she's shining in darkness

Differently from what people around the town seemed to think, the cops weren’t really bad, they actually were pretty good. It may not seem to be the case, because they still didn’t find the killer, but they were able to arrest a lot of bad guys, some were just harder than others, but from what he could tell, none of them gave up, no matter how hard it was. Of course, Eddie could be just letting his biased thoughts get in the way of him seeing something, but he at least, was working his butt off, and he could see the captain was too, “Wow, you need to learn to have more empathy,” his tone matched hers, playing along with her joke, because why not? “Nope, I never eat or drink anything that has it,” he admitted, “You seem to really like it though.”

“You think?” she quipped, brow quirking. both her hands are now coming up to hold the straps of the rucksack she slung over her shoulder as she starts to make her way out of the gym. “No?” both her brows knitted together briefly, she never really got it when people didn’t like mint--- more so because she couldn’t see why. “How do you get on with toothpaste then?” probably a question that wasn’t needed but that’s why she didn’t get it---- perhaps consider her stubborn. “Yeah, I mean, the christmas menu is literally out now, so,” she shrugged, “Only time of the year I can buy one.” instead of getting those mint flavoured hot chocolate sachets; buying one someone else made just hit different.

“one day i’ll be all three, but do you see a wrinkle on this flawless face? eye creases don’t count, they’re laughter lines.” he scoffed playfully. denial? sure, but until he started swapping whiskey for tea and a good night sleep, he’d argue he wasn’t old. cain’s merely rolling his eyes at her taunting, sure that they could bite back at each other for hours. shit, sometimes they often did, it was the right of a sibling. “don’t forget the drinks too,” with a playful wiggle of his brows, any and all amusement vanished as he got back into focus. these work outs weren’t just benefitting her and easing his own anxiety over her joining the mc, it was also a good way for him to distract himself. maybe he’d never say it out loud but he actually enjoyed spending this kind of time with her. sometimes he felt like their lives pulled them both in opposite directions and truth be told? he missed her. as a couple minutes ticked by, he was impressed with the way she blocked every one of his attempts to knock her down but it wasn’t until she caught him by surprise and did that to him, did he huff out a breath of air that broke into a light chuckle. “shit,” green eyes looked up to meet hers with a proud grin before he waved his hand and let his head drop back on the floor. “nope, down and out. can’t get up ‘till i reattach my pride. think you knocked it somewhere over there…” he teased, pointing a finger to the left of him before taking her hand, using his other to take most of his weight as he got back on his feet. “told ya.” that she could do it, that was. “i should have been a coach. really missed my calling with that one, huh? blowing whistles in the lazy kids faces all day and making them cry sounds hilarious.” well, at least it did to him. “right, c’mon. let’s pack up and go feed me.” 

“laughter lines? don’t people say that to make themselves feel better?” she quipped, sly smirk on her features. she knew what she was doing and naturally it was just banter, there was no harmful intent on her part. though, she knew sometimes she just didn’t know when to stop. their mom had always said she had an answer for everything which necessarily wasn’t always a good thing. as she watches him fall back she’s catching her breath as a grin soon forms on her features, she’s happy, not only because she had managed to best him once, but twice. it’s a moment she thinks that maybe he thinks she’s good enough to join the mc, sure she knew it’d probably take more than this to win him over but she was committed and she knew this was a step in the right direction. relaxing her shoulders and her stance she starts to laugh at his mention of his pride being half way across the room, “i would pay to see you do that.” she choked back her laughter, now having to shake the image of him making little kids cry out of her mind with a light-hearted shake of her head she starts to pack up her things. unwrapping the wraps around both hands she places the material inside her rucksack, one that once she’s got everything she slings over her shoulders. “alright,” her hands are holding onto the straps, “where are we eating?” she asks as she’s heading towards the door, looking forward to actually sitting down and spending time with him.

As she stared at him, he looked confused at her, because he didn’t think that he really said anything that was offensive, but maybe he was wrong, though that was doubtful since he only suggested for them to hang out. How would anyone really take that as an offence? But then she spoke again, and he relaxed, because she was clearly not upset, “I’m offended you think that, I’m a cop, I’m supposed to know that kind of stuff,” he teased her, but it wasn’t exactly a lie, he could not be a detective, but he needed to know when someone was lying to him or any hints, “I would love to join, as long as I don’t have to drink anything with peppermint in it,” he was never a big fan of it, so he always avoided it.

