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rpausandwhatifs · 4 years

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TF Do I Look Like To You?!|| Persephone and Isla

@wishes-in-the--markmark @ledabunnie-rp @nerdynumme-rp

Persi had to beg Reiner to come with her, but once she explained herself, he thought it would be a fun trip. He had honestly never seen Persi drive or her license, and was most sure she didn't have it yet, but they were around the same age, it's high time she stopped acting like a heathen. Reiner really wasn’t trying to judge her, but as someone who cares about her (still was never sure if it was deep enough or not)

"Thanks for coming," Persi said watching road.

"Yeah. I needed to get outta the house. I had time to kill since school's remote," Reiner explained.

"Baby sister getting on your nerves? Miss your girl?" She as she propped her legs up on the dashboard.

"Uhh no..my parents were actually..and..I-I don't have a girlfriend," Reiner quadruple taking at Persi because her seat belt wasn't on but the car was quiet. He pulled the car over and stopped looking at her.

"What's up? Why'd you stop? You wanna switch?" She asked, turning her head.

"Put your seat belt on, please," he says leaning back and turning his head to her.

“That’s what you pulled over for?” she asked with annoyance.

“A ticket for not wearing your seat belt in California is like $250-”

“I don’t care. My parents have the money!” she snapped.

“It’s not about the money! Your parents don’t wanna have to pay for your casket because you got thrown through a windshield,” Reiner reasoned with her, and he breathed, “Just..put it on, Persi..”

“I’ll wear one if I drive,” she said back.

“Okay..I gotta see your license,” he said, a little more excited.

Persi pulled out her wallet and took out the card, passing it over to him, “I just got it after having my permit since my birthday...AND I have a clean driving record.”

