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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210911/0a40e55ad80af9949707d8ca099eeefe.png[/img][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210911/b43de8ce9c678de8bd521934521f7585.png[/img]

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Featuring Mei [@BrutalBx] and Jill [@NeoAJ]
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Mei had long thought about the words that now hung around her lips like a noose.

[i]”I love you”[/i]

They weren’t that difficult; easy. Something that a child learns to say when they’re around the ages of two or three. Then why do they cause so much confusion? Why do they cause so much pain? She didn’t know the answer to that question and there was only really one way to find out; to say those three words and mean it. To whom? That was the easy part.

She had long thought about the red headed girl that was currently asleep in her bed wearing a Motley Crue tank top. They had been friends for as long as Mei could remember and beyond all others, Jillian had been the only one to accept her for who she was. When she turned her back on the prissy visage of a cheerleader, Jill was there. Whenever she had a problem with Reagan or with Q; Jill was there. When Charlie shot up the damn school and Mei lay helpless in a pool of her own blood, it was Jillian’s face she wanted to see. Mei had loved her all her life but after last night; after the psycho, his letters and ReyRey…a message was reinforced in her mind; hold on to who you love and hold them tight.

Mei climbed back into bed next to the flame haired O’Brien girl and gently caressed her porcelain skin. She didn’t know who was behind the sadness that had befallen her friends but perhaps maybe something else besides ill intent was at work? Could this be the thing that finally brought her and Jillian together as they should have been all this time? She didn’t know but she was going to find out.

Jillian could have found out last night. Maybe it’s why she was still thinking about finding out now instead of either cuddling up with someone who wanted to do so, or curling up in her room and never coming out. She was stuck in between, somewhere in the quantum state between BFF and GF. She could have figured it out.

She was all set to get an answer, after her pep talk to and from Marco, to which she was going to have to check in with him at some point in the next week to see how his own progress was coming. The sugar rush from the cannoli probably fueled her desire to push the envelope and find out. But she had to wait a while before she was able to get a hold of a Lyft driver able to ferry her back to the palatial Ramsey estate, so she walked around the block a little bit. By the time her chariot arrived, the pump-up speech was wearing off. It didn’t help that by the time she arrived, Miss Midnight had yet to come home. 

It wasn’t new for Jillian to show up at Mei’s place in need of aid with her fellow ex-cheerleader not home. She remembered the drill. Get the key from under the flowerpot by off to the side of the door, open the door and prop it open with the brick, return the key, slip in the apartment and get comfy. She even knew where the sleeping tank tops were kept, there were few secrets between them at this point. She worked her way into Mei’s bed and waited… and waited… and fell asleep. 

There was a lot done today, it took a lot out of her. She thought at times she could hear Mei talking, doing one of her podcasts, but it faded into the dreams she was having, the usual nightmares of black-and-white tiles and red liquid replaced for now by less fraught visions of the two of them. Together.

It was heavenly. Something Jillian craved but never truly got from previous paramours, who were only interested in her for the status of bedding a cheerleader, or who remembered who she once was. It was a very lonely way to go about finding pleasure. Now, instead of the ghosts of her fallen friends, her own demise, and her vast array of mistakes, she only saw Mei Ramsey. It wasn’t the sunlit field that most people picture for romantic tableaus, but a neon-lit nightclub with music drifting from the band in the corner and an unlimited bar tab for the both of them. There were no worries, no thoughts of what price had to be paid for such an experience, just basking in the glow of each other. It was one of those moments that made Jillian feel like she couldn’t possibly desire anything else in the world. Yet Mei never hesitated to deliver what she needed.

