Jules, Connecticut: Parkview Apartments

Thursday, November 13th, 2008


5:30 PM

Jacob McKinley’s apartment was exactly what you would think it would look like. Located a couple of blocks from campus, in an old, flat brick building. He lived on the third floor, facing the same park that Tobi and Noelle had frequented. Residents are mainly other college students from Highmauve, mainly young adults who could afford something besides dorm living, but not afford to rent a small house or even one of the newer apartment buildings that have popped up over the past couple of decades. 

Apartment 306 was a walk up with well-worn wood plank floors that showed their age with scratches, stains, and dents. At the foot of the dark green door with faded numbers was a welcome mat with the shape and colors of a watermelon. The black fibers that made up the seeds are the only colors that are not faded with dirt and time. It was just one sigil of his strange decorating habits.

Jake had lived in the dorms his first year, as customary for most students at Highmauve. But, he hated it. He hated how the furniture and small rooms stripped students of individual expression. Also, his roommate would refuse to move things around, which was a Jake McKinley specialty when he was feeling particularly stifled. And his apartment reflected that. The furniture was completely mismatched and could be changed at any moment. Currently, the door opened to a combined space of living room/kitchen/dining room. The kitchen was in the left corner, with dark brown cabinets that matched the planked floor, with cream-colored tops that have faint stains from past meals. The fridge was old with a freezer up top, both holding a combination of well-made leftovers, but mainly junk, matching the theme of the cabinets as well. A well-loved gas stove and an ancient microwave rounded out the rest of the kitchen appliances.

 Dishes of many colors and sizes are stacked precariously next to a newly cleaned sink. Some are plastic and have little cartoon characters painted on them, others are ceramic with crazy designs, made in a middle school art class by him and his siblings. Mugs of many shapes and sizes lay on a ratty dish towel to dry, and an off-white washcloth hangs on the sink faucet. One was formed to look like a cat, with ears and a tail for its handle, another was covered in peg holes for Legos to be fashioned in for designs. There is a drip rug underneath the sink that has a picture of a fuzzy orange kitten hanging from a thin tree branch. It was tucked under the sink, giving the illusion of the cat hanging from the cabinet below. “Hang in there buddy!” had been printed across the bottom, but from use, it now reads “Ha g i t bud”.

Fitting.

Above the sink was a collage of pictures that Jake tacked onto a corkboard. Some were faded and water-stained, all were different. Many of them were of a middle-aged woman with strawberry blonde, wavy hair-laughing, smiling, having dinner. A couple of them were of three girls all having some resemblance to Jake- his nose, his smile, and, in one case, his curly hair. Jake was in a couple of these pictures, the children hanging off his back, or giving him a makeover. There was one of the oldest one at a ballet recital, her own golden hair pulled back in a bun. Another was of the middle one, with a science fair project, holding a red ribbon. Another of the youngest, a girl with a shy grin and a mess of tightly coiled red hair holding up a rabbit that was half her size. Still more pictures of his siblings, aunts, uncles, parents, friends. And while Jake was in some of the pictures, he was never the focal point. In the center was what looked like a family portrait, but a shot of the imperfections. Jake was standing with his six siblings, his mother, and father, and no one was looking at the camera. The little red-haired girl was hanging from Jake’s back, his mouth opened in a smile. Two blonde brothers seemed to be in the middle of a serious conversation, while a sandy red head watched, in the middle of an eye roll. His mother, the strawberry blonde woman, was watching the madness, holding onto the redhead brick house that was her husband, his hand around her waist. The last two girls were picking at each others clothing, faces telling the story of stolen sweaters and shoes. 

Pictures of the same caliber are stuck up on the walls throughout the apartment with tape, sticky tac, and, in one case, Elmer's glue. The only place they are framed is around an old tv set. Those were the nice pictures. The ones his mother had told him to hang, and he had with such care. To complete the living room was furniture that had been found on the side of the road, at thrift stores, and from the occasional dumpster dive. A navy blue sofa sat in front of the tv with, of course, mismatched graphic throw pillows and blankets. These include one of a sad looking basset hound, another with the word “SHIVER” scrawled across the front in ice blue letters, and one that seemed to be made of black velvet. There are two armchairs of vastly different styles as well. One was a dark green, classical style with rivets and a high back, the legs all knobby with wear and tear of time. The other was cuboidal, dark brown, with a teal fabric covering the seat. Next to each seat is some sort of end table to hold CDs, tapes, DVDs, magazines, board games, and comic books, some of which have found themselves on the floor and across the brown woven rug. An ancient stereo system sits in the corner, filling the air with some classic rock hits.

Lastly in the shared room was a circular table with five seats. All were wooden, but the chairs were of different fashions. Different seats, different back lengths, even different leg numbers. The table was set with a rainbow assortment of cloth placemats and a small planter pot with a cactus. Also on the table was a gift bag with gold letters that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” with red and gold balloons tied to the handle.

From this space, a sliding door is visible, leading out to a balcony that overlooked that nearby park with ancient trees that swayed in the breeze. There were three hanging plants that were overgrown, dipping out of their pots and into the other spaces. A dirty couple of lawn chairs sat, pointed to the park with a small side table covered in spider webs. Inside there is also a hallway that leads to a bathroom with bold and bright colors, and Jake’s bedroom, the door closed.

Jake had tidied up the best he could, knowing that Winter, Noelle, and Tobi were planning to stop by. And he had the impression that Noelle would smack him if he allowed the mess to fester as it normally did. In fact, she came over the day before to talk about what they were going to do for Tobi’s birthday, and she stood in horror at the piles of dirty dishes, the clothes strewn everywhere and the very distinctive smell. She left it much cleaner, but Noelle expected him to finish up before the festivities. Which he did.

After cleaning, he quickly changed into a clean red t-shirt and some faded jeans, and then spent the rest of his time turning on the stereo and cooking for his three newest friends. A covered pot lays next to a cartoon hen-shaped kettle that was filled with a thick potato soup that he had made from scratch. The oven was on as well, keeping a fresh loaf of bread warm. A cutting board with carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and some leafy greens laid next to a bowl filled with the fresh garden salad. All of these things gave the odd apartment an intoxicating smell. As much as Jake ate trash food, he loved to cook, to create or modify old recipes. The scent filled the space and leaked out into the hallway leading into the place. Noelle had let him know of Tobi’s eating habits, how things that were too sweet or too rich made him nauseous. So, he accommodated. It was his birthday after all. Now, he was singing along to the radio, using a broom as a make-shift guitar, shredding any rift that played.

He was excited to use his apartment for something other than sleeping. He had avoided the place since Trevor’s arrest, as this was really a space they created together. But, furniture was moved and swapped out with new pieces. Time marched on. Still, he couldn’t reach and take down Trevor’s photos just yet. Even though he refused to let Jake visit. And his parents declined to speak to him. And the fact they just brought back the painful and pleasant memories from his buddy. But the photos stayed tacked up on the walls of the apartment- on the fridge, by the door, above the sink.

He had left his door unlocked- he was unsure at what stage of cooking/cleaning/goofing around he would be at when his guests arrived, so he texted to let them know that they could just walk in whenever. Noelle had texted him that she was going to be a couple minutes late- had some meeting. Probably was for the best- she had found some really interesting stuff for Tobi as a present. When, in all honesty, Jake knew that all the girl needed to do was find a neat looking feather. Ah well. More neat-looking feathers for him to give, Jake mused as he slid across the floor with his broom-guitar.

