wretched and divine

She couldn’t help snorting. The definition of normal for them was so warped and twisted that it was another thing Silver wasn’t sure she wanted. 

“I’m sorry that I got your husband trashed. It’s tradition.” The topic of the conversation moved abruptly, it was the only way she knew how to keep Scarlett talking. John was a common ground for them.

She understood that snort, she knew Silver way too well -- and she could simply nod. Normal wasn’t always normal, but that wasn’t their reality, either.

“Oh, it’s no trouble.” Scarlett looked back at where she imagined John would be, “Little can lighten him up lately, I’m glad you could manage to do that.” She shooke her head, “Apparently I lost this ability -- at least for now.”

Silver couldn’t agree with that. Mostly because the year was out and she still hadn’t changed back to how she used to be.

(She didn’t even know if she wanted to.)

“It went fast.” That was all Silver could say in response now. “Everything seems to be moving incredibly fast.”

“Fast is a good way to put it.” She played with the glass, looking at the bubbles swirling up with lips pressed together in a thin way.

“We can just hope things get be to normal as fast.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Silver replied as she stared out to Neverland. It was so much busier than it usually was, the adventures were down there and Silver stood above them, cold and judging.

A wry smile found it’s way onto her lips and she shrugged. “I’ve always enjoy a party. And it is New Years.”

She nodded along, watching the place that now she called more than home -- the place she was supposed to rule beside her husband.

(But things change, always change.)

“It’s funny, right?” Scarlett, as well, had a soft smile plastered over her red lips. “How things change within a year, and how it fels that they didn’t change at all.”

Silver finally lit her cigarette, her own soft smile on her face. “I thought you’d be used to it. Or has the bartender finally left your system?” She joked but there was a layer of concern under the tone for her friend. “I could get some water…” She suggested softly, her hand gently touching Scarlett’s forearm.

Scarlett let out a soft laugh, turning her wedding ring on her hand as a reminder that this was her life now -- and everything that came with. “I am a bartender, I don’t think that can’t leave my system.” She didn’t move at her friends touch, didn’t turn to face her, either; simply shook her head. “No, I have champagne.”

Silver was fumbling hard with her smokes as she followed Scarlett outside. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, yeah.” She glanced at her, smiling softly, hiding the shiver running down her spine with a sigh. “Mostle tired, I believe. All those people are making me dizzy.”

“Who pissed in your coffee this morning?”

“Do you really want to know, or, hopefully, it was a rethorical question?”

“I don’t think it was allowed.” Silver couldn’t help softening with Whiskey, the woman who was there when her life fell apart, the one who helped her piece it back together. She embraced her, squeezing tightly. 

No touching, that was the policy. She had spent six months without feeling the warm embrace of her best friend, and she had been so cold all that time that she couldn’t help but melting slightly against her, tears surfacing, but quickly disappearing. “Well, that’s a lot of rules.”