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b1ksh88p · 4 years

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Guts and Roses

Plot: Jesse hired you to clean up crime scenes. This time you were stuck cleaning up boob implants and stomach bile after a gruesome murder. All was well, you never crossed paths with him and didn’t mind it. That is when he accidentally forgot something important lodged into the girls torso leading to a unexpected visit from the man himself. (This was supposed to be practice for suspense soooo if it’s ass I apologize)

Warnings: Gore/Cursing/Implied Necro (nothing happens lmao)

It started with good intentions. You were a forensic anthropologist/medical examiner for the Florida PD, truly the best of the best. To bad all that knowledge and expertise was wasted. The whole system was corrupt. From dirty cops to crook politicians there was no such thing as reform. The entire system was fucked. Sometimes you’d get bodies without organs despite them not being organ donors. So many people came through and cases piled up. You felt more like a mortician than a forensic anthropologist. It made you feel horrible for the victims but after a few years you just let it pass you.

To make some extra cash on the side you put your services up for hire on the deep web. At first you were sure you were gonna get caught by the FBI but it seemed like a lot of sickos in Florida needed someone to clean their mess. They’d do their business, call you in, you’d take pictures for some blackmail, then do your job. You carefully instructed that they leave the cash in a plastic bag. The price varied on a few things. The floors material, the square feet, severity of stains, chemical cleaning cost, etc. were all factored into the final price. She made a good 5 grand off one easy clean up. A pretty good gig although certainly nausea inducing for the faint of heart.

This Jesse guy was no different than the rest of them. A rich weirdo with mommy issues who had a knack for snuff films. Nothing new. Sometimes you thought about watching one of the films just to see what all the talk was about. You got what was left of some bodies but you don’t really get the full picture from a crime scene or a cold corpse. There was a morbid curiosity. Ever since you’ve taken jobs for him you’ve wanted to see it. See him in action. You wondered if he got off to it. If he had a ritual, what his motives were. Along with playing music you could think about the crazed Chromeskull to help past the time. What a lame name. Surely the guy wasn’t that scary with a stupid name like that.

After scrubbing the blood splatter with your own secret mix you let it sit for a bit and get to work on the floor. First you dispose of all the guts, chunks of flesh, and silicon implants into a acid mix. Then you move onto mopping up the blood and other bodily fluids released by the body. She was completely torn apart. Her rib cage exposed as if the Jesse guy was looking for something inside her. Admittedly you were kinda grossed out. You much rather worked for the Collector. At least he had a bit of interesting presentation. This Chromeskull guy was just a fucking monster. The girl must’ve done something to piss him off if he got this mad.

After staring you get out some plastic wrap and cover the bathroom in it. After that you start cutting her limbs one by one and placing them in your special acid mix. One score was the bitches jewelry. Sick looks like Chromefuck left a lil tip. If this shit was real you could totally pawn it after her case turned cold.

You were just about to decapitate her when you heard the doorknob jiggle. You always locked the doors behind you, it was a safety precaution. You didn’t want to have to clean up another body for free. At first you just ignored it. Maybe the person would go away when they figured out no one was here. Suddenly a fury of hard knocks rammed upon the thin door. You get up. Whoever was trying to get inside sure as hell weren’t the friendly type. You think to grab your gun but your dumbass left it on the counter outside. All you had was a bone saw, and by the sound of it you were gonna need a tank.

After a serious of loud thumps the rickety chain snapped sealing your fate. You huddle into the bathtub and slide the shower curtain to conceal you. Whoever he was he was strong enough to open the door but oddly stealthy enough to muffle his steps because after the chain snapped and the door flung open you didn’t hear shit. For a moment you thought you were in the clear, that whatever they wanted they got and left. You start to slowly stand up before a sound makes your knees buckle in place. The same pounding from before was right outside the door. You freeze. Your entire body wanted to flee but there was nowhere to go. The door flings open like it was a piece of paper. On the other side of the curtain you heard shallow breaths. Whoever it was was pissed. For a second there was silence. It felt like you had held your breath for what seemed like a eternity before you heard the grossest sounds ever. It was the sound of flesh being strained and bothered with. Meat and congealed bodily fluids churning around echoed off the walls. You wanted to gag. Was he...was he fucking it?

All of a sudden the sounds came to a abrupt stop. You watch in pure horror as he tears the shower curtain asunder. A gloved hand grabs at your crinkly clean up suit and you instinctively swipe at it with your bone saw. Lucky for him in your fear ridden haze you miss. “Gah! What the fuck do you want?!?” You shriek pointing the blade at the mask. Definitely believed the hype around this guy he was fucking terrifying. For a moment he just stared at you, possibly thinking if he should kill you for the stunt you just pulled. To your surprise he recoiled and calmly began to sign.

‘I thought you’d be finished. It’s been 3 hours’

Before you can stop yourself you scoff. “I don’t rush you when you’re making pulled pork.” When you noticed what you said you felt the color leave your body. Everyone always said your attitude would one day get the best of you. Now you were about to become the star of a snuff film lucky you. Instead of slamming your face into the tiles until it resembled strawberry purée his shoulders raised up and down...he was laughing.

‘Touché, well doll I’m looking for something. The stupid cunt swallowed it.’

Did you even want to know the gruesome details? Yes, but you didn’t need this sicko thinking you admired him. You were merely intrigued. Anyone would be even just a little. Or at least that’s what you told yourself. “Want me to...help?” You treaded carefully. You didn’t need him getting angry that a woman wanted to help. Some men saw it as pity and got all pissy and acted like they were Alpha males. He shrugs. It seemed like metal head didn’t mind a lady getting down and dirty. Good cuz it was your fucking job.

‘Knock yourself out Princess.’

You step out from the safety of the tub and dig into the mush of the torso. You can feel him looming over you. Cold eyes boring into your skin as you searched in silence. It hit you.

“What am I looking for exactly?” You ask turning to him.

‘A sim card, the stupid bitch swallowed it thinking I’d spare her or something.’

“Clearly her plan didn’t work out.” You let out a wry laugh. That wasn’t funny. Oh god why were you comfortable saying weird shit around this guy. You kept focus on finding the little black card. It was lodged in a piece of her small intestine that he had missed during his rampage. When you turn to announce your findings he’s crouched down in front of you. “I...I got your sim c-card...” you try and mask the fear in your voice but failed. Why was he so close? How’d he keep moving so silently? You tense up as he slowly signs to you.

‘I wanna see you without the mask.’

Your heart sunk but a stupid smile was on your face. Is that all? The sicko just wanted to see her face? But why? You’d only worked a few jobs for him. This was the first time you’d met face to face. Was he joking?

