bloop bloop

         she’s  the  type  of  girl  who  would  always  put  herself   (  and  delilah  )   first  ,   though  the  latter  was  a  newer  commodity  .    ‘  delilah  and  i  killed  a  man  ,   emmett  .   i  don’t  get  to  just  live  life  like  normal  after  that  .  ’   and  maybe  the  man  didn’t  die  by  her  hands  ,   but  delilah  and  her  are  two  peas  in  a  pod  now  -  and  what  happens  to  delilah  happens  to  jude  .   ‘  i’d  argue  you’re  also  lucky  i  love  you  .  ’   a  pause  .   ‘  which  mission ?  ’  

         ‘  i’m  gonna  just  call  you  scotland  then  ,   mkkkkkkay ?  ’   because  she  can’t  call  him  by  his  real  name  ,   allister  just  felt  wrong  ,   and  who  gives  a  fuck  about  their  last  name ?  it’s  most  certainly  not  gigi  .   not  to  mention  ,   davis ?   sounded  like  some  middle  aged  white  man  and  gigi  would  not  be  caught  dead  talking  to  a  white  man  that  probably  should  be  dead  .   and  while  she’s  at  it ?  FUCK  the  real  allister  .   she  doesn’t  know  how  cecilia  did  it  ,   literally  .    ‘  could  be  a  fun  adventure  ,   but  why  not  just  downgrade  you  from  fake  boyfriend  and  real  person  to  tour  guide ?  i  bet  you  know  all  the  good  places  to  get  wasted  at  .  ’   she’s  really  just  torturing  the  poor  guy  at  this  rate  isnt  she  ?  

IT SHOULD’VE BEEN THE END OF THAT. caden’s not happy about living with carmichael, but after some of the bullshit he endured last year  ( as well as living with tilly for a whole school year ) ,  he knows he could probably make the most of it. carmichael’s certainly no levi, but… his thoughts trail off when the other guy mentions noah, turning to narrow his eyes at him.   “ yeah, she’s fine, ”   he says, with a little bite.   “ y’know, she’s not pleased to hear i’m living with a narc, but it’s not like i can choose it. stay away from her, man. this new headmistress might think you’re on the straight and narrow, but i know a snake when i see one. ”   sure jan.

“ NERD, ”   he not-so-subtly coughs into his hand. maybe he shouldn’t have brought up michael, because caden’s not ready to listen to harper defend someone who left her in more pieces than caden knew what to deal with. he tried to help pick them up as best as he could, but it had been the blind leading the blind.   “ c’mon, harp, ”   he gives her a look, hoping he looks as earnest as he means it. it might be about partying tonight and getting laid, but he wouldn’t throw it at her if he didn’t think it was good for her. when his pressuring wins out, caden flashes her a wide grin.   “ i always am. now go pick out something to wear. the shorter the skirt, the better. ”   he doesn’t need to give harper of all people fashion lessons, but he does know firsthand what to wear to grab a man’s attention, after all. 

A voice in her brain warns, don’t let Trinity hear you say that. Maybe it was intended as Martina’s attempt to have some edginess, but it feels like a personal scolding. Like, to be fair, she would like if Trinity walked through that door right now. That’s her cousin; family! But she likes being able to talk to PJ just a tiny bit more, to have him leaning into her closeness. Uninterrupted. A third presence is a crowd, and she’d be compelled to leap back. And, secretly, adding distance between them wasn’t a thought that sparked joy. “You’re you,” It isn’t that complicated, an easy math equation where Martina doesn’t have to carry any ones. She doesn’t think that she needs elaborate, but her mouth moves on its own accord anyway. “I’d put you on a pedestal if you were the president or if you were, like, I don’t know, making podcasts or something.” That sounds frivolous but her cheeks flush from the truth of it. Martina tucks two braids behind her ears to distract her nervous hands. “You know what I mean? I just like you. I can’t do anything about that.” Don’t let Trinity hear you say that. There is no room for reproach when her heart is so full from the compliment, charging like a battery plugged into an outlet. “Why, because I came to visit you?” Martina dismisses. “Because I made you laugh? I guess if that makes me a hero….” She’d be one. She’d be that for PJ a zillion times over. “No offense, Peej, but, I’m just saying, gingham uniforms would be a lot cuter.”

God, he really hated being stuck in this stupid car with this absolute stick in the mud. The least they could’ve done is at least pick someone less annoying to watch his every move. He took a beat too long to consider that, scowling heavily. “… I’ll be fine. How much worse could it possibly get?” Jae wasn’t like the rest of this immediate family; the last thing he would ever allow would be to show that any of this could affect him. If he showed weakness, than he truly was done for. He huffed out a laugh, dry and callous. “Sure. Let’s hope they didn’t pick you out just because you’re pretty. If you’re going to keep getting in my way, I expect you to at least be competent enough to keep up. I don’t need you slowing me down.”