When Winter had received the invite to Tobi's birthday party, she was a bit surprised. It was a pleasant surprise none the less. Of course, she had to find something that the down-to-earth man would want. In her various internet searches and walks through thrift stores, she had discovered that Tobi was an extremely hard person to buy presents for. She knew him better than most other people on campus but she didn't know him nearly as well as Jake and Noelle. After much brainstorming and searching, she had found a really cool pocket knife and decided to get it. Just in time too because she had found it the day before the party at Jake's apartment.

It wasn't too far from campus and it was a decently nice day out so she elected to walk with her present wrapped in a box in her coat pocket. She knocked on the door and walked right in just as the text had instructed her to do so. "Hey, Jake!" She called out over the music and grinned when she caught a glimpse of him rocking out with the broom. Winter dressed up a bit more than her usual sweatpants and sweatshirt. She wore a pair of dark jeans as a light blue flannel that was unbuttoned. Under her shirt, she wore a black tank top. Her hair was pulled up in a short ponytail. She really needed to get it cut soon. The length was getting annoying.

She took off her black jacket and set it on the back of one of the wooden chairs and took out her present for Tobi from her jacket pocket. "Where should I put this?" She asked, holding up the forest green wrapped box. It had a white bow on it. As soon as she got closer to the kitchen, she inhaled all sorts of wonderful smells. She smiled a bit. MMmmm home cooking. This is totally better than food from the makeshift dining hall that the school had thrown together after the incident. And it sure as hell beat restaurant food too. That reminded her, she should probably help if Jake needed it.

"Need any help with anything or do you got it?"

Jake nearly has a heart attack when Winter comes in, sliding on his socks. Luckily, he caught himself on his fridge before he split his head on the wooden floor. His smile stays intact for the entire journey. Once he steadies himself, he puts the broom aside and waves "Hey, Winter! Thanks for coming!"

He makes his way over to the stereo, and he turns down the volume dial to a more suitable volume. He liked to blast his music, feel it in his toes. Living in an apartment didn't usually allow him to do that, but he decided that since he was cleaning and cooking, he deserved to turn it up a little more than usual. Also, he had to change the genre up. Noelle told him to play bluegrass, which was a tad rare in his personal collection. Still, he made a mix for every occasion. While popping in a new disc and messing with the settings, he called out to Winter "I mean, you can put it anywhere, I guess? I'm going to move mine in a second."

The soft, subtle sounds of a twangy guitar fill the space and Jake turned back to Winter, lip quirked up in a smile. "And everything is basically done. Soup is made, salad is tossed, bread is baked. All we gotta do is wait for the others."

He moves to grab his own present, looking around for a spot. Finally, he decides on an empty space on the counter, the balloons bobbing with him as he moves. "How have you been? Sienna still giving you trouble?"

Winter's eyes widened as Jake almost fell over only to be saved by quick reflexes and his fridge. She covered her mouth to stifle a grin and a giggle. She didn't feel too bad for laughing as he seemed to smile the entire time. "Sorry for startling you." She said in response to his greeting. She waited until he changed the music to some bluegrass. Not her thing but that fine. This wasn't for her, it was for Tobi. Speaking of which, she set her present down on the table in front of an empty chair. Figures that it was as good of a place as any and Jake didn't seem to have a set place in mind.

She smiled and nodded. Jake seemed to have this party well in hand! She was both surprised and pleased. She didn't have to do anything much so that much was good. "Cool! I didn't know that you liked to cook.' She said. "I should come over here more and have you cook for me instead of dealing with the shit food on campus." she added with a smirk. "There's only so much ramen noodles I can eat before I get tired of it."

Then of course, he had to mention Sienna. She frowned slightly before shrugging. "I've been alright. Things have been crazy as you know. As for Sienna... she avoids me now. Haven't spoken to her since that day in the library. Either she can't take rejection well or she doesn't want to be around 'my kind' any more." She said with air quotes with "my kind". She rolled her eyes. "It's whatever at this point. I have much better things to do with my time than to worry about people like that." She said, waving away the conversation as she smiled. Deep down however, it wasn't fine. It still greatly bothered her that Sienna wouldn't talk to her anymore. Not for lack of trying on Winter's part. All of her texts remained unanswered by Sienna. But she did not want to think about it.

"Oh, trust me! I SMASH to a cup of noodles. Like every day. I don't cook too often- I make way too much and then I get leftovers that I don't eat." It was true. The recipes that his mom had passed down had fed all nine members of his immediate family, plus whoever was around to join in their chaotic family dinners. In fact, this soup recipe was from his grandmother. She used to make it for Jake and his siblings after school on rainy days. It was hearty and filling and warm, which they needed. "But, you ask, and I'll cook whenever you want. Whatever you want too! I love a challenge."

Jake grabs a couple bowls from one of the stacks of dishware and begins to actually set the table. He places the differing bowls around the table as he listens to Winter. Shame that Sienna had a change of heart. While Jake was happy that Winter had someone waiting in the wings, he could relate all too well to someone rejecting him due to his mutation. His looks. Which sucked- his older brother? Handsome, golden boy. Top of class. On the football team. But since his mutation was telekinesis, he hid it pretty easily. Showed those he wanted. Of course, everyone knew it, but it was easy to forget. Not Jake.

"Sorry, Winter. I mean, if that's how she's going to act, it's probably a good thing you split. Better to find out now then later, you know?" Jake finishes placing the bowls, going to grab some spoons and small salad plates next. While setting those, he met Winter's eyes again "Do you want anything to drink? I got beer, soda, juice? I can mix you something if you really want. As long as you didn't drive."

Winter giggled as Jake described eating noddles in such Jake fashion. She came from a decent sized family herself but nothing compared to the large family Jake heralded from. "Well, I just might have to take you up on your offer." She said with her trademarked grin. "We'll suffer through the leftovers together." She thought for a moment. "'Have you cutting the ingredients in half when you cook? That will probably help you not make as much. Less leftovers for you to eat... or not eat. Whichever." She watched as he set the table. "I'll have to come up with different things I want to eat. I'll even help if you want the help."

Winter shrugged as Jake apologized. Frankly, he had nothing to apologize for. It wasn't his fault that Sienna turned out to be a bitch and a bigot. But Jake did have a point. It was better that she found out sooner rather than later. Especially if Sienna and her had actually started to date. Fortunately she had dodged that bullet and was now sort of with Agnes but they both didn't want to classify themselves as dating.

"You're right. It is better this way. But this entire conversation is making me crave a stiffer drink." She thinks for a bit. He had offered to mix drinks and she did walk.... "Alright. I'll take a rum and coke. Basic. I know but you can't go wrong with it." She added with a grin. "I might ask for an Old Fashioned later. Don't worry, I walked here and I'm sure I'll stumble my way back to the dorms."

The trip out to Jake’s apartment had so far been uneventful. Noelle had just given him directions and a time, told him to be there. He knew they were up to something, and that it probably revolved around the fact that it was his birthday today. Twenty-three felt just as uneventful as twenty-two did; all the appeal of birthdays just sort of disappeared after twenty-one. Granted, he had been drinking since his early teens, but still. At least it felt like a milestone. Next one was middle age, and from then it was just a tally marker until he eventually kicked the bucket.