‘But not now. I’ll let you get back to work.’ He stood and dusted himself off. When he outstretched a gloved hand you thought he was just waiting for you to hand over his precious SIM card so you did just that. With like zero effort he hoisted you up to your feet. He hands you a card and takes his property before leaving you alone in the penthouse. You read the card and furrow your brow. On the back there was a message. When you read it aloud it made your skin crawl.

“I’m always watching you”

What the hell have you gotten yourself into???

#chromeskull #slasher #horror #slashers #jessecromeans #slasher x reader #slasher x s/o #potential series maybe idk #im not good at writing lmao

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ralfstrashcan · 6 years

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3x09 Reaction / Commentary

I loved that Opening Scene, it was appropriately dramatic and the music fit perfectly..... but I wouldn't be me if I didn't have some questions.

1) Why is Clary's braid so on fleek? Because those jailers were totally ripping at her hair and didn't seem to care if the result looked good.

2) Don't think I missed the obvious way the jailers where avoiding her runes while washing her skin, lol. They probably would have come off if scrubbed with a scrubber.

3) Did Clary come too late to that public mass execution, like some naughty school kid?? Because everyone else was there already. Did they start without her? lol

4) Why do they get to wear those fancy red robes when they are burned to death literally five minutes after? Isn't that a total waste? Also, those robes aren't uni sized, they are perfectly tailored. Who made them?? No wonder they can only hold those trial day thingies once a month, they're probably busy preparing clothes the rest of the month.... or do they have those robes at the ready for every Shadowhunter, like, at the same time that you get your Rune Ceremony they prepare a High Treason Execution Robe in case they have to off you at some point??

5) What would they have done if his corpse fell down the stairs instead of artfully to the side?

6) Seriously, can we take a moment to appreciate how truly savage Shadowhunters are. Because it's kinda shocking and very fitting.

Okay but since when does super duper ultra dead mean turning into salt? Did I miss something?

Oh my they actually address that in the book! I'm impressed... not least because of that fancy-ass bookmark. Where can I buy that?

Also is this supposed to imply that Cain was a Dayligher, as in a Vampire? I'd say I need answers, but I really don't.

Considering Simon's whiplash-y behavior this Season it's probably a toss up what he'll anwer.

Btw Simon's reaction to Kyle offering to get him blood is exactly the reason why I thought it would be counterproductive if he stayed on Simon's case and why it should consequentally be his decision if he wants Kyle to stay: He was honestly gonna walk through town in starved state? Reckless much? And all because he doesn't want to accept Kyle's help.

I mean, I totally approve of Izzy's cleavage, but why does her Angelic Rune keep wandering upwards? That's a little unsettling and bothers me, I'll be honest.

For a second there I was confused because why would Magnus need his own permission.. then I remembered. And honestly, I cheered, because I kinda missed Lorenzo and his slick hairdo and I've been excited to see him again since I caught a glance of him

in the Season Finale Promo.

Man, if it's dark already does that mean they've been at it with the executions all day?? What even. How many traiters do they have on a monthly basis?? Kinda disconcerting if you ask me.

OMG IRIS!! What a pleasant surprise!! I honestly thought we'd never see her again and up until this very second I didn't even care. But now I'm really happy she's there! Absence does make the heart grow fonder, it seems :) ................also does that mean that since 2x08 less than a month passed?? Because they hold them monthly and incinerate everyone who's there? I'm confused.

Wtf Jia, what even. I was starting to like you, and then you go and abuse your power like that. So uncool. And if Iris's execution was moved up does that mean it's been more than a month since 2x08?? Such confusion.

Okay, honestly I wasn't that surprised that Heidi was in the bag, but she was clearly conscious when Jace took her out and that begs the question why she was so inactive while in the bag. Shouldn't it be super easy for her to rip the bag apart since she's a Vampire??

Okay but isn't blabbing that out in front of Silent Brothers and other prisoners totally indiscreet? Like, Jia moved Iris's execution up partly so she couldn't spill, right? (Or just because she was angry Iris didn't do her bidding? I mean if Iris is gonna die anyway that's not really a good punishment, is it?) What if the Silent Brother says “Yo, no, no creepy ressurection necromancy magic on my watch”? What even is the hierarchy between the Clave and the Silent Bros?

LOVE the fact that Valentine is chained to the cot even though he's still dead.

Whaaaaaaaaaaat I don't understand. Does she mean “I'm more powerful than the angel” or “I want Valentine back alive”??

So I guess Luke doesn't have a pack anymore? Well, this was a long time coming. Considering that he even challenged the previous alpha back in 1x05 to save Clary it is consistent that he puts Clary first. And honestly, it's understandable on a personal level because he's been looking out for Clary for 18 years now and before 1x06 he was kind of the underdog of the pack (pun not intended). Still, he's once again slinking his alpha-duties. For the last time now, I guess????? Tho how will a new alpha acquire alpha powers? I thought you get them through killing the previous alpha????

The way he spat out that glob gave me serious chills. Awesome.

Okay but why do they have security cams in the morgue, what the hell man. Then again they have several security cams per dorm back at the NY Institute, too, so there's that. I guess the only mercy was that they didn't have security cams in Val's grave too, lol.

YASS I love Negotiation!Alec, please three Seasons of this verbal sparring and covert threats, oh hell yeah I'm a goner.

Simon using Luke's steak trick from can't-find-x-the-episode warms my heart, I'll admit that.

OMG THE FACT THAT LILITH GAVE HER A MAKE OVER

Dude, Heidi really has no mercy putting that tape on their hair, like it hurts just watching this.

Also, why did Lilith stint on Heidi's make-up?? Rude.

My heart breaks so much for Jonathan right now, maybe now he'll stop being a daddy's boy and give Lilith a chance to demonstrate her parenting skills??

O M GGGGG WHAT AwEsOmE I'M DEAD

Clary, smartly manipulating Valentine into doing what she wants from him, I like.

Pretentious Quill, I approve.

I have sooooooo many questions about that list.

1) Why are there so many (as good as) dead people on it? Ragnor won't be any help from the grave, I'm assuming Elias is the same Elias who was killed off in 1x04, and Iris is currently residing in a death cell (and even if she wasn't, why would Magnus even ask her for help after he extradited her to the Clave? She probably wouldn't help him even if she could.) And god knows where Dot's at at the moment.

2) Why are Cat and Ragnor so low on that list, like seriously?! Also, why would Magnus write their full names, I mean surely he'd use abbreviations?? Or at least leave out their last names, c'mon.

3) Those weren't instructions, those were two lines and the one you could read was “I need your help!”

4) Also, I can hardly believe the person who wrote the list in a super elaborate and twirly hand is the same person that wrote those notes, and even if I assume for a moment that Magnus wrote both.... why the hell would he put so much effort into the list and scribble the pleas for help? Shouldn't it be the other way around??

