she knows the end

"Fuck this jumpscare shit–" Stradlin had reeled backwards, if only for the safety of the person who had popped out of nowhere beside her. The Addams house was like a labyrinth in the dark so she wouldn't have been surprised if there were secret passages in the walls too. "You're lucky I'm a lover not a fighter or I'd have knocked your fuckin' head off." Not that she was a violent person anyway; despite her found family being comprised mostly of Greasers she wasn't one herself, though Soda had given her enough lessons on throwing punches that she could if she wanted to.

The quietest Lisbon, she wasn't really one to announce her presence. And she never intended to sneak up on anyone but she'd accidentally made a habit of it- a habit Lip insisted, time and time again, that she kick. Cecily mouthed an apology as Stradlin nearly knocked her over and bit back a smile, concealing the bit of amused satisfaction she got from their reaction. "We should stop meeting like this." She let herself smile then and took a step back. "You're not scared of the dark, are you."

Lip's side eye was scalding enough that he didn't need to speak on how Cecily's nonchalance had him in a state of near offended disbelief. Considering he could talk underwater if he wanted to it was actually quite impressive how much they could share without saying anything at all. "See, this is why you're my smart friend!" he fished his phone out of his pocket and murmured as he typed her idea into his bio. "Not gonna lie it's so boring matching with people who won't let me stay over to cuddle. This halloween is my last stand so I hope the men of Rosewood are listening!" he raised his voice a little, looking around as if he were talking to anyone within earshot. "My parents work abroad so maybe I'll make like a migratory bird and winter with them. Unless you'd miss me too much. I'd stay if you couldn't bear it, obviously."

She raised a brow back at him, engaging in an entirely silent exchange with him in just their facial expressions. Seeing as he'd never been subtle a day in his life, Cecily didn't even hide the way she looked over his shoulder as he pulled his phone out. "What's your costume idea?," she asked, unsure how to respond to that other part. "I think you should stay here, because I'd miss you plus- Once it gets colder you might have better luck with that cuddling thing."

"I need to know who broke the space-time continuum because Halloween is way too soon," Lip blabbered to no one in particular, if only because he was used to no one listening. "I'm already getting itchy thinking about all of the poor quality fabrics I'm going to have to witness, and I haven't even decided on my own costume. How late is too late to find a boyfriend to match looks with, do you think?"

Cecily frowned a moment, attempting to place just how soon was soon. "What's today?" As fun as it was to dress up she never was one to stress a costume- something her and Lip drastically differed on. "Oh I think you could pull that off, what if you put that on one of your apps, or- whatever. 'Ask me about our couples costume."

"You insinuating I'm a criminal?" Stradlin might not have been a hardened criminal the likes of Ace Claymore, but they certainly were an expert shit stirrer. "Considering your sister is in there and I had to watch Soda lose his damn mind when she got caught in that bakery fire... I know y'all are self involved but that's next level." They shook their head to themselves, then smirked back up at Cecily so she'd know they were only fucking around. "Must be bad if you're joking about lighting the place up. You look nice at least, which is all anyone in there cares about."

"I'm saying you should be careful." She bit back a grin, though her face fell a second when Stradlin brought up Tessa and the bakery fire. She knew better than to give that any sort of premature reaction though and she waited a beat before they were smirking up at her, and Cecily shook her head. "It's not that bad, not anymore than usual at least. Thanks... you too. Any particular reason you're hiding out here..? Or did you just need a break?"

"Ball this, ball that... Gargle these fuckin' balls..." Stradlin grumbled to themselves as they lingered outside the event, flicking their lighter open and shut. They weren't nervous, they just felt out of place, and that was a feeling they'd worked long and hard to overcome so every time it arose it was frustrating. When they felt eyes on them, they looked up without shame, eyebrow raised, "You want a light or somethin'?"

Of all the Rosewood events she had to like galas the least; getting dressed up was fun but then it was hours of trying to figure out what to do with her hands. She'd sit back and observe as she normally did but the additional adult presence made her uncomfortable, their judgmental glances different from those of her peers'. If Cecily happened to step out for air at the same time as Stradlin it was pure coincidence and not because she'd gotten the idea from them. She shook her head, "I don't smoke but... Have you seen the curtains in there? Highly flammable I'd bet."

