Ronnie shimmied around, laughing as he twirled her. “Ireland?” She repeated his answer, liking the way it sounded on his tongue better than hers. His accent was quite nice; almost like John’s but more musical. “I’m from Wonderland,” she sighed, hoping he had already heard of it so they could talk about his world. “What’s your land like?” she asked, pulling in closer to him to hear him better. 

Veronica threw her head back and laughed when he picked her up, and pressed her hands down on his shoulders gently. “Desmond, that name’s like music,” she chimed, patting his shoulders to be put down. “Where are you from, Des?” She asked, pulling her hair to one side of her shoulders.

Veronica broke off singing as the next verse began and she giggled as the guy patted the back of her head. There was something so innocent about it, something kind. “Hey,” she grinned up at him, batting her lashes at him. He was properly handsome, with something shining behind his eyes. “Veronica,” she nodded along to the music, clasping her hands behind his neck as she continued to dance.

“Ooh, definitely! We could get a summer place and a winter place,” Ronnie giggled, grossly overestimating how much she could possibly make in a shop after leaving school and free rent. It was a bit overwhelming, how much she loved this boy. It wasn’t that she’d never loved before, but this was a whole different kind of love; she cared about every piece of him, and worried over him in her mind when they weren’t together. She wanted him to be happy, and for her to be a part of that happiness. 

Ronnie pressed her chin against her shoulder and grinned at him, all too pleased with herself at his compliment. “I hope so. I get commission too, so if they like me, all the better for me,” she grinned, and then pressed her tongue to right fang too. “And you. When I am handsomely wealthy, I’ll spoil you absolutely rotten,” she laughed, throwing her head back. “Oooh,” Ronnie crooned, leaning back a little as she walked. “I’d love that!”

“Mhm!” Veronica chirped and then grinned. “I got a job! I work in this cute little boutique where I get to compliment people all day and help them find what they want to wear, or gifts they want to get for people. It’s so nice to have money,” she giggled. Sure, she was only bringing in about a hundred and fifty dollars a week, but it was more than she’d ever made anywhere. In fact in Wonderland, she never had to work; her dad provided things they needed at home, and when she went out to clubs or bars, people were always willing to buy her what she liked. Ronnie’d become a little obsessed with saving money, squirreling away most of her paycheck into a jar under her bed, and taking out the bills now and then to line them up like little soldiers on her desk. 

Ronnie took a drag and leaned her head back a bit to let the smoke pour out of her. “Ooh, that sounds good. I want nachos,” she commented, sitting up and taking another drag before holding it out to him. “I’m buying,” she added with a little grin. She’d recently started working at a little clothes shop in town, and was thoroughly enjoying having a bit of spending money.

Veronica squeaked slightly, and dissolved into giggles when he squeezed her. “Oh, I do,” she grinned, smooching his throat. “Do pencil me in, will you?” She asked, tapping his nose gently with her fingertip, before reaching for his cigarette, asking him for a drag with a raise of her brows.

Veronica gave a giddy chuckle as he lit his cigarette, the bit of magic never growing old to her. “Ooh, all night?” She asked, inching into him, reaching up and playing gingerly with the collar of his shirt, eyes fixed on his neck. “You sure?” She asked, dragging her gaze to his eyes, pausing momentarily on his lips. 

“Ooh, I like the sounds of that,” she grinned, reaching up and pinching his chin gingerly with her thumb and forefinger. Ronnie could feel herself getting a bit dozy, and wondered when he planned on heading out. “When do you want to go? Do I have time for a little nap beforehand?” She yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Ah, that’s right,” she replied, tapping his nose gently with the knuckle of her forefinger. “The boogey-man and his goons,” she explained for herself. She didn’t understand the concept of demons and dark arts, and so she’d given them different names to cope with what she’d experienced in that motel room with him. Ronnie could feel a pout forming as he said he needed to go into the city, but when he invited her, her lips spread into a big grin. “Of course! I’d love to!” She propped herself up on both elbows, suddenly feeling incandescently happy. “Which city?” Veronica asked, Bounds City completely falling out of her mind.

“Your stamina, huh?” She asked with a cheeky grin, squinting one eye open mischievously to look at him. “I could help with that,” Ronnie added, reaching up and pulling him down onto her by his collar, planting a pink kiss on his cheek before letting go.  

“Oh, you know, when you feel like you’re hovering right above your own skin?” She asked, sighing contentedly, leaning into his touch. “That kind of glowing,” Ronnie added, closing her eyes a moment, before letting them fly open, worried that she might get the spins. “Were you running?” She asked, eyes dragging up from his chest, over his throat, chin, and then nose, before meeting his gaze. 

Ronnie grinned and turned on her side to face him, though her eyes were slowly dragging shut. “Oh, I’m feeling wonderful, just glowing,” she laughed, opening her eyes to take him in. “It’s like you’ve read my mind, coming and finding me like this,” she murmured, scooching closer and reaching up for his shirt, pulling him into her.