“Keep telling yourself that. I’m sure it will stop being true if you just believe hard enough.” The traffic isn’t particularly favorable to cars, but he’d driven to work under the assumption it would be one space he could have to himself. Jae grips the wheel tightly and takes the turns quicker than he should. “What do you know? A small scare is exactly what it sounds like. Someone in the family just wants to freak me out enough that I reconsider taking over in the future. It’s not serious.” He scoffs, taking a quick glance at Narumi to glare at him. “Do you even know what you’re doing?”

He sure was quick, Jae would give him that. He worked his jaw, holding back an immediate answer while he reconciled with the fact that he was definitely not getting into his car alone. Another roll of his eyes and he swiftly hopped into his car, peeling out of the garage without checking that Narumi was ready. He let out a dry chuckle once they were properly moving. “Is that what you think you’re doing? Protecting me?” He spared his bodyguard a wry look. “You’re a glorified babysitter. One small scare isn’t worth whatever they’re shelling out to Twinks-R-Us just to get you to breathe down my neck while I work. You should be miserable. What, they couldn’t give you a real job wherever you came from?”

“ THERE IS NO MANLIER VERSION OF A PLANNER, especially not a journal. did what’s-his-face write in journals or something ? ”   caden refuses to call her ex-boyfriend by his real name, though back when they were actually together, caden still wouldn’t use his name. safe to say caden’s never been a fan of michael.   “ i think that’s exactly what you need, actually. how long has it been since you boned someone that wasn’t a pile of flaming garbage ? ”   again, still talking about michael.   “ you gotta get back out there, at least for one night. i’m not talking about marriage. ” 

The sound of politely measured steps following him did nothing to slow Jae’s stride, but it did deepen his scowl. This was getting old fast. “And I am telling you that’s unnecessary. I can make it there just fine on my own.” He’d been in such a mood this morning, he’d driven himself, so there was no reason he could find for any more interference on his personal space. With every step that continued to have his bodyguard tagging along silently, however, the more irritable he got. He huffed moodily as he pulled up to his car. “I hope someone at home poisons me or something and puts us both out of our misery.”

Jae’s eyes narrowed as he gave Narumi a look of disbelief. “Watch your tone,” he warned darkly. Either this man had no sense of self-preservation, or he thought Jae was an idiot in his care that required no respect. Whichever it was, Jae couldn’t let it get to him. Taking a beat to glare, he took a deep breath and collected himself. “Of course,” he snapped, “See that it doesn’t happen again.” He spun on his heel, back on track toward the exit, and picked up his pace. He’d had enough of this. “You’re dismissed for the night. I’ll just finish up at home.” God knows he already wasted precious time feigning a break. He had deadlines.

“Why the fuck not,” he drawled, more out of pettiness than any real curiosity. The answer Jae got in return was about what he expected and although he had no witness for the heavy eye roll he gave in return, it felt justified. He bristled at that last bit, however, and stopped short so he could whirl around and glare at his bodyguard. “Oh, good, you’re hilarious,” he spat out, hand on a cocked hip. He dug one pointed finger into the center of Narumi’s chest. “Whoever gave you this job didn’t teach you about talking back, huh? I will end you. Don’t test me.”

“ EXACTLY. that’s what i’m saying, ”   he nods enthusiastically, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from breaking into a smile. caden’s aware it’s ridiculous, but seriously, it’s like some of these professors know who his dad is and wants to punish him for being the son of a democrat.   “ a planner ?   that sounds like a lot of work, harp. besides, guys don’t carry around PLANNERS. ”   maybe he could use one on his phone, but that involved too much thought.   “ nah, i’m not running away from her, i just don’t wanna hang out with her tonight. and if we see her, trust me, she’ll be up my ass all night. i wanna hang out with you, ”   he says, nudging her foot with his.   “ maybe i can find you a nice rebound, if you’re nice to me. ”   he was getting real tired of hearing about that ex of hers. 

The propensity his parents exhibited for dramatics was nothing new to him. But this latest pearl-clutching and hysteria about personal safety pushed the limits of what Jae was willing to put up with. It’s not like his life was actually in any danger. He was convinced it was a single attempt meant only to scare him. He didn’t need a babysitter. It was hard enough to focus on work while someone watched his every move on a normal day. Now they wanted to pay someone to do it everywhere he went? “No,” he lied curtly, walking past his new bodyguard toward the exit without sparing him another glance. If he was worth anything, he’d follow. “I’m getting dinner. But I’m done for the day.” He was not. “So you can go ahead and head back without me. It’s not like I need you to hand feed me.”

a deep, downcast sigh. “i tripped in front of the new headmistress. which i get that it’s not that big of a deal but i would’ve loved to have given a better first impression.” she had been thinking about it for half her summer, in-between the daily farm chores and the various hijinks she found herself in with the townspeople in her hometown. she jutted out her bottom lip and gave sunny a faux-pained look, “i swear i was more graceful on the farm last summer. speaking of, wanna see some pictures? i’ve got so much. like two boxes worth of prints.” and maybe half of them was of her summer lover, but she’ll get to that point later! – @hqgalpal​

AU : : BODYGUARD AU