5) Why did he cross Dot off the list when the note he just sent was clearly addressed to Elias?! Who is still dead!?!

.......it seems the stress is getting to you, Magnus.

(Also, mass texts would have been much faster. Just sayin'. Dramatic warlocks, refusing to use smartphones and hindering swift communication.)

Putting the kid under your care first, I dig that. And I dig Magnus recognizing this for what it is and not acting as if Cat is deserting him, because she isn't.

WHAAAA ARE LORENZO AND MAGNUS GONNA FIGHT SIGN ME THE F UP

Izzy hating on Kyle is kinda rude because faulting him for not protecting Simon, okayyyy, if needs must (even though Kyle's job is actually to protect people from Simon, not the other way around, but whatever...) but blaming him for Heidi's escape? What? He wasn't even at the Praetor Facility?! That's totally not his job?? Seriously?

Capable Elaine, oooohhh I dig that a lot!! Why is everyone so capable in this Episode, it's awesome!!

When I saw that red fletching on the arrow I was sooo convinced that the guard is really Alec, why else would his face be obscured?!?!?! But sadly I was mistaken.

Clear Case of “Spirits that I've cited my commands ignore” hahaha awesome.

Seriously, they were so active just moments ago, why are they staring now and not acting?! :( I mean, strike while you have the chance.

I'm wondering if that's a very subtle allusion to Lorenzo's Warlock Mark.

OKAY IT PROBABLY IS?!?!?! Oh man, those Warlocks. Insulting each other's Marks. Now I'm just thinking of

Also, say what you want about Lorenzo

but he's damn smooth. I love that in an antagonist.

Yeah, I don't want to say Lorenzo is right, but he kinda is. Magnus's impulsiveness is the number one source for most of his bad decisions. It's one of the things I love so much about his character. Even though he's centuries old he's never quite settled down into tranquility. He's like a stormy sea, unpredictable and wild.

Soooo I totally loved their fight scene. I enjoyed it way more than the one with Iris in 2x08 because a) I can't forgive that terrible cut with the broken bookshelf and b) Iris was intent to flee, so even though the magic ball throwing was nice it wasn't a close ranged fight.

There were some details in this fight that I really loved

1) Lorenzo stealing Magnus's magic and using it against him.

That's a fascinating thing because does that mean magic is just energy that can be hijacked by anyone capable? Doesn't it have a personal touch, like 'my' magic would never hurt 'me'? So many questions

2) This

I totally love it because it makes so much sense, like a warlock is a magical person, they're not just magical hands. Of course it's probably easiest to channel magic through the hands, but just because it's easiest doesn't mean it's the only possibility. And honestly, Magnus would totally be the kind of person to learn channeling magic through different parts of his body because it's super cool and can totally come in handy (yeah dumb pun totally intended). The only problem I have is.... if Magnus didn't pick up this skill very recently, why was he ever overpowered by someone grabbing his hands (1x13, 2x10)? Because that irked me then, and now even more because now I know it was really bull? I can kinda forgive it because this is now and the other stuff was earlier and I don't expect show writers to know what they'll write in one or two seasons but a) shouldn't you be aware of what your character can do, like, does he have a certain skill y/n regardless of whether he uses it on-screen or not and b) I really hope this skill Magnus apparently has isn't forgotten and there won't be a situation where he could use it to gain an advantage and just... doesn't.

The Oh-shit-what-did-I-just-do-Face.

First I was really confused why Lorenzo was running for the hills because Magnus just screwed up and could easily be brought before Warlock Justice or whatever they have for insubordinate subordinates, but then I realized... he's probably scared of Magnus, and a coward.

FunFact: I tried getting a pic of his retreating back but he just kinda...

awkward-slides out of the frame.

I can really credit that Simon was trying to get Heidi to lash out, like wow, even he is capable this episode, I'm so happy.

Oooh Luke on his way to his suicide mission be capable.

NINJA STARS SIGN ME THE F UP I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!

That Silent Bro could have put up more of a fight. Aren’t they supposed to be super badass?

The best plan would actually be to kill them all and bring them back with the Necromancy Rune... then again, we only ever see Clary use her new runes, so that kinda begs the question if she's the only one able to use them. That doesn't really make sense to me, but it's the only reason I can think of why literally nobody besides her uses them. Especially that Portal Rune is hella fine, so yeah. But it's never really addressed, so this is just speculation on my part.

I love that it's so relatable and wonderfully acted why Magnus changes his mind. I mean, not even half a day ago when talking to Cat he said he'd never go to his father, but this change of heart doesn't seem whimsical because this scene greatly conveys his feelings that lead to this decision.

I love the Simon&Izzy friendship (and would wish for it to remain just a friendship).

So I guess that's the explanation where all of Val's Circle Members disappeared to. I feel a little cheated out of this fight. And this could have been avoided if they had done the kill-Necromancy-Rune-thing. Also, if they could have managed to get just one stele from one of the guards they could have freed Iris and compelled her to open a portal for them. I mean, sure, she didn't want to resurrect Valentine, so she probably wouldn't want to help him escape but a) Jia probably didn't offer her her freedom in return for her services and b) with the prospect of seeing Madzie again I could imagine Iris seizing the chance, thinking she can trick Valentine and escape alone. I would have loved to see something like this, especially because it isn't really resolved here if Iris is still alive. Until I see proof of the contrary I'll assume she's alive and I really hope to see more of her because she's an interesting character.

Also, those are the same lamps as in that other Clave building thing, so they probably had one interior designer for the whole of Idris? Lol?

Yeah, Val, it's no wonder the door doesn't open if you try to unlock it with a Foresight Rune. This seems to run in the family tho, because in 3x05 Jace does the exact same thing.... except that his rune works. Lol, fail Valentine.

Yeah, on that note..... did she succeed? Is Jia still alive to conveniently pardon Clary at some point in the future?

First I wanted to yell at her because she could easily create a portal, she'd just have to nick a stele from one of the bodies.... and then I realized......... she was tricking Valentine. And I was stunned. Even Clary behaving capable, like, is it Christmas?????? Sure feels like it!!!!!!!!!!

......shall I start calling you Garret Jacob Hobbs? Because I will.

I love that. It fits the fanatical streak of this character perfectly. I read a really, really great post about this once, it is here and you should definitely check it out. I don't agree with everything, but there are some really interesting aspects in there.

So I'm a li'l confused because Val was still obviously breathing and I'm not sure if that is because Alan van Sprang couldn't hold his breath or because he's not really dead lol.

.......then a rib is the way to go, I guess. Seriously, why not just say bone or something?