"I went up there last year and honestly... never again," Bridget whisper-yelled over the music as if these mystical all-knowing queens were on their tails. While it had been fun to get involved last Pride, a coming out of sorts if people had known what they were witnessing, she didn't consider herself built for the stage whatsoever. "Never a dull moment," she pointed out, though it dawned on her that there really was no escaping the fact that they all had such similar men in their collective orbit. "Maybe our side quest should be to meet some women. For friendship purposes... or scientific, no pressure."

"Well actually I missed that so you have to do it again," she said matter of fact, smirking back at Bridget. That her sister felt she had to run away on her quest for self discovery came with its own wave of complicated emotions but Cecily got it, for the most part. In hindsight maybe it was the best call at the time, and she was just glad to have her back, the five of them together again. "Oh I.. don't know. That might need to be a solo side quest for me. Or, maybe. For science."

"No formal deal, I've got you. It just feels really good when you figure something out about yourself and accept it so I'm happy for you in that way. It'll be our little secret. I'll work on my shocked face. I told her that Lip guy was not romantic interest, I've caught him staring at my abs that time we all swam at your apartment." Benitez shot Cecily a dull look, "You're telling me you don't like picnics. I can see you reading a book on a blanket right now as clear as day. Confident women but not cocky. I like a cocky woman, but that can't be shocking since I'm with Nova. She's cockier than I am most days."

"Yeah, it does," she agreed, smiling quietly to herself. "I mean, you don't have to be too shocked. Oh I'm sure, Lip's never been subtle a day in his life. I'm sure he's on to me too, he asks all the same vague but somehow still pointed questions you do." She frowned, hesitant to admit when he was right. "Okay, sure, when you put it like that. That tracks for you, it might even be a miracle Nova found someone with a head almost as big as her's," she teased. "I don't need to have a specific type though, do I. Like can't I just know when I know?"

"From the outside looking in, you're mysterious because you're not obsessed with letting people in on every second of your life in some egotistical parade. Gives people room to fill in the blanks however they want. And, I mean, y'all are mad synced up. Can't say I don't see the merit in the telepathic alien sirens from Venus theory, just sayin'." Stradlin shrugged, obviously knowing enough about them by now that they knew they were just normal people, but a good story was fun too. "This, as in standing here watching everyone else have fun, or..." They looked over at the edge of the crowd only a few feet away where the lingerers on the fringes melted into those properly dancing, then back to Cecily. "When I finish my drink I'm goin' in."

Cecily wasn't sure if she'd ever thought of it like that, that in a place where everyone felt entitled to each other's business the Lisbon mythos lied in their privacy. Or rather, it was something she'd always known and it just felt especially obvious the way Stradlin said it. "Oh there's some truth to that one. Way more interesting than witches too." Her idea of fun usually involved sticking by the sidelines. "Yeah, people watching," she said easily, being a bit of a smart ass about it as she took a sip of her drink. "I'll go with you if you wait for me to finish mine. Unless that's not an invite, then I'll just you know, fuck off."

"Being like someone else is boring anyways," Stradlin said, mostly because they were a huge proponent of individuality, but also because the idea that they could have low key been flirting with someone too much like their best friend definitely gave them the ick. As much as they loved Perrie, that was so not the vibe. "If anything proves that point it's all of this," they gestured to the club around them. "Self expression is dope as fuck. Some people are just louder about it than others. I mean, I'm sure you and your sisters aren't as similar as people think either."

"Not everyone can be an original," she joked back. She didn't think all comparison was inherently bad though; the Lisbons had their own similarities, traits that overlapped between two, three, or all five of them. And yet they were all their own people still. "True. We're also not as mysterious as people think. And I definitely don't fall into that louder category but this," she nodded to the party, "This is fun."

Benitez narrowed his eyes at her, so she knew he was suspicious. He and Cecily got along so well because they thought alike a lot of the times, at least he thought so, and he knew that he could talk around in circles all day, but that did make sense on the off chance that he was off base when it came to Cecily and where her romantic interests reside. "Oh shit, I was right and you just told me. Do your sisters know?" He grinned and pulled the younger Lisbon into a hug, "Happy Pride, Cecily. And hey if I've got to keep this between you and I, say less. But with that being said...can we talk about girls together? What's your brand of baddie? I'm thinking..." He crossed his arms and placed his hand on his chin in faux deep thought, "the artsy nature loving queer girls who like having aesthetic picnics in the park is your vibe. Then again you are a Lisbon so history would say southsiders like Strad. Yeah...I can see you with someone who'll shake things up for you."