Including the wake-up call to let Jillian know that her dreams weren’t that far from reality. She was aware there was movement in the bed at this point, but she didn’t want to know what it meant. She finally got her answer as she felt the soft hand grazing along her cheek. Passing along to the exposed arm poking out from the black fabric of the t-shirt. Her eyes flickered open, as if to confirm the person offering the gentle touches was exactly who she wanted it to be. A soft giggle escaped Jillian’s lips to be followed by a content sigh. [color=fd9100]“Mmmmm, morning Mei… or is it midday? I feel like I slept forever…”[/color]

[color=C652D5]“It’s early,”[/color] Mei responded; leaning into her pillow next to Jill and looking into her pretty brown eyes. [color=C652D5]“You were sound asleep but I thought it best to wake you. I’m heading to the dojo for a workout, see if I can’t exercise some of those demons that invaded our world last night.”[/color] She didn’t really want to bring up what happened to them last night; it didn’t feel right given what else she was thinking about yet it also was unavoidable. If not for the events of the previous evening, would she have even developed the courage to say the words she so desperately wanted to say?

Her eyes scanned the room; almost looking for the next tragedy that would stop them from being happy. It always seemed to Mei that when happiness was in reach, the curse of Edenridge would read its horrid visage and cause untold pain. Yet in that moment of afterglow, there was no pain. No monster in the corner of the room preparing to eat their souls. It was just Mei and Jill, in bed, a small sunrise light peeking through the black curtains and the dim neon light sliding from beneath the door of her closet.

[color=C652D5]”Jillybean; I…”[/color] Cowardice; something that she was not accustomed to. [color=C652D5]”Fuck it. Jillian, I love you and I’m not talking about squad love.”[/color] Mei placed her hand delicately onto the O’Brien girl's face. [color=C652D5]”Last night just reinforced the fact that you are what I carry around in my heart. It’s not pain or anguish, it’s just love. I love you and I think I always have. You’re my dream girl.”[/color]

Now Jillian was wide awake, as her eyes bolted open at the revelation. She didn’t dare move, lest she give Mei a reason to take her hand away from her cheek. The look in her eyes didn’t give away an impression of fear, more of shock.

[color=fd9100][i]How...how did she manage to beat me to the heart-pouring confession?!?[/i][/color]

After the initial impression wore off though, Jillian’s eyes softened. While she wasn’t the one that got to make the initial confession of love, there was now no reason to be afraid. She didn’t need to get an awkward confirmation from Mei, she got total confirmation. Fuck, Mei said love. Multiple times. Called Jill her dream girl. She wasn’t going to get any stronger go-ahead signals that what she was feeling last night from the kiss, from the fighting spirit, from her friendly chat with the impartial observer who knew even with their distance that Jill and Mei should just be a thing already. It was meant to be. Mei was already her dream girl. It was time to let her know.

[color=fd9100]“Mei…”[/color] she started, unsure of how she was going to continue that sentence. She was so ready to deliver the confession, she had no idea how to receive it. Maybe she could do both. [color=fd9100]“Mei… you don’t even know… how happy it makes me to hear you say that…”[/color] Jillian was struggling. She could feel tears starting to form even if she was certain she would be able to hold off when she was on the other side. [color=fd9100]“I’ll be honest… I don’t think I could imagine what I would do if I heard that from anyone else but you… I think I would have told them to fuck off in the hopes that one day you would be the one to say that to me… and I don’t have to wait… So you shouldn’t either…[/color]

Jillian darted forward in the bed, as quick as she could, and planted a kiss on Mei’s lips. It was soft, it was slightly awkward and it didn’t last very long, but she wanted that first kiss as her girlfriend to be short, sweet and easily remembered. [color=fd9100]“I love you too, Mei Ramsey. I think I needed a stupid amount of time to make sure of it, but there’s no doubt in my mind, in my heart, in my soul… You’re the person I need in my life. I need you by my side, in the darkness and the light. You are my reason. You… you keep me going… I love you.”[/color] The redhead stopped herself there before she said something that would totally wreck the moment, content that despite not being what she rehearsed in her head last night, it would work. It was Mei. Of course it would work.

Mei could feel the heat rush through her body when Jill accepted her admission and proceeded to kiss her. It was like a lightning bolt had struck her heart and empowered her entire being. This was the feeling that all the booze and all the parties couldn’t give her. She had been searching for so long yet it was always right in front of her. Mei leaned forward again to press her lips against Jillian’s. This was a longer kiss, a proper kiss. Something to show her soul mate just how much she felt for her. Her hand moved down from the flame haired girl's cheek to her waist and Mei pulled their bodies even closer together. She broke their entanglement for some air and found herself lost in Jillian’s eyes once more.