WHAT A DAMN GREAT CLIFFIE

Bonus:

It seems blood starvation gives Vampires really weird Hannibal-esque visions.....?

(Playground Insults Pic is from here, Magnus and Lorenzo’s fight gifs are from here)

#shadowhunters #3x09 #clary fray #alec lightwood #magnus bane #lorenzo rey #isabelle lightwood #jace wayland #simon lewis #heidi #elaine lewis #kyle #valentine morgenstern #jia penhallow #catarina loss #iris rouse #reaction

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4birds-of-a-feather · 7 years

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Chapter 25 - Here we are now, entertain us [part 6]

Birds Of a Feather

(In the previous chapters: the girls had a fight after Layla's decision to go visit WC Boyfriend, the Mookie guys have opened for Alice In Chains, McCready introduced Sara and Layla to Cornell and Cameron; now the Alice guys are about to go on stage... what’s going to happen?)

At that point the small group split for different reasons: Dave led Sara to the bar, determined to buy her a drink as some kind of reward for destroying that asshole who talked shit about him and his girlfriend, while Elias tagged along with Mike McCready, who was hoping to score another round. Soon after that, Cornell spotted Susan coming out from the backstage and instantly dropped his arm from Layla’s shoulders. “I guess the guys are about to start, see you later! Oh, and it was very nice to meet you, Miss Layla” he gave a quick kiss on the girl’s hand, excused himself and left to meet his girlfriend. “He’s very charming” she said after he left, smiling at Stone, who in response looked in the distance to give the umpteenth nasty look to McCready, that was already sitting at the bar. “He’s also very married” Eddie added sharply, making Stone’s and everyone’s head turn at the same time. “Really?” she asked surprised. “Yeah, didn’t you see the ring?” he pointed out at his own ring finger. “Uhm, not really… I saw he had a few but I didn’t notice the wedding ring” Layla shrugged and took a sip of her beer. “Eddie’s a very good observer, aren’t you? You’re especially good at keeping certain situations under control” Stone said with a smirk. “I didn’t need to notice that, he told me he got married a few months ago, so I already knew” “Don’t make Chris look like an asshole, though! He wasn’t tricking you, Layla, he’s just… he’s flirty, that’s the way he is” Matt chimed in to defend the singer. “Soooo, the conclusion is: sorry Layla, not a snowball’s chance with that guy!” Jeff giggled, patting her on her shoulder. “Heeey, what’s with all this fuss? It’s not like I said I was interested, hehe, I was just acknowledging his charming ways, that’s all. I know he wasn’t flirting on me” she dismissed with another shrug. <Of course he was just being flirty because that's the way it is, he wasn't hitting on me for real... Nobody does. Eddie only did because he was wasted and Elias because he's a fucking weirdo obsessed with boobs. Nobody really gives a fuck about me here...> Layla told herself, while Jeff started clearing his voice. “Cough, cough! Ehm, sour grapes, ehm ehm” he said, eyeing both Layla’s and Eddie’s fed up faces, and the girl ended up smiling and jokingly pushing him away. “Shut up or I will move out from your apartment” she threatened. “Ahahahah! And why the fu-” “I’ll move out alone, leaving my dear friend Sara with you” Layla completed her sentence and laughed at the look of horror on the bassist’s face.

Not just Jeff, but the whole gang went silent when commotion from the crowd was heard and the lights on the audience went out, whereas the stage lit up. The host talked on the mic, mentioning that the proceeds of the concert were going to a benefit fundation and the guys of the band were already on stage. He then made sure everybody’d drive safe in the snow storm that had been hitting Seattle in those days and went on to introduce the band as Columbia recording artists Alice in Chains. “Finally!” Matt exclaimed “How long is it since we left the stage?” he wondered aloud, looking at his watch. “It’s like we’ve been waiting for hours” Layla remarked as she was jumping in place and stretching a little. “I’d say for days” Eddie corrected and cautiously smiled at the girl, as if he wanted to check if she was upset for his previous comments on Cornell or not. “Seriously, it felt like years to me, I’m going upfront!” this said, Jeff ran and disappeared into the crowd, soon followed by Matt. “Well, good luck!” Stone smirked shaking his head, then suddenly realized he was left alone with the couple that wasn’t an actual couple “Errr, I’ll go on in the crowd and take a look anyway, what about you?” “I’ll stay here for now” Layla said as Man In The Box started playing. “I’ll stay here too” Eddie confirmed, Stone gave him a thumbs up and left. The two of them were enjoying the beginning of the show, bobbing their heads to the music without talking, but casually stealing glances at each other from time to time. Layla was intrigued by Ed but still couldn’t understand him. Sometimes he was warm and tender with her, sometimes he was cold as ice, sometimes he got all protective towards her (it even looked like he was jealous), sometimes he blatantly let her know he had no interest in her. <But what if it's all in my head? What if all these mixed signals are just something I made up because I felt lonely and abandoned by David? Maybe he's simply being a friend and I'm just projecting my idea of the perfect boyfriend on him because he's gentle and sweet andhe’s here> Layla thought during Cantrell’s solo. That made sense to her and would also explain why she got so mad at Eddie for getting in the way between David and her during that infamous phone call: she idealized Ed and couldn’t accept he made a mistake.

The first song ended and the crowd cheered. Eddie and Layla finally turned to look at each other at the same time and they both couldn’t help smiling; he got so many things to tell her but, at the same time, he had no idea how to do that. Being at a loud rock concert there really wasn’t a choice and he took it as an excuse to not saying anything. Finally, the singer decided to break the silence during the short break between songs. “Are you mad at me?” he asked while they were still smiling at each other. “What?” Layla turned serious all of a sudden. “I’m sorry for what I said before, I didn’t mean to sound harsh or anything… I mean, it wasn’t a lecture or a warning, I just told you he’s married because… because…” Eddie seemed to struggle finding the words and he knew he had zero time before the band would start playing the next song. “… Because he is” Layla continued his sentence. “Yes, because he is. And I didn’t want you to maybe find out later and be disappointed or something and-” “I’m not mad at you, Eddie.” she shook her head “And I wasn’t disappointed” <And what does it mean? That she didn't delude herself thanks to what I told her? That she wasn't into Chris in the first place so there was nothing to be disappointed about? That she wasn't disappointed by me since I acted as a good friend?> Eddie was considering saying something but the music started once again. “Ooooh, I love this song! Let’s go ahead a little” Layla took his hand and literally dragged him towards the front.

