footloose & collar-free

Peg’s heart plummeted through her stomach as the male approached, her blood freezing upon the realization of just who was coming towards her. Sure, the last time she’d seen Tramp, things were cordial enough. However, the blonde couldn’t shake the ache that began to throb in her heart all over again. She was so taken aback that she was a bit stunned when he got so close to her face. He was just as she remembered him; his intelligent eyes and handsome features were hard to forget. 

“I’m sure I’d be willing to give you just one, for old times sake.” she joked with a wink after a beat or two. Her jaw clenched as she leaned back in her chair, desperate to gain some composure. She was almost certain he could hear her heart beating at the bars of her rib cage, still so stupidly desperate to fling itself at him again. He really did a number on her. “It’s good for business and good for me. Lots of beautiful faces in this town and this is a perfectly good way to get my smooch on with some otherwise forbidden parties. After all, it’s for a good cause, so that makes it okay, right?” she explained, batting her eyelashes up at him.

 “It’s been a while…How are you?” Peg finally asked, her voice far quieter and gentler than usual. Though she kept a cheery enough demeanor, her eyes were overwhelmed with emotions.

He let out a chuckle at her joke and his eyes travelled down her curiously. He wondered how she was. What she was up to... if she was doing alright. She got herself into a couple of sticky situations in the past that he was always urger to help her out of. Now, it seemed, she was fairing fine without him. Like she never needed him at all. He swallowed down the thought glanced away from her, down at his hands for a second, still smiling fondly. “How very kind of you.” Tramp said to her, “I’ll have to keep that in mind. Maybe put that to the test before I go.” He could hardly resist the temptation of stealing kisses from his ex lover... just hopelessly falling right back into things like nothing ever ended at all. His weakness was always how much he wanted to feel loved and she always did that so well. The trouble came when he stayed for too long and he could feel an attachment form. He’d felt that with Peg. Got far too comfortable with her.

“Actually, I’m doing pretty good for myself.” He said, “But I must say, you look like you’re doing a lot better than I am.” Bruises still faintly stained his skin from his fist fight with Dodger. “Are you still singing? Maybe I can drop by one night for a listen?” 

She had spotted him almost immediately and she chewed the bottom of her lip so as not to be too overly excited. Mike wasn’t like anyone she had ever met, he was so different from the boys at fundraisers and high society events she attended. He wasn’t like the boys she knew growing up and in school. He was charming and smooth and worldly even though she knew he didn’t attend private school. “hi.” she grinned walking over to him her hands smoothing down the cotton dress she wore. “fancy seeing you here.” @oftramps​

He wasn’t expecting to see her there but his heart pounded the moment he did. She looked absolutely stunning. The light was hitting her hair giving her hair a soft red tinge he hadn’t seen before and her smile was bright and radiant. “Hey, Pigeon.” He said with a grin. She did things to him without even trying and it made part of him want to run in the other direction while the other side urged to get closer. “Fancy, indeed!” He said, “Fate must have pulled us together. Have you gone on any rides yet? ‘Because I was thinking of going on a few myself.” He said. 

Peg was doing her best to restrain her laughter, and beginning to fail miserably. She’d agreed to work the kissing booth, offering up a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the talent that performed at The Dog House. Somehow, she’d managed to convince some of her featured acts to also take part, though they were far more skittish than she. She was not a fan of catcalling, but the way the other person was staring at her simply demanded a verbal response. Taking a deep breath, she put on some of her favorite lip balm in a slow, seductive circle before resting it on the booth. 

“You know, the view is far better if you’re closer.” she called out, staring directly at her admirer. “C’mon, put yourself out of your misery and come and get some sugar. Nobody is gonna judge!”

@newfantasiastarters​

He was staring at her. Not because he was actually considering walking up there but because he hadn’t seen her in a while. They were on friendly enough terms but Tramp was well aware of what he had done to her. How he had hurt her. He wasn’t really expecting her to be working the kissing booth. When she started calling him over, he blinked with a bit of shock. Did Peg recognize that it was him? Maybe not. After all, he was walking around in a pair of sunglasses and he got a haircut since the last time they spoke. (Though it hardly took away his shagginess). He shrugged his shoulders and made his way over to her, about halfway removing his sunglasses and tucking them into his shirt pocket. 