He’d told Agnes that this morning. She’d just looked at him funny before punching him in the arm. “Hell of a happy birthday.” She’d said as she rolled her eyes. They were arms deep in their gifts from their parents on the floor of Tobi’s dorm. A classic selection to choose from this year; their Pa had run into some very neat looking rocks and a petrified rabbit. Agnes had claimed it almost immediately. She had pushed all the racoon themed gifts towards Tobi, thus making him the proud owner of a lovely necklace made of their teeth and a tiny wooden carved figurine of the small mammal. Racoon gifts were on point this year, he thought as he inspected the figurine.

Now, they both stand at what he hopes is Jake’s front door. Tobi had thrown on the sweater Noelle had made him, some cleaner jeans, and his old scuffed boots. His leather jacket was currently in tatters, and he needed some warmth as the weather cooled, so sweaters were the next best thing. Agnes stands next to him in a loose tank top, dark jeans, and an oversized cardigan they had found at the local thrift store. It was a wonderful thing, someone had probably made it decades ago. It’s a deep red, almost burgundy knit in a chunky yarn. Two large pockets are big enough to shove the bulky sleeves inside. Agnes claimed it was like wearing a blanket; Tobi had stolen enough times to confirm. A pair of aviator sunglasses is pushed up into her hair.

“You sure thi’ is the place?” Agnes asks her twin. He looks down at his phone with the address, looks past it to the watermelon doormat.


‘No doubt.’ He signs back.


Agnes grins in return and rises her hand to knock once, twice, three times. Tobi pushes past her to open the door, and Agnes trails behind her brother as they both step inside.

“Howdy,” she calls into the house. Her eyes catch on Winter there next to Jake in the kitchen. “Howdy,” she says again, lower this time. A slow smile curls across her face.


‘Lord,’ Tobi thinks, rolling his eyes. He gives a small wave to Jake and Winter before looking around at the room.

Winter smiled at Jake when she suddenly heard the familar voice of Agnes greeting the room. She then heard a lower, more suggestive greeting aimed at her more than likely. Winter had learned to deal with Agnes's constant teasing but it didn't necessarily mean that she was handling it well. She blushed as the low howdy but smiled at the twins anyways. Clearly Tobi has had enough of his sister's nonsense as he rolled his eyes. Winter was suddenly acutely aware of what she was wearing. Maybe she should have gone with that tight fitting sweater dress in her closet. Too late to change now.

"Howdy back at you guys.' she said with a grin and a wave, recovering much better now when Agnes flustered her. "And happy birthday. 23 years old. God, how does it feel to be old?" She asked.

She smiled at Tobi but her lips curled up more as she looked at Agnes. God, she even looked hot in that oversized sweater. She was so screwed. Now that Agnes was here, she would have to give her a present.... Winter stopped her train of thought. There was only one present in her coat pocket and it was Tobi's. Shit! She forgot Agnes's in her room! She was definitely the worst not-girlfriend ever.

“Ugh, I WISH that I could just divide and use fewer ingredients. But most of them have weird ratios if I do so, and the flavors get all messed up if I try to use more of something, but I hate using like half of an ingredient because then I have to throw it out. Not a big deal though. Regardless, I would love to cook with you. Sounds fun.”

Jake smiles at the newly made table, satisfied with the mismatched sizes and styles. He goes back to his cabinets, grabs some glasses for the table, and for Winter’s requested drink. Rum and Coke. He could respect that. A classic drink, a little basic, but a good start. He pulls out the bottle of rum that his brother, Fredric, supplied him with a little while after school started. “Guys with alcohol always make friends easier.” Well, he had three more join the ranks recently, two of which forged their friendship with him over some booze in a clearing in the Pennsylvania wilderness. Maybe he had a point? He was a quiet science whiz at home, but Jake knew Freddie had some wild college stories.

Ice is scooped into the glass, rum is poured. He grabs a can of coke from the fridge and pops it open, pouring into the glass, and then chugs the rest. With an easy smile and friendly eyes, he passes it to Winter just before the knocks are heard.

That’s weird.

He could have sworn that he texted everyone to just walk in? Tobi pushes past the door, and Jake flashes him the crooked grin “Hey man! Happy-”

Then she walked in.

She was gorgeous.

A goddess really. Curly hair fashioned into a mohawk, muscular frame, sharp eyes that were fixed with fire. The jeans clung to her legs, the ensemble finished with a tank top and the warmest looking cardigan Jake had ever seen. On top of it all, the smattering of freckles on her cheeks that went down to her shoulders? Jake stops for a second, just staring. Then he blinks.

Be cool.

His grin stays intact, as he finishes his earlier statement “Happy Birthday! I’m glad you can make it! Don’t worry, your girlfriend has made sure that this party is completely Jake-proof.”

He could have smacked himself. That sounded so stupid as it left his lips and the words almost hurt him as much as the stupid markings on his face and arms. Oh God, they were staring, he had to salvage this fast.

“Noelle didn’t tell me that you were going to bring a guest. Sister? I’m guessing?”

Dumbass.

Of course, the vision of perfection was Tobi’s sister. They looked very similar, except that while Tobi’s features were more masculine and surrounded by an aura of pain and suffering, this girl was a spitfire. Still, she was so, so attractive. Badass. Ugh, he needed to stop before he made a complete fool of himself. He flashes his crooked grin to her, his eyes sparkling ever so impishly. “I made plenty of food though. So, no big deal.”

He fixes his gaze back to Tobi, completely missing the second greeting to Winter. “Any clue when Noelle will show? I know she said she’d be a little late.”

“Don’ ask him, he were all gloom an’ doom this mornin’.” Agnes jerks her thumb at Tobi. “It’s ai’ight though. Not really any different from twenty-two.” She shrugs. It really isn’t, it’s just another year for the two of them. The only real reason they get together once a year for their birthdays is the tradition they started in their teens: get royally smashed. This is the one night a year where they make a conscious effort to render themselves unconscious, and the whole thing usually ends in drunken crafts and the both of them out at least a hundred dollars spent on alcohol. This was a nice change, a small night in with some of her brother’s friends.


Though, she can see the bottles from here, and there’s a pretty girl right in front of her. That’s promising.


Tobi looks over at Jake, his eyes a little wider in disbelief. Had he not told Jake he had a twin? His eyes flick towards Agnes, hands moving at an easy pace. Agnes catches his glance and signs something back quick. She offers a sharp toothed smile to their host as she starts to explain.

“We twins. Same birthday. I usually come up anyway ‘round this time a’year. “ She turns back towards Winter after the explanation, leaning more into the small girl’s space. Her eyes flick toward the glass in her hand. The smile she gives Winter is a little more sly, her gaze a little more lidded. “Now where y’all get that?”


Tobi shrugs in response to Jake’s question. Noelle hadn’t texted since earlier in the day. He would assume soon, he’s never known her to be late, especially something she probably had a hand in. As much as he wanted to give Jake the benefit of the doubt, he had trouble believing his apartment was usually this clean.