Reiner knew that she was smart enough to have a fake license and he looked at her then tilted it in the light, and saw the shimmering watermarks. He was impressed, “Alright, can you at least do the speed limit?” he asked as he unbuckled his seat belt getting out to switch with her.

~~~

“So..is she..your girlfriend?” Reiner asked as they parked outside of the loft building, she pulled out her phone to text the girl.

“No..she..well..Yeah she is. She and I kinda don’t like thinking of ourselves as girlfriends but we’re tight you know? It was my turn to come and get her so we can hang out,” Persi was trying to explain and saw the message from her saying that she was coming down. Reiner nodded, “Can you get her bags?”

“Yea sure,” he said, getting out of the car with her.

Isla was so excited to leave out and get some air with Persi and maybe she can get more personal with Persephone. She was confused she opened her door and seen the big boy standing at the back of the rental with the hatchback open. She stopped and looked at Persi with furrowed eyebrows. “Who the fuck is he?” she called out as the ginger approached her.

“My cousin. He needed a break from his perfect family and we’re working on our friendship,” Persi said, snaking her hands around the girl’s waist, knowing that touch calms her down in most situations. The girl fidgeted and picked up her bags, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just us...It’s always been just us..you’re not lying to me, are you? That’s not your boyfriend, right?” Isla asked, walking her bags over to the car, tolerating Persi’s hand on her waist. “What’s your name, man?” she asked, dropping her bags in front of her.

“Reiner...it’s nice to meet you, Isl-” he started before she cuts him off.

“Shut up! I don’t want you here,” Isla bites at him, “Persi is the lump driving?”

“Yes. He’s driving,” he said as he closed the hatch and walked to the driver’s seat, closing the door.

Isla stood back from the car and pouted. Persi realizes she's not in the car. "Is she okay?" Reiner asks, causing Persi's attention to shift. Persephone gets out of the car and pulls her off behind the car.

"What's your deal, Buttercup?" she asks, pushing her hair over and fixing the girl's flyaway, which was met with a swift slap from Isla and she was about to push her until Persephone grabs her arms and pulls her wrists together and then pulls it behind her back, "Stop! Talk to me...Isla! What's wrong?"

Isla panics for a little bit as she realized she's in the girl's "calm down" hold. Then tries to remember what's happening since there doesn't seem to be her parents as the cause and her bags are in the car. Then she trails her eyes to the hatch window and the boy in the front seat, looking down at her hoodie. "This is his..You lied to me! You told me you were single.." she whined, twisting in her hold, purposefully not locking eyes with Persephone.

"I told you he's just along for the ride..It's about time we got some muscle and a guy to pass in the hick-towns, you know?" she tried to convince the girl, trying to follow where her head is going.

"Then why do you have his hoodie?! You had this when we met! I'm not getting into any fucking poly!" Isla pushed her arms and pushed Perspephone back, which caused her to snap and grab the now-blonde brunette and slam her against the car, both of them shouting and fighting until Persephone grabs her wrists again and pins them to the car.

"Fucking chill!" she barks at her, even while she struggled.

"Let me go!~"

"You gonna stop?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Promise me you're gonna stop."

"Pers~"

"Pers nothing, stop freaking out."

"Pers!"

"Shhh! Listen to me..chill out. Alright. Promise you'll stop screaming and being a bitch. When I tell you that Reiner is basically my cousin. He's been cousin-zoned. He's off limits for me. I have his hoodie because he said he didn't want it anymore!"

"Seriously?" she asked, softening up.

"Seriously," Persephone sighed, locking eyes with the girl and loosening her grip, her touch softening.

"The hell is going on back here?!" Reiner asked as he had exited the car and bustled to the hatch.

“Nothing I haven’t already solved. Get in the car..And don’t start your shit about seat belts,” Persephone said walking to the backseat with Isla and opened the door while she went in before her.

Once they drove out of LA, Isla and Persephone were comfortable watching the open road while Reiner quietly drove against the bright streets. “Hey, Reindeer..can you make a left off this next exit? There’s this place I wanted to show Persi.”

“It’s Reiner..And how far off? We’re supposed to be at the suite in like a few hours...” he said with a little concern.

“Come on, dude! A few days won’t hurt!” Persephone said, “You told her you’re not in any rush to get back to your parents being all lovey dovey..So let’s enjoy our trip!”

“His too?” Isla asked leaning into Persephone’s touch.

“Oh yeahh. His parents were like the perfect good girl and jock-like meathead couple back at school,” Persephone said, leaning her head on the other girl, giggling.

“Who are his parents?” Isla asked.

“Rosanna and Mark,” Reiner finally said, slightly indignant.

“Oh yeah...My dad used to fuck her back in the day-” Isla said.

“How was that?” Reiner asked, trying his hardest to hold back stopping the conversation.

“From what he told me they were just young and stuck inside a lot so he’d just go and get her rocks off even if it wasn’t the real thing..Then they hung out before your brother’s baby shower? I dunno he said they were separated and she and him hung out for a while,” Isla said while she fought Persephone lightly since she was covering her in kisses.

Reiner was surprised at how tame their relationship was and wondered why his mother never brought it up. It really put into perspective for him that his parents felt safer leaving their past in the past, definitely something that wasn’t necessary to tell their kids. Growing up, it made sense, but now he couldn’t stand them. They were too perfect and a little too selfish. It was interesting to think that while he was sleeping, waiting for the day his father came back, his mom was staying out and having fun. This imperfection made him think of what exactly his father did while he wasn’t with his mother.

He just kept thinking back to the baby shower and how he heard noises and an ambulance came for whatever was going on inside the house. It was a really fun magic show on the yard but he could see his mother being walked out to the ambulance by the EMTs. His father following right behind her in handcuffs. They never talked about it, and he’d never brought it up again. His father gave him a weird story about how they were talking and she felt labor pains, but someone had fell down some steps and because they live in California, they put him in handcuffs to make sure it wasn’t a domestic situation.

Isla mentions that her mom had came there but just for the party and that she didn’t expect for her old flame to be there. Not long after that she explained to her daughter that she was pregnant with her. Persephone was in the middle of a custody battle with her birth parents so all of this went over her head. Isla chimes in to tell Reiner to turn off the road, but begins to see how much Reiner could use a break like this. She begins to see his and Persi’s dynamic unfold before her, even as she got lost in arms of the girl she missed.

They all talked about school and what it’s been like for them to just be stuck at home, to which they all agreed would be better if their parents didn’t work from home already. The upside, that Persephone and Reiner pointed out, was that their parents were there to watch their younger siblings, who appreciated the extra attention they were getting from what the older kids could see. They just wanted space. Isla would love to get to those other layers in Reiner, and this trip was proving to be her only opportunity.

They drive up to this abandoned overnight campground, long forgotten from the 70s and 80s. Reiner was nervous about the fact that they were trespassing, asking the girl how she found out about this to no answers. Let loose upon this entire campground they found the office, still full of files and documents, laughing at some of the pictures. Isla stumbles upon the proceedure to turn on the water for the cabins and mess hall.

After some very spirited games of darts, foosball and , Persephone and Isla stumble across a loose floorboard with a cookie tin under one of the broken down cabins, they sat and read the notes these two kids left for each other, finding out that they had the girls’ camp one week and the boys’ the following week. They had been planning to meet for years, but obviously since the camp shut down the spring before they could see it through.