[color=C652D5]”You realise now you can’t take any of that back?”[/color] She gave her that signature wry Mei smile; the one that had gotten her into so much trouble over the years. The one that displayed her beauty, her bravery and her foolhardiness. [color=C652D5]”When we walk out that door, we’re not just Mei and Jill. Ex cheerleaders and resident bad girls. We’re Mei and Jill, Ex cheerleaders, resident bad girls and the hottest damn couple Edenridge has ever seen?”[/color]

Jill had to pause for a moment, since her mind was still swimming from the more passionate kiss that was shared between the two girls. It had been a while since she let herself have a moment just like that, with nothing mattering but the feeling of her pressed against someone’s body as their breaths entwined. It felt nothing like the flings of the past year. It felt nothing like those that eventually hurt her would offer as an apology. She was worried how it would feel to give in completely to someone again, but that was nothing but pure bliss. There wasn’t even a thought that Mei could possibly hurt her in the future to taint such a moment. This was right.

It’s why Jill let out another soft giggle when Mei pressed her to make sure she was all right with everything. It wasn’t the drunken guffaw that dominated her responses while pounding back vodka cran after vodka cran. It was another sign that maybe Old Jillybean wasn’t as dead and buried as she and almost everyone else were led to believe. Marco may have led the expedition to the grave, but of course it was going to be Mei diving in with a shovel to dig her up. The giggle left a wide grin on her face as she let herself bathe in Mei’s cocksure glow.

[color=fd9100]“Girl, there are so many things I would take back if I could,”[/color] Jill admitted as she moved her left hand up to stroke Mei’s face in the same manner that the dark-haired woman started the conversation with. [color=fd9100]“That was definitely not one of them. And I guarantee if there is some sort of battle royale for the title of hottest couple in Edenridge, we are gonna kick all their asses for those crowns. Along with anyone else who has a problem with it.”[/color] 

A sign of the influence that Miss Midnight had on Ashes, a far more violent confirmation of her love than the last time she offered it. But it felt right. Mei brought so much out of Jillian during those times of joy and times of darkness. Even if Old Jillybean was starting to come back to life, she was going to keep wearing those combat boots that new Jill had picked up. They still looked good on her.

[color=fd9100]“Although if I’m going to do that, I might have to start coming to the dojo with you, just in case I can’t use bottle tactics in that fight. But you can’t change what you said either when you see me trying to punch air, no matter how flaily I look.”[/color]

[color=C652D5]”I wouldn’t change anything I said for the world.”[/color] Mei pulled herself up to a seated position; looking upon Jill’s smile and couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. [color=C652D5]”If you want, you can come with me now?”[/color] She posed to her new girlfriend. [color=C652D5]”I work up a mean sweat and I mean…having you there would be extra motivation. Pick out something sexy from my wardrobe?”[/color] If for nothing else, Miss Midnight would’ve loved to just stay in bed with Jill, get a different kind of work out and show her new love exactly what they had been missing in all the years they’d spent dancing around each other. Alas the demon dream girl was a creature of habit and ritual; it’s what in reality besides Jill herself what kept Mei sane. 

[color=fd9100]“Hope I still remember how to make sweaty look sexy from high school!”[/color] Jillian remarked. However, she was going to have to get up, and getting up was hard. Even with the experience she had at this point with those particular alcohol levels, it was still a challenge to even sit up at this point. She would have loved to just lay in bed with Mei until the afternoon and find out exactly what the perks of taking their relationship to the next level would be. All she had right now were stories.