Jake sees the sly smiles and flirtatious eyes, but he just assumed that was just the woman’s way. Jesus, his heart was beating fast right now, almost pounding out of his chest to meet her. But, he just offered the same half-grin he always sported.
Truth be told, Tobi hadn’t told him about his sister. The guys still wasn’t speaking that much, and he got all of his information from Noelle. In effort for his birthday, and by Noelle’s own suggestion, he had started to learn some simple signs in ASL. But the siblings were moving way to fast for him to even figure it out. His eyes tried to track the movement, but it didn’t process. But Agnes opened her mouth, her sharp teeth glinting in the warm light, poking out behind her lips…

Focus.

This isn’t about you. It’s about Tobi, dumbass.

“Oh, that’s cool. Happy Birthday to you, too.” Jake says, good-naturedly “I’m Jake. I’m the one that kidnapped your brother and took an impromptu road trip. Oh, and the drinks-”

Jake moves over to his liquor cabinet, which was above his fridge. He opens, revealing half-empty bottles of Vodka, Rum, Gin, Whiskey, and everything in between. There were also a couple of bottles of wine and some glasses. Jake had been drinking with his older siblings since his Junior year. He was from a quiet town with not much else to do besides get shitfaced in someone’s cornfield. One of the best things about Highmauve was that it wasn’t Iowa. Unlike some of his peers, Jake never found himself homesick for the flat land and rows of corn that was his own home. “Feel free to take whatever you want. I have beer in the fridge too. Ice in the freezer.”

Jake moves to the table, pulling out a chair next to Winter, leaning back, fixing his smile and gaze on Tobi “Okay. Just wondering. She said she had a meeting or something and would be a little late. She’ll hopefully be here soon.”

He hoped so, at least. She was the one that planned this thing with him. And he couldn’t start serving food until she got there, despite her insisting to not wait for her. Jake's' fingers began to drum on the table, nervous energy from the missing person to Agnes joining. Was she expecting a present? Oh shit, he had to come up with something quick. Quietly, he racked his brain, thinking about the items in his apartment. What would she like? His cactus? His boxed set of Jurassic Park? His Led Zeppelin Vinyl? His brain screamed until the door opened again.

Noelle?

Well. It probably was Noelle. All he saw was a figure holding two giant boxes stacked on top of each other, with two smaller wrapped boxes on top of the bigger ones. They covered her face and body, but from the height and the gloves, it was obvious who it was.

___

Noelle had chosen to wear a dark green dress that laid against her pale skin starkly, with thick black tights and her favorite pair of black flats. Her hair was freshly brushed, her glasses cleaned, but none of that was visible because of the damn gifts her mother sent.

Now, Noelle was grateful that her mother was thoughtful and sent two boxes for the twins, but it made her own gifts seem so small in comparison. She peeked in the box, to make sure there weren’t any duplicate gifts. Thankfully, there were none, just her mother’s insanely accurate gift-giving skills at their best.

She had heard through the door Agnes’ voice- Tobi gave her warning and she was silently kicking herself for not warning Jake. Between her new lessons, classes, hanging out with Tobi, and planning this thing, she let it slip in the cracks. Well, it was none of those things that was really overwhelming her. It was mainly the fact that she still had to wear gloves to not stain everything she touched. She still hadn’t really talked to Tobi about it. Noelle wanted to- so badly. But every time she wanted or tried to bring it up, he was stressed about his own things and she just wanted to help him. And she pushed it aside. Each time.

“Happy Birthday!” She calls from behind the boxes, stepping in, putting it all down by the door. She turns back and flashes a small smile at Tobi. She had put on a little lipstick, a little mascara. Noelle knew that she looked a step up than her usual attire. As did Tobi. In her sweater. She found herself staring at the fit, smiling so softly, so fondly. Eyes meet and she blushes. Every dang time, she swears. He will always take her breath away. Always.

Winter smiled good-naturedly as Jake laments the fact that he couldn't change the recipes. Shame really but she was sure that they would figure it out. "No big deal. We're just going to have to cook for an army and get together more often. it'll be fun!" She exclaimed. As Jake prepared her class, she smiled. With glass in hand she took a sip. She smiled. She would have to get stronger drink for her next one. Especially now that Agnes had arrived. God, that girl was still so hot. She was a bit distracted by her that she didn't even notice Jake drooling over the female twin.

She smiled as Jake pieced together that they were twins and she laughed good-naturedly as she automatically drifted closer to Agnes who leaned forward, asking about a drink. "Ask our gracious host. It seems he has a vast collection of drinks. Probably just enough to have a shit ton of fun." Winter boldly touched her chest right above Agnes's breasts when she said the word fun. She grinned at her. Agnes did things to her stomach as she flirted with her. Winter still couldn't keep a blush from creeping up into her cheeks.

At the mention of Noelle, she looked to Tobi then to Jake who said that she had a meeting. She shrugged. That girl was always up to something. When she appeared a moment later, Winter quickly helped her with her rather large boxes. "I got you girl." She said as she picked up the top box so she could see and set it down. By the other box.

She loved watching Tobi and Noelle make eyes at each other. They were still the cutest things in town. She moved back towards the group and moved next to Agnes. Looking around her, she became acutely aware of how short she was. Damn. She was a midget next to these giants.

Well heck.


Noelle looks nice. Well, she looks nice every day, but in that emerald dress? She’s damn near resplendent. Dark eyes watch the fabric catch in the light and follow her slightest movements with a dip and twirl of cloth. Neckline just high enough to hide the purple marks he knows he left there, dark color a lovely contrast against skin that he had traced the contours of, a slight flush from carrying those boxes up the stairs. She’s gorgeous as she looks back at him with that blush still spreading soft across her cheeks. Dark brown eyes trail up his frame to linger heavy on the sweater he’s wearing; when her eyes catch his again, he smiles something sweet and affectionate just for her.

The boxes she’s holding are from Karen, no doubt. He smiles as he notices the two of them, one undoubtedly for his twin and most likely stuffed to the brim with goodies galore.  Eyes flick back to the woman talking low to Winter and then to Noelle. His calloused hands move quick at his darlin’ as they communicate silent words.


‘She has no idea.’


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Well heck.


Sharp grey eyes flick to the hand on her chest and back to Winter. A smile, slow as honey and sharp as the sting that defended it. “Oh babe,” she purrs soft and low. “We can have all the fun y’wan’.” She lets the touch linger, lets her eyes roam over the smaller girl for just a small moment before turning back to Jake. Kid was offering drinks, she might as well abuse that.

“Jake, huh? Agnes Gertrude Maynard, older n’wiser twin.” She offers as introduction. Tobi mutters something under his breath that she doesn’t catch but whatever it is, it sounds a lot like an annoyed cuss. She navigates easily to the fridge to pull out two of the beer bottles chilling in there. Deft hands pop each of the caps off on the sharp edge of the counter before making her way back across the room. She hands one of the bottles to her brother making moony eyes at Noelle before taking a long drink of the other. Her feet lead her back to her spot next to Winter.

She preens as the girl settles back near her, loves the feeling of her next to her. She watches the room, smiling when she sees her brother glace back towards the food she knows he can smell on the stove. The boy’s always been a sucker for a homecooked meal; hell, the both of them were. Fingers loose around the rim of her open beer bottle, she addresses Jake at the table once more.

“That food for eatin’ or jus’ for lookin’? Could go for a couple bowls a’whate’er you got cookin’ in that pot.” She shoots him a smile that she hopes is gracious. Kid was feeding them and offering free booze, least she could do is be polite. From his look at the door, he hadn’t known she was coming with Tobi. Figures. Important stuff like that tended to slip his mind like it were greased.