Reiner took a lot of pictures of the flowers and a few wildlife, making a note that he was going to get up and go on the morning hikes with his parents instead of pulling all-nighters for homework and extra credit. He didn’t feel himself again today and was starting to really hope that this small thought was the beginning of sunny days in his chest and in his head. He walked over to the giggling girls in the dilapidated cabin, “You girls having fun in here?” he asked, pushing his hand through his hair and drenching it with sweat.

The girls exit and they figure out what they want to eat for dinner for the night, stopping for some In-N-Out not too far from their site. They sit up and tell stories while they pass around a bottle of brandy, Reiner apprehensive to taking sips. He tries a really small shot and doesn’t really like the taste, quickly trying the cola with another shot and not hating it as much. He decided to drink water for the rest of the night to flush out his system since they were driving the rest of the way to the suite in the late morning tomorrow. He was surprised nothing happened, despite being scared about drinking underage but he couldn’t lie about the fact that he sleep so much better even though what he drank merely coated his tongue.

They afixed a tent to the roof of the car and put an air mattress inside for Reiner to sleep there and also be on guard. Isla and Persi slept inside on a bed of duvets and mattress pads Persephone brought from home. The girls obviously stayed up later and fooled around with their drunken antics before Persephone decided to roll up and smoke the ancient weed so that she could sleep and they didn’t dip into their stash, Isla passing on it as sleep finally came down on her.

Being as Isla usually had trouble sleeping all of the way through, so woke up early, snaking out of Persi’s arms with an excuse to go to the bathroom. The girl noticed that Reiner had been missing from the roof rack fortress, so after completing her sunrise ritual and thinking about making sun tea to better motivate her until her next nap in the car, she searched for the creek and saw Reiner with a bright mat, stretching his body up against the babbling waterway. He looked pretty amazing if she could say so herself. She walked upstream to talk, almost startling the other. “Huh?!” he asked, looking down and pulling his headphones out of his ears, “Isla...I didn’t expect to see you this early given how late you were up...”

“OH...uhh sorry if we kept you up..” she apologized shyly.

“Eh,” Reiner shrugged, going into his next pose, “I hadn’t slept in 3 or 4 days at this point, not your fault. Also you two weren’t the loudest things out here, I found out,” he said, straining a little as Isla gave him worried eyes.

“I don’t sleep for long periods of time,” she said, sliding off her shoes, feeling the sand on the bank in her toes and liked the mixture of dirt in it. She tried to mime and mirror Reiner, trying to figure out which routine he was doing and joined along, “I hope you don’t mind me joining.”

“Nah...I’m surprised you caught on actually...”

“I do it myself to balance chakras and a bunch of other witchy things..I’m trying to calm Persi’s energy by getting her into witchcraft..but it’s hard because Persephone is just..It’s hard when you’re two people in one body,” she shrugged.

“Yeah...I guess..My parents always do it, so it makes me feel good after because it’s like stretching. Then I usually go workout with my dad a little so that I’m warmed up for practice after school because I recovered all day eating and going to class..”

“Wow...You’re so organized and your parents are so..involved. I kinda wish I had that, or siblings to make the times when mine aren’t involved...less empty.”

“Yeah, but since I’m older they give more attention to the little ones, and I’m not jealous or anything, but now..it just seems like they have time for each other, and the babies..I dunno what to do now that my -like- next 6-9 months can’t happen. It was like, the only thing keeping me going.”

“Football and going to college for football?”

“Uhhh not really. I guess the fact that I was working towards something? That...it was certain. I guess you could say....Aaaannnd finish strong..!”

“Uh huh...is that the reason why you’re not sleeping..you feel like you’ve lost purpose?~”

Reiner and Isla stop and he shakes out his tension, looking at the girl and playing back what she said in his head, “Purpose? Like the reason to live purpose?”

Isla huffed and scoffed, “No~ more like..it’s what made your life feel whole and gave you peace of mind. And without it...You’re questioning yourself and your angry at something that makes you feel like you failed at something even though you didn’t but essentially it was out of your control?”

“Yeah...wow..it..uhh makes my chest stuffy and tense like..I’m nervous and scared...”

“Does your dad die from smoking?” she asked after he rolls up his mat and walks over to the huge rock and log that hangs over the widening of the creek.

“Nobody in my house smokes,” he said affirmatively.

“Your mom sneaked cigs with my dad, remember? So, how about you figure it out now?” she asked, sitting on top of the rock, throwing her legs over and wets her feet. She enjoyed the cool stream on her feet and the little bubbles rushing up her skin tickling her, and Reiner followed her as he took his shoes off and dips his feet in, shivering a little. The girl reached in her pocket and pulled out the unfinished blunt they had rolled and lit it. She was expecting the boy to freak out and ask politely to put it out, but instead he sat back and breathed her secondhand smoke with such calm and without hesitation. She pulls back and gives him a look.

Reiner understood why she pulled back, since he remembered the little bit of smoking culture of waiting his “turn”. Also, she was still protecting him, but his chest was pained, even after the yoga. He couldn’t take a naproxen or acetometaphin. Hell, he remembers his mother handing him a vallium by accident and nothing happened. Now he couldn’t focus, but he can’t always go on a walk. He felt so weird being the odd one out now when he’s been through many a family gathering and abstained even though Persi and a few of the others didn’t, but Harlan was always there to give him the reassurance he needed. Harlan was home from college, but he had his own things going on. His mother nor Harlan could be there forever to ease his chest or give him the reasons or tell him he’s comfortable where he was. Nobody was going to protect him anymore. He was too scared to move, he wasn’t thinking. He waited until she was done with her turn, sliding it off of her fingers and looked at her, “So..what do I do?”

“I’ll give you brownie points for remembering the golden rule...But inhale slow cus the air carrying the smoke is hot. Puff out your cheeks then swallow the air slow and hold it for a little then let it go,” Isla explained quickly.

“Am I supposed to cough or something?” he asked looking at it strangely.

“Yes, but you’ll just get higher faster, you’re only getting the one hit. I don’t have my license and I wanna get to the diner without dealing with Persi’s roadrage,” she said, taking it back in her fingers.

“Are..you gonna finish it?” he asked.

“No. I’m not. I don’t remember a lot of last night either because of what Persephone and I did or because I did too much or bc this ancient ass grass snuck up on me.”

“What? How does..marijuana sneak up on you?”

“Oh my god you sound like such a square~! It’s one of those things where if you’re trying a new strain it’ll get you higher than expected in an unexpected timeframe...” she says, pushing her hair back and leaning back on the rock, Reiner follows.

“Oh..” Reiner said taking some deep breaths as he felt this calming forcing its way into his chest, “Woah...”

“Woah what?...You alright?” Isla asked, turning her head.

“My chest stopped hurting..like it doesn’t feel tight anymore. I feel..like..wow..I need to do yoga. I need to do my routine again now that I feel like this..” he says, dropping his hand into the water while he took very steady and even breaths, listening more intently to the babbling of the creek. He brought it back up and pushed it through his hair and loved the fact that he was calm.

“See? And how about we try some other types of yoga..Like where we take our clothes off and really embrace the energy?” Isla suggested, putting it out and stuffing it into her shorts.

“I’ve heard of naked yoga, but..do you think that’s..safe? Out here?” he asked hesitantly.

