free the flame

“You’re busy anyways. Don’t need to worry about me,” she stated, feeling weird about someone worrying about her in any way. “I definitely do. My friend betrayed me, so I’m not doing so hot. Obviously,” Gemma explained vaguely. “I’m pretty sure I have life insurance too, so there is that.”

“didn’t plan on your revenge yet?,” she asked, closing the hood after checking on the engine. “if you didn’t, oh well, that kinda sucks.”

“Again, not something you have to care about. I’m just some loser hiding out in your garage. No offense, but I have severe trust issues lately,” she said, explaining her questioning attitude towards the other. “But I don’t have to pay for the funeral. That’s for everyone else to worry about once I’m gone.”

“oh well, suit yourself then,” gaia just shrugged at the other. she’s not gonna force herself on the other. “none taken, plus you’ve got a reason to be cautious anyways,” she says as she was focused on checking on the car engine. “everyone else to worry and pay for, yeah.”

annie stood with her hands on her hips, a natural stance for her, and smiled softly. “i mean if you have the time i would love you to check it out so i can start driving again.” she said with a sigh. “i honestly don’t know what is wrong with it.”

gaia grinned, looking at the younger girl in front of her. “i have the time, i have all day anyways. let me go grab me things yeah?,” she asked, before walking away from the other. “well, you’re lucky i’m around,” she gets her toolbox from the floor.

brandon exhaled, “wow, yeah thanks a lot.” the male wasn’t really used to people doing good things for him, even the simplest things. he was always taught that in this world, you would have to work for everything and do it everything yourself. it was so small, but the girl was refreshing. he placed the forty but then handed her a hundred. “keys?”

“like i said, it’s part of my job,” she just gives him a small smile. the woman may seem that she’s distant with people, but that doesn’t mean she’s kind. gaia takes the forty, but then looks at the male with her eyebrows raised when he handed her a hundred. she grabs the keys from her drawer and gives it to him. “here you go.”

“Why would you wanna do that for me?” she questioned, cautious of anyone being too nice to her after the whole betrayal by her supposed friend. She just didn’t know who she could trust any more. “Especially if I end up dying. But at least I wouldn’t have to deal with a hangover.”

“because i’m sure whoever your uber driver’s gonna be, they don’t want huge chunks in their car,” she replies as she opens the hood of the car she’s repairing, checking if replacements should be done. “a funeral’s expensive though, it kinda sucks as much as a hangover.”

“oh okay, doesn’t sound that bad.” he replied. “how much is it again?” brandon asked. “seriously? uh, thanks you didn’t have to do that.” he said with a soft smile.

gaia just hummed, nodding at the male in front of her. “just forty dollars for you, it’s not the severe anyways- and yeah, seriously. it obviously needed that. was just doing my job.”

“uh hey, yeah i was just here a little while ago? you told me i could come pick it up now. so tell me, how bad was the damage – give it to me straight.” brandon replied with a small nervous chuckle as he leaned onto the counter.

“it’s not that bad, just gotta replace the spark plug and all, don’t worry,” she lets out a light chuckle at the male’s nervousness. “plus i did some cleaning on the engine.”

“oh, you’re the best. thanks, i owe you one.” he sat down on the floor of her garage, pouring some water from his bottle into the bowl and letting his pup lap it up. “she’s a she! her name’s chára.” at the sound of her name, chára perked up, trotting over to the woman’s feet and nosing at her leg with a wet nose. “she’s friendly, but nosy. and loves when you scratch just behind her ears.”

“no problem,” she says as she slides her hands in her pockets, watching as the dog starts lapping up on the bowl of water. “chára, that’s a beautiful name,” she chuckles lightly when the dog walked over to her. the mechanic then scratches behind her ear. “well, you’re really friendly,” gaia whispers with a small smile.

“Sure, if you don’t mind.” Isaac was glad he didn’t have to find a ride there. “Okay, so what I’m wearing is fine?”

“yeah, i don’t mind at all,” gaia shrugged at the other. “it’s fine, kid. perfect for that house party.”

annie had been walking everywhere since her car broke down, so naturally when she’d stumbled upon someone fixing cars her first instinct was to ask if they could help her. when the girl addressed her she gave her an awkward half smile. “uh- just a question about fixing cars, and like how to do that… mines been stuck in my driveway for like two weeks.”

