could you grab me another bowl?" She asked with a winning smile.
“Oh, please." Kit rolled her eyes and shook her head at the obvious ploy.
Picking up on Hazel's jealousy, Elora nodded and stepped closer to assist her girlfriend. “Of course, love,” she said warmly.
"Thank you." Hazel smiled. "You should probably stay right here so you can add them as I finish." She suggested in a reasonable tone.
“What’s happening here?” Jade asked as she walked over and hugged Kit from behind.
"Hazel's jealous of me talking to Elora... and tricked Elora into staying next to her." Kit laughed, finding the behavior hilarious; it wasn't like she had any interest in Elora whatsoever.
“Oh?” Jade asked, looking at Elora and Hazel before whispering in Kit’s ear, “And that’s absurd, right?” She wanted to make sure Hazel wasn’t right.
"Jade!" Kit exclaimed, turning in the woman's arms and smacking her shoulder. "The idea you think I'd ever be attracted to Elora is highly offensive for one and for another; the fact you think I'd look at anybody else after our conversation today... that really hurts." She huffed and narrowed her eyes at the taller woman. "Hazel's just paranoid and controlling. You remember... she always had to have things her way and hated sharing." She reminded, knowing her sister's tendencies well.
“No, baby… I know you wouldn’t…” Jade said, drawing Kit closer and giving her a gentle kiss. “Maybe Hazel’s worried Elora will end up doing something like what I did.”
“Mhm, which means she’s also afraid I’ll do what she did... and that’s so upsetting,” Kit grumbled bitterly —still upset at her sister for ‘stealing’ Jade when they were younger— but smiled into the kiss. “You know exactly how to make me feel better.” She beamed and hugged Jade tightly.
“I aim to please, princess,” Jade said with a playful smirk, choosing to highlight the positive part of Kit's statement.
"Mission accomplished, my noble knight." Kit grinned and kissed the corner of Jade's mouth before glancing back at Hazel and Elora, shaking her head at how easily Hazel had manipulated the woman into staying close.
~
After they had polished off the delicious meal Elora had made and tidied up, Kit eagerly suggested making s’mores. She breezed through the instructions, focusing on roasting the marshmallows over the fire and pairing them with chocolate. However, she forgot to mention how messy the whole ordeal would be, and because of this oversight, Hazel readily agreed, excited by the idea.
"This is fun." Hazel decided as she happily spun her marshmallow in the fire while Kit set a plate with a stick of chocolate and a graham cracker beside her.
“Time to build your s’more,” Elora announced as she watched, secretly ready to act, knowing Kit, being Kit, hadn’t measured the possible outcome of the situation.
Tearing her eyes away from the flames, Hazel smiled at Elora. "Show me how?" She asked hopefully.
Elora nodded and moved the plate closer to Hazel. “Of course. The order is a cracker on the bottom, chocolate square, marshmallow, and then another cracker on top,” she explained patiently, detailing the steps for making a s’more.
"Oh, like a sandwich?" Hazel realized and widened her eyes as she saw her marshmallow was on fire. "Shit." She yelped and dropped the whole thing, cringing as she realized her error. "I'll buy you a new stick, sorry." She muttered and shot Kit an apologetic look.
"I don’t care, it’s fine, but you can blow on it next time to stop the fire," Kit said with a slight smile. “Doc, I got this; here,” she added, moving over to sit by her sister. “Go sit by Jade,” she instructed, glancing at Elora, who looked at Hazel, silently checking if she was okay with the change.
Knowing Kit just wanted to spend time with her, Hazel nodded at Elora and turned her attention to her sister. "Could I get another marshmallow?" She asked, nodding towards the little bag next to Kit.
“Yeah, of course,” Kit said with a grin, handing Hazel a fresh marshmallow and stick.
"Thanks." Hazel smiled as she got the treat ready to roast. "You know, I've never tasted a marshmallow before."
“Oh really? Well, here,” Kit said, handing her sister a bit of the uncooked marshmallow. “Give it a try before roasting. I don’t like it much this way, but some people do.”
"Hmm." Hazel hummed softly as she inspected the little sweet, squeezing it between her fingers experimentally before putting it in her mouth and frowning. "It's like a pillow." She muttered around the mouthful, thinking it wasn't the worst thing she'd ever tasted, but it wasn't the best either, and she certainly wasn't a fan of the slight sticky residue that lingered on her fingers from it, but she did her best to ignore it, resting her hand on her pants palms up.
Across from them, Elora had a moist towelette in hand, ready to jump in but trying her best to wait until Hazel actually struggled. Jade, sitting beside her, picked up on her tension but didn’t say anything, keeping her attention on the siblings instead.
“Yes, pillowy goodness,” Kit said, showing off her marshmallow as she pulled it from the fire. “You want it to be golden brown, not on fire—nice and fluffy. Then you press it between the crackers and chocolate like this.” She assembled the s’more with a practiced ease and handed it to her sister, grinning.
Hazel watched carefully and nodded along, trying to memorize the steps. "That one's yours... I'm still cooking mine." She nodded to the fire.
“Okay, I understand,” Kit said as she took a bite of the treat and let out a loud moan, “delicious.”
Cringing at the sound, Hazel shot the woman an irritated look. "You're so gross." She grumbled, shaking her head and smiling big when she noticed her marshmallow was ready. "Ohhh, look, it's toasted just the way you said was perfect." She showed her sister happily and grabbed her plate.
Once Hazel had all of the items needed, she frowned, trying to figure out the best way to hold everything, and finally decided to keep the stick between her knees as she attempted to pull the marshmallow off of it, yelping at how hot it was, and then totally freezing when her fingers came away gooey. "Ewwww, get it off." She exclaimed and eyed Kit's shirt, seriously contemplating using it as a napkin.
“Here, hon… let’s trade,” Elora swiftly grabbed the marshmallow stick and handed Hazel the wipes. “I’ve got more wipes,” she added as she carefully removed the gooey marshmallow from the stick, waiting to see if Hazel wanted to finish building the s’more.
Sighing, Hazel nodded and mumbled a quiet “thank you” before glancing at Kit, trying to gauge whether her sister was upset with her.
“You alright?” Kit asked, concern creeping into her voice. She knew her sister’s aversion to anything sticky and felt a bit guilty for not having thought about giving her some wipes sooner.
"I'm fine,” Hazel grumbled, looking between the two women, realizing she was relying on others way too much. She hadn't been able to do that with Lili, and while she'd been miserable most of the time, she felt capable. "Can I try again?" She asked tentatively.
“Of course, love,” Elora said with a soft smile, recognizing Hazel’s need to assert herself. She passed her the stick without hesitation, offering a reassuring nod and popping the already-cooked marshmallow into her mouth so that Hazel could start over.
"Thank you." Hazel smiled and started roasting another marshmallow, this time with a determined look on her face. "Ok, Kit, do you know a way to get it off the stick without making my hands messy?" She asked, deciding it was ok to ask for some help, but she still wanted to learn how to do it herself.
Kit was happy to be called on, relieved her sister wasn’t giving up. Growing up, Hazel was always quick to drop things if she didn’t nail them on the first try. "Alright, press the marshmallow onto the cracker, top it with the other, and pull the stick out slowly," Kit explained patiently.
"Like this?" Hazel asked, doing as Kit instructed and smiling when her fingers stayed mostly clean. "This is gonna be a big mess when I bite into it, huh?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, aware it was going to get all over her face, but determined to try anyway, knowing Kit had been excited to show her favorite camping dessert.
“Yeah, but getting messy can be half the fun,” Kit grinned. “If you’re not into it, though, no worries, you don’t have to finish,” she said in a softer voice, offering Hazel a way out while still encouraging her.
"I never like getting messy, but I'll try it for you,” Hazel replied and took a deep breath before taking a big bite of the sweet treat, instantly understanding why Kit had moaned. However, she refrained, focussed solely on the taste and doing her best to ignore the chocolate making its way down her chin, no matter how much it horrified her.
“Thanks, but seriously, no pressure if it’s not your thing,” Kit said, giving Hazel a reassuring smile to make sure she didn’t feel forced into finishing.
"It's good, just... very messy,” Hazel muttered as she finished her bite and winced at the chocolate all over her hand, resolving to clean it up after she finished the treat, which she took care of in short notice and quickly started trying to rub the chocolate off of her face. "I think I could use one of those wet wipes now." She mumbled sheepishly as she glanced at Elora.
“Oh good, here,” Elora said, handing the wipe to Hazel but letting her handle the mess herself, feeling quietly proud that she wasn’t having a meltdown over the stickiness.
Hazel smiled and mumbled out a quick thank you before going to work cleaning herself up, outwardly keeping her calm but inwardly freaking out, a technique she'd learned over the years and wanted to get back in the habit of using, tired of feeling like a child around people who were barely older than her, or younger in Kit's case.
“Good, looks like you got it all,” Elora said, leaning in to inspect the results. “Well, almost,” she teased, giving Hazel’s cheek a gentle kiss, the tip of her tongue darting out to remove the last smudge of chocolate, an action she did without thinking. Realizing what she’d done, she observed Hazel’s slightly stunned expression cautiously for a moment before speaking. “Perfect,” She gave a satisfied smile, trying to keep things moving along.
"You..." Hazel trailed off, wondering if she could ever do the same to Elora, but quickly decided she wouldn't be able to. "Guess it's a good thing it wasn't on my mouth, huh?" She asked with a playful look, immediately cringing afterward, not sure why she even said it. "Forget I said that." She grumbled and shook her head.
“Well, if it were, I would’ve helped,” Elora said with a smile as she took a bite of her s’more, getting chocolate all over her face.
"You have some..." Hazel trailed off and motioned all over her face. "Want a napkin?" She offered, holding one out to Elora as she eyed the chocolate curiously.
“Yeah, I could use a napkin or… you could just help me out,” Elora said with a cheeky grin,
"I'm not sure if I can... " Hazel trailed off and reconsidered it, deciding she wanted to push herself a bit. ”Tell me how?" She asked, determined to try.
“Just move your mouth over it and lick or kiss it; just get it done,” Elora instructed with an encouraging smile, aware of what a huge step it would be for Hazel.
"I would be licking your face; you don't think that's super gross?" Hazel cringed but focused on the woman.
“I licked yours. Did you think it was?” Elora asked curiously. “I don’t think it is.”
"No, that felt more like a kiss; there's a difference." Hazel laughed before leaning forward awkwardly and giving Elora a quick peck on the cheek, licking her lips to clean the chocolate immediately after. "Kissing is ok, but..." She trailed off and glanced at the woman's lips, deciding she'd try there instead, and quickly kissed the woman, running her tongue lightly over Elora's bottom lip and pulling away with a questioning look.
Hazel’s tentative kisses, followed by the gentle lick of Elora’s lips, sent a shiver through her, leaving her weak. Elora opened her eyes to find Hazel watching her intently as if waiting for a response. With a satisfied sigh and a soft smile, Elora whispered, "Wow... yes, do that again, please."
Giggling, Hazel resisted the urge to clap her hands excitedly, bracing them on the log beside her instead as she leaned in and repeated the move, this time licking closer to the edge of the woman's mouth before feeling a little brave and following the path of chocolate with small kisses down the woman's chin, finding it interesting and not nearly as gross as she thought it would be.
Elora giggled at the little kisses. “Making sure you get everything?” she asked with a beaming smile.
"Mhm...have to be thorough,” Hazel muttered between kisses, making her way back up to Elora's lips and kissing her with a little more urgency, feeling like she just couldn't get enough, a feeling she’d been struggling to control the entire day.
Elora took her time with the kiss, deliberately slow to assert control like earlier and avoid overwhelming the woman. She pulled her in close, tenderly caressing her face and massaging her earlobe in a calming, relaxed manner.
Calming down instantly in response to the relaxing touch, Hazel followed Elora's lead, slowing her kiss down to match the woman.
Kit watched the scene play out for a moment before slowly backing away toward Jade. "Well, looks like Hazel finally pulled her head out of her ass," she said with a grin, dropping herself onto Jade's lap.
"Seems that way," Jade chuckled, wrapping her arms around Kit. Respecting the other women's privacy, she gently kissed her girlfriend. "Good for them," she murmured softly into the kiss.