“We started out here as children of the earth, I’m sure she won’t mind..Also we’re going to the suite like right after breakfast so you’ll be able to properly wash off soon,” she was sure to be vague about the goddess of nature and the sun goddess, since they were about to do a ritual.

Reiner was still unsure and thought about what she was saying and honestly, she wasn’t wrong and this girl doesn’t copy Persephone, but is her foil. It just made her better to sit down and talk to, and waste time with her. When she spoke to him, he felt like he could believe what she was saying because she’s lived it, it just comes through. He’d have to ask Persi if she could bring her along all the time. The boy looked over and saw the girl standing stark naked a few feet away, a little shocked. He wondered if he zoned out because he was thinking so hard or if he was stuck because he was buzzed and his thoughts slowing down made him forget the time passing. He sat up and pulled off his shirt.

Back at their little base, Persi had woken up and wondered where those two had gone, hearing their laughter in the distance, she followed their sounds. She found the creek and could barely see them upstream looking like they were doing yoga, so she took off her shoes and started walking on the sand of the beach.

Reiner and Isla were laughing through most of the poses but they both did feel so much better and limber from sitting and driving for so many hours as well as the activities they’ve gotten up to yesterday. Isla looked at Reiner and was so confused because she’s never felt more comfortable naked in front of a man than she did right now. It could be the weed, but also, she just loved his energy he brought. She knew Persi and Persephone didn’t mean to be angsty and chaotic, but being around Reiner was a nice change of pace. She didn’t feel any sexual tension or pressure, so she thought she’d ask him a very fitting question. “Hey can you like..massage my back and help me crack my spine? Yoga for some off reason doesn’t do anything for my back but my extremities feel so good,” she said once she was finished brushing the sand off her knees.

“I gave you the more comfortable sleeping spot, and you definitely need to work on your form..Why don’t you ask Persi to do it?” he said, not able to believe her at first.

“Persi is too rough, and she’s impatient she goes too fast. Also, she usually wants to have sex with me, and I just need someone strong to break my back for me,” Isla bit back.

“Alright, well can you give me a rub down when we get to our suite?” he asks, watching her lay on the rock.

“Why don’t you ask Persi to do it?” she asked him mockingly.

“Her and I don’t have the established boundaries for her just to be rubbing my back. Just because you and I click and we can have that energy like you said, doesn’t mean I get that from her...Also, you just said that she’s heavy-handed and impatient.”

Isla loved how Reiner’s hands felt on her body when he held her up while they did the yoga poses, she didn’t expect for his hands to be better at massages and knowing how to crack her back. She was making so many noises while trying to tell him exactly where to go and communicating what was working that when he stopped and looked up to see Persi, she immediately shoved Reiner into the creek.

“What the fuck?!” Persi asked furrowing her brows, “What the fuck were you two doing? Why’d you just push him into the creek?”

“‘Cus..uhh he tried to kiss me-”

“Where are your clothes?” Persi asked.

“O-over there...”

“And...what were you doing again? Cus I don’t think you lied to me right the first time,” she said, getting more frustrated.

“We were hanging out...And uhhh..phew! That water was cold!” Reiner said, finally climbing out of the creek and throwing his clothes on, walking toward Persi, and handing Isla her clothes. “Persi...believe me..we were doing yoga and she asked me a favor. It doesn’t sound as bad as it looks..”

Persi scoffed and turned around and walked away, tears streaming down her face. She felt so betrayed, unsure of how she could be so stupid, but also that what she saw surprised her and made her jealous. They were stuck on this trip and Persephone just couldn’t calm down now. She really thought Isla didn’t like him that much. She was wondering what changed in the matter of 2 days. From her being completely content with Reiner and her being happily at arm’s length, to him trying to lie about having sex with Isla. Maybe he was right: she was too possessive. The girl was taking all of this out on a dilapidated cabin- breaking all of the windows and using one of the loose pipes to break more things and the petrified wood. It was becoming more clear that yes she was jealous of Isla possibly and allegedly having sex with Reiner, and just a little hurt by Reiner seemingly lying to her about building some sort of a connection. She realized how bad it was that she had gotten angry that they had gone off together.

Isla had spent about an hour listening to Persephone freaking out and reeking havoc on the poor cabin while she made sure that Reiner wasn’t as influenced anymore. Reiner reassures her that he’s fine since she shoved him into the cold creek. She pleads to fix things with her because she was too afraid of her response. They were techincally in the middle of nowhere and she could drive off and abandon them at any time. ��

Reiner went finally went in and knocked to get Persephone’s attention, “What the fuck do you want?!” she girl growled as she turned around.

“You done yet?” he asked, leaning against the doorjamb, looking around at the broken room, “We’re ready to talk so that we can go.”

“I don’t trust you two...I’m telling you right now...You, I know what you could be capable of, but her...even I’m not sure what she would say or do to protect herself,” Persephone said, tearing up some more curtains.

“So, you’re not even gonna give it a chance?”

“You get one, she’s gonna have to show me I can trust her,” she said, throwing her foot into the walls and busting holes in it.

“And that means you gotta blow up like this? That girl is sitting there half to death out there. If something did happen and it was an accident, you’re not even giving her the benefit of the doubt,” he pointed out, grimacing at the girl’s actions then tries to approach the red head.

“I’m not taking it out on her, so what does it matter?! I can act however I wanna act if I feel so inclined, asshole!” she barked, out of breath.

“Alright, but when it’s appropriate. Didn’t you hear me? Isla has been having a full panic attack because you’re in here and she thinks you’re gonna abandon her or hit her. Either way she doesn’t feel safe,” he explained, reaching for her wrists, the girl fighting a little more before she had to stop and catch her breath since she was hyperventilating so hard until Reiner notices the tears beginning to roll down her cheeks as she collapsed into sobs in her friend’s chest, quickly picking her up. He reassures her and rubs her back while her chest heaved.

“Did you do it? Did you...did you actually kiss her?” she asks.

“Nah. Well I was kinda excited over doing couples yoga and the conversation we were having that I wasn’t even looking her in the face,” he said with a shrug.

“Then what was the noises I heard? And why were you doing something that if someone just so happened to catch you, the dots they connect would be ridiculous...?” she asked, trying to catch her breath.

“I-I I-I I dunno..okay?! I figured that it wouldn’t take that long and she wasn’t giving me that vibe...It was a blurry moment for me!” he admited, “I was trying new things, okay? I was trying sky clad yoga with Isal and I tried some the weed she had and my chest stopped hurting and I could think so much better and I didn’t even try a lot. I really felt better than I have this whole trip, and that’s including the walk and the yoga I’ve been doing for the past 3 months!”

“WH...wait!...You tried weed back there?” she asked, hushing her tone quickly, “We can worry about my jealousy and betrayal later...Did..how come you didn’t tell me?”

“About what?”

“About your..’your chest problem,’ I thought you were just babysitting me to make sure I came back and I didn’t get into any trouble..I-I didn’t kn-know you needed a distraction...” Persi shrinking as she realized how clouded her head had been about Isla, “I’m sorry.”

“That’s the thing, you throw things at me and move independently of others. You never would have known if this didn’t happen,” Reiner explains putting his hands in his pocket, “Can we go now? We can talk about this when we get to the suite.”

“You think I’m gonna let you live in the same space as Isla you have another thing fucking coming...but we should go. So maybe we’ll just get you a hotel room nearby,” Persi bites, walking out of the cabin, seeing Isla waiting by the car looking a little scared.

