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[sub]Matt [@Legion020]  Yessi [@Hoekage] Collab[/sub]
[h2][color=010444]ღღღღღღღღღ[/color][/h2]
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The stars were looking clear and bright out in the middle of nowhere, if Astraia looked hard enough she could imagine herself flying amongst them. A vivid thought that made her believe her body felt so light because she was actually floating, but no matter how insistently she tried to go higher her position with her ass planted on the soft grass remained unchanged. No amount of high or drunkenness would ever take away the pouty disposition of the spoiled princess, in fact it might have magnified it. Moving her eyes from the stupid stars to look around at the stupid people that had gathered she noticed some new stupid faces had joined, and realized she was no longer holding the joint.

[right][color=F08080][i]When did that happen?[/i][/color][/right]

There wasn’t much time to ponder when Sami had taken the joint from her hands because the swirling of her favorite liquor caught her wandering eyes. With unexpected grace, she practically glided to the boy who had previously been the victim of her icy treatment and easily plucked the bottle of tequila from his hands offering a lilted [color=F08080][b]“Thank you~”[/b][/color], and lifted it to her lips, sort of dancing away from the campfire as Sami begun whatever story he had to offer the group of wayward teens.

If it was anyone else, Matt would’ve clutched the bottle hard. No-one takes his liquor unless he offered it. Unless it was Yessi and this time, it was Yessi. As a habit he let loose. His drunk, delayed brain only realized a moment later that he was supposed to be angry with her. Except he wasn’t. At least not right now. All his drunken mind could think about was the extremely hot girl moving in front of him. The way her hips shook and her entire body followed, it entranced him. So much even that in that moment he lit a cigarette not because he wanted to but because he wanted to look just a little less conspicuous as he watched the private show.
 
But he also wanted booze. Despite being very, very drunk already he felt like he had to go deeper. So he went towards Yessi and with the same grace as she did, he went through her fingers and took the bottle from her. He gave her a smile, a genuine one, before throwing back the bottle. Then he fell backwards.
 
Through some miracle he was lucid enough to straighten the bottle as he went horizontal. Not a drop was spilled. There was no pain, then again he was far too drunk to even feel it. The grass below him felt very soft though. [color=f7941d]“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”[/color] He then looked up, towards Yessi standing over him. [color=f7941d]“You’re beautiful, you know that?”[/color]

The bottle leaving her hands was the last thing she expected, so a quick complaint left her lips as she turned around quickly with furrowed eyebrows. The annoyance turned into amusement as she watched Matt fall backwards into the grass, being a [i]man’s man[/i] and saving the Tequila over his own head.

[color=F08080][b]“You didn’t have to tell me that Matty.”[/b][/color] Yessi replied in a light tone she hadn’t directed at him in a while. Even through the high and the increasing buzz from the few stolen sips she could forget the strain she put on their friendship. The compliment he gave her made her laugh and she lowered into the grass laying down beside him and looking up at the stars, [color=F08080][b]“I think I’ve heard it a few times, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it a few more.”[/b][/color] She teased easily her voice carrying off as a gentle silence fell between them.

When looking at the stars didn’t interest her anymore she turned on her side, propping her head on her palm and just looked at Matt. 

[right][color=F08080][i]You should apologize. That’s the right thing to do, Ass.[/i][/color][/right]

It wasn’t so much the apology that she was hesitating on, but he was drunk, really drunk. Shouldn’t she just wait until tomorrow when he was sober to have this conversation? After she did apologize what would happen next?
[right][color=F08080][i]Just do it. If you don’t now, you never will.[/i][/color][/right]

[color=F08080][b]“Matt-“[/b][/color] Astraia sighed softly giving in to her smarter inner voice, [color=F08080][b]“I’m sorry… for everything. For being petty. For being a bad friend and not talking things out with you. For not having your back. For all of that… I’ll make it up to you in whatever way I can, but I just want to be back to the good ol’ times.”[/b][/color]

Matt had chuckled when she said she wouldn’t mind hearing it a few more times. Resting the Tequila on his chest, he looked up at the stars. He was the furthest thing from an astronomer so he really couldn’t see the constellations. Instead his mind was mostly just focused on how nice this all felt. All trouble was gone and for just a night he was absolved of all sins. He didn’t really expect anything better to happen. The night had already given him far more than any other in the last month or so.
 