In the meantime, Sara was trying to do the same with Mike, Dave and Elias and drag them away from the bar. She managed to convince the drummer, but McCready insisted he had a perfect view of the stage from there and held on to his drink, while her coworker had no intention to walk away from the hot barista with the pierced tongue. “An alcoholic and a perv, what a nice couple you are!” she shook her head and addressed Krusen “Fuck ‘em, I wanna go front row, ok?” “I’m in!” he cheered and the two made their way through the crowd – quite easily, after all – ending up rather quickly in front of the stage, right when the third song ended. Sara was standing exactly in front of Layne as he was addressing the crowd, when she felt someone tapping fingers on her shoulders. “Hey, could you go back? You’re blocking my view and your beanie is too distracting” Stone basically yelled at her face as she turned around. “How did you get here so fast, Gossrad? Did you use your bass player as a battering ram?” “What else are bass players for anyway? I could have made it even faster if I used your head, though” he retorted and the girl stuck her tongue out at him. Jeff appeared right behind Stone’s back when Love, Hate, Love started and Sara abruptly turned around and huffed as she cursed her rotten luck. She moved towards the left as she took off her hat – it was too hot – and immediately made eye contact with Starr on stage, who immediately winked at her (she didn’t really notice that because of the lights). <Well, it's not Lanegan but I'll just settle for this now> she thought as she enjoyed the show and exchanged looks with Mike from time to time. These interactions didn’t go unnoticed to Jeff, who was kind of shocked when he found himself staring at the girl and his colleague on stage alternatively. “FUCK, THIS IS MY FAVORITE!” some girl suddenly screamed into his ear and he recognized her immediately. He turned around to see Layla and Eddie jumping around as another song started and, looking closer, he noticed they were holding hands. Jeff snorted and tried to focus back on the music. <If she's half a bitch as her friend, poor you! But you can't say I didn't warn you, Ed> In the meantime, Sara spotted her friend with Ed too as she talked into his ear, he nodded and in a second she was sitting on the singer’s shoulders. <I seriously underestimated his strentgh: he's not that weak if he can carry a beanpole like El> she pondered. Layla took a good look around, then raised her hands in the air and not so slowly leaned back until she felt people’s hands underneath her; she finally detatched herself from Eddie, spread her arms out and started crowd surfing. Vedder kept an eye on her during the whole ride with a huge smile on his face and Sara forgot for a minute that he was her worst enemy’s best friend, realized that he and her roommate really looked happy together and thought that, if only El would rip that plane ticket to pieces, burn bridges with David and her old life, let herself go and trust herself and Eddie like she was doing now – throwing the rock’n’roll horn sign as she was being passed on by unknown people in the crowd – her life would have been much easier.