“well it’s between easy or hard, just depends on how bad the problem is,” she shrugged, grabbing her bottle water from the table, taking a long sip. gaia walks over to where the female was standing. “i can talk a look, if you’d like?”

“I just don’t want to clean up puke in it. I can barely force myself to clean it out every month. I can barely stand throwing up in the first place. Why we haven’t invented some sort of cure-all to hangovers is beyond me,” she stated, resting her cheek against his head. “Knowing my luck, I would run into my ex, or my ex-friend. Or a serial killer of some sort. Guess luck is on my side for once.”

“well, since you’ve mentioned it. i do make a hangover cure, it doesn’t taste that good, but it helps,” she offered, looking at the woman in front of her. “i guess you’re right. bumping into a serial killer is a huge bummer.”

taylor had learned his lesson not to take both dogs out for a walk at the same time, unless he wanted more of a workout than he was physically prepared for. today he had chára, his husky mix, jogging alongside him while he skated down the sidewalk, but after a while she began to slow down, tongue hanging out as she panted. “you want a drink, bub?” he asked her, carrying his board up to the nearest person he saw. “hey, you happen to have a bowl i could borrow for a few minutes? i’ve got nothing for her to drink out of,” he said, motioning to where chára was panting at his feet.

“yeah, i’ve just got the thing, wait up.” gaia had an unused bowl at home owned by her father’s dog, who passed out months after his burial, probably because of sadness. she takes it from the cabinet, staring at it for a bit then walks out, handing it to the familiar male. “here you go,” the mechanic hands the said bowl to him. “are they a he or a she?”

“A few blocks?” Isaac was okay with walking a few blocks. “Give me the exact address and I am there.” He was next in line, so he turned back around to give his order. Unfortunately for her, Isaac was done talking to her. “What kind of party is this? I don’t really mind but I gotta prepare.”

“yeah, few blocks,” gaia said, looking up at him momentarily. “i’m going there too, you can ride along or just walk. it’s a house party of a friend.”

“I don’t blame you for that. I wouldn’t want someone to throw up in my car. I don’t even want to throw up in my car,” she agreed, finally opening the water and taking a few long drinks. “It was the closest I saw that had lights on and didn’t look like someone was inside that might kill me. So you just got lucky. Otherwise I would be someone else’s problem right now.”

“car’s like a precious baby huh? you gotta take care of it or else, it’s not gonna look so great,” gaia said, wiping the trickling sweat down her forehead. she couldn’t help but chuckle at the girl’s words. “well, you really did get lucky. world’s fucked up nowadays. and i wouldn’t want to be someone else’s problem, so i feel you right there.”

“See? I still have some sense left with my two brain cells,” she claimed, popping a mint into her mouth before taking the bottle of water. “Thanks,” she said, leaning against a counter and resting her head in her hands for a moment, pushing the bottle of water against her forehead. “I’m not even entirely sure where I am in the city. Probably an awful first impression.”

“if i haven’t had the interior fully cleaned yesterday i would’ve still driven you home,” she just chuckled, grabbing herself her own bottle of water. “you’re welcome, just really helping out a troubled soul like you,” gaia smiled at the other. “well...you got to my house..but it’s alright, things like that happens.”

“Well, I didn’t think you’d be up for that and the possibility of me tossing my cookies in your front seat,” she pointed out, plugging up her phone and waiting for it to come back on. “Yeah, I had a bit of a rough night. Can’t remember most of it honestly,” she said, digging around in her purse for any mints or something.

“oh well, you’re right. suit yourself then,” gaia just shrugged at the blonde. “oh you don’t have to tell me, been there, done that,” she grabs a bottle of water from the mini cooler and hands it to her. “here, so you won’t get dehydrated or somethin’.”

            dark gaze study the familiar features and she allows a smile to settle on her features as she stores her blade, shrugging. ❝ only when i think someone’s following me. ❞ and then she’s grinning lightly at her next words. ❝ you did ?? you’re fucking amazing. thank you !! ❞