Noelle glowed under Tobi’s gaze. While she would never admit it, she carefully chose this outfit just for this event. She spent many minutes deciding what would look best for her, what Tobi would like, the warmth in Jake’s apartment; every factor was accounted for. She thought she saw Tobi’s eyes linger at the neckline and below, where she still had dark spots peppering her body, which of course made her blush even more. It was a secret only between the two of them, exhilarating in nature and completely new to Noelle. The only thing that marred her appearance was the worn leather gloves she wore. While her fingers didn’t give off that dangerous tingle, she found that it was safer to wear them.

So far, the ink that poured out from the tips of her fingers didn’t seem particularly dangerous. It just made a mess and got everywhere, but it was relatively easy to clean up. But anytime it started to flow, Noelle remembered being sucked into it, it spreading and consuming whatever it touched. Better safe than sorry, she constantly reminded herself. Still, she didn’t know what the hell this even meant. Her brain had worked double time in research, trying to figure out what was going on. But any research was fruitless. Her mutation was something that was quite unique, which she hated. Made it harder to put things into well-defined lines.

Yet, she pushed that all aside for tonight. She watched Tobi’s hands in a flurry, her eyes sparkling. Agnes knew her mother but she hadn’t seen the gifts that she tended to give. In response, in her own gloved hands, she signed back quickly. “You know Karen. She insisted.”

Noelle secretly hoped that it wouldn’t steal the thunder from her own presents. Especially Tobi’s. She spent a long time fixing it up, making something that Tobi would hopefully appreciate in the winter months that were coming.

After signing back to him she steps over and kisses his cheek gently, and wraps her arms around his. Yes. This was nice. A nice evening with some close friends. More of what they needed.
___________
That smile.

It hit Jake like a ton of bricks, causing his own to grow. His heart was in his throat, pulsing with excitement. Agnes had smiled at him. She wasn't repulsed, she wasn't disgusted or immediately annoyed. She was so, so hot. And a quick wit. And Agnes had great taste in beer, which just was the cherry on his sundae at the moment.

Oh shit.

She’d asked a question.

“Of course!” He makes his way to the oven, grabbing his bright blue mitts. He opens, grabs the bread, closes it with his foot, and brings it over to the table. He places the bread pan on a green trivet with a spiderweb-like pattern. He glances at Noelle, who lets go of Tobi and grabs the bowl of salad off of the counter, before sitting up straight in the chair across from Winter. Lastly, Jake carefully carried the hot pot of soup over to the table, putting it on another trivet, this one wooden and with a tree etched in the pattern. With flourish, he placed a ladle next to it, moving back towards the fridge to grab a beer for himself, some lemonade for Noelle. He pours about a half cup for Noelle but then grabs some vodka from his shelf.

“Alright folks! Tonight, we will be dining on a hearty potato soup, from my grandma’s own recipe, as well as a fresh garden salad. The bread was made in a conjuncture with Noelle, who lent her mother’s own recipe.” He says this while pouring Noelle’s drink, handing it to her at the mention of her mother, grinning. He sits down across from Agnes’ seat “Hope you enjoy!”

He begins to pour some soup into bowls, smiling at each recipient as the scent of the delicious soup wafts up to their noses. Jake was excited to have them eat his food- it was always great to see how people reacted to his seriously good cooking contrasted to his seriously extra personality. “Also, for the record, Noelle was the one who planned most of this. So, before you thank me for anything, thank her..”

He says this while pouring Noelle’s meal, winking at her. He noted that her face was pretty much the same color as his hair. She looked like she was going to throttle him. But, after a couple weeks of getting to know her, Jake knew it was all in good fun.

Winter smirked as Agnes looked at the hand she had placed on her chest. Winter's own heartbeat raced. God, even Agnes's smile got to her. Both sweet and sharp. She knew that those teeth of hers were sharp and felt oh so good... She blinked to refocus herself as Agnes didn't even try to hide the fact that she was checking her out. Winter didn't mind. She did the same each and every time she saw the sexy older Maynard twin. Her smirk turned into a grin as Agnes mentioned the fun that they could have. "I might have to take you up on that offer, hot stuff." She said before removing her hand as she introduced herself to Jake and grabbed two bottles of beer.

Winter smiled as they both found their way back to each other's side. That always made a girl feel good about herself to know that someone wants to be by your side. She took a sip of her drink as she ever so slightly leaned against the taller girl when she mentioned the food. She was getting hungry and the smell of the meal to come was getting to her stomach, making it growl softly.

She ignored Noelle and Tobi, not to be rude but to give them a somewhat private moment. Those two kids seemed inseparable every time they were together. She just found it best to let them do their thing as she did hers. Instead, she focused on Jake frantically started to get food out and ready for them to eat. He seemed a bit distracted at the moment. She figured that it was probably Agnes since he had never seen her before. Agnes was a pretty attractive and intimidating person. She paused for a moment. Jake didn't know about Agnes before today. And Winter knew that she only referred to Agnes as her crush in passing and never by name. She paused again at that thought.

Was Jake fascinated by Agnes? Was she jealous? She knew that she shouldn't be jealous since she and Agnes weren't really dating at the moment. Should she say something? But what would she say? Agnes was a strong independent woman. She didn't want to tie her down to any one person. She also didn't want anyone else flirting with Agnes. This was all so confusing. She pushed all those thoughts aside. She would deal with it later. Possibly after the party if she could bring Agnes back to her dorm room after the party.

Winter sat in her chair once she realized that Noelle and Jake got the food covered. She smiled as Jake described the food they would be eating. Now that soup both smelled and sounded delicious. She smiled at Jake as he served her and explained everything. "Well, it seriously smells amazing, Jake. And thank you Noelle for organizing all of this." She said. She waited for everyone to be served before waiting for Tobi and Agnes to start eating. It was their party after all. She then started eating and grinned after her first spoonful.

"Shit man! This is amazing!" She exclaimed. "I am honestly coming over here and letting you cook for me more often. I will honestly pay you." She said earnestly. This was the best food she had in a long time.

Tobi folds her into his space as she wraps her arms around him, laughs at her signed words. Agnes really does have no idea about the gift giving power of Karen Scott. His twin has even less of a baseline for what normal gifts are than Tobi; at least he could take guesses from what his residents got from their parents. Karen’s presents to Agnes are going to make the girl lose her goddamn mind. Tobi feels the kiss on his cheek and smiles into it. Fingers wrap around his arm and he feels some of the good feeling fade, at least for a moment.

Those hands are still covered in her dark gloves, the thought of which still worries him. Ever since that night on top of Jake’s van, they hadn’t really talked about the situation or why this is happening. Memories roll in his mind as he runs a cursory look at them, but he still can’t remember a time where this has happened or even a catalyst that would spark this sort of reaction. It seems like something that should be addressed, seems like something that he should press her on in the same way that she had pressed him with his own issues. He had felt like she wanted to talk about it, but it never seemed like a good time to bring it up; either he would be busy, or she would drop it before he could get a word out.


They’d have to address it eventually, he thinks. Maybe he’d just take her out for coffee, have a sit down there.


Right now though, Jake’s setting out soup and some bread that smells so damn good. If Noelle’s happy to shove the problem out of sight for a night, well, he is too. Dread lingers quiet in his heart, but he can push it aside in the face of a good beer and good company.