************************************************************************************************

Mike slipped quickly in the backstage, freshened up and gulped down half a bottle of water, emptying the rest above his head; after drying his curls as best as he could, he literally ran out of the dressing room and joined the spectators that were still mingling there even if the show had ended. He absentmindedly accepted praises and friendly pats on the shoulder, his head more inclined to scan the audience rather than focusing on all the people approaching him. Suddenly his face split in a broad grin and, after excusing himself, he quickly caught up with the girl that was turning her back on him; the bass player smirked again and got ready for that much awaited meeting. “Guess who I am!” he finally hugged her from behind, making the most of that sudden closeness to leave a kiss on her hair. Needless to say, the girl was taken by surprise: she jumped, let out a scared shriek, blushed to the roots of her hair and finally turned herself to face the person she had to blame for that almost successful heart attack. “Blueberry, huh? I like it, it smells great” he added with a grin, playing with one of her braids and then using its little tuft to softly poke her nose in a teasing yet affectionate way. She flushed for the umpteenth time. “Cazzarola, Mike, I nearly died!” “I’m happy to see you too, Sunshine” Starr grinned, this time leaving a caress upon her red cheek “So, how is my favorite U-Dub student doin’?” “Hmph, f-favorite because I’m the only one you know…” Sara sneered, finally able to regain a bit of her natural complexion “Anyway, not bad… I’d feel better if somebody hadn’t made me believe that Lanegan was the surprise guest, though!” A few steps from them, Layla ignored her best friend’s decision to suddenly raise her voice and kept on chit-chatting with Eddie. Sara shook her head in disbelief – can you believe this bastard?! – but the bass player resumed to talk, shaking her out of her thoughts. “Man, that must have been really disappointing!” “You tell me…” the girl made her best puppy face and Starr smiled at her, a bit in awe. “Well, I think that Layne can clearly stand comparison with Lanegan’s vocal skills… buuuut, if you’re talkin’ about good looks, we could easily say that-” “MIIIIIIIKEEEEEEE!” The two of them turned in the direction from where the voice was coming, and noticed someone waving and approaching them, while keeping on shouting the bass player’s name. “We have visitors, Mike” Sara teased him, while the guy muttered a “Jesus Harold Christ on a fucking rubber crutch…” that clearly revealed his enthusiasm for that sudden interruption. The interruption finally reached them and revealed herself to be a fake blonde in a miniskirt, who, after noticing Sara’s presence, immediately shot a nasty glance at her. Needless to say, the other girl burst into laughter, a gesture that pissed off the new-entry, but that was able to make Mike laugh up his sleeve. “Say, are we going?!” she addressed him while impatiently tapping her foot, but the guy tried to make her understand that he wasn’t available. “Sorry, Terry, Jackie or whatever the fuck your name is, but I’m busy right now… and even after right now” “… Busy? With her? Are you serious???” the fake blonde bored holes into Sara with her gaze, but the other girl didn’t lose her aplomb. “Yeah, basically we were having this discussion about Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems… if you want, you can join us” “… I think I’d better be going, I can’t stand your presence anymore” “Can’t say the feeling isn’t mutual” Sara bowed slightly and the other girl, hugely pissed off, gave her the middle finger and finally stormed out. After a while, Mike turned to face Sara and a broad grin split his face: “You, girl, are seriously one of a kind… Look at that, she literally ran for her life! I swear to God, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for freeing me” “There’s no need to do it, I think the satisfaction of seeing you refusing the company of a vamp is enough… I’m quite amused, I must admit it” she laughed and he did the same. “So, where were we?” “I can’t remember… shall we go back to square one?” “With pleasure” he took a bow, grinning when she noticed his teasing and stuck her tongue out “Say, did you enjoy the show?” “Yeah, you guys did an awesome job! You’re getting better and better, it’s amazing” “Hey, thanks! You know, Iggy Pop’s audience didn’t seem to think the same, so we’re really glad to see that Seattle didn’t abandon us… this was a sold-out, ya know?” Mike admitted, pretty proud of his band. “It’s the least we could do, you guys totally deserve it” the girl smiled at him and he replied with a wink. “But heeeey, there’s Layla too!” the bass player finally acknowledged her roommate’s presence and leaned over her to greet her “I’m glad to see you too, you look great” Layla waved back at him and then quickly resumed to chit-chat with Eddie – apparently she didn’t want to waste any more time. Starr took no offence and instead turned his attention toward someone else, who was intent on sipping his fourth – fifth? – beer of the evening. “Oh, is this your boyfriend?” he asked the girl, pointing out Elias with a sly smile. “HELL NO! It’s just a colleague, Elias” she promptly explained, while the person involved introduced himself to the bass player and then gave her the middle finger. “Glad to hear it… but, even if he had been your sweetheart, I wouldn’t have been jealous at all” Starr grinned again, a smile that became brighter when he noticed Sara’s cheeks turning red for the umpteenth time. “No doubts about it, Mike” she sighed, preferring to fidget her hat in the hands instead of trying to hold his stare. “Oh, this reminds me something” the guy promptly changed topic “Sorry if I didn’t come to see you at the record store but, as I already said, we were pretty busy with the tour” “I see, don’t worry” she shrugged “However, we closed down, ya know?” “What? And how are you still managing to live, if you don’t have a permanent job?” “Legitimate question, since I don’t have an army of chicks disposed to buy me food and pay my bills…” Sara finally let out a relaxed chuckle, laughing even more when Mike flushed with a bit of embarrassment. “You sunk my battleship, I must admit my defeat!” he raised his hands, then took advantage of the girl’s temporary lack of attention to carry her on his shoulders. “OH NO, YOU DIDN’T” “Oooh yes, I did!” he parroted her, keeping her in place even though she was struggling to break free from his grip. “C’mon, Mike, drop me dooooooown!” “But you don’t bother me at all, you’re light as a feather!” “Thanks but I already know it and-hey! Don’t change the subject, you bastard!” the girl resumed to protest, making him laugh, then suddenly noticed someone in the distance “Hey, isn’t that Jerry?” The bass player turned to where she had just pointed at and saw his bandmate leaving with a young lady and her rainbow sweater. “Yeah, and he seems in good company… but the same could be said about me!” he quickly added, finally dropping her down. “Hmmm, ‘good’ is not the adjective I’d use for my presence… Go ask the vamp for a further confirmation” the girl grinned again, a hand still lingering on his naked chest; when she finally realized where it was, she quickly removed it and mumbled a quick apology that delighted Mike. “I don’t care what she thinks…” he shrugged, giving her a meaningful look “Too bad I only see you at gigs, I should have seriously paid you visit at the record store while I could” “Weeeell,” she cleared her throat, then proceeded to add in a casual way a “it just so happens now I’m currently working at Easy Street Records…” “I’ll come to see ya, you can bet on it” he beamed again at her. “Only if you promise me you won’t interfere with my job schedule, mr. Starr” “I’ll try to do my best, even if the temptation of kidnapping you is huge, miss Fancini” “Hey, how do you-” “I’ve got my secret informers” Mike interrupted her with a conspiratorial grin, then turned to his right “Oh, hi guys” Sara followed his gaze and met Stone and Jeff’s own ones – she gave the first one a quick nod and deliberately ignored the bass player, still shaken up after what had happened the night before. “Starr, I need my tuner back” was Ament’s abrupt greeting, while Gossard rested his hand on her shoulder. At first a bit taken aback, Mike quickly recovered and gave him a “Sure, buddy, let’s go get it” that made the other bass player tense. Sara noticed it but didn’t say anything – in the meantime Starr had already diverted his attention toward her. “Well, milady, it seems to me that the time to say goodbye for us has already come… A real shame” “I couldn’t disagree with you, sir” “But fear not: on my word as a gentleman, I can personally guarantee you that soon I’ll stop by Easy Street Records” “Then I’ll be surely glad to have you as a customer” she faked a graceful bow “Until next time, lord Starr” “Until next time, lady Fancini; I’m already counting the days that will keep us apart” and, thus said, he grabbed her hand and placed a quick kiss on the back of it – all that without tearing his gaze away from her. She blushed, diverted her gaze from his chest (that was peeking from his open shirt) to stole a glance at Jeff – who looked exactly like he did when she had done something just for the joy of pissing him off (how on Earth wasn’t he freezing his ass off with just that stupid tank top on??) – flushed again for that last thought and then watched the two of them finally disappear in the crowd. “It’s comforting to see how chivalry is still practiced nowadays… I guess that the fact he’s born in Honolulu plays a great role” Stone winked at her. “Yeah… I guess so” she replied absent-mindedly, still looking at the door behind which the bass players had vanished. “Well, I’m gonna come back in five minutes, so… Wait for me” Gossard added and, thus said, he went in the same direction of Mike and Jeff, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Sara hunched her shoulders and mulled again over what she had just witnessed: the two musicians had already seen each other and she could feel that their encounter hadn’t ended on a positive note. Mike had been able to hide his annoyance, whereas Ament wasn’t even trying to dissimulate his evident edginess: had something happened backstage? Did he witness their whole exchange? Had he been bothered by it? And if so, why on Earth would he give a single fuc-? She stopped abruptly, sudden flashes finally coming back to her: her fingers intertwining around a neck, strong arms carrying her to bed, the pleasant warmth irradiating from a chest against her cheek, calloused hands carefully brushing against her skin… the spicy scent of a particular aftershave that she hadn’t smelled in five years and that she had missed with all her heart. She immediately put a hand over her mouth to not let a frightened scream escape from it. <You swore to yourself this wouldn’t happen again… YOU SWORE IT!> But instead she felt all those five years, one by one, slowly slipping from under her feet and leaving her there, standing petrified – again seventeen, again kicked by the cruel things that had forged her… again defenseless under his gaze. Her eyes began to fill with tears and she gasped for some fresh air; she found herself suddenly outside, the snowflakes already tinging her hair and tickling her nose. The girl hadn’t been able yet to properly calm herself when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed somebody already reaching her. “Did you really think that Kinney and me are cousins?” Elias asked her after a while, still surprised for her previous assumption. “I just wished it wasn’t true, that’s all” she sniffled, making him shrug, and the two of them resumed to watch the snow in silence, together.