As Elora pulled back from the kiss, her gaze locked with Hazel’s. "Thanks for getting everything," she said with a playful giggle, "I could get used to this. I think s’mores and specifically chocolate will be my favorite dessert from now on."
"Mine too,” Hazel replied with a big grin as her eyes found Elora’s lips again. "We should probably go to bed soon before it gets too cold." She mumbled and glanced towards their tent, trying to keep her mind off of kissing the woman.
Elora bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right, but I'll clean up around here first, then meet you in the tent," she replied. "Keep it nice and warm for me?" she added, her smile soft but a little playful.
"I don't know how I could keep it warm for you. I don't have a heater or anything, but I can try and lay the blankets down in a more comfortable way if that would help." Hazel offered.
"Just lay in them, and it'll warm up for both of us," Elora said with a smile, kissing the girl's cheek before moving to the improvised kitchen to tidy up for the night.
"Hold on... you never told us how your hike went," Jade called to Hazel as she passed by.
"Oh, it went well, we kissed,” Hazel answered proudly, not really considering she didn't need to share that part.
"Oh yeah, I can definitely see that... you two looked pretty cozy while cooking and just now," Jade said with a playful smile, kissing Kit’s shoulder and giving Hazel a knowing look.
"Yeah, I like her." Hazel beamed, and Kit smiled proudly as she snuggled back into Jade's arms, happy it seemed like Hazel had somebody who would treat her right.
“Good on you, Haze! She’s a rare catch—hot and kind!" Jade praised, pulling Kit in tighter, making sure Kit knew she felt the same way about her.
"No, she's actually really cold; that's why she wants me to go try and warm up the blankets, but you're right, she is very kind. I think she's very special." Hazel answered with a dreamy smile.
Kit giggled at Hazel's misunderstanding but said nothing, enjoying seeing her sister so happy.
Jade nodded with a grin. “I’m sure you’ll keep her warm,” she teased, then leaned closer to Kit’s ear and whispered, “She’ll figure it out soon enough. I mean, how could she not?” Her lips brushed Kit’s neck in a playful kiss, and Kit giggled.
"I hope so, being cold sucks.” Hazel answered, completely oblivious, "I'm gonna go try to warm up the blankets now. Good night." She waved and headed to her tent.
Kit shook her head as she watched her sister walk off. "Maybe, but I don't think she thinks in those terms." She replied softly, closing her eyes and just relaxing against Jade.
“Maybe not, but she’s totally whipped, right?” Jade murmured from where she was still nuzzling Kit’s neck, playfully nipping at the soft skin.
Kit sighed and nodded. "She didn’t have the same chances to get close to people like we did... so yeah, I guess she is. I just hope it’s not just excitement from all this being new to her." She voiced her concerns, feeling a bit conflicted. Jade hummed in response, but deep down, she was convinced Hazel was genuinely falling for Elora.
~
Elora worked quickly, moving around the campsite with precision, cleaning up every last scrap from dinner, the smile on her face only getting bigger with each step. She didn't say a word, but the energy she gave off was clear: she was ready to retreat for the night. Once the camp was all set, she approached Kit and Jade by the fire.“Everything’s put away for the night. I know you won’t forget to douse the fire, so... goodnight.” She flashed a quick smile, turning on her heel and heading swiftly towards her tent.
“Night, Elora,” Kit called in a sing-song tone.
“Yeah, night, don’t let the bed bugs bite; I hope your covers are warm,” Jade called and giggled into Kit’s chest.
"Shhh, Hazel will hear you and get paranoid." Kit shushed in an amused tone, giggling right along with Jade as she watched Elora disappear into the tent.
~
“Hazey?” Elora called as she entered the tent and zipped it.
"Yes?" Hazel answered, popping her head out from under the covers
“There you are, handsome. Were you sleeping?” Elora asked as she quickly removed her shoes and joined Hazel under the covers.
"No, I was trying to warm up the covers for you... figured I had a better chance if I was all the way under." Hazel explained with a winning smile, basking in the fact Elora called her handsome again.
Elora smirked at the girl’s straightforward response, nodding. "Oh good, ‘cause it got super chilly out there after you left," she murmured while tucking herself in. Subtly, she scooted closer, craving the warmth but hesitant to push for more, not wanting to assume they’d cuddle.
"I don't think I had anything to do with that, but I'm sorry you got colder,” Hazel replied and gave the woman a curious look. "Did you want me to hold you again?" She asked carefully.
"Well, I am cold," Elora muttered, shuddering and shifting closer, trying to steal more warmth. She shot Hazel a playful glance, trying to make it clear she wouldn’t mind if things got a little cozier.
"That's a yes, then, right?" Hazel asked, wanting to be sure.
“Mhm. That’s a yes if you want to keep me warm,” Elora said, smiling softly as she looked at the girl. Her eyes searched for any hesitation or discomfort, not wanting to push things if Hazel felt uneasy.
"Yeah, I do." Hazel gave the woman a quick smile and made a motion for her to turn over.
Elora nodded, her thoughts drifting back to the moment she'd already decided to immortalize in her journal—the s’more kiss. "Before we sleep, I was thinking... how about you give me a goodnight kiss? Make it our little tradition," she said, her voice soft and unsure, allowing her vulnerability to show as she eagerly awaited Hazel's response.
Licking her lips nervously, Hazel gave the woman a worried look. "What if... " She paused."I don't want to...." She trailed off and frowned, knowing she wasn't expressing herself correctly but finding it difficult to construct a proper sentence, her thoughts and feelings too jumbled to untangle.
Elora paused, giving Hazel a searching look, waiting and observing carefully to understand if Hazel was rejecting the idea or if her hesitation meant something else. “You don’t want to? She asked gently, her voice full of understanding. “What if... what if what? Are you worried about getting overwhelmed?” Elora continued, carefully choosing her words, aware that speaking slowly might help Hazel process her thoughts without feeling rushed. She knew Hazel often overthought situations, focusing on potential consequences.
Thankful, Elora found the words she couldn't. Hazel nodded quickly. "Mhm."
Elora let out a soft breath, feeling a sense of relief. “It’s just a quick peck,” she said with a smile. “If you're okay with it, we can make it a little tradition every night we’re together. And when we're apart, we can send each other goodnight texts with kiss emojis.”
"Ok, but I like kissing you,” Hazel replied as though that explained her concerns. "A lot." She added with extra emphasis.
Elora giggled, not something she was accustomed to but something she found herself doing often around Hazel. “Is that so?” she teased with a cheeky smirk. “Goodnight kisses are supposed to be chaste. They won’t overwhelm you,” she smiled.
"I'm sorry, I don't think I'm clear on what chaste means, and you don't know that. I could because I like having what I like." Hazel explained in the best way she knew how having never learned how to express herself fully, the fear of getting in trouble or messing up caused her to doubt herself more than she already naturally did.
“I know you do, babe,” Elora said with a warm smile. “But I got you to relax out there, didn’t I?” she asked with a knowing look. “A chaste kiss is just a quick peck like this,” she said, giving Hazel’s hand a tender kiss.
Swallowing hard, Hazel nodded. "I guess so, yeah." She relented and looked down. "Thing is..." She started and stopped, blushing a little despite the dark. "It's like if I get one bite of a cookie, I want to finish the whole thing ‘cause it was really good, and when it's gone, it's gone, but with you... " She trailed off and cringed, not sure if she was making sense or not.
Elora nodded. “The cookie is always available,” she said with a knowing smile. “And you don’t want to stop eating,” she finished the metaphor for Hazel.
Sighing deeply, Hazel nodded and looked down. "There's no natural stopping point; it makes me confused. I like it, but I don't like it." She muttered.
“There is a bit of a natural stopping point when you need to breathe,” Elora spoke softly and smiled, “but those are things you'll learn in time.” She added, brushing Hazel’s hair out of her eyes affectionately.
"No, breathing is more like chewing. The natural stopping point with a cookie is when it's all gone." Hazel explained her logic.
“You can’t eat my lips,” Elora joked, chuckling at her own ridiculous comment. Sensing that she might be pushing Hazel’s boundaries, she quickly continued, “As for the other stopping point… well, we’re not there yet, so I’m not sure.” She observed Hazel, trying not to think about the potential implications of the conversation.
"No, I don't want to eat..." Hazel trailed off with an exasperated sigh. "Forget it; I don't know how to explain it correctly." She huffed and turned her back on Elora.
“Sounds like you want to do more than kissing; that's what I meant,” Elora said quietly, trying to understand the woman’s mindset.
"No, I like kissing. I don't want more, but I need it to have a natural stopping point because kissing you... it's very confusing for me... I can't stop thinking about it. All day, every time we stopped, I didn't want to. I know we had to, but it always felt unfinished, and I don't like unfinished things." Hazel grumbled, twisting the blankets in front of her in agitation.
Elora considered Hazel’s words and asked, “If you were to finalize it, how would you go about it?”
"I don't know, that's the whole point. I can't make sense of it." Hazel flipped back over to face Elora. "It's hard for me when I can't make sense of something."
“Then let’s try finding a finishing point,” Elora suggested gently, hoping her calm tone would ease Hazel’s concerns.
"I think that could help." Hazel agreed as she tried to figure out the woman's tone.
“We can start by defining what a goodnight kiss is: a quick peck, just one, with a closed mouth. For other kisses, we’ll experiment and set limits in a very scientific way. What do you think?” Elora proposed, deliberately using the word ‘limits’ to catch Hazel’s attention.
“So, rules? I like rules." Hazel agreed with a big smile, finding instant relief in having clear parameters. "So, now you want a good night kiss? So just one quick one and, then, that's all right?" She asked, cementing the rule into her mind.
“Yes, rules,” Elora agreed, smiling contentedly. “Just one kiss, and then I’ll turn away so you can keep me warm while we sleep.” She made sure Hazel was comfortable with the plan.
"Ok, tell me when you're ready, and I'll kiss you,” Hazel replied simply.
Elora sighed and smiled, taking in the sight of Hazel in the soft light. “I’m so ready,” she said softly.
"Cool, me too." Hazel smiled and leaned forward just enough to give the woman a small, chaste kiss. “Goodnight, Elora,” she spoke softly.
"Goodnight, Hazel," Elora whispered, turning around and nestling into the perfect position for Hazel to wrap her arms around her, a smile tugging at her lips.
"I like you." Hazel sighed as she pulled the woman close, snuggling right up to her back, drifting off to sleep content and warmer than the night before.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, leave us a comment, and help us know how we are doing.
Chapter 23: Chapter 23
Summary:
Hazel does research, events, Jade and Sorsha have a talk, a domestic moment and plot twist?
Notes:
Hey guys, so sorry for the horribly long wait time for this update. Still traveling a lot and dealing with family and other things, but I swear I never stopped editing LOL. Fair warning, this chapter is formatted differently than normal. Let us know if makes reading easier or harder. If it improves readability I might stick with it, but if it doesn't matter or makes it worse I'll go back to the old format. Just thought I'd try something new, since I'm still learning what works and what doesn't :). Thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoy the chapter. - Ghostwriter
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Graphic credits goes to - jaded_maven
The next day Hazel made short work of packing up her stuff and helping everybody else with theirs, eager to get home and get ready for her Monday with Elora.
As soon as they entered the apartment, she made a beeline for her room and shut herself inside, fully intending to stay there for the rest of the day.
Knowing Hazel had her own unique routines, Kit didn't think much of it until a couple of hours had gone by with not so much as a peep from the other room.
Starting to get worried, Kit decided to make them both a snack and check on her sister.
“Hazel. Open up. I made us some food,” She called, knocking on the door.
At the sound of her sister's voice, Hazel huffed and paused the movie she was watching.
"I'm not hungry." She called back, tapping her pencil on her notepad idily.
“You gotta eat; you haven’t eaten anything since this morning; what’s going on? Let me help you.”
Kit waited, silently imploring Hazel to open the door, knowing her sister had the tendency not to notice basic needs, like hunger or tiredness, when she got focused on something. She was also worried Elora might have done something to upset her.
If Danan hurt her, I will kick that woman’s ass all the way to next year.