Still, she had to hoist herself out of bed to do her first official task as Mei’s girlfriend: picking out something to wear this morning. Or maybe she didn't... nah. Not just yet. [color=fd9100]“Hmmmm… well, you know I’m a sucker for the classics. Something that allows for freedom of movement, but is also very striking.”[/color] Happy Jill was drifting into goofiness already. In her recent state, it normally took at least four drinks to hit that point, and even then it was an even chance her personality would land on one of goofy, sad, angry or hungry. But she was stone sober now, just riding the high of their shared confessions. [color=fd9100]“I think if we pair the tight black tank top with the short shorts I see there, that should do the trick.”[/color]

Smiling like a Cheshire cat; Mei sprang out of bed and over to her walk in to grab the outfit that Jill had suggested. Returning to the foot of the bed, she let a sideways glance betray her thoughts as she admired Jillian again. She lay the outfit down onto the edge of the desk and began to slowly peel off the clothes she was wearing. They had seen each other naked; that wasn’t a new thing for them. Having been teammates they had showers together and being friends for as long as they had meant lots of late nights cleaning vomit off of places that had no right to be covered in the violent projectile. This was the first time that said nakedness happened after a declaration of love; it was somewhat intimidating. Mei had no reason for concern: she still had the athletic body that had carried her through high school; it was only now just covered in a few more tattoos. She still trained every day in spite of her hard partying ways and worked hard to stay in top condition.

Once she slipped into the training outfit; she walked over to Jill’s side of the bed; which it would now forever be and took her hand into hers. [color=C652D5]”Now you”[/color] She pulled the walking sunset upwards, out of bed and into her embrace. She led her to the wardrobe and stroked her face. [color=C652D5]”I know just the thing”[/color] Miss Midnight took a step into the walk-in and grabbed a few items of clothing before handing them over to Jill. [color=C652D5]”What's mine is yours and you would look so, damn, good in this. Much better than me.”[/color]

[color=fd9100]"I don't know, have you seen you?”[/color] Jillian innocently asked in response to Mei’s compliment. Still, she now had the chance to return the favor after Mei gave her a taste. Sure, it wasn’t the first time she had seen Miss Midnight in her full glory, but this was the first time she could appreciate it on this level. It almost made Jillian a little gun shy when it came to stripping down herself. But Mei loved her, flaws and all. It made no sense to hide from her in any fashion.

As the redhead started to remove the borrowed sleep wear from last night, the effects of the recent year were more visible. The porcelain skin the O’Brien family was known for bore quite a few nicks and chips as the scars of her attack were laid bare. Her hair covered up the big one where her skull connected with the jutting edge of the third stair from the bottom of the Barrie household, but the smaller ones along her torso were visible. She also still carried a ring of baby weight around her stomach, unwilling to work it off in her alcohol-fuelled spiral so it carried vodka weight instead. It had been a while since she even attempted something as vigorous as what Mei usually had planned for her workouts at the dojo, but maybe now that Jillian had someone she wanted to look good for, it was time to start trying to slim that reminder off her body. Besides, if Mei was going to be designing tattoos to help cover up some of the marks, she needed to know that the canvas wasn’t going to be in a state of flux.

Jill took a deep breath now that she was bearing everything in the room. She didn’t want to move too quickly and deprive Mei of the sights, but she was still methodical in slipping on the sports bra, the pink and black cut-off tank top, the mid-thigh shorts, the things necessary to start fully participating in her girlfriend’s life. Not just as a drinking buddy and occasional podcast guest, but as a partner. Fully invested. Another breath came and went as she turned around to face her girlfriend. [color=fd9100]“Well, do I look ready enough to kick ass and take phone numbers?”[/color]

[color=C652D5]”As long as it’s only my phone number. Anybody else and I’ll have to kick their ass.”[/color] Mei took a step forward with a deep breath. She placed both hands on either side of Jillian’s cheeks and kissed her. God, the electricity she felt when she did that; it was indescribable. [color=C652D5]”Come on, baby. Let’s go make our debut.”[/color] She took Jill by the hand and led her out of the apartment; into a brave new world.