Cecily narrowed her eyes right back at him, too stubborn to outright admit he'd clocked her. Once he caught on she laughed as Benitez threw his arms around her, then shook her head, "Just Bridget, and now you. I don't want to make some big formal deal about it, but if you could not tell Nova... She'll be mad I told you first." She didn't if that were actually true but regardless it felt like something that should come from Cecily herself. "Oh please don't," she sighed, exaggerated, while he tried to pin down her type, the small quirk of her lip letting him know she didn't actually mind. "Picnics? Where you are you getting that, no, I don't know. I like people- women, who are.. sure of themselves, I guess, not in an arrogant or even extroverted way, just confident. Or maybe comfortable's more like it."

"Yeah Stradlin, so you two are like...friends or something? What is with you Lisbons and soutsiders?" There was a double meaning in there, but when Cecily mentioned the word 'gay' her comment flew over his head, only hitting him when he was returning with their drinks, "Hold up, what did you mean when you said you were new to the whole gay thing?" He narrowed his eyes as he passed her drink to her, "Are you fucking with me?"

"Or something." She shrugged, and then realizing how that came off added, "We know each other just from being in the same Lisbon-Cruz extended universe but I don't know, we've never really hung out until now." Maybe she'd been wrong about her sisters all having the same type, maybe it was a proximity thing. "I mean I'm still navigating it, trying to decide if that's even a label I identify with..." By that she meant was ninety perfect sure she was, she just hadn't said anything with her chest yet. Smile growing, she took her drink from him. "Not fucking with you."

"Don't give me that look, you need to be more aware of your surroundings. Head on a swivel and all of that." Benitez shot Cecily a smile that would usually disengage Nova's ire, he wasn't sure if it would work on other Lisbons, but figured it was worth a shot at least. "Cute Latinx shorty runs with a tough crowd, and you apparently." Benitez would poke and prod and joke around, but he wasn't actually interested in forcing her to tell him anything about himself, knowing the Lisbon women's secrets were held close to the chest. It was more him saying without saying that if she wanted to tell someone he was cool, not that his sisters wouldn't be, but they were family so it was different, "Now that you mention it, yeah. What do you think of the theme? Personally I don't see how it ties into pride, but it could be camp or whatever, which I'm famously not good at 'getting' you know? Besides that, nothing really. Why...is there something you want to tell or ask me? Oh wait I lied, "Do you want a drink?"

It wasn't that Cecily didn't trust him or anything like that, she was just matching his energy. "Ohh Stradlin," she said as though that description just now jogged her memory. She'd argue she could be a tough crowd too, just not in the literal greaser sense he'd meant it. "I like it, I think the waterfall's a bit much. I don't know how it ties into pride either, or if it's camp, but I'm still pretty new to this whole gay thing, so..." She gave him a knowing look as she finished off the rest of her drink. "Nope, I'm good- On the questions, I mean, I do want another drink."

"And who are they?" Benitez strolled up behind Cecily, barely biting back a knowing smile and his good mood was not just the result of him getting a little high off of his own supply. Of course he knew who they were, while Benitez was a free agent, not a greaser he was too smart not to know. Stradlin was old guard greaser and the littlest Lisbon seemed smitten, her sisters could believe Cecily had something going with the walking pride parade that was Lip, but he wasn't that dense and they'd been flirting around this topic for a while, even before Stradlin was in the picture. "I love pride don't you? Is something about people standing on business about who they are that's just...gratifying, right?" @cecilylisbons

"Jesus-" She spun around as Benitez snuck up behind her, eyes narrowed once she was facing him. If he wanted to play dumb Cecily could do the same, hiding behind her drink as she took a sip. "Who is who? Gonna need you to be more specific." Bridget might've been the only one she'd come out to, or at least as close to 'coming out' as she'd get, but she'd danced around the subject a few times now with Benitez, and Lip too. "Mhm," she nodded, "Anything else you want to add to that, or ask me, maybe."