Hazel rolled her eyes at the worried tone of Kit's voice, thinking her sister was being dramatic.
"Well, I don't feel hungry,"
Kit shook her head, not the least bit surprised by the answer or the sassy tone.
“Yeah, it’s called hyperfocus. Now you should come open the door; I got delicious food and water; you can’t let yourself get dehydrated."
Kit used her sweetest tone, trying to appeal to Hazel's sensible side.
"Please let me in?”
"Oh my god, If I eat, will you leave me alone?" Hazel huffed and got up, tossing her pencil onto the bed and marching over to the door.
As the door swung open, Kit startled back and held up the plates with a sheepish smile, very aware of Hazel's foul mood.
“Yes, I'll leave you alone as soon as you tell me what you're doing that's stopping you from eating!”
Kit tried to look around the door to figure out what Hazel had been up to.
Seeing what Kit was doing, Hazel gave her an exasperated look and pulled the door closer to her shoulders to keep her sister from snooping, earning a disgruntled sound from Kit.
"I'm busy," she stated firmly, taking one of the plates. The moment she caught a whiff of the food, a small pang of hunger hit her.
Her expression turned guilty.
"Thank you, though," she muttered quietly.
"You're welcome." Kit nodded and instantly took advantage of the shift in Hazel's mood, shouldering past the older girl and stepping into the room, ignoring the growl of frustration Hazel let out.
"Busy with what exactly?"
Hazel shook her head. She knew there was no point in trying to kick her sister out, so she made her way over to the desk to eat, wanting to avoid getting crumbs on her bed.
"Research," She answered simply, motioning towards the stack of romantic movies she had piled up on the media center.
“Research on…?” Kit asked, glancing curiously at the pile of titles.
“Are you writing a screenplay?” she added, eyeing her sister carefully.
“No... I'm taking notes. You had all of these 'romantic' movies, and I thought it would be useful to get some information for my first city date with Elora,” Hazel explained between bites.
“I want to do it right,” she added with a shrug.
Kit nodded, suppressing a smile at Hazel’s wholesome answer, and observed her sister for a moment. She wanted to ask what Hazel was most concerned about but hesitated, not wanting to say something that might make her feel like a child or put her on the defensive. Instead, Kit opted to keep the conversation light and casual.
“What have you learned so far?” She asked curiously.
Eager to share her discoveries, Hazel held up a finger, quickly finished her next bite, then got up to grab her notepad off the bed, flipping to the first page.
"First, girls seem to like to get flowers or chocolate. I don't know what Elora would like, so I've decided on both,” Hazel began, reading off her list of bullet points.
“Second, I should take her somewhere memorable because first dates should be memorable…” She continued, about to elaborate, before the next point caught her eye.
“Oh, and people like to touch the other person's face when they kiss, so I need to learn how to do that... maybe it'll make it better." She concluded and shrugged, looking up at Kit.
"Do I have it right so far?"
Kit smiled at Hazel's obvious excitement and nodded.
“Yes, you're not wrong. Location can be important, and even I like flowers. They're not a need, but they’re nice." Kit paused, watching as Hazel started taking notes.
“Don’t sweat it about holding her face. Holding her waist or playing with the hair on the back of her neck is also a good way to impress,” she continued, as Hazel nodded along studiously, jotting everything down.
“So you’re nervous, huh? Kit inquired gently, hoping Hazel would open up more.
Looking up from her notes, Hazel gave a small nod. "I am a little nervous, but my research is helping."
She looked back down, reading over what Kit had said.
"So you said I should touch her neck—that seems weird. I can try, but as you know, I don't like touching much, so we'll see."
She sighed and continued to stare at her list.
Hazel's nerves were palpable. Kit knew how scary new things were for her, especially with the potential for judgment. But she also believed Hazel was more than capable of rising to almost any occasion.
Even as children, Hazel would often have meltdowns and run away from things that frightened her. Yet, when push came to shove, she always found a way to make things work.
"You're gonna do great. If you're not comfortable touching her neck, you don't have to—it's not a requirement. The best thing you can do is ask her what she likes."
Kit advised with a reassuring smile as Hazel looked back up, briefly meeting her eyes.
"Thank you, that's helpful," Hazel muttered, casting her eyes back down and jotting down the new information.
"You're welcome. Now, have you decided where you're taking her?” Kit asked curiously
Hazel shrugged, shifting her attention to the list of possible date locations.
"I know she wants to go to a scary movie and dinner, but I think I want to take her to the aquarium first because the first time we really talked after everything, we talked about jellyfish, and she mentioned going to the aquarium, so I think maybe it would be a good choice."
She reasoned and looked up at her sister expectantly, looking for any sign she might be on the wrong track.
Hazel's tendency to rush her thoughts together when nervous was one of the few things Kit noted she and her sister had in common. However, she refrained from pointing it out, knowing it would only upset Hazel further.
“That’s genius! Great job, Hazey.” Kit praised, genuinely happy for her sister. Hazel beamed in response and began checking things off in her notebook.
There was a time when Kit would have thought Hazel's tendency to take notes was the nerdiest thing she'd ever seen. But as the years had passed without her sister by her side, she'd come to miss it and now looked at it with nothing but fondness.
“What kind of food are you thinking?” Kit continued, looking for any areas where Hazel might need her help.
Hazel continued making quick checkmarks next to the things she'd told Kit about as a reminder that they were good choices. Then, she looked up, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"I don't know yet. After I'm done with these movies, I was gonna text her and ask what her favorite food is and take her somewhere that serves it," she answered with a shrug.
"Sounds like you don't need my help; you have it all figured out. " Kit grinned.
"Thanks... Oh, that reminds me," Hazel said, her expression shifting. "Mom promised she's gonna give me access to her bank account soon, but until then, could I borrow a credit card? I promise I'll pay you back."
She hesitated, looking down for a moment before continuing. "I mean, I'd use my own if Jade would give me back my debit card, but unless you can convince her, I don't have my money," Hazel grumbled, giving Kit a hopeful look.
"Of course, you can use mine," Kit agreed happily. "Also, remember, we're having dinner at Ballantine’s this week, so no making second-date plans for Friday."
Kit wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, fully aware that Hazel wouldn’t want to wait too long for that second date.
"Oh right, got it, thanks." Hazel nodded and made another note.
She had missed having a physical notepad to write in. Digital notes worked, but they didn’t have the same satisfying effect, and she found things became clearer to her when she had to physically write them out.
"Now, can you tell me why you do that funny thing with your eyebrows? I do it sometimes, but I don’t think I actually know what it means."
Kit chuckled at Hazel's quick shift from concentrated focus to curious and expectant.
“Well, it usually means something like…” Kit paused, trying to find the right words.
“Remember when we were kids and people sang the kissing song? Well, it's kind of the adult version of that,” she explained in the best way she could.
"Oh... I didn't like the kissing song, but good to know." Hazel nodded and made another quick note, frowning deeply as she scratched that off her list of facial expressions.
“Well, you can use that to tease someone too. It doesn’t mean just one thing,” Kit quickly clarified, realizing she might not have explained it correctly.
"Oh," Hazel muttered and quickly re-wrote it, circling it with a question mark and making a little notation beside it to remind herself it could be used under certain circumstances.
“Hazel, it’s going to be fun. Elora is smitten by you,” Kit reassured, wishing she could ease her sister's nerves once and for all.
Hazel sighed and moved to sit on the end of the bed, folding her legs under her and resting the pad of paper on her lap.
"I know it might be fun, but I don't want to mess up," she admitted, looking at the TV. "I know most people my age are more advanced, and she's dated a lot of people. What if she thinks I'm too backward for her? Or stupid?"
She asked quietly, staring at the couple frozen on the screen in so-called romantic bliss, smiling lovingly at each other.
Kit followed her sister's gaze and sighed, wishing Hazel wouldn't compare herself to fiction. She wanted to say something but knew better than to interrupt before Hazel had completed a thought.
"She might not yet, but if I mess up too often, she might change her mind," Hazel continued quietly, thinking about how much more sure and confident everybody looked in the movies, while she didn't understand or like half the things she saw.
Romantic gestures made very little sense to her in the grand scheme of things. Flowers would just bring bugs and eventually die; chocolates were nice, but she didn't see why it was considered romantic.
Candles were a fire hazard, and she didn't even want to venture a guess as to why people threw rose petals on their beds.
"Hazel... movies and TV aren't real. They might give you a general idea of what to do in some situations, like your date idea, but beyond that, they aren't realistic."
Kit spoke gently, doing her best not to make Hazel feel like all of her 'research' had been for nothing. "People are flawed; nothing ever goes perfectly. The best we can do is try."
She watched Hazel frown in thought. "Look, like I said before, Elora likes you. Just treat her kindly and be yourself, and everything will go fine."
She concluded in a comforting tone.
Hazel nodded, processing everything Kit had told her for a few moments before responding.
"Thanks... I guess it's all just new." She sighed and stared at the notebook in her hands, hoping her sister was right.
It felt strange hearing somebody tell her to be herself. Being herself was the last thing she'd been taught to be, but Kit had sounded so sure of herself. It made Hazel almost think it wouldn't be such a bad thing.
“I get that; everybody gets nervous in new situations." Kit smiled and sat down next to Hazel. "Now tell me, how do you plan to end the night?” She asked curiously, observing her sister.
Hazel was often hard to read. The deep frown she wore could indicate any number of things, from concentration or anger to frustration, and sometimes even curiosity.
"With a goodnight kiss," Hazel answered and bit her lip in thought, her expression becoming more animated. "Well, actually, I'll have to ask her about that. Because if we're not going to sleep, I'm not sure if it counts as a goodnight kiss. We might have to make up a new one."
She rambled, jotting down another note and flipping the page.
Kit raised her eyebrows, struggling not to interrogate her sister to figure out what she was talking about, but decided it was something that might be better left for Elora to talk to her about.
“Sounds like a good plan.” She smiled.
"Good, because I don't have much time to try and think of another one." Hazel shrugged, her eyes catching the TV again, reminding her she hadn't finished her research.
"Ok, I've eaten; you can go now," she dismissed abruptly, picking up the remote and motioning for Kit to leave.
Kit would have been offended and snapped back angrily If it had been anybody else, but she was slowly starting to re-learn her sister's quirks. She knew Hazel wasn't trying to be rude; she was simply stating a fact, but she did wish Hazel had asked her to stay instead.
“Ok, but leave the door open so I can bring you popcorn,” She replied kindly as she started for the door, hoping snacks might be enough to get Hazel to agree for her to come back and possibly invite her to stay.
"I don't like popcorn; it smells like feet and gets stuck in my teeth," Hazel replied bluntly, staring at the TV, her finger hovering over the play button, waiting for Kit to leave.
Kit narrowed her eyes a bit, realizing it wasn't going to be easy to get an invite to join Hazel.
“Okay, I’ll bring you a different snack. Can't have you weak on your date,” she joked, doing her best to stall, hoping Hazel would realize it could be fun to watch movies together.
Frowning, Hazel looked at Kit. “The date isn’t ‘til tomorrow, and I already ate. You brought me food,” she reminded her, tilting her head slightly.
“You aren’t leaving, are you? Is it because you don’t want to?” she asked curiously, picking up on her sister’s odd behavior.
Taking Hazel's question as an invitation, Kit immediately ran back and plopped down on her stomach next to her on the bed.
“Yes, I could keep you company,” she answered enthusiastically, resting her hands under her chin and staring at the TV.
She hoped Hazel would just hit play and not ask any more questions, afraid the older girl would change her mind.
Hazel shook her head at Kit's antics and scooted back to lean against the headboard, leaving her sister at the end of the bed alone.
"Why didn't you just say that? You know it's easier for me if you tell me what you want," she reminded her before hitting play.
"You're right; I'm sorry. I should have just asked to join you," Kit agreed, looking back at Hazel.
"Forgive me?" she asked sweetly.
Hazel rolled her eyes.
"Watch the TV, Kit," she ordered, barely containing an amused smile.
“Awesome! Yes, let’s dive into that research,” Kit agreed with a smile, turning her attention back to the TV, thrilled her sister didn't send her away.
"You're so weird," Hazel muttered, shooting her sister a fond look.
