𝗍𝗁𝖾    𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗅    𝗈𝖿    𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌    𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗌    𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗒.    you    really    don’t    want    to    this    to    with    her    right    now.    you’d    rather    spend    time    with    her    and    chip    than    go    out    and    be    with    other    sorts    of    people.    you    find    it    that    she    gets    all    of    the    attention    and    you    usually    get    thrown    to    the    side    as    if    you    are    disposable,    as    if    you    don’t    matter    at    all    unless    you    are    as    hot    and    cool    as    her.    it’s    not    something    that    you    especially    enjoy.    if    the    three    of    you    are    alone,    chip    and    jennifer    try    to    get    along    and    it’s    actually    really    nice.    you    know    that    she    enjoys    the    attention,    loves    to    have    other    men    cater    to    her    every    need    and    whim,    but    that’s    just    not    your    scene.    not    at    all.    you    try    to    swallow    it    some    days,    when    she    looks    like    she    needs    a    pick-me-up.    when    she    looks    bad    enough    for    even    you    to    swallow    being    around    people    who    don’t    care    about    you    or    her,    but    care    about    the    popularity    contest    that    is    high    school.    you    sigh    now,    and    shake    your    head,    ❝    i    really    don’t    care    what    people    tell    me,    jen,    i’d    rather    just    be    here    with    you    and    chip.    it’s    actually    fun    when    we    try,    ❞    you    move    closer    to    her    now,    grabbing    her    hand    in    yours,    ❝    come    on,    we    can    do    movie    night    and    drinking.    it’ll    still    be    fun    and    you    can    get    drunk    with    nobody    to    say    a    thing.    ❞

𝗒𝗈𝗎    𝗌𝗐𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐    𝗍𝗁𝖾    𝗎𝗋𝗀𝖾    𝗍𝗈    𝗌𝖼𝗈𝖿𝖿    𝖺𝗍    𝗁𝗂𝗆.    he’s    being    a    little    melodramatic    but    you    can    deal    with    that.    you’ve    been    dealing    with    it    all    of    your    life.    this    is    just    one    of    his    lows,    one    of    the    moments    where    he    believes    he    will    amount    to    nothing.    but    that    is    not    the    truth.    he    is    capable    of    such    great    things,    but    he    is...    something    else.    you    haven’t    found    the    words    to    fully    describe    him    yet,    and    you    don’t    want    to    right    now,    no    right    now    you    have    to    pull    him    back    from    the    brink.    so,    you    move    closer    to    him,    to    put    your    hand    on    his    arm    and    trying    to    comfort    him    as    much    as    you    can.    ❝    you    will    find    something    else    to    be    notable    in.    instead    of    just    leaning    against    whatever    novelty    you    might    have.    ❞

𝗒𝗈𝗎    𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐    𝖾𝗑𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗅𝗒    𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍    𝗌𝗁𝖾    𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗌.    the    older    you    two    get,    the    more    expectations    everyone    has.    you    know    that    this    is    a    decision    for    you.    that    for    you,    this    is    better    than    getting    married    and    losing    everything    you    have    ever    knows.    for    her...    it    is    something    she    is    stuck    with.    men    aren’t    so    willing    to    court    her,    for    more    than    you    try,    or    any    one    of    your    family    members    do.    you    aren’t    too    sure    why.    she    is    pretty,    and    she    is    smart,    and    cunning    and    she’d    be    a    great    wife.    loving    and    attentive.    but,    it    is    alright.    you    can    be    with    each    other.    move    to    aubrey    hall    once    all    of    your    brothers    and    sisters    marry    and    move    into    their    own    homes.    you    can    host    parties    just    for    the    two    of    you    and    ensure    nobody    ever    forces    you    to    smile    again.    but    that    still    has    some    time    to    come.    you    will    just    have    to    wait,    and    endure    everything    that    society    tells    you    to    endure,    ❝    perhaps    we    stop    smiling    and    blushing    for    men.    maybe    then,    they    will    realize    what    catches    we    truly    are.    ❞    you    smile    at    her,    giving    an    air    of    confidence    that    you    know    you    don’t    have    just    yet.

    “Interpret it however you want to. Just know that I mean it.” The faucet the teen had been hovering over is switched off, his stare remaining fixed upon a freshly washed teacup in hand. Only giving pause to relish in what heat it’s retained from its bath, the sensation of which is naturally very pleasing to chilled fingers, he retrieves Sojiro’s favorite washcloth to finish the job. “And regardless of how you feel about all of this—or how stupid you think I am—I’m glad to have you here. Really.”

       ❝  Someone is going to have to take the blame for this and it is not going to be me!  ❞