“Well,” she raises her hands in more of a silent what can I say, as she shrugged her shoulders, “Can’t feel sorry for you if you don’t then, would kinda be your own fault.” she means his fault if he can’t pick up on hints because he was a cop, so as he more or less said, technically it was his job. Gianna is, however, joking and she does give him a grin soon after just to show that. It’s more the voice of her mom in the back of her head that prompts her, it’s her mamma’s comments to be nice and when you’re being a sarcastic little shit, let people know. “Oh,” her brow arches, “Not a mint fan?” she was, though that didn’t take a genius to work out when she was purposely seeking a specific kind of drink. Or, Christmassy drink.

There were some people that did some crazy diets to stay in shape. He wasn’t one of those people, he preferred to eat whatever he wanted, and spend a little longer working out, than do diets all the time, because he doubted that he would be fully happy, if he had to limit what he ate, and how many times he did. Some didn’t eat while hungry, because of some diet they saw on the internet, “I actually already finished, so if you want, we can hang out,” he already stayed too long punching, his knuckles were probably begging him to stop due to how long it had been, even if he was punching with his glooves on, “Unless that was an excuse to get rid of me.”

She finds herself staring at him for probably too long at the mentioning of hanging out, it’s one of those plot twists cropping up and interfering with her schedule. Not that she minded, she was just a creature of habit. “It wasn’t..” an excuse to get rid of him, she’d have directly told him, “Though even if it was I don’t think you’d have took the hint.” she half smirks, making that effort to show that she was messing with him. Gianna was sometimes too blunt for her own good--- but at least this time she was showing she meant it in a light-hearted way. “I’m gonna go see if the cafe has the peppermint hot chocolate’s in yet, so, welcome to join if you want.”

       emery was on his break, deciding to get some fresh air after making himself a vanilla latte. planning on taking the fifteen minutes to relax, that went out the window as soon as he saw a bunch of wrappers in front of the shop. he’d sighed, setting his drink somewhere on the side as he started picking each of them up. it was a regular occurrence. he didn’t think he owed anything to the cafe, even if he had been working there five years. he wasn’t their fucking maid, but he couldn’t stand the sight of all the garbage on the ground when it was so easy to properly dispose of it. he just finished picking up another when he heard the voice. knew the voice, already making a face even if she couldn’t see it. “if people weren’t so scummy, I wouldn’t have to do this shit. there’s a trashcan at the end of the road,” he huffed, voice more frustrated than angry. “am I wrong? global warming is real. ” he knew she was just giving him a hard time and didn’t at all take it to heart. it was nice to have someone there on his break, even if she acted like it was her job to tease him. 

“I could see it.” He was just fucking with her, the smirk pulling at his lips evidence of that and holy hell did she make any expression look good enough for him to want to kiss her for it. Seemingly annoyed by him and he was ready to get down on one knee to propose, nothing knew when it came to Zeke. “The hell?” Brows furrowed as he stared at her as if in disbelief by what she had said. “I helped a cat out of a tree. Helped an old lady cross a street. Picked up a car all by myself before it crushed someone flat.” Breaking into a smile he looked down, almost letting them all go to hold his arms up innocently but remembered that he would be dropping them all before he had the chance to do it. “Now I’m helping you carry these all the way home. Think that all is deserving.” He definitely didn’t want to give her a reason to walk off angrily, despite that usually being how things went for him. “Not really my taste, so don’t worry I won’t bite into it.” Not that he really had the chance with his hands full. “So what way we headed?”

She scoffed as she tries not to smile but eventually does, not being able to help but give him that satisfaction of showing him she thought he was funny. Which, naturally, she was kicking herself about. “You’re a real life Clark Kent,” she purposely drops her jaw, "Can’t believe it..” maybe she should be nicer to him but why shake old habits, right? She felt he’d only take the fact she was basically  (  no matter how sarcastic  )  calling him superman as an ego boost, so it wasn’t like the stuff she said actually offended him. “You are, are you?” she arches her brow, it’s not like she’s asking him to carry her stuff home, though she doesn’t protest, she more or less accepts the help and thinks at least if he drops something that was a free pass to punch him. In a nice way. “Good you won’t like it.” the cake, that was. See, she could be nice. “This way,” she sighs, now choosing to walk in the direction of home. Originally she was going to swing by Cain’s and drop off the cake but she was now opting not to. She could have looked happier at having company but apparently smiling constantly was too much effort. “When we get there if my mom spots you don’t make eye contact, she’ll only drag you inside.” they had a little walk yet but she was just prewarning, it wouldn’t be her mom being nice it would be her being nosy and there was a difference. 