She then focused on the TV again, secretly happy to have Kit with her.
~
The next day, Jade paced from one side of her expansive office to the next. While Kit was still technically on vacation, she had agreed to start doing events again, and this would be the last day before Jade was officially back on duty as her security.
She had weighed her options carefully, debating whether she should do this or not.
As the day wore on, she felt like it was necessary. Now, all that was left for her to do was bite the bullet—so to speak—and get it over with.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened out her blouse, smoothed down any imperfections in her flawlessly tailored suit, and held her head high before exiting the comfort of her office and making her way up to the biggest one in the building.
Her confident stride and professional air masked her crackling nerves perfectly.
To an outsider, she would appear like the picture of confidence, while on the inside, she was little more than a scared teenager about to present herself to the chopping block. She wondered if those who knew her best would be able to sense her nerves. She hoped not.
Approaching the assistant desk, Jade gave a small, polite nod and asked if Sorsha was in.
It felt ridiculous waiting on a formality to speak to a woman she'd known almost her entire life. So, as the woman picked up the phone, Jade waved her off and strode down the hall before she lost the courage.
She gave two quick knocks before turning the long handle and peeking her head in. Thankfully, Sorsha was alone at her desk, glasses perched on the end of her nose as she looked up from the paperwork she'd been going over.
"May I come in, ma'am?" Jade sounded small, even to her own ears. She inwardly cringed.
Sorsha nodded and motioned for the woman to come in.
"The door's always open for you, unless someone's in here with me, Jade. You know that."
She took off her glasses and waited. She had a feeling she knew what this was about.
"Right. Yes," Jade said, walking in a little stiffer than usual, adjusting her blazer for the tenth time in the last five minutes.
She felt a little silly. She knew that had always been the rule with Sorsha; she never failed to make time for her girls.
Jade took larger steps, trying to cover the distance in the shortest time possible and hopefully end her humiliation.
She paused as she reached the desk, her mind searching for anything to say.
"How... how’s your day been?" she asked in a silly attempt at small talk.
Quirking a knowing eyebrow at the woman she knew like a daughter, Sorsha motioned for her to take a seat.
"It's been fine, but I know you didn't come here to make small talk... what's on your mind?"
"Oh good, good, that’s good," Jade replied uneasily, her nerves ticking up a notch under Sorsha's watchful gaze.
Deciding she wasn't being rational, Jade took a deep breath, taking a moment to center herself and find her words.
"Kit comes back tomorrow," she spoke as she took a seat in front of Sorsha, her nerves under control for the moment.
"Yes." Sorsha acknowledged and watched Jade closely, trying to determine where her line of thinking was going.
"If this is about your position, Jade. I'm sure Hazel will take over for Kit as soon as we get the legal issues sorted, and then it won't be a problem, but until then, you'll oversee my security, and you can appoint somebody else to Kit."
Jade nodded, acutely aware of her temporary demotion.
"Yes, ma’am," she replied softly, pulling an envelope from her jacket and sliding it across the desk.
"That’s taken care of; I made the decision over the weekend," she nodded toward the envelope, which resembled a resignation letter more than an assignment memorandum.
For the first time since entering the room, her tone carried its usual confidence.
Tapping her fingers against the letter thoughtfully, Sorsha watched Jade for a moment before speaking.
"I'm trusting you with my life, Jade, just as I’ve trusted you with hers. You mustn't forget that here, I hold a higher position than Kit," she said, raising a knowing eyebrow.
"This isn't a demotion. This is me making room for the two of you to be together without any talk of conflict of interest," she concluded with a smile.
Jade nodded, feeling a bit emotional at the way Sorsha protected her.
She cleared her throat and composed herself before speaking again.
“That’s actually what I came here to discuss with you, ma’am,” she said in a serious tone, doing her best to sound professional.
"I'm listening." Sorsha leaned back in her chair, waiting for Jade to continue.
"Okay, first off, Kit will kill me if she finds out I did this. But I feel it’s important to be upfront with you, considering... past events."
Jade looked down, guilt washing over her as she caught Sorsha’s raised eyebrow.
She would never forgive herself for not double-checking who occupied the adjacent room that night.
Shaking her head to clear her mind, she looked back up with renewed determination.
"Ma'am, I love your daughter very much. I always have. I wanted to let you know that I officially asked her to be my girlfriend over the weekend."
She concluded, bracing herself for any potential scolding.
"It's about time," Sorsha said with a smile, shaking her head.
"Also, if you want to keep any secrets, I might suggest being cautious around Hazel." She smirked.
Hazel was many things, but discreet wasn’t one of them.
“Hazel?” Jade asked, a bit confused.
“What did Hazel say? And When?”
"Nearly as soon as you all got back to town yesterday. Apparently, she couldn't sleep much that first night... wild animals or something of that nature." Sorsha raised an eyebrow at Jade, clearly amused.
"It seems she's also quite fond of the doctor," she added casually.
Jade's blush nearly matched her hair color.
“Well, yes, coyotes or something,” she joked with an uneasy smile, shifting uncomfortably in her seat under Sorsha's amused gaze.
“As for Hazel and Elora, they're getting along well. I'm not sure of the details, but I'm confident she'll keep you updated,” she added quickly, never one to spill her protectees’ secrets, even if said protectee was a little snitch.
She made a mental note to have a word with Hazel.
"Of that, I have no doubt," Sorsha laughed.
"While I find it noble that you're trying to protect what you think are her secrets, I can assure you they aren’t. I received a full rundown of their very first 'camping' date, and apparently, tomorrow is their first official 'city' date." She shook her head, thoroughly amused.
“What? Kit and I didn’t even get a report!” Jade laughed, finally feeling at ease with the woman again.
"No? Well, I am her mother, so that might have something to do with it," Sorsha replied, unable to suppress a beaming smile.
Realizing that Hazel wanted to share things with her—things she didn’t even share with Kit or Jade—made her feel special, as though Hazel was welcoming her back into her rightful role.
“I’m happy for you, Sorsha.” Jade smiled at Sorsha's obvious glee; her bright smile was a welcome sight after the many years of sadness they’d all endured.
“Just to wrap up our original topic: now that you know about us, Kit and I will be sitting down with the PR team tomorrow to discuss how they want to handle our relationship.” She added with a sigh, feeling a pang of guilt for how nervous she had been.
"I guess I didn’t have to button my jacket or be scared, huh?”
Sorsha shook her head, standing up to walk around the desk as she motioned for Jade to come in for a hug.
“I’ve watched you grow up, Jade. I’ve always loved you as part of the family; this is no different.”
She spoke warmly, pulling away and gripping Jade's shoulders tightly.
“But when it comes to matters involving my daughter... let’s just say a healthy amount of fear is a good thing.” She added, winking playfully.
Jade chuckled nervously and nodded. “Understood. I’m on my way out, so I’ll let you wrap up your day.”
She took a moment to gather her thoughts before adding, “I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early, Sorsha. Thank you for your support.”
"Of course, dear. Thank you for telling me; I appreciate it."
She smiled and returned to her desk to continue pouring over paperwork. "Now go enjoy your evening. I’ll see you tomorrow."
~
Later that afternoon, Hazel stood in front of Elora's door, trying to figure out how to knock with both hands occupied.
Huffing in frustration, she finally decided to set one item down before rapping her knuckles against the door in a familiar pattern.
She counted out four thumps and repeated the pattern once more, then quickly picked up the discarded item and thrust it behind her back, keeping it hidden from view.
Rocking on her heels, she waited for the door to open. It was a miracle she wasn't late after changing her outfit no less than ten times.
In her anxious state, none of them had felt right against her hypersensitive skin.
After finally accepting nothing would fit perfectly, she settled on the least offensive option: a pair of relaxed-fitting black jeans with a matching t-shirt and button-up overshirt. Something simple that she didn't have to think too hard about, but dressy enough to show she'd made an effort.
She was so lost in thought, mentally rehearsing what she'd say and do when the door opened, that she almost missed the moment it did.
There, standing in the open doorway under the soft glow of the late afternoon sun, Elora looked radiant in tight blue jeans and a large, comfy-looking cashmere sweater.
Hazel instantly had the urge to run her fingers over the fabric but refrained.
She tightened her grip on the items in her hands, reminding herself to keep them hidden, and offered a sheepish smile instead.
“Hi,” Elora said in a breathy tone as her eyes feasted on the sight of her girlfriend.
“You look great, handsome. Come on in, I just need my purse,” she added, catching Hazel off guard with a quick kiss to the cheek before walking back into the house.
It took Hazel a moment to snap out of her dazed state long enough to realize she was supposed to follow.
"Thank you, you look nice too," she replied in a distracted tone as she stepped into the house, her eyes immediately landing on the soft-looking couch she’d noticed the last time she visited.
She could just imagine how buttery it would feel under her fingers.
Realizing she was zoning out again, Hazel winced and shook her head, silently reminding herself not to be weird. She forced her focus back on Elora, anxious to give her the gifts she was hiding.
Keeping her hands behind her back was getting uncomfortable.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Elora said, closing the door and turning toward Hazel, a smile spreading across her face at the way Hazel physically jolted back, her hands still hidden behind her like a child caught trying to steal cookies from the jar.
“You can relax, babe; I’m not a drill sergeant,” she added playfully.
Blinking, Hazel frowned, wondering why Elora was bringing that up.
"I didn't think you were. I only said you sounded like one because you were counting out our steps. But I know you're a doctor," she assured, shaking her head to dismiss any thoughts that might sidetrack her.
"Here, these are for you." She abruptly thrust a bouquet of flowers at Elora, watching to see if they were well received and taking mental notes.
Elora's smile widened, melting at the sight of the vibrant flowers.
“Oh, Hazey… they’re beautiful! I really like them!” she gushed, taking the flowers with genuine excitement and pressing them to her nose, inhaling their light, sweet scent.
Noting the positive reaction, Hazel nodded and gave a small, relieved smile.
"You should put them in water now. They've been with me for over thirty minutes and haven't been able to drink. They'll probably die in a week anyway, but if you don't water them, they'll die way faster," she explained in a nervous rush, her words tumbling together until she was nearly tripping over them.
Elora giggled at her girlfriend's obvious nerves, finding it unbelievably endearing.
"Yes, and I know the perfect place for them. Follow me." She motioned and headed into the kitchen, where she found the perfect vase.
Leaning against the counter, Hazel watched as Elora arranged the flowers delicately.
She enjoyed how cheerful the woman always was—it wasn't a sight she was used to with the people she'd grown up around.
"While we're here..." Hazel trailed off, waiting until Elora looked at her before presenting the box of chocolates she'd been hiding.
Elora smiled widely at the sight and stopped fiddling with the flowers.
She was about to say how excited she was, but before she could get any words out, Hazel started talking again, her eyes darting all over the room anxiously.
"Almost every movie I saw made it seem like women like getting chocolates, so I thought you might like these. Also, I don't know if you have any allergies, so please don't get upset with me if a few of them aren't good for you, or even if maybe all of them aren't. But I'm pretty sure you aren't allergic to chocolate, because I've seen you eat it, so here." She shook the box a little to encourage Elora to take it.
Despite her effort to show how much she cared, her nervous energy made her tone come out flat and rushed, which contrasted with the wide range of animated expressions she was making as she described her thought process.
Elora’s smile only grew as Hazel peeked at her from the corner of her eye.
"You bought me flowers and chocolates? Baby! That’s so sweet! I love it. Thank you!" she exclaimed, taking the chocolates and hugging Hazel, who stiffened a little in her arms.
"Some are dark chocolate, so they might not be very sweet," Hazel warned, misunderstanding.
"But you're welcome," she added, pulling away without returning the hug.
"It's not a good time for me. Can we hug later? I feel a little sick, and it makes it hard for me to be touched or to touch."
She explained, looking down guiltily.
Elora observed Hazel with concern, feeling bad for potentially overstepping her girlfriend's boundaries.
“Yeah, of course, I'm sorry! Do we need to cancel? We can absolutely postpone if you’re not feeling well,” she assured, taking a step back.