~~~

They are on a stretch of road in the desert, Persi driving as Isla sat in passenger and Reiner in the back. She thinks of anything to try and keep her calm, take her mind off of the impending fear she has in her head. “What’s for dinner when we get to the suite?” Isla asks, leaning her head against the window.

“I was gonna make my mom’s chicken parm, but I gotta check-in so I might not do it tonight,” Reiner says.

“What do you mean? We’re all checking into the same suite...” Isla says.

“No we’re not. He’s going to stay in a hotel room and visit our suite-”

“Why?”

“Isla, it’s fine don’t-” Reiner said before she cut him off.

“No, it’s not! We didn’t fuck. We were hanging out. You’re not dangerous. Pers, he’s staying with us,” Isla said.

“No. He’s not. I can’t trust him.”

“Why because he trusted me and not you? Does it upset you if we get close?” Isla argued.

“I’m just protecting you,” Persi said.

“No you’re not! You’re hoarding me like my mother did-”

“But you want to get away from her-”

“BeECAUSE she keeps me from interacting with other people like you’re doing right now! You don’t own me. I’m not your fucking property. Your little travel stuffie! I have feelings and my own thoughts and ways of doing shit, and I wanna be able to be comfortable with another guy that isn’t my dad!” she said, making Persi pull over.

“What? Persi, no! Come on we gotta get to the suite...Can’t we...Ugh...This is so dumb!” Reiner complains, getting out of the car once she gets out.

“Where are you going, Reiner?!” Isla asks.

“I’m gonna walk! You two just pick me up down the road when yall done fighting...” Reiner said grabbing his backpack with a few water bottles and a snack, taking quick strides from the vehicle and leaving the hatch open.

“WAi...Urgh! Persephone you selfish bitch!” Isla growls and snaps, shoving Persephone against the car. It sets her off as they fight and fall into the dirt, tussling and wrestling.

“What’s wrong? Your boyfriend leaving make you sad?~” the red-head taunted, causing push her and punch her in the face.

“He’s not my boyfriend! You think everything is about you! You think everything belongs to you and ONLY you! You’re so fucking wrapped up in being 2 people and forgotten about because you were a mistake...I wasn’t supposed to fucking EXIST. Someone wanted you, nobody wanted me. Reiner is tired of being ‘that kid’ where everything is PERFECT! You’re not the only one who needs to...deal or cope with something!” Isla fought as she yelled at her, getting her down and pinning her. She hadn’t realized how strong she would be if she actually had to fight Persephone. “Now stop! You’re losing the fight and we’re losing Reiner!” she threw her wrists above her head.

“NO~...” Persephone screamed, her voice breaking as tears rolled down her face as her head rocked back and forth, erupting into a very juvenile cry. Isla let her up to wipe her tears, giving her a very heartfelt embrace with the girl, “I feel..so alone..and I didn’t even realize...I’m sorry.”

“You’re not alone, babe...”

“I’m like...not allowed to have someone love me...No matter how hard I try..My people, they never really worked it out, it shouldn’t feel like it’s my fault~” she tried to gather herself, trying to wipe her eyes and catch her breath through sobs, “They cursed me to be alone..”

“Hey, hey!..You know I love you. Reiner loves you. That’s all we do is love you. We feel the same way sometimes..And you know where I come from..Open those big beautiful green eyes of yours, the desert needed your tears-”

“Isla, don’t start with all that woo-woo about the universe-”

“The same woo-woo about the universe is the same way people believe in a God, it’s just I believe in multiple gods and goddesses...And you- just like Reiner- have lost your purpose..or just haven’t found it yet. You’re looking for complete and unrequited love like a family and-”

“So I have to believe in a higher power..and it’ll just stop?”

“Of course not! I’m trying to..get you to understand you have to stop thinking it’s gonna be some storm of overwhelming calm or an abundance of good luck or compliments. It’s the little things too, baby. It’s the chance to see the sun rise and set; the wind blowing and your medical health; hey, you got to meet me, and love me, and touch me and my body, you get to hear my voice. You make me happy. Are you always the source of my happiness? No, but are you in a backpack full of things that make me happy? Absolutely!”