As they settle at the table and Jake rolls though his presentation, Tobi looks over at Noelle to sign a few words.


‘Y’all planned all this?’ his hands fly though the signs. A hot bowl of soup is placed in front of him and its only a moment before the smell hits him. It’s homey, delicious, and creamy enough without being too rich. He catches Jake’s attention as he doles out another bowl and flashes him a sign he hopes the other boy can understand: ‘thank you.’.


Down the table, Agnes takes a spoonful of the soup. It smelled good for sure, but did it taste good? The answer, she found, was yes. A very emphatic yes. Winter seemed to agree as well, judging by her loud enthusiasm for the food. God, she just said whatever was on her mind; it was endearing. She smiles around the rim of her beer glass as she takes a sip.

“Real good, Jake, ‘preciate it.” She says. And she does. Seeing her brother here, in the company of these people? Seeing him with friends that supported him? Seeing him happy and so obviously in love? She appreciates all of it. Appreciates this girl sitting next to her too.

She smiles as she remembers Winter’s response to her offer and absently wonders how easy it would be to steal her away for just a little bit to have a repeat of a couple weeks ago. Lord, just the thought of it… Her smile turns soft for just a moment as she tears herself a chunk of bread to throw in her soup.

Noelle’s face has never been redder as Tobi signed to her. It was way too much attention to her, Jake guessed. He watched as she places her hands in her lap and gives a short smile to everyone. Jake had to admit, the gloves were weird. He assumed that had something to do with the black stains he saw all over her face and neck and his now ruined air mattress. She had replaced it, which he was grateful for. But she hadn’t said anything about it. And he tried to coax it out of her, but she wasn’t having it. Said that she was fine. He didn’t believe for a second. Maybe he should mention it to Tobi and they could tag team Noelle with the help she needed.

A grin plays across his face as Winter breaks the silence of the first slurps. He sits up. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he worked really hard to make this meal suitable for Tobi and everyone else. He knew he would brush it off like it was no big deal, but their praise hit him in the chest. It built him up for a moment. “Gee, thanks, guys! Been dying to try out this recipe. Glad you like it!”

He meets Tobi’s eyes as he signs to him and grins. He knew that one, so he responded simply “You’re welcome.”

Then Agnes spoke.

Beautiful, sweet Agnes.

He found himself tilting his head, listening to each lilt, each smooth vowel in her speech. God, that accent was hot. Specifically in her voice. Staring into her sharp grey eyes, his own green eyes glinting. They were looking at each other. He could have sung. Probably not a good idea if Noelle and Tobi’s reaction to his sweet tunes on the way home. While he thought his rendition of Carry on my Wayward Son was quite brilliant, Tobi’s grimaces and Noelle’s throwing of wrappers had told him otherwise. It wasn’t that it was out of tune or off beat- just really enthusiastic. So, maybe don’t sing.

But he had to respond somehow.

“Oh! It’s no big deal. I always make too much anyways. You can take some home with you if you want.”

For once, he was happy with his response. Simple, a promise of- wait! “Consider it a birthday present.”

YES! That was the perfect response! Covered his ass for later when they gave gifts, showed that he was thankful and gracious for his praise, brushing it off. Nailed it!

Meanwhile, Noelle picked up a spoon and took a dainty sip of her soup, then plated a little bit of salad. Since her official couple-ship with Tobi, she had been trying her best to eat more. And more frequently. While she still had situations where she felt food in her mouth and had no desire to swallow, they were fewer and she was able to force it down by thinking about Tobi and his care for her wellbeing.

Which made her self-conscious about the gloves. But she had thought about it enough for the day. Now, she just wanted this night to be stress-free, for everyone. Noelle felt like she needed to pick up the pieces from the aftermath of the dining hall- looks have gotten both better and worse. While she hadn’t been called a witch since then and some people actually stepped forward to say thank you, whispers had gotten louder and faces have been more twisted. And not just towards her, but Jake and Tobi as well. And in spite of everything that happened, the path that brought them here, she found herself lying in bed whenever she was alone at night, grinding her teeth, the same words echoing in her brain.

Your fault.

To get her mind off of that, she flicked her eyes to Agnes, then to Winter. They were cute together, she decided. An opposite thing was going on, which she found very charming. And Winter was obviously crazy, insanely head over heels for Agnes. Then, her eyes flick to Jake, who was trying to playing it off but she noticed that his smile was somehow even more impish than usual. This was going to be interesting. With her free hand, she reached over to Tobi, placing it gently on his thigh. It isn't sexual or even really romantic, just a motion to show that she was there and attentive to him.Her smile is still intact, gentle and soft. “So, how has work been? Was Halloween crazy?”

Winter smiled as Agnes agreed with her assessment of the meal. She took of slice of bread and ripped off a piece before popping it into her mouth as Agnes did the same but put it in her soup. She couldn't help but to see the other girl's softer smile as she placed the bread in her soup. Winter liked to think that it was because of her. Granted, she didn't know for sure... but regardless, it was a nice thought. She hoped to God that they would be able to slip away for a bit to be alone together. It's been too long in her opinion.

She smiled as Jake accepted the praise she had given him for the meal. Regardless of what she thought about him and Agnes, Jake did deserve praise for this wonderful meal. It was good. She was sure that everyone here thought as much. He had obviously put in a lot of effort into the soup and bread.

Winter happened to look up as Agnes praised the meal. A short sentence, yes, but Jake seemed to eat it up. He tilted his head and smiled. It wasn't his usual grin either. THis seemed... oh lord... it seemed lovestruck. He was totally crushing on Agnes! This couldn't happen! She was just getting comfortable with Agnes's constant teases and witty and suggestive remarks. And she knew that Agnes enjoyed her company too. She couldn't let Jake come in and take it away!

Winter stopped herself and forced herself to continue eating. She shouldn't be jealous. She was just being ridiculous. Agnes obviously liked being around her. She wouldn't just leave all of that for someone she doesn't know... granted, Agnes hadn't known her that well before they ended up making out on her bed. Great. Just great. And it's not like she could just admit out loud in front of everyone that she was seriously considering asking Agnes to be her girlfriend. They all knew that she was bi but at the same time, it was still embarrassing admitting it out loud. This sucks. But she decided that it would all be fixed once she and Agnes were alone once more. She just had to wait.

She looked up at Noelle as she spoke, eager to listen and to learn more about her friends. She had to distract herself someway after all.

Tobi pauses halfway through his bowl of soup to raise his hands towards Noelle after she asks her question. ‘Weren’t that nuts.’ He signs. ‘Floor’s pretty ai’ight, they ain’t do much crazy. They us’ly go out for drinkin’, only come back worse for wear. I turn a blind eye t’most a’it mostly cause, well.’ He shrugs. Noelle knows what he keeps in his own room. It’d feel a little hypocritical of him to write them up for something he’s doing so much worse. ‘Jus’ make sure they safe and tucked in, tha’s about it.” He takes a sip of soup.  A moment passes. ‘Oh,’ he signs. ‘The kids.’

God, Halloween. He loved bits of it; his dorm had organized a safe trick or treat where kids could come through and get candy passed out by the residents. Most took the opportunity to dress up, other just appreciated the free candy stolen from value sized bags he had bought with the budget the higher ups gave him. One of the female RAs, a close friend of his, had the time of her life stealing leaves from outside and sticking them in his hair and along his clothes. The others in his hall had lost their minds at the makeshift tree costume.