"Now why would you say that?!" Bridget pouted and tugged on Cecily's arm when she brought up the idea of being pulled up on stage, "Now I'm gonna be paranoid all night. As if we're any more necessary up there than anyone else in this room." Flamboyance wasn't generally a word reserved for the Lisbons but in her time away from home Bridget had come to appreciate diversity first hand. It fostered a wholeness in her heart to be surrounded by people so unapologetically joyful. "Yeah, the one Marina and Tessa think you're dating," she chuckled at the thought, not exactly disappointed when Cecily took a hard turn in the opposite direction. Small talk was torture, and from what she'd seen of Cecily's friend he didn't know how to stop for breath. "He's around, social butterflying. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if we see him on stage at some point. He's a bit of a side quest kind of guy..."

"Shh, the queens can sense fear," she shushed Bridget, holding on to her arm. Her own sisters could barely manage to drag her onto a dance floor, so her at the literal center of attention was the last thing anyone needed. "Mhm," she chuckled. As many times as she'd denied her and Lip being anything more than just friends, their sisters and their terrible gaydar still didn't seem to buy it. "Side quest guy," she repeated, raising her brows at Bridget. "It seems like we know a lot of those."

"Yeah, I know what you are," Stradlin cocked an eyebrow, making a vague Twilight joke that they on second thoughts had to wonder if Cecily would get; they remembered Scott telling them all the stuff that Tessa hadn't had a clue about because of her weird upbringing. Likewise she didn't feel the need to drop in on anyone else, instead guiding Cecily to a table out of sight of both of their groups. "You wanna sit there and watch those two make googly eyes at each other all night, be my guest. It's doubly nauseating 'cause they're so cute. I don't think they even kiss with tongue, just sayin'. Love my boy buy I bet he'll see one stray nipple tonight and get all shy about it."

It took her a second to place Stradlin's reference- she got really into Twilight for a bit, like really into it, but at that point it was too late to say anything. She followed them to a table and was relieved to be away from her sisters' watchful eyes for a bit. "Yeah, pass. Tessa's always said we're a lot alike, me and Perrie, but I don't know, I don't see it. Might just be a youngest sibling thing."

"Mm, I've seen you at the family functions. I know your game." To be fair she'd never held much of a care for the Lisbons, not after all the drama they'd caused Scott over the years. For the sake of keeping the peace they'd bitten their tongue though, and while the older sisters weren't their cup of tea Cecily seemed to be further removed from their bullshit. Didn't hurt that she had legs for days either. "Fuck off," they scoffed, making a quieter joke into their glass as they took a sip of their drink, "we'll save that for later. You wanna sit with your girls?" she gestured to where she could see her sisters in their impenetrable little bubble across the room.

"Do you?" She raised a brow at her, as skeptical as she was teasing. As hard as she tried not to take up too much space she knew it was no use- even at family functions. She still thought peoples' interest had way more to do with her sisters than it did with her, the general mythology of the Lisbons. Cecily didn't quite catch whatever they'd mumbled into their drink but felt her cheeks grow hot anyway, which she hid by following their gaze to her sisters' table. "Um, that's alright, I can catch up with them later." Her eyes scanned the crowd, and she nodded to Perrie and his girlfriend. "Take it you don't want to sit there either?"

"Hairdryer, makeup wipes, spare shoes... Possibly even a getaway car," she rattled off, always more vocal with her sisters than anyone else. It wasn't that she didn't want to make a decision, more that she'd noticed Cecily had been having the same moment the rest of them had where she was finding her people outside of their family. If she'd have preferred to meet a friend first then Bridget would have been happy to follow. "A lap sounds like a good idea. I want a good view of the stage, away from the inevitable straight girl table." Comfortable and casual as always she linked elbows with the youngest Lisbon as they wove through the crowd. "I don't know why I ever feel overdressed before I show up to these things," she pointed out someone who had shown up as a legitimate mermaid, needing to be carried by what had to be the most oiled up man she'd ever laid eyes on. "It's not your friend is it? What's his name again... Chip?"

"We might need that last one," she joked, though she wasn't as eager to bolt for the door as she usually was at other Rosewood parties. Whether that was because of the party itself or a newfound confidence within herself was yet to be determined. "Not too close though. I don't want to risk getting pulled up there." Cecily beamed over at her sister as they linked arms and braved the crowd, weaving between feather boas and sequins. She immediately recognized who Bridget pointed out and laughed. "Lip, yeah," she waved to him and then steered them in the opposite direction- not that she didn't want to talk to them, she just knew it'd be a conversation they were unlikely to get out of. "Is Tate here?"