legands never die.

“You should see the other guy.” A cliche remark made in an attempt to lighten the mood. Sporting a black eye and bruised knuckles at his age wasn’t something to be proud of, yet for some reason he wore them like a badge of honor. “If you’re gonna try to scold me, I don’t wanna hear it. But if you’re gonna pat me on the back, thank me for a job well done, and buy me a beer; well in that case, I’m listening.”

"Nah man, no scolding here. I'm not your fuckin' parent. All power to you. How bad is the other guy?"

“Cat’s just scare me” the woman stated in a matter of fact tone as she shook her head. “Like, they don’t need humans to survive, they kind of just live with us out of convinence and to watch us make fools of ourselves. On the other hand, dogs need humans and love them for it. I need that type of unconditional affection in my life. Also I’m pretty sure a cat would be constantly plotting my murder” the girl stated in only a half playful tone as she conversed with the other over pet choices

"Cats aren't that bad, and that's come from a dog man himself. Cat's just don't give a shit and I like that about them."

Sylvia laughed. “That does make me feel a little better actually, thanks.” She leaned on the table further, interested in what he was doing. “That’s cool. Do you teach music stuff? I’ve never been good at that in any capacity, but ya know, totally appreciate it.” 

"I haven't really put much time aside to explore." He admitted with a smile on his face. "Yeah, and other such stuff. Make a couple bucks of my own. Never went to college so I can't do much."

There was a brief moment of hesitation on his part that almost had her letting go and making her exit but then his arms were around her, tightly, and Hayden felt like she could breathe again. There may have been years between their last embrace but he still felt the same against her and it made that knowing, reminiscent flip in her stomach return just as it had eight years prior. It was instinct the way her hands gripped the back of his shirt for a moment as she held onto him just a little bit tighter, wanting to prolong the moment just a bit longer if he would let her. And then she was stepping back, hands shifting to rest on his shoulders. “It really is good to see you, Matt.”

When she shifted and her hands rested on his shoulders he held in a breath as he put his hands back to his side. He couldn't touch her. He refused to other than that hug. "Nice to see you're doing okay, love. Really."

“Oh yeah? I like dark and light in equal measure, maybe a little bit more of a preference for the lighter stuff. I’m a little partial to vodka, but I think it’s ‘cause it was almost always what me and my friends managed to get a hold of when we were teenagers. Cheap vodka or cheap beer. So I’ve gotten used to the taste. Whiskey is probably my favorite dark liquor though.” Danny gave a little bit of a shrug when the other said he was frustrated. He wasn’t wrong. “Someone else. I was trying to do something nice and I’m kind of regretting it.”

"I drank vodka so much when I was like sixteen that I can't stand the taste anymore. Obviously, if they have it for shots or something, I'll take it. Cheap beer is the best too, honestly. I'll always love cheap beer. But Whiskey- see I like that you love it because it's mine too, so that means we'll be great friends man." He chuckled a little. "Why? Can't find anything they want on the list?"

“Yeah, she is younger than you,” Juliana agreed.  “She’s eight.  Her imaginary friend was with her through my divorce from her dad, so I’m sure it was some kind of coping mechanism.”

"Probably. I know most kids have different ways depending on the age. I feel like it's better younger because the kid won't rebel out just for attention."

She caught it, the small smile on his lips as she used the nickname for him she hadn’t dared utter in almost a decade. For a second she wondered if he’d spent time thinking about them meeting again too. But she knew she had to let that go. They weren’t they same people anymore, at least she wasn’t. Too much had happened and too much time had passed. As he opened the door for her, she kept her gaze down. For some strange reason she couldn’t bring herself to say the word bye to him. They had never said that, not really. Not even the last time they saw each other. Without a word she was walking out of the apartment only to stop in her tracks. She couldn’t let them have another unfinished goodbye. Without warning she turned to wrap hers arms around him, her chin moving to rest on his shoulder as she hugged him against her. And just like that, for a moment, it was like no time had passed at all. 

He had been looking everywhere but her. For some reason, he didn't want to see her walk out once again. For a second there he had been staring at his feet, his hand moving up to fix his glasses. He was taken back a moment when he felt arms wrap around him. With that- he could feel his heart pound against his chest for a split-second and he had hoped she didn't feel it either. It had been years since they touched and it shocked him she even attempted to hug him. But with a small hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight.