As the pair made their way out of the door, they were greeted by an all too familiar image; Alonzo Hearst sitting on the bench opposite Mei’s apartment. [color=FFDC55]”Well, well”[/color] The agent pushed up his glasses to get a better look at the two of them. [color=FFDC55]”If my brother was here now I’m sure he would have a brain aneurysm; his two favourite girls all tarted up and ready to go.”[/color]

Mei stopped in her tracks and gripped Jill’s hand tightly. Hearst had been harassing her for weeks. She was almost sure that he believed that she was behind the letters being sent around town. Yet were he any good at his job, the FBI agent would know she had nothing to do with any of it. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that Alonzo was still sore about what happened to his little brother. Some wounds don’t heal as fast as others. [color=C652D5]”If your brother was here now, Lonzo; Q would probably be telling us about how much smarter he is than the rest of us and how he was getting out of this Podunk town…oh wait, that didn’t happen did it? No he was taken from us and what exactly are you doing about that besides harassing me? Huh Agent Hearst?”[/color]

Now Jill was taking breaths out of a different kind of fear. Alonzo Hearst had been an annoying presence in Edenridge since that day of dread in senior year. Especially given what happened between her and Quinton once she became firmly entrenched in Mei’s corner after their split. She seemed to have a pattern of making male friends only to have them do stupid male shit which would cause her to cast them aside. Between Q, Danny and Michael, it was a wonder she didn’t fully give in to the other side of her bisexuality sooner.

Still, she felt bad about how that particular friendship ended. Junior year was frosty as hell between the two and senior year, well, Jill lost a lot of past and present friends in senior year. Not with Lonzo though. There were too many sessions at the Hole listening to Mei complain about Agent Hearst harassing her for her to have much sympathy for him. She knew he was acting out of hurt, but there were a million wrong ways to deal with it. They just chose different paths. But she was getting off hers. Possibly. Maybe.

[color=fd9100]“We both know Q couldn’t handle the thought, Alonzo,”[/color] Jillian confirmed, giving Mei’s hand a squeeze back to let her know she was staying put with her. [color=fd9100]“Shit, the kid had a nosebleed when I did that dance routine on the sideline with Lanie Lancaster in sophomore year. Something about girls gyrating together to the sounds of Cardi B really roused his spirit, didn’t it?”[/color] The barb was meant to hurt Lonzo, but Lanie was another name on that list of the lost. It was fine though. Jill had all the support she needed now. [color=fd9100]“Anyway, you need help with something, Mr. G-Man?”[/color]

Alonzo stood up from the bench to his full towering height of six foot five. He was an intimidating specimen if not for his ice cool demeanour. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. [color=FFDC55]”Just saying hello, dropping off the mail.”[/color] He casually walked by the two girls to Mei’s front door and dropped the envelope through the letterbox. [color=FFDC55]”I know how much you love letters, Mei.”[/color] His deep booming voice offered no hint of intent. [color=FFDC55]”I’ll be seeing you.”[/color] Lonzo then stuffed his hands into pockets and began to walk off in the opposite direction.

Mei gripped onto Jill’s hand as tightly as she could. Even in the face of ReyRey Gonzalez holding a gun at her; she didn’t feel fear like she did when Alonzo Hearst was in her presence. Rey was a loose cannon; everybody knew that. Lonzo was a different kind of animal altogether. Trying to get a read on him was like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. [color=C652D5]”Fuck him. He’s not ruining this.”[/color] She kissed Jill’s soft lips again; it was becoming a habit already and one she did not want to break any time soon. [color=C652D5]”You ready?”[/color]

Most people wouldn’t recommend sassing back at a federal agent, especially not by invoking dead family members, but Jillian didn’t care. She was too in her feelings for once. Happy feelings. With every kiss that Mei delivered to her lips, she was more certain she could make the happy feelings actually last without the help of the bottle. As Alonzo disappeared, the tension eased in her mind. Hopefully Mei felt that too. For all the support she gave, she had to know Jill was going to give it right back in a manner she felt befitting.

Or she could keep offering kisses. That worked too. Either way, Jillian was finally ready to do something that resembled productivity as opposed to ready to just forget another day. Even with Agent Hearst’s presence, there was nothing about this day she wanted to lose. If she was right about this, it would be a day to be kept sacred. Maybe the day that she could tell others that her own curse was finally lifted. It felt weird to be optimistic.

Jill looked back at Mei, smiled and planted a return kiss. The feeling of the lip ring pressing on her mouth felt right. [color=fd9100]“Definitely. Let’s go,”[/color] she answered, a tone present that was the clearest indication yet that she was back from her self-imposed exile from society. The hottest couple in Edenridge had to represent, after all.[/center]