But it was a night that kept on giving. He was too drunk and far too spaced to notice Yessi had turned on her side, facing him. But when she apologized, he grabbed the bottle and turned towards her. A warmth washed over him as his smile widened. He wanted to just lay there forever without either of them moving but he knew he couldn’t. There was one thing that even in his drunk mind that had to happen.
 
The talk.
 
He gently put the Tequila against her lips and let her own fingers take back control of the bottle as he said: [color=f7941d]“So what needs to be talked out?”[/color] It was a horrible question that could ruin the mood but if he didn’t ask it, whatever feelings remained in the undercurrent would come up further along. They were friends and they needed to resolve this. Besides, Matt knew well enough that he wasn’t innocent.

The gulp of tequila was necessary to keep her lips from doing other things, and she was grateful for his kind gesture. Though it was time for business and honestly finding out the truth worried her, but they’d never mend anything if she allowed her worry to control. A deep breath was all she needed to gather the courage and the words she needed.

[color=F08080][b]“The party, what the hell happened? Initially I thought there was no way you would be involved, like you’re an asshole, but not [i]that kind[/i] of asshole. Then it just kept looking worse, and worse and you were so vague about everything. It was conflicting because I know you but you were acting so… shady. So just tell me what’s up, and be real with me.”[/b][/color] 

He was a liar. It came natural. Too natural. When she asked, his first impulse was to lie. To weave a story she would believe. That his friend stole the drugs from him. He would show remorse and he had no doubt that in her altered mind she would’ve believed him. But now he didn’t want to lie. She came to him and apologized. That was no small feat. If she could muster the courage to do that, he could muster the courage to be honest.
 
He took the Tequila bottle back and took a big gulp, then laid back on his back again. He didn’t really want to see the reaction on her face. [color=f7941d]“Not that kind of asshole indeed.”[/color] He started. [color=f7941d]“My friend said…”[/color] His words got caught up in his throat. As if his own body didn’t want him to tell the truth. He powered on. [color=f7941d]“He wanted to experiment. I was stupid for believing him. So I got the stuff and sold it to him.”[/color] Thinking back on it, he wanted to hit himself in the face. Over and over again. Beat some sense into him. That wouldn’t make things right though. [color=f7941d]“It’s been killing me ever since. If I was just smarter or a bit more suspicious it never should’ve happened. But it did and there isn’t a day I [b]hate [/b]myself over it.”[/color] He was fully prepared for Yessi to fly into a rage. Hell, she would be justified. If she hit him, he wouldn’t even fight back.

Yessi watched him intently as he returned to his back there was a flash of something in his eyes that made her heart drop. The sounds of voice, accented with that slight quiver of the feelings and thoughts he carried on to this day were hard to hear. Sure, there was an anger at his stupidity, but he was doing a favor for a friend, for someone he trusted. Matt couldn’t be blamed for being taken advantage of, and the honesty in his tone was enough to stamp out the easily lit Spanish fire. 

[color=F08080][b]“Why didn’t you tell me back then, Matt?”[/b][/color] Her voice was soft, by his body language she could tell he was surprised,[color=F08080][b] “Look at me Matthew. Yeah, you have some part in this fucked up issue, obviously, but it’s not like you knew what he was going to do with any of the shit you sold him. You didn’t conspire to hurt Naomi, I can’t be mad at you for being a bro.”[/b][/color]

He turned his head when she told him so. Matt didn’t know what felt more freeing. Telling her about what he did or her accepting him still. Nevertheless, a massive weight lifted from his heart. A weight he was so used to that he thought it was a part of him. He turned on his side again, almost happy. He didn’t say anything. He just looked her in the eyes. For years he thought they were brown but he was wrong. They were jade.
 
[color=f7941d]“You’re beautiful.”[/color] He said, pushing some of her hair around her ear and letting his hand rest on her cheek. Before he inched closer to her lips.

The road trip thus far had not gone how any of them expected. Their group had doubled in size, old friends were reunited, strained friendships reached their snapping point, and seemingly the night nurtured the suggestions of romance. For Yessi, this was the last place she expected to end up, given the events of the day. Though there was just something about laying under a waning moon, with the crackle of a fire and the echoes of excitement in the background that just felt… right.

[color=F08080][b]“You’re still an asshole”[/b][/color] The whisper was paired with a soft giggle as she closed the distance between their lips and let herself just get lost in the moment... Just this once with him.

Eagerly lost in a night like this.

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