Persi was so happy to have Isla and her loving embrace along with her intuitive ways of comfort. Isla was grateful for Persi finally being able to receive some necessary healing. The girl couldn’t be sure if Persephone was along for the ride, but at least they were fighting together. Storms not too far off began to rumble against the mountains and the cloud cover was rolling in. They retreated back to the car and started down the road to pick up Reiner.

~~~

Once at the hotel they decide on a double room just so everyone has room and a bed to decompress from being on the road for about a week. Persephone said that the both of them were going to have to work things out for a couple of days, so she told Isla and Reiner that they can hang out without her. The pair simply slept the first day, sharing fun movies and eating various foods. They both checked in with their parents, where Ro was ecstatic to hear that her boy was okay, and also that he might like a girl. They had already discussed before the call that they didn’t care for their parent’s previous relationship, but it would have some influence and called that the end of the discussion between them. Leda and Mark were laughing uncontrollably at how their children came together and vibed, taking up the rest of the conversation away from their children and back to being a virtual reunion for them.

Isla got up and started to play fight with Reiner on his bed as their parents yammered on, eventually escalading into a pillow fight. They both hadn’t realized their parents had hung up long ago until their room service interrupted them.

“I’ve never had a prom-” Isla slurped up as she ate her food, chewing more gracefully, “If your school has a prom, are you going?”

“No...I didn’t..I missed it. We had it early in the year. Sadie Hawkin’s kinda thing...” Reiner admitted, “And with all of...you know..They’ve just kinda closed for the year. And this trip..I was saving it for that night cus I really enjoy hanging out with Persephone. The grass, everything, meeting you, the yoga...I just, I thought if I wasn’t enjoying it I wasn’t ready, but...it’s the only thing I had left to look forward to that I planned solely on my own and..this has been a lot, man.”

“That’s okay. And that’s very concerning so maybe we should have our own prom and dress up tonight? Like dude we’re doing this,” Isla jumped up excitedly, running to the bathroom. Reiner raised slowly and followed behind lazily to have a better position while she did her makeup. “No~ go get changed...Like dressed up or something! I have hair gel and dry shampoo in my suitcase!”

“I have my own products thank you though and also I can’t watch you put makeup on?” Reiner replied.

“Ugh!” Isla turned around, “I want it to be a surprise! You’re supposed to first see me when you pick me up from my house!”

“I know the routine, but eating in the hotel room is pretty far along if we’re going by that logic,” Reiner showed her his palms in his defense, “Plus, I like watching girls put on makeup...it’s so weird..” he snorts quietly as he puts down the toilet seat cover.

“Well I eat while I put on my makeup, so now you’re in charge of feeding me,” Isla said back with a little giggle.

~~~

Isla had now understood why she saw the dress in Persephone’s luggage, and why she told her that she brought her one that would probably fit her. She wore some cute fishnets she bought at store when they stopped for gas with sleek gown with a slit up to the top of the hip, complete with gloves and a cascading shimmer. Reiner slid on a suit his mother had bought an event his father was going to- some award show or something.

Isla took a long look at herself in the mirror as she put on her pretty dangling moonstone and rainbow quartz chandeliers, it made her think of her mother. What this night is/was for her. If she even remembers that night. She was flashing back to the time the girls in the school she was going to at the time were talking about their dates to a dance, and how their moms did their makeup. Given that Leda was a sort of makeup artist, Isla still would have loved for her to think of a look with her and fight with her about it because she’ll probably hate it. She at least wanted the right to do it. She still might. She sat back and pushed the tears back so that her makeup wouldn’t run. She really didn’t have much since Persi didn’t like it like that. “Hey, uh, I finished the- oh.” Reiner said as she took her last deep breath. Just like he said, there’s nothing exciting after this- they’re already in the hotel room. Persi wasn’t here.

The two spent the night taking prom pictures with bed sheets and table pictures with the service cart that held their room service with one of Isla’s candles. Reiner had some lasting energy from the one glass of champagne and two hits he had. He liked the floaty and lightheaded feeling because he made him feel young. However, Isla was finishing everything because of wanting to enjoy the “party.”

They had gotten to the last songs in their playlist and just decided to be prom king and queen. They laughed and fumbled as they tried to align their arms and bodies for dancing together. “You’ve never danced ballroom?” Isla asked, relaxing into his hand on her back again, her eyes darting to their raised locked hands as they almost robotically box-trotted through the song off-beat.

“I have..You ever let the man lead?” Reiner laughed.

“I’ve never danced like that for real...I’ve only seen it in cartoons and movies. My mom made me miss every opportunity I had to dance with a boy,” Isla explained, rubbing her sweaty hands on the dress, “So, you had packed a suit but not a corsage?”

“I would have bought one if the flower shop was open. We weren’t supposed to get here so late because you two had to have a crying moment in the desert...” Reiner said, wiping his own hands on the handkerchief that was in his chest pocket, then tossing it on the bed, adjusting his cufflinks.

“We were fighting over you, you know?” Isla said, looking down as they lined up again.

“That’s hilarious,” he said as his hand slipped across the middle of her back, pulling her closer and resting her head in his chest as they simply rocked, “I want to sway, but I didn’t want you to be nervous about stepping.”

Isla gasped, melting into his touch briefly before snapping back,“Uhh, no! We actually were! She was jealous-”

“I know she likes me, that’s why this whole prom thing worked out for us,” he scoffed.

“What?” Isla asked, anxious and confused.

“I was gonna ask her to give me my first kiss...cus I know that’s all she wanted. We’re...interesting friends. My mother doesn’t really like her or her situation but...she cares about her dad..the dramatic one-”

“Are you talking about Dan~” Isla asked cracking up, sinking her head into his chest, “But that’s so sweet...The-the kiss thing.”

“Oh yeah~..” Reiner chuckled lightly, rubbing Isla’s back, “It was either that or I found a girl on one of these road trips..do it the old-fashioned way..”

Isla really like him rubbing her back as it went with the music they chose, while they both just stood in between the balcony and the room, swaying lightly to the soft guitar music. She thought about how she wanted to find more wholesome boys than the ones in LA and when her mother was on the road. Through their conversations, she found out about the boring life Persi had and was so glad to have met her so she can talk about her days playing on the cul-de-sac with Reiner. All of the events they went to every year. The occasional fights. It’s interesting to her because all of them aren’t necessarily related by blood, so her suspicions weren’t wrong about them, but it was only opening to her now that she might have changed something that might have been set in place. “Have you ever...you know, liked Pers like that?” she asked hesitantly.

“She’s been growing on me, but she sees things that aren’t me but it means she’s opened up. So I like some of the things about her and what we have as our bond stands but could I see myself in the romantic way she does?..I dunno,” Reiner admitted, “And I don’t mind her having you.”