“yoda?” he scoffed. “because i’m wise, yeah? not because i’m old or wrinkly…” narrowing his eyes playfully, he choked out a laugh and puffed out a breath. alright yeah, one more time, then maybe he was ready for a break himself. if he was honest with himself, he saw the cracks in her hard bitch exterior, far too often for his liking and far more frequent than he ever commented on. it went without saying, she’d been through a hell of her own, one he and his mother knew a little about because she decided to share, but the rest? it went unspoken, left to fester and contaminate confidence. fucking craig. “people who talk shit make the most sense at least half the time though,” with a silent sigh, he smirked toward her, merely nodding or her to go again. “dessert too if i’m still hungry.” he added, hitting back with his weapon as hard as she came for his. taking no prisoners this time, he used most his force and skill to throw her off, merely because he knew she could handle it. he believed in her, always would, even when she couldn’t do it herself. 

“who said you can’t be all three?” old, wrinkly, and wise? “though you’ve definitely got more wrinkles i mean..” she shrugged her shoulder, making a little gesture to his face, it’s cheeky but it’s banter. she meant no harm by it either. or more if he took her seriously, that was his fault, right? not that she thought he actually would. they gave as good as they got. the carter’s had that whole don’t dish out what you can’t take, which the limits were endless with how thick skinned they were. “to themselves, sure.” she counters his people who talk shit make the most sense, with a little smirk which told him she was messing. she felt the force of his hit as the two poles collided, telling her that their last spar wasn’t going to be one he’d just let her win because he was hungry. “anything else you want whilst you’re making a list?” she teased, smacking her stick against his, she makes her grip a little tight, more so she knew she had a firm hold. she’s trying to make him worn out again, all whilst taking the scolding he gave her on board--- just like the last time. she’s mentally prepared, she’s got his voice in her head telling her to predict his unpredictable moves, all whilst steadying herself on her feet with the strength she felt on his part. it took a while, probably longer than it did the last time to knock him down but eventually she does it and she didn’t ease up either, more so because she thought he wouldn’t fall on his ass so when he does it’s because of the double pressure she was forcing to make it so. with a half a smirk plastered on her features she silently offers her hand out for him to get up. 

Ever since he’d landed back in Charming with Fallon in tow, the outpouring of support he’d received had been overwhelming in the best way. He’d had countless calls and even more offers to help out– and Gianna Carter had consistently been at the top of that list. She’d been invaluable during this whole unexpected transition into fatherhood; without her help, Austin knew he’d have gone crazy well before now. But he felt bad for soaking up so much of her time; he didn’t doubt she had far better things to do than spend her free time helping him manage an infant. Still- he was beyond grateful she chose to spend it with the two of them.

He was putting clean dishes away when her question suddenly stopped him- causing him to freeze in place like a statue. Giving a hushed groan, he slowly swiveled around to face her, “Well, considerin’ it took me a week to get twinkle, twinkle, little fucking star outta my head, I’m probably gonna hate you a lot.” Scrubbing a hand down the side of his face, Austin pinched the bridge of his nose and laughed gently, “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but do all the toys you bring have to sing?” He knocked his head in a weary shake, but couldn’t fight the grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth, “My sanity is startin’ to slip a little.”

There’s a clear sense of amusement on her features, one that was holding back the laugh she wanted to let out. So instead she grins, she’s chuckling softly but it’s enough to notice on her shoulders. It’s that pain of having something so repetitive in your head, circling on repeat that tickled her. More so because it wasn’t her and also because she was clearly laughing at his misfortune. “The hate will be worth it then.” she jested, she could take it and at the same time she’d probably spam his phone with the little spider emoji’s just to prompt that incy wincy spider.. cue in his head. Maybe she should grow up but she enjoyed it. The kids aisle in the shops? She was that person that pressed every single ‘test me’ button all the toys had to offer.