************************************************************************************************ “Oh, thank Cthulhu I’ve found ya!” Gossard snapped, finally reaching the girl and already regretting his decision of freezing his ass outside “Where the fuck have you been?! I told ya to wait for me – it took me less than 5 minutes… but no, you couldn’t waste all that time for me, huh? Why is everybody being such an asshole lately?! First Ames and now you too… Well, missy, what’s your pathetic exc-?” The guitarist stopped himself because Elias nudged him – careful not to let Sara notice his gesture – and beckoned to him to pay attention to her miserable expression; Stone immediately noticed her red eyes and mentally cursed his best friend: nobody could convince him that Jeff hadn’t played a role in that. “You know what? Forget it, these last few hours were a bit stressful for me… but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, I’m sorry” he awkwardly patted her on the back, and she shrugged. “… it’s alright” <No, it isn’t, but you’re a fierce little shrimp and you’ll never admit it> he thought, then threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer; she closed her eyes and wished to crawl in her bed as soon as possible. That calm was suddenly interrupted by the storm, appeared in the form of Ament and Krusen dragging an almost unconscious McCready. “I can’t believe this sack of shit weighs so much!” “As thin as a rake but he fooled us all… never judge a book by its cover, Ament” “Oi, Krusen, just gimme a fuckin’ break here!” “Have I ever told you that I love you, Jeffyyyyy????” Mike suddenly slurred, clinging on to Jeff’s waist and looking exactly like he had the intention of snogging him. “You’re never gonna drink again, Cready! You hear me? Ever!” the bass player screamed, trying to shake his bandmate off, then turned to look at Gossard because he had heard him sneer. Faced with the scene of his historical enemy cuddled up to his best friend, he found himself frowning and more and more perplexed – maybe fed up was the most correct term, but he would never admit it, not even for all the gold in the world. Ignoring Mike’s protest for all those sudden movements, Jeff turned again toward the Moore’s entrance: just a matter of seconds and his flatmate came out walking arm in arm with none other than Four Eyes. <Is this a group outing or a fuckin’ wedding agency gathering?! Look at all these lovebirds – UGH, I THINK I’M GONNA PUKE> “Soooo? You guys are good? Everything’s alright?” Stone sent the new-entries a knowing look, wiggling his eyebrows so blatantly that he thought they would have fallen off his face. “Oh, yeah! We just finished to have a chat with Chris – he introduced me to Susan, she seems really nice and interesting!” Layla immediately explained, a flood of words enthusiastically pouring out of her mouth. Gossard sighed in relief: once again, McCready had been able to avoid a disaster – courtesy of him, obviously – without lifting a single finger. Although lost in a drunken stupor, the other guitarist seemed to understand what had just happened and gave him the thumbs up, along with the stupidest yet brightest grin he could muster up in that moment; Stone shook his head and gave him the middle finger – all of that without letting disappear the playful smirk he had plastered on his lips. “GUESS WHO I AM?” an unknown high-pitched voice broke the peaceful moment outside the venue. Everybody turned to see a tall girl with a head full of red curls that had approached Eddie from behind and was now covering his eyes with her hands. Actually, she wasn’t totally unknown… at least not to everybody. “Oh… well… uhm…” Eddie mumbled, while a second dark haired girl in a jet black biker jacket stormed into the circle of friends, basically pushing Layla away from the singer and taking her place. “If you give the wrong answer, you won’t be coming to our party” giggled the second girl, but Eddie didn’t look so eager to take part to the game. “Is it… Theresa maybe?” he guessed with a grimace. “Hahaha nooo! She is Theresa, I am Sylvia!” the redhead exclaimed, removing her hands from Vedder’s face and resting them on his shoulders as she leaned forward to talk to him. “Sylvia with a Y like Sylvia Plath” Stone explained the name of Jeff’s friend to the others. <Wow, Sylvia with a Y, that's so unique! I've got a Y in my name too but I don't make such a big deal of it...> Layla thought as she observed the two girls who were all over Eddie. “And who’s that? Did we meet her?” Sylvia addressed Jeff first, got no answer and then her friend, who just shrugged “Anyway, it’s with a Y like Sylvia, Kansas. That’s where my mom was born” “Interesting!” Elias nodded as he was shamelessly checking out both girls. “But you didn’t recognize me and I feel very offended right now” the girl pouted, giving Eddie puppy eyes. <Fuck, from the nasty look she's giving to her, I guess Layla wishes she'd meet the same fate as Plath. Too bad Sara is not her usual self, she'd have destroyed these two> Stone noticed as Jeff’s friends kept on talking. “Cut him some slack, Syl! He just met you a couple of hours ago” Ament finally spoke a word and stuck his hands into the pockets of his jacket when it looked like McCready could stand without any help, but immediately grasped him back as he started to dangerously sway left and right. “Now you gotta come to our party to cheer her up” Theresa remarked, almost jumping. “But… wasn’t I supposed to give the correct answer to be invited?” Eddie asked confused. “Ugh, you ask too many questions!” Sylvia blurted out. “… And think too much” her friend added. “Are we invited too?” Elias asked eagerly. “Ehm… well… our apartment is not that big, it’s just for a small group of friends, you know” Theresa dismissed him with little embarassment. “Very small” Sylvia remarked, winking at Eddie. “I don’t take much space. And I can bring the booze” Elias insisted and made everyone laugh, apart from Sara and Mike who seemed like zombies for very different reasons. “We’ve already got plenty of alcohol, thank you. So? Will you come to our place?” the brunette looked at Eddie and Jeff alternatively, impatiently waiting for an answer. “Actually, I’m kind of tired… I don’t really feel like partying right now, I’d much rather lay down in a bed” Eddie nervously scratched his nape as he tried to be gentle in his rejection. “One does not exclude the other” Sylvia clutched his right shoulder and Layla blatantly gasped. “Ok, calm down ladies, we gotta bring Mr. Designated Drinker here home first. I’ll catch up with you later, ok?” Jeff chimed in to save the situation, seeing that his friend was uncomfortable. “Uhm, can’t you just call him a cab?” Sylvia pointed out looking at how Mike was slouching against his friend. “No, we can’t. Good night, girls!” Layla broke into the conversation, grabbed Eddie by his arms and literallly dragged him away, followed by the gang. “Hurry up, Jeff, we won’t be waiting all night long!” Theresa hollered then gave a weird look at Elias, the only one who hadn’t moved. “Aren’t you helping taking your drunk friend home?” Sylvia asked puzzled. “No, I was all for the cab. Do I have to call one for us or you’ve got a car?” he insisted. “Hahaha! Not if you were the last man on earth, baby, sorry!” the girl said, waving him goodbye. “Bye, dreamer!” Theresa did the same and the two friends disappeared, as the guy stuck his tongue at them and quickly tried to catch up with his cousin and the rest of the group, who were heading for the van. “Is there room for all of us?” Elias asked, eyeing the inside of the band van filled with instruments. “Didn’t you just say you take very little space?” Dave asked him, playfully shoving him. “What the fuck are you doing?” Jeff asked as Gossard placed his palm over the bassist’s forehead. “Uhm… it’s cold… you’ve got no fever” Stone concluded with an extremely serious expression on his face, while Eddie was helping Layla get into the van. “The fuck are you talking about?” “You’ve just said no to a private party with two girls, you must be sick for sure” Stone grinned and the wider the guitarist smiled, the angrier Jeff got. “You know what? You’re damn right, there must be something wrong with me if I prefer going back home with a bunch of jerks like you, rather than have some fun! Fuck you, Stone! Take care of our friend of the Dead Liver Society by yourself, I have a party to go to!” Jeff abruptly let go of Mike – who instantly collapsed over Stone – and walked away. “Where the fuck are you going??? There’s a snow storm coming!” Stone called for him and would have flailed his arms too, if only they had been free. He looked at an agonizing Mike on his left and a comatose Sara on his right and rolled his eyes, before the three of them clumsily reached for the van.