“Oh,” Avery stated simply for a second before laughing, perhaps a bit too loudly. “Right! That makes sense.” She nodded, getting the last of her giggles out. “Was your teenage life more serious or something?” Avery questioned, not quite understanding what he was getting at. “Um, thanks. I think?” She laughed once more, not expecting him to use such strong language. “I’ve only been her for about a month? Give or take a few days. Though I’ve been working pretty much since I got here, so I haven’t had much time to actually see everything, ya know?”

“My teenage life was a mess. An entire mess that could take me hours and hours to explain.” He told her with a light shrug following his words after before chuckling a little. “Not use to the curse words or what?” He asked her, running a hand through his hair to fix it. “Well, it’s good you have a job you know, gotta get that money and life start here.”

“I know a little bit. Guess it really depends what you like most. Stuff like rum and tequila give really awesome buzzes but it’s easy to take one shot too many—the line between buzzed and sloppy is a very fine one. It’s all about how much you drink and how quickly, and I feel like shots get you there way quicker than beer or a glass or wine, but that’s just my personal opinion.” Danny offered a light shrug. “Oh, this? Yeah. Unfortunately.”

"I guess you can say I'm more of a dark liquor kinda guy. I can't deal with the light. My tolerance level is pretty high, years of practice and partying in my younger years." He nodded at the other. "For you or someone else? Because you seem pretty frustrated, man."

There was a brief hesitation in her movements as he said his goodbyes. It was funny, out of all the times she thought about their reunion- and she had thought about it a lot, too much even- she never thought it would be so short. So… cold. But once again, she knew the blame was on her. Her tongue clicked against her teeth before her shoulders shrugged, an almost sad smile tugging at her lips at the realization that this was more of a proper goodbye than the first time around. “Nice seeing you too, Matty.” Her dark eyes took one last look at him, sure he would probably be avoiding her from now on, and then she was turning to leave. 

Part of him hoped this meeting-their first meeting after all these years would be happier, but on how they left things it wasn't the case. The left things unfinished. A closed door that shouldn't have been closed in the way they did. Not after what happened. Not after what they did before he left the last summer. A small smile formed on his lips upon hearing the name again, but he was quick to let go of it. The name coming out of her mouth still stung in an odd way. He thought he would be over it. He nodded at her as he walked to the door and opened it for her, only to make sure his dogs didn't run out. "Bye."

“What? No-” She shook her head as she turned to face him when he stood to. “Why would I ever think you wrote a song about me? I know better than that, Matt.” Her eyebrows pinched together. Maybe it had crossed her mind once or twice that he might have but that wasn’t what bothered her about the song for his ex. It was the lyrics. The lyrics which Hayden knew far better than she wanted to admit. “I just remembered that I have something to do-” Her thumb motioned over her shoulder towards the door before she was picking up the coffee that was meant for Johnny. Idly she wondered if he had recalled her need for caffeine in tense situations and had planned on having an extra one for her just in case. “It’s a nice song, though.” She offered, not really sure what else to say.

He shook his head and crossed his arms as he looked at the door. Maybe she should leave. He could start avoiding her more now. Make sure he’s out the house when she’s over for Johnny. "Bye Hayden." Was all he could muster up. “Nice seeing you.” That much- was slightly true. It was nice to know she was okay after all these years after all.

“You…died on the inside? How did that happen?” Avery tilted her head to the side,  clearly taking his word too seriously. “Really? Well I’m glad you don’t see it the way most people do. It is much appreciated. Especially since my head is almost always in the clouds, which, you know, causes issues sometimes.” She shrugged slightly. “Nowhere in particular, actually. I was mostly just wanderin’ around. I’m pretty new to the area so I just wanted to check some things out!”

"Who knows, to be honest. Just happened one day. I hope you know I'm joking, love." He laughed again, crossing his arms. "I wished I spent my teenage life with my head in the clouds, honestly. Fuck those people, you do you okay." He assured her once more, shrugging. "How new? I've been here for like a year already."

She felt him shift on the sofa and his words made her wince. “Super glad.” She hated that there was tension between them though she understood it. It wasn’t like she could accidentally show up at his door and have things return to normal. Leaning her head forward, she glanced over at him as he mentioned her ex’s name. Truthfully, she hadn’t thought much about Evan in years. They had ended on fairly good terms and someone had told her he was engaged to a college sweetheart. But then Matt was mentioning a song Hayden knew that was written about his own ex and her gaze was fully on him for a moment. “Witches.” She repeated, tone study and eyes unblinking. “Right- I, um, shouldn’t even have asked anyway.” Her hands gently moved the dog off her lap and onto the sofa as she stood from it, smoothing down her jeans. “I should probably get going.” It was weird, the way that song being for Heather made Hayden uncomfortable, but it did. 