They had lost it even more seeing groups of children in their Halloween best trailing after him down the hall like little ducklings. They clung to him as he led them through the building in small groups, small hands in his; one adventurous little kid dressed up as a t-rex had even climbed onto his back and just held out their bag to be filled up as they passed each door. Little voices giggled at the noises he made for them, little fingers plucked leaves out of his hair, and little arms waved goodbye to the tune of ten tiny ‘thank you’s.


That night, he had gone to bed sore and picking leaf fragments out of his hair. But, the satisfied smile he had been wearing stuck, even as he had drifted off.


There’s a soft smile on his face as he tells her about each of the little beans he had been tasked with leading around the dorms. Of the rest of the night shared with the students who hadn’t gone out. They’d made popcorn and hot cider, sitting in the lobby in their costumes and watching scary movies Tobi didn’t quite understand. He appreciated the company though and the way they had included him even if he couldn’t contribute much in the way of conversation.

His hand reaches blindly for the bread as he pauses in his telling, but just can’t seem to find it. Giving up, he holds his hand up in the direction of his twin. A second later, there’s bread in his hand from Agnes tossing a chunk to him. It goes into the soup to mop up what’s left on the bottom.


Agnes leans back in her chair after tossing the bread. Jake’s offer is certainly something, though she mostly supposes it’s out of some sort of need to give a present. Not like she had been expecting anything, Tobi always tended to leave out things like his twin sister coming to visit. She never minded, in fact, she rather relished the surprised looks on people’s faces when they realized there were two of them. Nonetheless, the offer is appreciated. Free meal and Tupperware she’s probably not going to return: the greatest gift of all.


“Thanks man, throw in a few a’ them drinks an’ we got a deal.” She motions with her drink towards him; the beer inside hits the side of the glass with a light swish.

Noelle’s face softens as Tobi describes his Halloween. Her heart was damn near melting as his hands tell the tale of the kids that he had seen and his utter appreciation for them. It was nice; most people their age had this weird disdain for children, which Noelle found insane. Those small humans had such interesting minds and perspectives, and they didn’t get the respect they deserved most of the time. It was something Noelle noticed ever since she was a child herself and she vowed to never lose at least a small part of her childhood outlook.

As Tobi’s hands sweep in the air, she found herself remembering her past Halloween’s at home. Her mother insisted that she dressed up, but didn’t care as what. When she was young, she turned to dress as her favorite characters- Charlie Bucket, Winnie Foster, Jo March. And Karen Scott slaved away on each costume. But Noelle grew out of trick or treating quickly, especially after her sister was born.

So, they started a new tradition.

After the kids in the neighborhood had gone home, Noelle would sit with her mother and sister in their tiny backyard, sitting under the ancient oak tree that had been growing since before her grandmother was born. The moon would shine and the stars would glisten against the dark sky as the three of them huddled close, giggling and prodding each other. Karen would pull out a copy of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Noelle would read it for everyone while sitting on a picnic blanket with warm cider in hand and leftover candy in a bowl. Since they were usually newer editions, the apparitions of Ichabod and Brom Bones were ghostly and smoky. And each time, Noelle would read the entire story, expressively. She left no detail untouched, allowing the characters to perform in front of them in her own image. And every year without fail, the Headless Horseman would hope over their fence and chase Ichabod Crane around the yard. Joy would watch, shrieking and laughing herself to tears. Each year, they went through the book, leaving each page blank.

This had been the first year that Noelle had not participated at home, but she did stay in her dorm, Glenn on her chest, and read silently the story to herself. While it was less magical and a little heartbreaking, she kept to it. With her cat purring, vibrating her upper body and the soft swish of the strong wind from outside her window. The words kept her company, the characters playing in her mind instead of in front of her eyes.

She smiled at Tobi as he finishes. God, he was so adorable. And as much as a literal force of nature he could be if pushed, the soft and gentle side was what made her so attracted to him. So, when the story evened out, she smiled that private, tender smile that was only for him. “That sounds so lovely and those kids probably had the best Halloween ever.”

“I can work with that!” Jake almost jumped out of his seat to clear his entire liquor cabinet for her. Anything for her. Oh God, wait until she sees what he made in lieu of a cake. This was seriously becoming one of the best nights ever. Pretty girl who was WAY out of his league, Tobi and Noelle looking actually relaxed, Winter being herself? He wouldn’t have changed it.

While he was the last to get soup, he was one of the first to finish, and he begins to pour himself another bowl. He locks eyes with Agnes again, his heart pounding to meet hers again. He notices her own bowl was near empty. Here’s your chance, McKinley. Don’t screw it up.

“Do you want some more? Since I’m already up?” He says it nonchalant, cool. But inside, he’s dying.

As Tobi started to describe his Halloween as a RA, Winter realized a little too late that she actually didn't understand anything he was signing. She knew the alphabet and how to sign "winter' for her name. Well... she supposed that Tobi still hasn't regained his speech all that much. Which totally sucks since she couldn't talk to him anymore. Well... she could, but holding a conversation was impossible which still, in fact, sucks. Since she couldn't quite participates in Noelle's and Tobi's conversation, she focused on the (in her opinion) more attractive of the twins, Agnes.

Winter giggled as Agnes tossed her brother a chunk of bread. It was an impressive throw and an equally impressive catch. "You guys had to have practiced that move." She said to Agnes with a smirk. "Or is it just a twin thing?" She teased after Agnes had replied to Jake. Of course Agnes wouldn't turn down food. That girl had to have the same healthy appetite as Tobi but she kept in a lot better shape than herself. Not that she was complaining. God, her figure was to die for. She was so strong and sure and... Winter was starting to lose her train of though once more. She always did whenever she was texting Agnes or thinking about her (which she did waaaay to often).

She tried to force down her jealousy from creeping into her thoughts as Jake seemed way too eager to help Agnes get more drinks and leftovers. She really needed to stop that. Winter forced herself to continue eating her soup and munching on her bread. God, she was being ridiculous. She needed to sort herself out before she embarrasses herself in front of Agnes, though the other girl would probably just get amused and tease her about it.

Winter glanced up at Jake as he asked Agnes if she wanted more soup. Winter looked down at her empty bowl. She was still hungry and if she wanted to at least somewhat keep drinking, she needed to eat. "I'll take some more too, Jake." She said as she stood up. "It was certainly good enough for seconds and thirds." She said. She looked at Agnes. "I can take your bowl up if you want." She offered even though Jake had offered first. Man, did she feel petty.

“We been living different sides a the same lives for so long, guess it jus’s come’s with the territory.” She shrugs. “Ain’t like I never thrown anythin’ at ‘im before.” She had, a lot of it a lot sharper or a lot heavier than a chunk of bread. Tobi’s got scars for lots of reasons, though a lot of them are from the two of them messing around with things they weren’t supposed to and doing stupid stunts with those things.

Jake rises at her answer fast enough to make her eyes go a little wide. Damn, this kid seemed so eager to play the host. Either that, or he just felt really bad about not getting her a gift. She should tell him that really, it’s unnecessary. She’d got some kickass stuff from her parents that morning, and she can see the two matching boxes Noelle brought with her from here. It’s really fine, she’s going to live. Plus, this was gift enough, this quiet night in and a good meal.