************************************************************************************************ As Stone was taking everybody home, Layla felt tired all of a sudden and was almost drifting off to sleep as her head slowly fell and leaned against Eddie’s shoulder. He exhaled as he enjoyed the feel of her against his body and thought about how every time he thought he had figured that girl out, she then ended up doing something completely unexpected and surprising him. He was sure she would say no and laugh it off when he challenged her to crowdsurf, instead she took up on his offer immediately. <I like to feel disoriented> He was almost sorry when the van stopped right in front of their condo and he had to wake her up. “Hey, we’re home” he shook his shoulder as lightly as he could and she opened one of her eyes. Eddie’s words worked as an alarm clock for Sara too, who sprung out of the vehicle and quickly made her way towards the building as her two roommates slowly followed, trying to catch up with her. “Thank youuu, Stoneyyyyy” Layla yawned as she waved goodbye to the guitarist, who was now alone on the van. “Good night, Sleeping Beauties!” Gossard told them, before rolling up the window and leaving.

************************************************************************************************ <God bless The Pink Door…> Jeff thought, saying goodbye to its owner and clutching a bottle of Moscato in his right hand. The pleasant warmth of the venue gave immediately way to the intense cold that was waiting outside, making him instantly shiver. “Damn me and my stroke of genius – naked knees and all that shit” he took the first sip of wine and started walking toward Pike Place, the wind hitting him with lashings of snowflakes. All the clever people in Seattle had chosen to stay inside, so the city was practically desert – the rarefied atmosphere reminded him of The Dead, that Joyce’s short story that he had liked ever since he had studied it at school. In that moment he felt exactly like its main character, his mind bursting with too many thoughts: what kind of future was waiting for him? Had his refusal to compromise been the right choice? From a moral point of view it surely had been, but sometimes he found himself wondering if that was seriously all life could offer him – maybe a more stable job would have given him plenty of opportunities that his current lifestyle precluded him… He sighed: no matter how many times he had told himself not to think too much, he couldn’t help it – that was just how he was, no point in changing this behavior after twenty-seven years, right? In the meantime his feet had dragged him down the 1st Avenue; he raised his eyes and found the Seattle Art Museum standing out against the sky, just in front of him. “Long time no see, pal…” he smiled to himself, sipped his wine for the umpteenth time and went to sit on the steps in front of its entrance. Jeff went to reminisce how many times he had actually visited it, and was surprised to realize that he had been walking down its corridors only once, when he had just moved to the Emerald City. “Weeell, gotta add this to the New Year’s resolutions” he concluded, lifting the bottle in a “cheers” gesture and realizing he had already almost emptied it. “Shit, I should have bought another one…” he muttered, then stood up and turned to Pike Street, in order to go on with his wanderings. He walked past the Paramount Theatre and the Northwest School, all places linked to his past – recent and not – and then decided to end his walk in the park near Hendrix’s statue. The bass player climbed over the grating (only to discover that the warden had forgotten to lock the main gate) and then instinctively looked for his skateboard, but apparently he had left it at The Moore. He cursed himself for having already finished the bottle; now he would have needed it more than ever.

In the end, he found out that not buying a second bottle of wine had been a wonderful choice: it had been a while since he had actually enjoyed some free time without the strong urge of drowning himself in alcohol. He had also forgotten how much he liked spending some time alone, just watching the sky or his surroundings… just him, a multitude of snowflakes falling above the lake and the noise of the city in the background. Italian wine? Northwest School? He could almost hear that asshole of Gossard sneering at him, teasing for his peculiar choices that lead to a certain someone… <How the hell did we end like this?> Jeff sighed, but the snow didn’t answer him. Maybe it was better like that, maybe not getting an answer was the best thing for him… maybe he already knew it, and was simply choosing not to pay attention to it. Maybe.

************************************************************************************************ “No point in running, Sara, if you don’t have the keys…” Vedder said in a not so low voice as he and Layla got in the hallway that led to their apartment and spotted Sara leaning against the door with her arms folded over her chest. The girl didn’t say anything, but the look she gave to him made him pick up the pace a little. Once they got inside, Sara murmured a feeble “…‘night” and went straight to her room, shutting the door behind her. <This is disorienting too, but not in a good way> Eddie reflected, dragging Layla to her room. “Oh, finally!” Layla sighed as she plopped down face first onto her bed. “Are you ok? Can I leave or…?” Eddie asked nervously. “I’m fine” the girl’s voice came out muffled through the duvet. “Shouldn’t you at least take your boots off?” “Yeah” she replied and remained still without actually doing anything. Eddie called her once again and, when she didn’t answer, he started taking off her boots. <I hope she doesn't try to kick me like I did when I was drunk> he pondered and was lucky enough not to be hit by Layla’s heels. “Now you can sleep, good night” he said, while the girl started to slowly pull the duvet aside and sneak into bed. “G’night” she mumbled, covering herself up to her nose. He smiled to himself and was about to leave the room when suddenly he remembered a detail. “Layla? Hey, Layla? You can’t sleep with your glasses on, you gotta take them off” Eddie shook her a little getting a low grumbling as a reply “C’mon, you might break them. I know the new pair Sara got you is really cool, but that’s not a good reason to destroy the old ones. And you might get hurt too” the singer kept trying until he saw Layla wriggle under the covers and stretch out her arm to reach out for her nightstand and place her glasses right there. Unfortunately she missed the target and they fell on the floor. <Shit> Eddie lit up the lamp, immediately got them back and made sure they were still intact. “Thank god” he whispered to himself as he put the glasses on the bedside table, but his hands froze and started to tighten around them the moment he noticed a familiar piece of paper. <A plane ticket?> He didn’t need to read it through, the first printed word he saw was the only thing that really mattered: BOSTON.

The thought she was going there once again to see him made him want to puke. He let go of the glasses and turned off the light, making the red numbers on the display of the clock radio stand out in the dark. “… Happy birthday to me” he muttered coldly as he left the room.

#Eddie Vedder #Jeff Ament #Pearl Jam #Eddie Vedder fanfiction #Jeff Ament fanfiction #Pearl Jam fanfiction #grunge fanfiction #Birds of a Feather #chapters

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