Part of him wished she had never shown up at the door or pretty much his entire life. Maybe he could have had it easier if he never travelled to New York. He furrowed his eyebrows when he heard her tone to reacting to what song was about his ex. He stood up along with her a quiet laugh following. "Wait- does that make you uncomfortable? Did you think it was about you? Hayden, I've never written a song about you." He lied through his teeth. He has a bunch unfinished and hidden away for only him to see.

“I should say you’ve changed. Looks older, still hot… hopefully you’re still the same,” and by that, she meant that after all the reckless moments together, partners in crime… it was a good way of describing it. Matt was a great guy to be around, a friend that helped her going against her father during her teenage years. “Beautiful… do you want something from me, already?” A little joke, a wink. “I’ve been great, I live here now with my brother, no longer daddy’s little girl. But, hey, now I know who to call whenever I want to enjoy my night out.” She could’ve given him more information about her, but it didn’t feel natural. Specially the information about her now being a mother. “What about you?”

“Depends on what you mean by still the same. Mature in a way, you know. I don’t laugh at the word pussy anymore.” He joked, finishing off his drink. She was a good friend he had when he was away from home in NYC. She got him in ways. “Can’t compliment you? Come on, you always liked it.” He teased, a light laugh following. “How is he? Your brother. I’m always up for a fun night. No matter how dumb.” He shrugged at her before nodding. “I actually live here with my bass player. Band. But- no longer letting my dad walk all over me because fuck him, really.”

Her ears perked up and she bit her tongue to keep from saying she didn’t know about her dad until after the fact either. But it was the last thing he said that she couldn’t stay quiet on. “I made it clear how I felt about you? Yeah, I thought that activity made it pretty clear.” She corrected him, his huff making her roll her eyes instinctively. “I don’t fuckin’ care anymore.” She repeated his words and leaned her head back on the sofa to look up at the ceiling as one of the dogs, Charlie, settled into her lap. She didn’t care, not after eight years- she wouldn’t allow herself to. “Just like Evan and I.” A hum echoed out of her mouth. “So which song is about her?” She found herself asking out loud before she could stop the words. Hayden knew it wasn’t really her business but she wanted to know anyway.

"Good. I'm glad we're on the same fuckin’ page." It came out more blunt than he wanted as he leaned down and ran a hand through his hair. He shook his head lightly, happy she was staring at the ceiling. "Evan. Yeah." He said as he rubbed his chin a little as he glanced at her. "Witches." He answered softly. “But this isn’t a subject I want to discuss with you.”

“When did you try?” She was more curious than anything, her eyes on him as if she could read his mind. She never remembered him trying. Not once since her dad passed. Hayden pulled her eyes away from him, running her fingers through her hair as she lightly sighed, “Well, I needed to say it so.” Her shoulders mimicked his shrug and she kept her eyes down on her crossed knees. To say she wasn’t expecting his response about Heather would have been an understatement. Back in high school she had broken things off with her long time boyfriend not because she had cheated but because she’d had feeling for Matt. Maybe part of her had thought that’s why things ended with Heather. Obviously she was wrong. A short, humourless laugh escaped her lips. Not because she was angry but because she had completely misread the situation, and the feelings, back then. “So you… tried to do the right thing and she ended it?” Another heartache she had caused. “Sorry about that, too.”

"To be fair, I didn't find out about your father until two weeks after it happened because we lost contact. But it doesn't matter, Hayden. You made it clear how you felt about me after said such actives we did, and that's fine. I don't fuckin' care anymore." He huffed once more and leaned back at his couch as he looked at her. He let out a short laugh following hers after. Sure, she ended because he tried to do the right thing. Maybe not on the fact that she knew Matt had feelings for Hayden in a way. "Also, I didn't love her the way she loved me. It was best we broke things off because I could never be what she wanted."

“Of course, phew,” she said, fake wiping sweat from her forehead. She laughed along with him for a moment. “Oh, I’m really not. That was a brief moment of fun at best.” she explained, her eyes making their way back to her stack of work. “Uh, I’m kinda just…researching Napa?” she explained, unsure how it would sound to someone else. “I’m working on something for the Gazette, and now I’m just convinced I know nothing about this place at all,” Sylvia continued, shrugging her shoulders. “What’s got you so bored?”

“Makes you feel better, I’ve been here a year and I still know nothing about this place.” He shrugged lightly before chuckling. “Grading essay’s and researching music shit, really. It’s a very long and boring process.”