"Also, I just meant it was a sweet gesture—I wasn't referring to the chocolates. But I do love both dark and milk chocolate, and I promise I will enjoy these,” she added, smiling at the box of chocolates in her hand, thinking about how thoughtful her girlfriend was.
"Oh, right," Hazel mumbled, looking down and frowning.
"Do you not want to go?" she asked quietly, fidgeting with her fingers as she considered the possibility that Elora was offering not to go because she didn’t want to.
She worried she might have come on too strong and scared Elora off. It wouldn’t surprise her; she often talked too much in an effort to account for everything. To the point where it usually irritated people. She hated that about herself, but she just wanted to make up for her shortcomings.
Elora longed to reach out, still Hazel's nervous hands, and kiss the frown from her perfect face, offering the reassurance she clearly needed. But she knew that might only make things worse, so she kept her distance instead.
“No, I want to go. I’ve been looking forward to it all day, in fact. But you said you’re not feeling well...” She trailed off, furrowing her brow in thought as she observed Hazel’s mannerisms more closely.
“Are you just nervous?” she asked gently, tilting her head to catch Hazel’s eye. “Walk with me; I need to put these in their place.” She grabbed the vase of flowers and started walking toward the den, with Hazel trailing a small distance behind, lost in thought.
"Yes, maybe. You've made me sick before," Hazel finally replied, shrugging to herself as she followed Elora into what looked like an office—a very put-together one.
She smiled as she took in how organized the space was—not a single thing out of place, just like the office she had visited a couple of times before. But this one felt more homey. It wasn’t that she expected anything different, but seeing it made her relax a little, finding comfort in the calm and lack of chaos.
Letting her eyes settle on Elora, she watched as the woman set the vase on her desk and grinned at the flowers. It warmed her heart to know she had helped put that smile on her girlfriend's face.
“Well, you make me nervous too, but the good kind,” Elora chuckled, glancing back at Hazel. She wasn’t bothered by Hazel’s way of phrasing things—she understood her.
However, she did sometimes worry about how others might misinterpret Hazel's way of communicating.
“These are going by my bed,” Elora added, tapping the box of chocolates with a playful grin. “Come on up with me.” She invited, heading toward the stairs and pausing at the base to turn and face Hazel.
"Before I forget, I want you to know that while I think I understood what you meant, there are better ways to phrase it. Saying, ‘You make me sick’ doesn’t sound very nice. It makes it seem like I disgust you, and unless I’m misunderstanding, I don’t think that’s what you meant, right?" she asked gently.
Hazel frowned and shook her head adamantly, horrified that her words had come across that way.
"No, I meant when I see you sometimes, I get sick," she explained, her frown deepening. She knew it didn’t sound quite right, but it was exactly how she felt.
“Well, can you say you get nervous or anxious instead?” Elora suggested with an amused smile.
“If you tell your mom I make you sick, she might not like us hanging out,” she teased as they started climbing the stairs.
"I did tell her; she just laughed," Hazel shrugged. "I guess I can say nervous, but I wasn’t sure if that was right."
She frowned thoughtfully. Emotions were so confusing.
Elora laughed, imagining that conversation. “Don’t look at the mess,” she said as they entered her room.
She placed the chocolates on the bedside table next to her book and phone charger—her idea of a mess—before heading to the walk-in closet in the bathroom to grab her purse and long coat.
“Nothing looks messy to me, other than that robe being out of place,” Hazel called, her tone reassuring as she admired the rustic decor, starting with the chair the robe was draped over and moving to the large ornate vanity beside it.
She found it to be an interesting switch from the semi-modern look of the living room area.
"I like your house; it's very nice... you decorate well," she continued, eyeing possibly the largest bed she'd ever seen, complete with tall bedposts.
She smiled to herself as she imagined putting fabric over them and making a cozy fort.
“Thank you. Feel free to come over whenever,” Elora said, returning to the bedroom.
“The full tour will have to wait until next time. I don’t want us to be late,” she added with a smile.
“Ready?”
"Mhm." Hazel nodded. "I like your bed; it would make a cool fort." She let her intrusive thoughts win and voiced them, wincing as soon as the words left her mouth.
"I swear I’m an adult. I know that sounded super childish. It’s just... I like places that feel safe. Building forts and stuff made me feel that way when I was younger, and I guess it kind of stuck," she shrugged sheepishly, looking back at the bed.
Elora took a moment to appreciate how much Hazel fascinated her. Every little detail, every rambling bit, made her fall harder.
“I know you’re an adult, love. I wouldn’t be going out with you if I had any doubts,” Elora reassured gently, knowing Hazel was extremely self-conscious about being perceived as younger than she was.
“Maybe one of these days you can come over, and we can make the bed into a fort—watch movies or read. I think it’d be fun.
What do you think?” she asked with a smile, trying to catch Hazel’s eye again.
"I think that sounds fun, but I really hope..." Hazel trailed off, shaking her head.
"Forget it. I'm sorry. I just know I'm not as advanced as other people, and I want to be as good for you as you are for me," she admitted, glancing at Elora.
Elora shook her head and stepped closer, making sure she had Hazel’s attention before speaking.
"Hey, don’t worry about being advanced. We’re just getting started. There's time to learn things together.
And as for you being good for me—you’re very good for me, babe. You have no idea."
She smiled gently at the shy way Hazel bit her lip, appearing to process the information.
“Now, let’s go before we miss dinner,” Elora added, wanting to keep things moving so Hazel wouldn’t get too embarrassed and start overthinking.
"Oh, no, we won't miss dinner; we still have hours," Hazel replied quickly, checking her phone just to double-check.
"Yup, plenty of time, but we can head out now." She added, walking to the door and motioning for Elora to go first.
"I know we agreed on a movie and dinner, but I asked to come here early so I could take you to one other place first if that's okay with you?" she asked as they descended the stairs and paused by the front door.
“Ooh, a surprise? Yes, it's more than okay!” Elora replied eagerly, stepping outside and breathing in the crisp late afternoon air.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Hazel nodded, shoving her hands into her pockets while she waited for Elora to finish locking the door, silently worried that Elora was expecting something better than what she had planned.
"Oh, you can drive too," she added, framing it like a favor as she dangled her keys out to Elora.
"Oh, I can, huh?" Elora, wise to Hazel's games, raised an eyebrow.
Hazel shrugged, giving a sheepish nod. It would’ve been cute if it weren’t so unhealthy, but that was for another time.
"Interesting. It's almost like you don’t want to drive in town at all."
"You can tell me; I won’t judge." Elora smiled encouragingly, trying to gently coax Hazel into admitting her feelings on the subject without making her feel cornered.
Hazel looked down, feeling caught.
"It can be overwhelming... and you like driving my car," she mumbled softly.
"I do like driving your car, but you can always be honest with me. You didn’t have to hide how you feel about driving," Elora replied in a kind tone, taking the keys and going around to the driver’s side.
"I know," Hazel muttered, dropping into the passenger seat and buckling in.
She pondered why she could be honest about some things and struggled with others.
"It's just... I don't want you to try and teach me how to get over it. I don’t want to hurt anybody. It can be dangerous when I get too overwhelmed—I can't think clearly, and I make mistakes."
She wrung her hands nervously, remembering the countless times she'd been put in that type of scenario with Lili.
Elora nodded, reaching out to hold Hazel's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"I'm not going to do that, Hazel. I understand your concerns, and I'm never going to try to change you."
Elora spoke firmly but kindly, watching Hazel swallow hard and nod slowly, as though she was trying to decide if she should believe it or not.
"Also, I don’t mind driving. We can take my car next time, or I can keep driving yours—whatever makes you more comfortable."
She squeezed Hazel's hand again, hoping to give her peace of mind.
This time, Hazel quirked a small smile and squeezed back, starting to believe her.
"Thank you... I was scared I might hit somebody last time. She had me drive in New York City..."
Hazel trailed off, shuddering at the memory. "I know she thought it helped, but it didn’t. I guess it did help me not complain anymore, though."
She shrugged, staring out the windshield with a far-off look in her eyes.
With every new detail Elora learned about Lili, she hated the woman more.
“I'm so sorry, Hazel. That was cruel.
She was abusive,” she said quietly, observing Hazel for a moment, noticing the slight flinch at the idea of Lili being abusive.
Shaking her head, Elora turned the car on. She couldn't fathom how anybody could torment another person like that.
“Where are we going?” she asked gently, trying to shift Hazel's focus to happier things and encourage her to talk again.
"Oh shit!" Hazel exclaimed anxiously, snapping out of her thoughts as she glanced at Elora. She hadn’t even considered the surprise element.
"No, no, I’ll drive."
She hurried out of the car, nearly tripping in her haste to get to the driver's side.
"It’s not a big surprise or anything, but still. I can manage it." She added as she opened the driver-side door and motioned for Elora to step out.
Elora frowned, worried Hazel still felt pressured to drive.
"Are you sure? Because, like I said, I really don't mind driving."
"No, that would spoil it... and besides, maybe with you in the passenger seat, I won't be as anxious." Hazel reasoned, leaning on the door.
Flattered and hopeful she truly could be a calming presence in Hazel's life, Elora blushed and nodded.
“I’ll do my best,” she spoke softly, squeezing Hazel’s hand.
Then, she got out and swiftly switched to the passenger seat.
"I'm not expecting a miracle, but you do seem to have a calming effect on me," Hazel answered casually as she got situated behind the wheel, adjusting the seat back to its normal position and fixing the mirrors to accommodate her shorter stature.
Elora smiled. “That's very sweet. I'm happy I have that effect on you,” she said softly.
“You can hold my hand if you want,” she offered sweetly, resting her hand on the center console.
"I would, but that's not very safe—and I'm already an anxious driver." Hazel laughed, checking her mirrors one more time before pulling out of the driveway.
Hazel had been right—Elora's presence kept her calmer than usual, allowing her to navigate the streets of Chicago with more ease than expected. That’s not to say she didn’t have a few moments of sheer panic, but she managed them quicker than usual.
After just fifteen minutes, they parked and made their way into the aquarium, with Hazel guiding Elora every step of the way, reminding her to keep her eyes closed.
"Okay, don’t be too disappointed. I told you it’s not great, but when I thought of you, I remembered our first conversation in New York, and I wanted you to know it meant a lot to me."
Hazel stopped them in front of the jellyfish exhibit and squeezed Elora’s hand nervously. "So... open your eyes."
Elora did as instructed and took a moment to take in the sight before her, mesmerized and at a loss for words.
"You’re kidding, right? This is amazing! Hazey..." she breathed, glancing at Hazel and squeezing her hand.
She wished she could kiss her right then but stopped herself.
"You like it? You're not just trying to make me feel good, right? Because it's better to be honest with me, so I learn." Hazel replied, wary of how happy the woman seemed.
“No way! I love this! Look at them go,” Elora exclaimed, squeezing Hazel's hand and arm as she watched the jellyfish, completely transfixed. “So beautiful.”
“Yeah... beautiful,” Hazel agreed softly, her eyes fixed on Elora rather than the jellyfish.
“Truly stunning,” Elora said, meeting Hazel’s gaze with a bright smile.
“Mhm.” Hazel hummed, maintaining eye contact briefly before turning her gaze to the jellyfish.
“They look so peaceful.” She sighed and squeezed Elora’s hand again, relishing the small contact.
“They do...” Elora agreed softly, shifting her gaze back to Hazel.
“This lighting is magical,” she breathed, studying her girlfriend’s profile.
“Tell me about them,” she requested with a beaming, hopeful smile.
Smiling, Hazel nodded and began listing facts about the species they were observing, pointing out their unique characteristics with the enthusiasm of a happy kid.
The hour flew by in much the same way, with Hazel sharing facts about various creatures while Elora listened intently, enjoying her girlfriend’s passion.
They ended the trip with Chicago-style hot dogs from a stand out front before heading to the movie theater.
Hazel chose not to get popcorn for herself but happily bought some for Elora, deciding that enduring the smell was worth seeing her girlfriend happy.
As the lights dimmed, she whispered in Elora's ear, "You ready to be scared?"
Elora was not only impressed with how well everything had gone so far but also enchanted by how smooth Hazel was being.
She glanced at her girlfriend and lifted a finger to signal her to wait.
Then, she raised the armrest between them and scooted closer.
