don't flinch

Location: Chicago Ballet Academy, after hours

Location: Diana’s penthouse

Jesse: Can’t confirm I know any othersx

Jesse: I may have gone out with the boys tonight and had too much

Diana: Lucky for you, I was actually reading articles on Google. 

Jesse: What to expect when you’re expecting??

Jesse: No I can’t be smooth Rn

Diana: Let me guess: that’s the only pregnancy book title you actually know. 

Jess: just wondering what u reading

Send me ☺ for a loving/affectionate text

[Unsent Text]: Because I love you. [Text]: I don’t care if it’s complicated, I want this with you.

Send me  ♣ for a drunk text

[Text]: are you at purgat ory? [Text]: i saw you

Send me ♥ for a sexual/naughty text

[Text]: [image attached] [Text]: You should drop whatever it is you’re doing and come over.

Send me !! for a threatening text

[Text]: Blind forgiveness isn’t one of my talents.

Send me ☼ for a morning text

[Text]: I didn’t sleep. This is a never ending hangover. [Text]: Google says it’s the size of a lime.

Send me ?? for a strange/vague text

[Text]: Be available Wednesday at 2pm. 

Send me ► for a text not meant for you

[Text]: No, we will be at dinner with Alexei. [Text]: Ignore that.

Send me ↕ for a scared/worried text

Send me ☺ for a loving/affectionate text

[Text]: I thought it was obvious that you’re the better shot. [Text]: Better than Axel even.

Send me  ♣ for a drunk text

[Text]: go a round the back [Text]: vip 🍾

Send me ?? for a strange/vague text

[Text]: Do you own a cropped leather jacket?

Send me ↕ for a scared/worried text

[Text]: No one has been able to contact Peter. [Text]: Are you with him?

Send me ► for a text not meant for you

Send me ☼ for a morning text

[Text]: How are you feeling?  [Text]: I know last night’s session was a challenge.

Send me  ♣ for a drunk text

Send me ► for a text not meant for you

[Text]: Prop the door open, I’m only five minutes away. [Text]: Not for you, but you’re always welcome to join Jack and I sparring. [Text]: That is if your body won’t give out from old age. 

Send me ☺ for a loving/affectionate text

[Text]: I would never rank you last.  [Text]: You’re at least above Dominik.

Send me ?? for a strange/vague text

[Text]: Is he with you?

Send me  ♣ for a drunk text

Send me ► for a text not meant for you

↕ for a scared/worried text

?? for a strange/vague text

~

Violet’s mind tried to adjust and place the information she’d been offered as if trying to make sense of her own realization. Her sister and Vasili had been together, but last she remembered it they were exes although them attending together contradicted it slightly. Then there was her and Dominik who weren’t actually together but she didn’t view it as platonic. Finally there was Jesse and Diana, who were together? Or not? Or they were but they weren’t supposed to be? She shook her head as if to ease the confusion. What the fuck, she thought to herself all the puzzle pieces fitting into one another but she couldn’t understand the picture it made. There was no way this was all just a big coincidence, right? “I guess not.” she finally answers turning to the woman and smiling, it comes across easier than it feels. “I don’t believe in them either.” The compliment is lost on her as attention latches on to the word coincidence, was she trying to hint at something because reading between the lines wasn’t her strong suit. “So he talks about us.” she stated aloud when the realization dawns on her wondering how else she would even catch the relation.

+

“I’m sure this all must be very confusing and overwhelming.” Despite how she would never put the words in someone else’s mouth, Diana attempts to sympathize to the best of her very limited ability. At least with the Marino girls it came more naturally, though that hardly counted for much when the gesture remained barely a step above foreign. “Yet you take it in stride. How is that?” Perhaps that could be attributed to her mutual position as the middle child, a topic they discussed on Halloween, or maybe Violet was more soldier than she let on. Jesse had mentioned her proclivity for internalization, much like himself in several respects. The words ring out as more statement than question and after a careful beat, she provides a solid answer without involving herself in their affairs. “You’re both his entire world, it would be stranger if he didn’t.” 

…

In the last month, the Marino male has kicked his own ass into gear and has embedding himself into his job. Acting as if his conversation with Rami never happened and that there wasn’t a single thing wrong with him. He took a few moments out of his day to send a few Tinder messages to Jaime to check on her and the baby but he doesn’t ever text about what their last conversation was about and in fact it probably seems colder that way. 

Standing in the garage of the compound with a cigarette between his index finger and thumb, Jesse stares at some spot on the wall. He plans on smoking down the cigarette then checking in with head of security at one of the local Ozdemir businesses to make sure nothing shady is happening. It’s only a matter of time before the Bratva points their finger towards them about New Years and strikes back. His phone buzzes against his leg causing him to glance towards the garage door then to his pocket. He reaches into pocket with his free hand, pulling out the device to see a video request from Diana.

It’s the first time he’ll see her since their conversation at the warehouse. He walks towards the back door to the outside, pushing back against it and swiping his thumb across the screen to answer the video call. Before he can say a word, she’s telling him where she is. He nods his head as he glances over his shoulder as he walks to his car. He drops the cigarette on the ground, stepping on it and pulling his car keys out. He unlocks the car and gets into the driver’s seat, locking the door behind him as he drifts his gaze to her. “— I’m here.”

+

I’m here.

Without even divulging as much or providing more than whatever glimpse of her face can be seen from the digital screen, he utters the two words that Diana wished to hear more than any other. It lodges something palpable in her throat, another irritating consequence of this pregnancy, yet decidedly a better emotion than whatever sickly fear attempted to crawl its way up before. This entire process is probably routine enough that her doctor could perform it in her sleep, able to discern date and size and health with little more than a glance. But for Diana? Seeing whatever figure reflected on that screen terrified her more than the barrel of any gun, more than the deafening silence when left with her own thoughts at night. 

The image wouldn’t just reveal half of Jesse, but a significant piece of herself, and she was quietly afraid that it might be something monstrous. A horrid reflection at best.

Somewhere to her side, the doctor asks if they’re ready and she releases a slow exhale before hazel eyes shift to the other woman’s questioning visage. “As ready as we can be.” Surely not the most joyous of responses when compared to the plethora of starry-eyed, gushing mothers-to-be who laid on this table before her, but she meant it and the other woman didn’t pry. Perhaps she’d witnessed enough regret and trepidation in her time, too.

A cold wand travels along her stomach in search of the clearest vantage point, but Diana keeps her attention on Jesse until it stops. Until she hears the rhythmic thrumming and all breath catches in response, one hand tightening imperceptibly around her phone. “There we are,” the doctor states matter-of-factly. “And a strong heartbeat, too.” With her free hand, she pivots the monitor towards them. One beat, two... And then Diana turns both her face and the video call at once.