“Do you think she would mind if I had you?” Isla asked with a small smile.

“I dunno, I think she just likes me, you know? You can..you know..have her. I don’t wanna share her,” Reiner admitted.

“It doesn’t sound as well as you mean it,” she laughed, “You don’t want two girlfriends?”

“What?” Reiner asked, “That... sounds greedy.”

“It’s not ~... especially if you want the both of us,” Isla said, hoping to get through to him.

“I don’t know you and I never admit to really knowing Persephone but I care about her a lot..” he mused, “Also guys on the football team act like having more than one girl is some achievement... everyone does. So far I can accept it as a blessing, but people aren’t prizes. I can argue what you get out of them is.”

Isla was frustrated outwardly and knew it was from being intoxicated. The boy was being so noble and sweet and shameless about his opinions. It was different, he was assertive but not forward. His hair falling just the right way as his hair dressing and gel pulled the rest back. “Fuck, Reiny~ why are you taking your time to kiss me?” She asked.

“Certain song. And you could do it at any time,” he admits, “Why aren’t making an attempt?”

Isla scoffed, slightly offended, “I don’t know what to do with guys my age. My mom always ruined it for me by making us move or giving me terrible experiences about men... Basically she was gatekeeping my heterosexuality.”

“She didn’t mind you being a lesbian?” He asked.

Isla sighed, “I was her little baby until I snapped at 16... she flipped her shit when she saw me sucking dick at a beach rave I found her at. Then that time I was being forced fingered by these chicks and she completely zoned out in the room because she was just... not well and couldn’t do anything. She would force me to do little girl things and my lack of a growth spurt really let her travel a lot with me trying not to get groomed or she used me as a happy place because she forced me to keep my innocence but also destroyed it. Either way she was running from a guy that wasn’t chasing her anymore.”

“Was she on the run from parole or the police?” He asked, “I’m so sorry that happened to you.. really I am. You shouldn’t be punished for your mother’s problems or condition...”

Isla felt his words and sighed deeply as she squeezed him, “Worse. A jilted and psycho ex. She told me that if he found her she’d kill her for escaping.”

“So... how did the horror story end?” He rubbed her back to relax her.

“Some other dude she was fucking killed him for trespassing on school grounds and his family buried him. That or my dad, because he took me to his grave to see him,” she explained, shifting a little.

Reiner looked down at her with a puzzled expression, “Why would he do that?”

“Because my mother made it my life purpose to help protect her from him and that he’s going to get her and kill anyone around and torture my mother to death. My mother miscarried a lot before she had me, like purposefully abort and miscarry babies, I was the one my dad forced her to stop running to have, so my dad loves me but she gets jealous and angry and paranoid... that’s why she sabotages me growing up,” she explained, “My dad was giving me permission and the wherewithal to live my own life while he dealt with my mom's trauma.”

“Persi told me she met you at a beach party when she walked out on her people,” he mentioned, “So my verdict of this is that you’ve not really had a kiss from a guy you genuinely liked and dated because your mom kept you from having and enjoying those experiences..so your dad has been helping you snap out of it.”

“Sounds legit,” Isla smirked, scoffing at herself since hearing it from him.

“Do you genuinely like me?..We haven’t really been dating and I know that this whole trip is a date, but what do you think of me so far?” Reiner asked.

“Are you kidding me?” Isla asked, throwing her hands up out of the hold, then drops her exasperation into confusion, “Wait...well, I mean I like the general vibe of you and the idea of you I’ve built up in the past maybe from what Persi had told me about you. You’re really..really cute! And I-”

“Are pretty high and a little drunk,” Reiner said, chuckling and shaking his head, trying to take her hands again, “Calm down, Isla.”

“I know~ but why would you ask me that?” Isla laughed going back to intertwinning with the boy.

“Because Persi told me she’s coming back for Prom tonight,” Reiner admitted, “And...I’m gonna kiss her tonight...And I dunno what’s gonna happen after that but I know that I’m still gonna really like her..And I’m really only starting to get to know you and I love it so far and-” he sighed deeply, “I didn’t want to take her away from you or anything..A-and I don’t even want...sex..with her..I just want to have her in my life..And just like- watch her be happy and make her happy every way I can.”

“Wait...Reiner are you asexual?” Isla asked pulling herself away from him, “It’s clear you’re romantically attracted to her, but...you don’t want to have sex with her...”

“I don’t want to have sex with anybody, get it right,” he interrupted her, “That’s the whole ‘a-’ part in ‘asexual;’ I want her but I hadn’t been able to tell her, but I was gonna give it a go when we...you know..had our moment...”

“Yeah, I’m getting that but you’re..like..an adonis. You’re not attracted to anyone sexually?” Isla asked with slurs, leaning back into him, “Have you even tried?”

“I know sexuality is fluid and I have felt, you know..fluid - oh god what am I saying?” he said as he broke into laughter and let the girl go before catching her again, realizing she’s more intoxicated than he expected- but mostly because he feels loose enough, he didn’t know this is what happens when someone tries to keep up with him, “Woah, hang on, sit down...You okay?”