"Now I am," she said, nodding eagerly as she cuddled up to Hazel.
Swallowing hard at the unexpected closeness, Hazel hesitated momentarily before recalling what she'd seen in the movies and quickly draped an arm over Elora’s shoulders, pulling her closer.
"I'll keep you safe," she murmured softly.
In an attempt to emulate other couples, she briefly rested her head on top of Elora’s but straightened up after a moment—the sensation of Elora’s hair against her cheek feeling too uncomfortable to maintain.
Noticing Hazel's efforts, Elora tilted her head up and lightly kissed her cheek.
“Thank you for being my hero,” she smiled, snuggling into Hazel a little more to get cozy.
"Anytime." Hazel smiled and slumped further into her chair, letting Elora continue lying against her as she watched the screen and gently stroked the woman’s arm, working to become more accustomed to touching her.
Basking in feelings of excitement, contentment, and pure, bubbling sexual attraction, Elora sighed, smiling as she looked at Hazel.
Feeling eyes on her, Hazel glanced down.
"Everything ok?" she asked curiously, wondering why Elora was watching her and not the screen.
“Mhm,” Elora nodded and gave the girl a small peck on the lips.
Furrowing her brow, Hazel glanced at the screen and then back down at Elora.
"That felt like a goodnight kiss," she whispered curiously, unclear on the rules of kissing in a movie theater or how she was supposed to handle it.
Elora nodded.
“Yes, because I don’t think we’re ready for movie theater kisses yet,” she whispered softly, pointing to the couple kissing in the row ahead of them, to Hazel’s left.
“And I really wanted to kiss you,” she added, giggling as Hazel cringed at the other couple’s PDA.
"But... we're not going to sleep," Hazel pointed out in a hushed tone, shifting her attention back to Elora with a confused look.
"Yeah, you're right, we're not. I know, but not all small kisses mean goodnight," Elora explained in a hushed tone.
"A chaste kiss can also be used in situations like this, where one person wants to kiss the other but doesn't want things to get out of hand," she added, motioning toward the other couple as an example of what it looks like when things do get out of hand.
Hazel frowned in thought, her eyes traveling to the other couple again with curiosity.
“You said we're not ready for movie theater kisses... is that a movie theater kiss?” she asked, pointing to the couple and raising a questioning eyebrow at her girlfriend, wanting to ensure she understood the rules.
Biting her lip, Elora nodded slowly, searching for the right words.
“For most people, yes... but people kiss like that in other places too,” she explained, watching the wheels turn in Hazel’s eyes, her expression expectant as she awaited Hazel's response.
"For most people..." Hazel trailed off with a frown, feeling she understood what Elora wasn't saying.
"Well, if we're in a movie theater and you want to kiss me... shouldn't we try a movie theater kiss?"
She asked in an almost challenging tone, eyebrow raised as she fixed Elora with a daring look, acting a whole lot braver than she felt.
She wasn't sure she could handle kissing like that in public, but she also didn't want to be seen as incapable either.
Surprised, Elora gave Hazel a scrutinizing look, sensing the false bravado in her tone. Still, she also knew it was important to let Hazel try things and learn from experience rather than gatekeeping and risk making her feel immature.
“Would you like to try?” she asked carefully, second-guessing herself almost immediately, but leaving the offer on the table.
"Yes please." Hazel gave a short, quick nod, determined to try and learn things Elora enjoyed, so she could adapt her behavior and navigate their relationship more efficiently, even if it terrified her.
Seeing how serious Hazel was, Elora nodded slowly, hoping they weren't making a mistake.
“Okay, if we're going to do this, we need to kiss quietly and mainly during the scary scenes. That way, we can take breaks in between to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
We'll stop kissing when the movie starts to wrap up so we can cuddle until the end,” she explained matter-of-factly, knowing Hazel needed clearly laid-out rules and plans.
"Got it." Hazel nodded but then frowned.
"Wait... don’t we always kiss quietly?" She raised an eyebrow in question.
“Yes, but we have to be extra quiet because we’re in a theater,” Elora chuckled, glancing around as she did a quick study of their surroundings.
She was thankful to find the auditorium was still only half full, and the spaced-out seating offered more privacy, making it easier to manage any potential meltdowns should one occur.
"I know that’s why I’m whispering; I just didn’t know you could kiss loudly," Hazel replied seriously.
"Also, if we’re kissing, how do we watch the movie?" She paused, then quickly added, "Not that I don’t want to try this, but I’m just curious. Why did we come to a movie if we aren’t going to watch it?"
The concept didn’t make sense to her.
Elora looked at Hazel for a moment, a small smile creeping onto her face. Of course, she would question that.
“Well, to be honest, couples often go to movies just to be close and make out. It’s kind of a fun, forbidden thing to do—like, you’re in a public place where everyone’s supposed to be watching the movie, but instead, you’re kissing.”
“Oh... it’s forbidden?” Hazel asked, her eyes widening. “We shouldn’t have kissed then... we could get in trouble,” she muttered, glancing around worriedly before pointing to the couple in front of them.
“Should we report them?”
Elora bit her cheek, suppressing the guffaw that nearly burst from her lips at Hazel's panicked expression and urge to tattle.
"No, hon, we should mind our business and let them carry on." She chuckled, an amused twinkle in her eyes.
"It's not forbidden in that way. I'm sorry; I should have been more clear. I just meant it feels forbidden because it's frowned upon if people get too into it, like moaning or being loud in other ways."
She explained with a gentle smile and cuddled closer to Hazel, really struggling not to kiss the utterly adorable perplexed look off the woman's features.
"Hmm." Hazel hummed, turning her attention to the screen as she thought it over, unclear on whether it made sense to her.
"We should just watch the movie," she muttered, keeping her eyes straight ahead as she focused on the pre-trailer commercials.
She was determined not to do anything that could be frowned upon.
Elora nodded and shifted her attention to the screen for a moment, lost in her own thoughts as she considered whether she should let it go or try coaxing Hazel out of her comfort zone a bit.
“Okay, you’re right. It’s only our first date, so we should behave. It's not like you’re dying to kiss me or anything anyway,” she replied casually, a playful smile on her lips as she cuddled closer and rested a hand on Hazel’s thigh.
Hazel, now fully immersed in the trailers, nodded reflexively, totally oblivious.
"Yeah." She agreed and patted the top of Elora's hand lightly as she stared at the screen, unblinking.
She would never understand people's interest in going to a place full of people to watch an overly loud movie, but it seemed to make people happy, and she was determined to try and enjoy it.
Elora shook her head and sighed softly, finding Hazel's honesty amusingly refreshing, even if it could be frustrating at times.
Accepting that the moment was over, she settled into Hazel's side and watched the rest of the trailers.
But as the movie began, Elora found herself watching Hazel more than the screen. She couldn’t help it—her girlfriend was captivating, and the way Hazel seemed completely unfazed by the jump scares only made her more intriguing.
In contrast, each jump scare had Elora resisting the urge to climb into Hazel’s lap. Instead, she settled for inching closer and burying her face in the woman's neck to shield her eyes.
By the fourth time, Hazel couldn’t take it anymore.
"You're breathing on me... that tickles, and it's distracting," She whispered and frowned at the screen, not a fan of the jump scares at all.
She'd figured out they usually happened when everything seemed it's calmest, so would inwardly brace anytime the movie got quiet to compensate, but with Elora breathing on her neck each time, she found it increasingly difficult to focus.
“I’m sorry, but I’m scared…” Elora muttered, squeezing Hazel’s thigh reflexively as the movie got louder, trying her best not to breathe on her girlfriend’s neck.
Hazel had never been more thankful for her earplugs. Between the chainsaw roaring on screen and Elora’s hand on her thigh, she was sure she’d already have had a meltdown without them.
“I know, but it’s hard for me to focus,” she whispered, glancing at Elora while tightening her arm around her shoulders.
“I have to pay attention so I don’t get scared too. If I get scared, I won’t be good at making you feel safe.”
Elora quietly swooned at Hazel’s explanation, amazed that she’d been trying to stay brave for her benefit. She also felt a little guilty for not picking up on it.
“Okay, I’ll stop.” Elora pressed a soft kiss to Hazel’s neck before turning her attention back to the movie, giving the girl some space to focus.
Swallowing hard, Hazel turned her gaze back to the screen and licked her lips slightly, unsure how to react.
"You can still be close," she muttered without looking at Elora, flinching at a particularly loud moment in the movie.
“I know, just trying not to breathe on you” Elora whispered, still facing the screen.
"Hmm, kissing my neck wasn't helpful either," Hazel mumbled and squeezed the woman's shoulder affectionately.
“Are you mad I did it?” Elora teased, venturing a glance at Hazel.
Hazel looked at Elora with a confused expression and shook her head.
"Do I seem mad?" she asked curiously, upset that she had come across as angry when she wasn’t.
“No, it actually looked like you wouldn’t mind if I did it again,” Elora said softly.
Then, practically jumping onto Hazel’s lap, she rested her thigh over Hazel’s and buried her face in her shoulder just as the killer on the screen attacked.
Hazel startled, widening her eyes and glancing down at her girlfriend.
"I did?..." she trailed off, taking note of their position.
"Is this frowned upon too?" she asked in a whisper, momentarily forgetting about the movie.
"Yes, you did... and no, this isn't frowned upon, plus I'm too scared to care," Elora whispered, hiding her face against Hazel's chest.
The instant Elora made contact, Hazel winced, her body tensing as she tapped Elora's back. "Shoulder's better," she mumbled stiffly, the discomfort clear in her voice.
Feeling bad for making Hazel uncomfortable, Elora nodded and placed a small, apologetic kiss near the woman’s collarbone.
“Sorry, hon,” she spoke softly, adjusting her position before dropping a gentle kiss on Hazel’s shoulder. Then, she leaned against it, snuggling a bit closer, genuinely terrified of the movie.
Fingers running back and forth over the smooth leather of her armrest, Hazel nodded, giving Elora a moderately uneasy look as she tried to work out how she was feeling.
“Sorry… I’m just…” She trailed off in a hushed whisper, realizing she had no idea where she was going with it.
“The shoulder is more comfortable,” she decided quietly.
Though she hadn’t hated the small kiss near her collarbone, she was afraid to let it happen again since it was close to uncomfortable territory.
“That’s okay; you don’t have to apologize,” Elora muttered, snuggling into the crook of Hazel's neck.
Her lips brushed lightly against the skin there as the stupid girls in the movie planned to split up.
Hazel swallowed hard, soft leather dimpling into perfect impressions of her fingertips as she tried her best to focus on the movie.
However, no matter how hard she stared at it, her mind kept drifting to Elora's lips brushing against her neck in a way she knew she'd normally find irritating. But in this case, she kind of liked it, feeling a pleasant buzz all over.
“Splitting up is not good,” Elora spoke softly against Hazel's neck, eliciting a small shiver from the younger woman.
“No,” Hazel agreed in a clipped tone, chest expanding and nose wrinkling as she drew in a shaky breath.
The pungent smell of popcorn burned her nostrils, almost enough to distract her from Elora's lips against her skin. Almost.
Elora looked up at Hazel and smiled, finding her reply and persistence in staying focused cute.
She gave her a quick peck on the lips before nuzzling back into her neck, leaving a few open-mouthed kisses there.
Whining softly at the new sensation, Hazel squeezed her eyes shut and squirmed slightly, the groan of the leather beneath her making her shoulders rise, and her thighs flex tensely.
As she shifted, her hip accidentally brushed against the recline button, leaning her further back with a loud whir that made her hands fly up to cover her ears as she sunk lower into the chair.
She felt like she might die of embarrassment, and Elora’s soft giggles against her now extra-sensitive neck were not helping.
"That... feels really funny," she murmured tensely, finally opening her eyes to give Elora a pained look.
Seeing the look on Hazel’s face, Elora quickly composed herself and gently caressed her cheek.
“Good funny, I hope?” she whispered with a sweet smile as Hazel moved her hands away from her ears and shrugged, uncertainty clouding her expression.
Elora didn’t want to push too far but also knew better than to take everything at face value, aware that Hazel struggled to identify her feelings and might need help navigating more nuanced experiences.