She’d kind of been living off tv dinners and jerky for a long while. Any change was welcome.

She feels Winter move at her side, getting up just as Jake offers to refill her bowl. She’s about to hand it to him and thank him, but the shorter girl offers the same and damn if there weren’t some weird tension there. Still, she hands her bowl to Winter to be refilled. Doesn’t really matter who; she’d probably just do it herself if they hadn’t offered.

“Thanks girlie,” she says a couple minutes later as Winter hands the bowl back. Deft hands tear off another chunk of bread to dip in her soup before shoving it in her mouth. Weird tension, she thinks as she chews. Good bread, fantastic soup, strange feeling in the air.


‘I hope it were fun for them. They at least got candy outta it.’ He signs, but he’s smiling. It really was an enjoyable night. Looking down, he sees his bowl and its sad empty state. His body rocks back to pull out the chair and he stands with his bowl in hand.

‘I’m gonna get another bowl, y’need anythin’?’ he asks Noelle. From across the table, Agnes signs a word at him. He nods before disappearing into the kitchen. There’s a hiss as the refrigerator is pulled open, two sharp smacks, and then Tobi reemerges holding two open beers and a new, full bowl of soup. One of the drinks is handed to Agnes before he sits back down next to Noelle.

Jake could have sworn that he heard something in Winter’s voice as she stood up, stealing his thunder. Not that he minded. Gave him some fresh perspective- he needed to slow down. He might have come off as a little eager. Plus, Winter getting the second portion gave him a chance to talk to Agnes. Maybe be a little less lame?

He sits back down and sips his own beer, tearing off a piece of bread. Damn, Noelle’s mom had a good recipe. Buttery, soft and completely delicious. He had to meet this woman one day, get her tips and tricks. He chews, looking at Agnes, trying to sort through the cheesy pick-up lines and memories of past rejections. Finally, he settles on a casual “So, I’m guessing that you don’t live around here. Where you from?”

Simple question, good question. Not creepy. Not stalkery. And, it helped that he was genuinely curious. Just as he was curious about Noelle’s origin and Tobi’s abilities and Winter’s love life. He liked learning things about those he selected for his friend group. They tended to be more interesting than anything he had experienced. His life had been pretty quiet, pretty chill. Of course, he had a few stories. But they were mainly about his siblings. Or the crazy and slightly embarrassing antics that he had gotten into. Those were filed away in the back of his mind, always ready to be brought up to diffuse a situation. Absently, his free hand goes to a branded symbol on his wrist- a Celtic trinity knot. He felt his thumb rub over the grooves in his skin, trying to calm his nerves.

“No, I’m good. Thank you.” Noelle took a sip of her drink and looked at her empty plate and bowl, a little proud of herself. Her eyes flick to Agnes and Winter. The cuteness dissipated for a moment- Winter had stood up and taken the bowl in a really weird and almost possessive way. As if Jake really was threatening her fling with Agnes. Weird. Noelle decided that she didn’t really like that reaction, but pushed it aside. She’d mention something to Winter if it continued, but she believed it would be okay.

As Tobi made his way back she smiled, the bad feelings dissolving in her stomach, as they usually did when he was around. She hoped this would be the first night that she spent with him where there wasn’t a crisis. One could hope. Noelle’s eyes glitter as she speaks next “I’m sure they did have a good time. Not everyone gets a tree as a personal bodyguard.”

Except for Noelle. She blushed at the thought, but her eyes remained unmoving. She continues “My Halloween was pretty boring. My mom sent me some stuff, but I really kind of missed being home. We had a tradition that I missed for the first time since we did it… But it’s okay. Things have been crazy over there apparently.”

Winter grinned before breaking out into a laugh. Winter had brothers and she had thrown more than a few things at them. She had even hit a couple of hockey pucks at them when they annoyed her on the ice. "I know that feeling. Brothers can be the worst sometimes. And the best at other times." She kept her smile up even as Agnes's eyes widened at Jake's eagerness to serve her. She hated that she was feeling jealous and jealousy makes her petty. Though she couldn't help but to feel a little too pleased with herself when Agnes gave her the bowl. She walked over to the pot and got her and Agnes more soup. She walked back and set her bowl down in front of her and couldn't quite quite conceal her proud grin as Agnes thanked her.

She started eating her soup once more and bit off the piece of bread she had. She kept to herself for a bit. Jake's question had interested her too. Though it still bothered her that it was Jake, not her asking the question. Why was she so jealous? She didn't own Agnes after all. That's whst she adored so much about the other girl, she was independent.

And yet.... She glanced up and noticed that Noelle had given her a strange look. Shit. She and notice her behavior. She needed to chill out and relax. Agnes wasn't hers to have. Not yet at least. She took a sip of her drink. "Yeah... And how is work?" She added to Jake's question.

“We both techni’ly from a town in North Carolina called Mount Airy, least that’s where we got our mail. Family lived farther up n’the mountains for th’longest time. Ma n’ Pa moved a little farther south when we were ‘round thirteen or so, Tobi n’ I stayed in the same area.” She shrugs and takes a sip of her beer.

“Righ’ now though? ‘M down near Shenandoah State Park in Virginia. Park Ranger n’ all that.” Winter comes back then with her soup. She grabs the bowl from her with a thanks and sets it in front of her. Kid really did know how to cook. He was excitable, lanky, and didn’t quite seem to know what to do with himself at times, but damn he knew how to cook. She could see why her brother hung out with the kid.

Winter sits again. Agnes lets her leg wander underneath the table as she talks until it settles against Winter’s own. She didn’t quite know what was up, but if she could help, well, she was gonna try. “Work’s ai’ight. One time a the year I really enjoy, Halloween.” She considers the table, figures they all saw her at family day. “They let me out into the forest t’entertain kids and thrill seekers. We get the whole gamut; serious ‘cryptid’ enthusiasts,” she laughs a bit at that, “an’ just hordes a’ drunk kids doin’ it for the scare.” Her gaze flicks to Tobi across the table.

“I were thinkin’ bout invitin’ Pa next year.” She says to him. Tobi looks over from his conversation with Noelle to look at Agnes. There’s a look in his eye that’s a little sly as he signs back.


‘They’d shit themselves.’ It’s not a no. Agnes smirks, sharp and dangerous.


“Tha’s the point. You know, you coul’ come up too, freak out drunk tourists. Good therapy.” Tobi just shrugs, but Agnes knows her brother well enough to interpret that as a maybe. God, with her Pa and Tobi in the mix, she could organize one hell of a special Halloween for the park.


Across the table, Tobi shrugs at Noelle’s words, but there’s a small smile as he does. ‘Well, hell.”


‘You should’a come by. Hung out with my floor, we were jus’ watchin’ movies.’ He offers. Not like the guys didn’t know her. Noelle and Agnes were generally known to be two girls that were allowed up in the dorm rooms, especially Tobi’s floor. Not that his kids would try anything, but even then, they knew Agnes would piledrive anyone who tried to touch her, and Tobi would ruin anyone who tried to bother Noelle. It was an unspoken rule that if either of them wanted up, they’d be let up, no questions asked.


At the mention of Noelle’s ma, Tobi’s eyes furrow a bit in worry. ‘Crazy over there? What’s goin’ on?’