Tramp gave her a smile and leaned in close, inches away from her lips but he didn’t dare to go any closer. Instead, he whispered to her. “I would, but I’m afraid I gave away my last dollar for some popcorn.” He said, lingering there for a moment longer before pulling back some. “The kissing booth, huh? What prompted you to volunteer here?” 

He spotted her walking amongst the crowd and quickly looked around, checking for any of her gang members. They didn’t need a repeat of last time. He was in enough trouble as it was with Dodger. When the coast seemed clear enough, Tramp smiled and made his way to her. “Hey, if I said I was scared would you come on the rollercoaster with me and hold my hand?” He joked. “’Cause I’d be into that.” Unsure how she’d take his teasing. He knew they were trying to be friends again after all that history they had, but he wasn’t sure where the line was yet.

“Hey-ah, Sunshine!” Tramp said, trotting over to meet her. A little shocked to see her out here in the open. A smile curled his lips. There was just something about people who lived the comfortable sofa life that he just didn’t quite get. Her world was so different from his own and since she was kept on a tight leash, he hardly got to see her. “So she let you come then? I have to say. I’m a little shocked! I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Lady: I know that, but it’s polite. Besides, I worked hard on these business cards, the least I can do is give them out to people (or remember to at least) :) 

Lady: That’s awfully sweet. Are you flirting with me to get the good spot in the shelter? :P 

Lady: I do not happen to be doing anything at all this weekend. 

Lady: oh! You’re absolutely! That’s embarrassing. Duh, silly me. I must have been flustered and forgotten to give you mine. Next time I see you I’ll have one ready.

Lady: I wanted to thank you again for walking me back to the shelter. That was very chivalrious of you.

Lady: great! Looking forward to it.

Lady: I'm really glad you are. I think the little rascal misses you tbh

Lady: How about next week? Should be slow and I'll have some time to show you around.

Tramp: Actually! I couldn't. I would have loved to but I gave you my card with my number on it. I didn't get one back

Tramp: Now that I have your number, you better expect that I'll text you pretty often ;)

Tramp: I've been waiting for you to text me ;)

“alright we get it you’re a ladies man.” Rita replied rolling her eyes with a laugh as tramp got sidetracked from his story. “so what happened AFTER they saw you?”  

He chuckled when Rita tried to breeze past it when he got sidetracked by his own story. “Sorry, sorry,” He said swiping the air with his hand. “After they saw me... Ah, right. The cops. After they saw me I booked it down to the bridge and at that point, they ended up on both sides of it. Trapping me. I had no choice but to jump. So, without a second thought, I jumped off and into the fast moving current. It swept me under pretty quickly and I could have drowned but I did get away from the cops. I have a reputation to uphold you know. Never been caught and I wasn’t about to that time either.” He joked. 

“That sounds like an awfully lonely life to live.” Layla frowned. She moved slightly to stand next to him her hand lightly brushing against his before she curled her fingers around his and held his hand. It seemed like such a sad statement coming from someone who was always confident and so sure of himself. He’d never been so vulnerable with her and so she opened up too. “You don’t have to be alone.”

She said it sounded like an awfully lonely life to live and he frowned. Sure it could be but the last time he trusted someone with his heart, it didn’t end well. He felt her hand slip into his and he couldn’t help but smile, holding hers back. “Ah, it’s not so bad. You shouldn’t rely too much on other people anyway...” The man said but she was saying now that he didn’t have to be alone. For a moment, he considered it. Glancing down into her hazel eyes. He knew that they just met, but there was a connection there wasn’t it? It wasn’t like all the other times he flirted with people. This was something. He smiled to try and push the moment away. “Thanks, Pigeon, for the kind words... but I’m fine.”