“Sorry, I’m just scared, and being close to you makes me feel safe. I guess I got a little carried away. It won’t happen again,” Elora assured, pressing a light kiss to Hazel's lips, testing a theory.
As Elora pulled back, Hazel found herself leaning up, chasing the kiss until Elora mercifully brought their lips together again in a gentle, slow kiss that had Hazel's heart racing in time with the frantic music building all around them.
“Mm,” Elora moaned softly, careful not to be loud, as she lightly bit down on Hazel's lower lip and moved closer.
The more reclined position putting her halfway on top of the younger woman.
Shivering, Hazel pulled back for a moment to catch her breath, a dazed look on her face.
“This is fun,” she admitted softly, glancing around to ensure nobody was looking at them.
Thankfully, everyone else was too absorbed in the movie or their own partners to notice them.
“Yeah? I’m glad you like it,” Elora muttered, nipping and tugging on Hazel’s lower lip as if begging for another kiss, testing to see if Hazel picked up on her subtle coaxing.
Smiling, Hazel kissed Elora again wantingly, unable to resist.
“Sorry,” she muttered against the woman’s lips, realizing she had acted without thinking it through.
“It’s okay, try that again,” Elora encouraged quietly, pleased that she had gotten the desired response and hoping to show Hazel that it wasn’t a bad move.
Nodding, Hazel decided to try something new and slowly brought her hand up, hovering it near Elora’s face like she’d seen in the movies. But no matter how badly she wanted to, she couldn’t get past the block.
Just as she was about to give up, Elora took her hand and gently guided it the rest of the way, placing it against her cheek with an understanding smile.
“Like this,” she whispered softly, and Hazel’s heart skipped a beat as her thumb lightly stroked the soft skin of Elora’s cheek.
She swallowed hard and nodded again, at a loss for words.
Smiling tenderly, Elora brushed her nose affectionately against Hazel’s before leaning down to capture her lips in another slow kiss, drawing a soft, pleased little noise from her girlfriend.
As she pulled away, Elora smiled at Hazel.
“So? Better?” she asked, her curious eyes watching intently, wanting to savor every look and moment, eager to learn what Hazel enjoyed.
"Mhm, you're soft," Hazel replied with a small smile, letting her fingers trace the contours of the woman's face carefully.
“You’re soft too,” Elora said with a small smile, enjoying the soft brush of fingers against her cheek.
"I am?" Hazel asked curiously, withdrawing her hand from Elora's cheek to touch her own.
She frowned as her fingers brushed the faintly raised scar.
"No, I'm not," she decided with a disgruntled look, before going back to tracing Elora's face.
“Yes, you are,” Elora said, caressing the girl’s face and then gently touching the scar.
“And I like this because it’s part of you,” she whispered, ghosting her lips over the mark in a feather-light kiss.
“You are very handsome— all of you.”
Biting her lip, Hazel brushed the pad of her thumb against Elora's cheek again before kissing her softly.
"I like when you call me that," she admitted quietly.
"I know," Elora mumbled against the woman's lips with a smile.
The last thirty minutes of the movie were spent wrapped up in each other, exchanging small kisses and quiet words.
When it was almost over, Elora cuddled into Hazel's arms as they waited for the credits to roll, giving them both a chance to catch their breath and compose themselves.
The pre-established rules Elora set for their little makeout session made it easier for Hazel to transition from kissing to cuddling, with almost no repercussions—save for a tiny disgruntled pout that quickly faded at Elora’s answering giggle.
~
"So... did you enjoy the movie?" Hazel asked, curious, as she took Elora's hand in hers and led her out of the theater, swinging their hands back and forth between them happily.
“I did, did you?” Elora asked with a small smile, enjoying Hazel's obvious joy. The woman even had a slight bounce to her step—it was adorable.
"I didn't see much of it, but I liked kissing you," Hazel answered with a big grin.
Then, at the sound of Kit's name being called, she looked around. It didn’t take long before her eyes landed on a familiar face,
and her expression instantly soured to one of confusion as she tried to place where she knew the woman from.
Elora frowned as she looked between Hazel and the approaching woman. Her eyes briefly scanned the woman’s business casual attire—slacks, a polo unbuttoned just enough to reveal ample cleavage, and wavy hair swept back into a neat ponytail.
The woman wasn’t unattractive, but she wasn’t Kit's usual type either, and Hazel seemed visibly thrown off by her.
"Who's that, hon?" Elora asked softly, looping her arm possessively through Hazel's as the woman came to a stop in front of them.
Her eyes traveled over Hazel’s outfit, the appraisal in her gaze sharp and obvious, laced with judgment.
"I can't remember... her name," Hazel whispered uneasily, her eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. There was something so familiar about this woman that it was driving her crazy—until the woman spoke.
"Well, if it isn’t Kit Tanthalos... and here I thought you’d already slept with every lesbian in the country besides me."
The smirk on her face, combined with the condescending, sympathetic way she eyed Elora, finally triggered Hazel’s memory.
Frowning, Hazel stepped in front of Elora and glared at the woman, instantly falling back into character as her sister.
"I would never be interested in you. I like sweet people. And, P.J., you're an ass." She spoke firmly, glaring at her childhood bully.
"Kit," Elora spoke gently, resting her hand on Hazel's shoulder in what she hoped was a calming gesture.
P.J. crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at 'Kit's' odd response. While they'd never been friends, Kit would normally laugh off any insult, letting it roll off her back with a snarky jab of her own.
"Yeah? Well, I thought you were supposed to be mourning that dweeby sister of yours, not channeling her," she shot back, gesturing to 'Kit's' outfit with a sweeping motion before pulling out her phone and snapping a couple of quick pictures.
Seeing red, Hazel stepped forward, fist pulling back, ready to deck the woman—furious on behalf of Kit and the insensitive way P.J. spoke to her.
Before she could follow through, Elora, knowing just how explosive Hazel’s temper could be, quickly stepped in.
"Kit, honey, let’s not get physical," she soothed with a gentle smile, her hand softly covering Hazel’s fist.
The calming effect of her touch was just enough to keep things from escalating as she gently lowered Hazel’s hand.
"That's right, keep your attack dog on a leash," P.J. sneered, shaking her head at Hazel, her eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary before finally shifting to Elora.
Hazel huffed softly and glanced at Elora. Relaxing a bit at her girlfriend's imploring expression, she gave a short nod of understanding before turning her angry glare back on P.J.
Relieved that Hazel had taken her guidance, Elora looped her arm through hers again and addressed P.J.
“P.J., is it? It’s nice meeting you, but we’re just trying to enjoy a quiet evening, so would you please leave me and my girlfriend alone?” she asked in a reasonable tone, maintaining her calm even as her grip on Hazel’s arm tightened slightly.
"Sure. I got what I wanted anyway. You two have a good night," P.J. said with an insincere smile before turning and walking away, her eyes glued to her phone as she zoomed in on the image for a closer look.
“What a bitch,” Elora muttered, quickly hustling them into the parking garage and toward Hazel’s car.
“You may need to tell Kit or Jade,” she warned softly, her concern evident.
The way P.J. kept looking at Hazel, along with that final comment, left her uneasy.
"I guess," Hazel sighed, tossing Elora her keys.
"Can you drive? I think I'm too rattled."
She let out another sigh, completely unaware of the watchful eyes tracking their every move from a distance.
“Of course, hon,” Elora agreed, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the car.
She waited a beat as Hazel buckled her seatbelt before asking, “Who was that?”
"P.J.," Hazel began, reclining her seat and pinching the bridge of her nose.
"A girl Kit and I went to school with. I used to think she was a friend, but I was wrong... she bullied me."
Elora nodded, understanding Hazel's reaction a lot more now.
“She took a picture... it’s possible she’s paparazzi,” she said carefully, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.
“That's just great... Fuck, I'm screwed... Kit and Jade are gonna kill me,” Hazel groaned, covering her face with her hands in frustration.
Elora cast a worried glance toward Hazel.
“It’s okay, just take a breath, text Jade, and let’s go to dinner. She can fix it,” Elora said, her voice calm and reassuring.
"I'll text her later... I don't want to think about this stuff right now. I just want to enjoy dinner with you," Hazel muttered, dropping her hands onto her stomach with an audible thud.
Tilting her head to look at Elora, she added, "I'm such a screw-up. I should have just stayed home... I didn’t think about how it would look."
She sighed, offering an apologetic look, feeling terrible.
"Hazel, no... you're not a screw-up," Elora replied in a sympathetic tone, casting a quick glance her way. "You can't be expected to stay inside all day long. You have a right to live your life. Don't let this worry you; everything will be fine."
She kept both hands on the wheel to give Hazel one less thing to worry about, even if it was killing her not to be able to squeeze the woman's hand as reassurance.
"Besides, Kit and Jade aren’t public yet. It’s not like it wouldn’t be completely normal for your sister to have a girl under her arm. It only becomes a concern when she and Jade decide to go public with their relationship."
Hazel frowned and raised her seat back up so she could turn toward Elora a bit more.
"But you're not just another conquest... I don't want people thinking that about you," she replied sincerely, watching the woman closely, hoping her seriousness came through.
Elora couldn't help but smile at Hazel's thoughtfulness.
It felt nice to have somebody care so much about her reputation, something people often didn't consider or care about in her previous relationships.
“I appreciate you saying that, Haze, I really do, but we need to protect you first,” she replied honestly, glancing at Hazel again, noting the small frown on her face.
"No, I don't care about me... You're not Kit's... You're..." Hazel trailed off, shaking her head.
"I like you, and you're my girlfriend. It's not right for people to think you're some sort of game for anybody."
Her tone was soft but sure, the sincerity clear in her voice.
"I know, hon, but we can't tell the truth until your mom gets things settled. And that's okay because we know the truth, and that's what matters." Elora gave her a reassuring smile as they came to a red light.
Hazel didn’t like it, but she understood Elora was right—there wasn’t much they could do until things got sorted.
As much as it sucked, it was her new reality, and by proxy, Elora’s as well.
If Elora was okay with it, she figured she’d have to try and learn how to be, too.
“So... maybe I should act more like Kit then?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, that might be a good idea, at least while in public and just until everything’s sorted,” Elora spoke gently, giving her girlfriend an apologetic look. It didn’t feel fair.
"Okay... it’s settled. I’ll behave more like her then." Hazel nodded, setting her mind to it.
Elora sighed, not wanting Hazel to be anyone but herself.
“But right now… can I have my Hazey?” she asked in a sweet tone, finally giving in to her impulse and extending her hand to the woman as the light turned green.
"You sure? Kit's probably more fun," Hazel joked, taking the woman's hand, trusting her driving enough not to protest.
“Nah, I like you; you’re my kind of fun,” Elora said with a quick smile, squeezing Hazel's hand.
"Thank you." Hazel smiled and squeezed the woman's hand back, before settling back for the rest of the car ride.
At dinner, Hazel took Elora’s hand across the table, gently stroking the back of it with her thumb as she glanced over the menu.
It felt like something Kit would do, and under the pretense of being her sister, she found she could do more.
"I think I’ll get the steak. What about you?" she asked, meeting Elora’s eyes.
Enjoying the gentle display of affection, Elora smiled, watching her girlfriend carefully.
Her whole demeanor felt different—more like when they first met, far more permissive and less guarded under the guise of being Kit. It was almost as if she took it as permission to act in ways she was too afraid to as herself.
Elora hoped this experience might help Hazel learn more about herself and perhaps demystify certain aspects of navigating their relationship.
“I will go with the surf and turf, and truffle risotto,” she said, giving Hazel a bright smile.
"Hmm, sounds like a good choice." Hazel smiled, despite hating the idea of anything seafood-related. If Elora liked it, then it was a good choice in her book.
The rest of dinner went by in a similar fashion, with Hazel continuing to act as she thought Kit would, maintaining the facade all the way to Elora's front door, where it started to falter a little.
"I had a good time tonight. Thanks for agreeing to go with me," she spoke softly, holding both of Elora's hands and keeping her eyes on them.
Elora smiled, seeing some of Hazel's shyer personality starting to show through again.
“Of course, I had a great time too. Thank you for an unforgettable first city date, babe” She said in a lower, but sweet voice, filled with affection.