Isla plops onto the bed, “You’ve been demi-sexual before?” she asked, leaning back.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Reiner said as he heard the door to the other room open and close before looking at Isla, who began wildly snickering, “Compose yourself..”

~~~

Reiner rushes to the connecting door to their rooms and not the actual door, hearing the knocks again. Persephone had gone out and bought a new dress and actually did her makeup and hair. She went with a more bright and light colour palatte and chose a very pretty cream hokey dress with flower and some frills to make it seem either homemade or expensive. She wore her mother’s earrings and Dan’s engagement ring on her hand as well; she had picked out a beautiful clear crystal adornment. All of this still complimented the other couple’s color scheme and styles.

“That’s...wow..” Reiner said as he opened the door slowly and then Isla jumping up to yank the door all the way open and gaped at the girl,

“Holy shit, Persi.”

“Persephone..I look most like it tonight..” she chuckled calmly, then looked down at her garter stockings that have white skulls in the delicate lace, then takes the flower off the dresser and hands it to him. “You said Babies’ Breath for accent, yes?”

It was making Reiner’s head spin. Her entire composure was different, and the inflections of her tones and her rough Northern English accent had even softened and became more clear. He nodded slowly and breathed out, scoffing awkwardly, making her awkwardly laugh under her breath- his eyes watching her glossed blushed lips turn and relax. “You look...absolutely angelic, Persephone,” he finally said after a dry swallow.

“And you’re very stunning-”

“And I’m FUCKED up!” Isla yelled, pushing the boy into the other room with Persephone and closing the partition door.

“...She alright?” the girl asked, giggling.

“Do you not understand how different you look right now?” he asked.

“I had to put it all together, I know what I look like, love..And how long are we gonna wear this whole..thing, because it is awfully uncomfortable seeing as I usually don’t wear this..That’s what Isla’s for,” she mentioned, trying to hide her willies.

“Well I did a 20 song playlist turning up with Isla, and I’m..not gonna lie I’m tired and sobering up, so how about 5 songs and we call it a night?” Reiner asked sweetly.

“Great because I could only think of 5 songs when you asked me,” she sighed in relief, relaxing her body.

“That was...well before this trip, Persephone,” he said slowly, then holding out his hand gently, and lowering himself slightly, “May I have the pleasure of the dancing with you?”

“Yes, and may I?” she said, covering her giggle before getting met with a nod as she returned to a secret place: Reiner’s chest. It’s something she thought she was going to have to miss if he had gone to college and only see and experience when he came home. They rocked gently back and forth, Reiner changing the patterns in slight ellipses. His hand on her back reminded her of when her Otosan would soothe her back to sleep when she used to have nightmares even though she hated his guts. She felt like Reiner made things make sense by being the simplest answer. It just always seemed like she didn’t belong in their world and he said that it was okay. He let her know that he cared no matter how many strange looks his mother gave them or any of the other families in the cul-de-sac. The fact that their parents were friends and lived near one another in a community she didn’t fit in always upset her. She wanted normal and boring. Or at least not to live with her Dads’ best friends and their kids. The girl looked up at Reiner and then looked down as she sighed heavily, “Reiner...”

“Yeah, Persephone?” he asked quiet and sweet.

“Why..why’d you really ask me to do all of this?..I mean, I’m helping you break out, but...here we are..secretly trying to fit in,” Persephone said, chuckling lightly and shaking her head.

“Because you can always have the same as someone else and it just...be different for you..I dunno how to explain it, but...I wanted...to have control. Something- well- someone who would help me do it,” he said, pulling her out of his chest and looked down at her. She was so vulnerable in his arms and he knew if he did this right and everything was planned, then he’d have this moment forever.

“What-what’s that supposed to mean?” she asked innocently, scoffing and looking away.

“It means that everything in my life was sure until all of this quarantine..stuff..-fuck it..This shit took everything away from me. My plans were ruined, and getting my first kiss at my prom was the only thing I knew if I planned it then I’d...I wouldn’t feel so lost and hopeless,” he admitted, finally feeling himself try to stray away from his vanilla upbringing.

Persephone was shocked and her heart sank to hear him curse, but there was part of her who smiled. She knew he was trying to break out but she didn’t know it was because of her. It was making her head spin on top of the fact she instantly as nervous because the boy she thought never wanted her chose her for his first kiss. “R-Reiner...oh my god!” she tried to say in disbelief as her face remained distant. They had both since let go, but she wished she couldn’t and that she never did. It all made much more sense than it should have. It was the only other thing she never understood about him, it wasn’t brotherly, or familial, hell- it’s not even friendly. He loved her. She rushed back to his chest, embracing him tightly, “I didn’t know you hadn’t even had your first kiss...”

“I’m asexual. And I’m married to my goals, so I’d rather make..being loving a goal so that I’m not a robot...I wasn’t sure when I was gonna be ready, but...part of me always wanted to know, you know,” he took her in just how he expected and like nothing earth-shattering wasn’t just revealed.

His words made the both of them laugh, and pull apart slightly again, Persephone finally raising his hand, “How uhh..how far did you wanna take it?”

“The rest of my life,” he answered quickly and breathed in hard, looking away. Startling her for a moment, but she figured it’s a hard night for him to form thoughts. “Oh the kiss-uhh..there..there’s depth to this?”

“Yeah, there’s a regular kiss on the lips,” Persephone explained, finally pulling him in and giving him a slow peck, unable to hide her smirk at the little butterflies and his grip tightening, “Okay~ and there’s the teaser,” she moved in again, letting him lift her slightly as she teased the kiss and little further.

“I feel like my heart’s about to explode out of my chest~” Reiner piped up and loosened his grip as he panted after the teasing kiss, “Wow...I-I think that’s enough for now...uhh”

“You really like me~” she realized as she was lowered, holding him again, “And what do you mean for now? I’m kinda...in the middle of something with Isla-”

“I’d..fuck..I’d already spoke with her while I was waiting for you,” he explained, still catchin his breath, returning his embrace instead of the hold, “She was fine now that we’ve had a conversation and I was able to ask her how she felt about me and all of that.”

“Well, what’d she say?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“How about, Miss Envy...we talk about it over breakfast tomorrow morning?..Pretty sure she’s passed out...” he said, quickly kissing the top of her head andleaving his mouth there briefly.

“And uhh...I’ll upgrade us back to the suite tomorrow too..” she admitted meekly, blushing hard as she buried her face in her chest.

#persephone grace #isla artemis #reiner pansino-fishbach #prom

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