Hazel nodded but kept her eyes on their joined hands. Her nerves kicking up a notch, she started squeezing Elora’s hands rhythmically, lifting her heels off the ground in a small, almost imperceptible bounce.
"Good, you're welcome," she rushed out, licking her lips anxiously and glancing up from beneath her bangs to meet Elora’s eyes.
"Do you think you’d want me to kiss you good night?" she asked softly, knowing Kit would probably just do it, but she didn’t want to break Elora’s trust.
Seeing Hazel being herself again, Elora smiled, feeling honored. Even after all the kisses they'd already shared, Hazel cared enough to drop the act and still ask for permission.
“yes please.”
Hazel smiled shyly—outwardly bashful, but inwardly giddy that Elora hadn’t rejected her.
Leaning forward, she gave the woman a quick peck on the lips, then pulled back and averted her eyes, a small blush creeping over her cheeks.
"Goodnight, Elora," she spoke softly, still holding the woman's hands, not quite ready to let go.
Hazel's ability to look confident and even imposing at times, while shy and unsure at others, never ceased to amaze Elora.
Just a couple of hours ago, she'd looked like she wanted to deck P.J., and now, she looked like she wouldn’t hurt a fly if her life depended on it.
Elora took a moment to observe her, watching the way Hazel nervously chewed her bottom lip and rocked back on her heels, her unsure blue eyes darting up to meet Elora’s.
“Goodnight, Handsome,” Elora finally sighed, not wanting the night to end either.
Smiling, Hazel nodded and reluctantly let go of the woman’s hands.
"Right, I should... go," she muttered, jerking her thumb over her shoulder toward her car with a nervous laugh as she started backing away slowly.
Elora chuckled softly.
“Text me when you get home, will ya?” she requested, imploring eyes fixed on Hazel.
"Of course... yeah." Hazel nodded and quickly turned around, marching to her car as fast as she could.
She felt like she needed to get home before she did something stupid, like ask to spend more time with Elora.
“Night,” she called from her car, closing the door behind her.
Resting her head on the steering wheel, she took a deep breath, unsure of what was wrong with her.
It wasn't like she hadn't spent the entire day with Elora.
Resisting the temptation to stay on the porch and wave Hazel off, Elora walked into the house, closing the door and leaning against it with a wistful smile, unable to believe her luck.
After a couple of minutes, Hazel finally collected herself enough to drive home.
She entered her and Kit’s apartment as quietly as possible, careful not to wake her sister in case she was already asleep.
Once in her room, with the door closed, Hazel sent Elora a text.
Hazel: Hey, just wanted to say I had a really good time tonight, and I made it home safe. Hope you sleep well. :)
Rereading the message and feeling satisfied, Hazel hit send and tossed the phone onto her bed before changing into her nightshirt.
Hearing her phone buzz, Hazel hurriedly finished tugging on her night pants and grabbed it off the bed. She read the message with a gentle smile and quickly typed a reply.
Elora: I can't wait for our second date night. Sleep well.
Hazel: Same!... you too.
Across the hall, Kit and Jade had been watching a movie in Kit’s room when they heard Hazel get home. Fully expecting her to come tell them about her night, they paused the movie and waited. After several minutes, Kit grew impatient and decided they’d have to go to Hazel instead. Jade followed close behind, wrapping her arms around Kit’s waist as they reached Hazel’s door.
“Hazel, open the door! We want to hear about your date,” Kit called, pounding on the door.
“There’s no way you’re telling Mom first. Come on,” she whined.
Pausing the message she was writing to her mother, Hazel frowned and glanced at the door.
"We? Is Jade here?" she called, locking her phone with a sigh as she got up.
"Yes, now hurry up," Kit replied impatiently.
Jade tightened her hold around Kit's waist, trying to calm her.
"One sec," Hazel muttered, unlocking and opening the door, giving them both a guilty look.
"Hi," she mumbled, stepping back.
"Took you long enough," Kit scoffed, pulling out of Jade's arms and brushing past Hazel.
"She means well," Jade smiled at Hazel.
However, her expression shifted to concern as she noticed how uncomfortable Hazel looked. The younger woman kept casting nervous glances at Kit, avoiding Jade’s eyes.
"How are you feeling?" Jade asked carefully.
Hazel shrugged, still not meeting her gaze.
"Okay, I guess."
“Okay? You guess? Did Elora do anything to hurt you? I will kick her ass!” Kit declared angrily, instantly jumping to conclusions.
Uncomfortable with Kit's reaction, Hazel scowled and quickly decided not to mention their run-in with P.J., reasoning that it was possible the woman just took a random picture and that nothing would come of it.
“No... it was good. We went to the aquarium, then a movie and dinner. I had fun,” Hazel replied quietly as she and Jade made their way into the room.
“Good going, Haze!” Jade praised, proud of her.
Realizing she might have overreacted, Kit reined in her anger and sat at the end of Hazel's bed.
“Cool! How was the movie?” she asked, her tone shifting to a more upbeat one.
"Thanks." Hazel blushed, then turned her attention to Kit. "I dunno... it seemed okay if you like scary movies," she shrugged.
Seeing the confused look on Kit's face, Jade sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.
“Honey, I don't think they did a whole lot of watching in that theater,” she smirked, glancing at Hazel for confirmation.
Hazel blushed and looked down, confirming Jade's suspicions.
“And you got to give her a goodnight kiss?” Jade asked with a knowing smile.
"Yes, I kissed her goodnight," Hazel answered shyly, shifting from foot to foot anxiously.
“Yeah, you did!” Kit celebrated, beaming as she hopped up, pulling Jade along with her, sensing that their presence was putting Hazel on edge.
“Okay, now that we know your date was a success and you used all the pro tips I gave you, we’ll leave you to call or message Mom,” she teased, smirking because she knew exactly what Hazel was planning.
“But just for future reference, I’m way cooler than Mom when it comes to this stuff.”
Jade smirked but kept her mouth shut,
preferring to just stand back and let the sisters bicker without getting herself in the middle.
Hazel frowned at her sister. “But Mom's older and knows more than you do... plus you're all about sex and stuff. Mom's too old to care about that.”
Kit scoffed.
“I am pro-love! I’m not just about the sex stuff… I’m reformed!” she protested indignantly.
“Sure, Kit... I could tell how reformed you were on Friday night,” Hazel grumbled, rolling her eyes.
“I could’ve gone my whole life without hearing that, by the way,” she added, narrowing her eyes.
Jade couldn't help but blush at the mention of their little camping trip adventure as she slowly crept toward the door.
“What? Me warming up my girlfriend? There’s nothing wrong with that,” Kit scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly.
“I’ll take her on a proper date tomorrow night: a fancy restaurant followed by a walk along the riverwalk, with all the stops... and no sex; sorry, Jay.” She added, glancing at Jade, who abruptly stopped her not-so-subtle escape, a sheepish look crossing her features as she nodded and smiled back in agreement.
“For the best,” she spoke stiffly, clearing her throat, still dying of embarrassment as Hazel's curious eyes found her for a moment before shifting back to Kit.
"I warmed up Elora, and none of that happened," Hazel shot back seriously, raising her eyebrows in a silent challenge.
“Elora just didn’t want you to be overwhelmed, and you’re asexual anyway, right?” Kit asked her sister, then glanced at Jade.
Surprised by the suggestion, Jade shrugged and turned a scrutinizing gaze toward Hazel.
Thinking about it more, she realized it actually made a lot of sense. Hazel never seemed fazed by people's appearances; even when Elora wore the sexiest outfits, she seemed more interested in the accuracy of the costumes than in the woman wearing them.
Hazel frowned at Kit's question, trying to figure out what she meant.
“I admit I pushed a few boundaries,” Kit continued sheepishly, and Jade nodded in agreement.
“Kit gets away with a lot when she shouldn’t,” Jade said, casting a reprimanding look at Kit before turning her attention back to Hazel.
“I’m glad Elora was appropriate with you. I’m sure she’ll be very kind every step of the way,” she spoke softly, then added, “You look happy, Hazey.”
Still pondering Kit's question, Hazel nodded slowly at Jade's comment.
"Thanks... I am happy. The theater kissing was a little confusing at first, but I think I got the hang of it."
She smiled shyly, thinking back on it.
"And as for being asexual, no, Kit, I cannot reproduce on my own!" she added, glaring at her sister indignantly.
Jade chuckled at Hazel's misunderstanding and raised an eyebrow at Kit, curious to see how she would handle it.
“What? No, Hazel... not that kind of asexual! I mean the sexuality,” Kit chuckled, shaking her head at her sister.
Seeing that Hazel still looked confused, she continued, “On the most basic level, it just means you don't feel sexual attraction. But you should look into it more—there's a whole spectrum to it,” she encouraged.
“Now, why was kissing in the theater confusing? Let me guess: you were afraid of getting caught?” Kit teased with a smile.
“Oh… well, that’s a weird name for it and technically inaccurate. But if that’s what it means, then yes, I’m asexual,” Hazel shrugged, feeling that the description fit her pretty well.
“Also, yes and no. Elora gave me a goodnight kiss at first and said she didn’t want to do theater kisses because they’re frowned upon. But she eventually gave me the rules, and it was okay,” she added, sitting on her bed.
“The rules?” Kit looked at Jade, confusion etched on her face.
“What rules?”
“No clue,” Jade shrugged, turning to Hazel with a questioning look.
“Yeah, like goodnight kisses are quick and small... but theater kisses aren’t. You mostly only kiss when the movie is scary and you can’t be loud, and you pause so you don’t get overwhelmed,” Hazel recited quickly.
“Those seem like good rules to abide by, Hazel. I’d listen to Elora,” Jade advised, leaning against the doorframe.
“I did! It was hard not to get overwhelmed, but I managed not to,” Hazel announced proudly
"That’s awesome!" Kit exclaimed, hugging her sister, thrilled to see her so excited.
Uncomfortable, Hazel patted Kit's back awkwardly and tried to squirm out of the hug.
"Okay, I won’t hold you up anymore. Go talk to Mom, but remember, I’m here, and I care too—about both of you," Kit added sincerely before pulling Jade out of the room.
"Night, Hazel!"
Jade called as she was being pulled back toward Kit's room. "I’ll see you tomorrow!"
"Night!" Hazel laughed, closing the door behind them before resuming her text to Sorsha.
~
The next morning, Kit woke to her phone blowing up with texts and calls, one of them from the head of the company’s PR team.
Annie PR Pain in my butt 😡: Kit, don’t talk to the press. Use the back entrance if you leave the house. I sent a copy to your place.
Kit: What the fuck are you gettin’ at, Annie? It’s 8 am. You know I need a spelled-out report if it’s before 12 pm.
Annie PR Pain in my butt 😡: You’re on the pages of a tabloid with a new bimbo. Why’d you go out without a detail?!
Kit: I didn’t! I stayed home all day.
Kit hit send without thinking.
Once she saw the read receipt, she froze.
Panic set in as she rushed to the front door, snatching up the newspapers from her doorstep.
There, on the cover of the sleaziest tabloid in town, was a photo of a visibly angry Hazel, with Elora’s hand resting on her shoulder, seemingly trying to calm her down.
The bold headline screamed, “Tanthalos Heir Finds New Mystery Lover, Loses Temper and Sense of Fashion.”
Not ready to explain the situation over the phone, Kit decided it was easier to go along with it for now and clarify later.
Kit: Oh... yes, that’s right. I’ll explain later, but right now, I gotta go get ready.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Kit muttered, staring at the picture credits to P.J. Waters. Below it, the caption claimed she looked distraught and disheveled. Groaning, she stormed to Hazel’s bedroom door and knocked loudly, not bothering with any ceremony.
“Hazel, wake up! What the fuck is this?”
At Kit's sharp tone, Hazel jolted awake, blinking at the closed door for a moment before realizing what Kit was most likely yelling about.
Terrified to face her sister, Hazel quickly darted under her bed, hiding like she’d done as a child whenever she’d done something wrong or needed comfort.
Notes:
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Ghostwriter88 on Chapter 6 Wed 03 Apr 2024 07:41PM UTC
Comment Actions
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