BONER AU: DAY AFTER

[forkedroad]

Annabelle had always been a decent sleeper, but whenever she and the Tanners were due for some excitement, she often slept restlessly. The previous night had been different, despite her excitement; she'd pretty much fallen asleep the second she'd flopped onto their bed into a deep, hard sleep, soon drooling pretty ungracefully.

And the next day, they all awoke more or less frantically—or at least, Lauren and Annabelle certainly had. Lauren, out of anxiety, and Annabelle out of excitement. The three of them had done their thing, aiding the nice town they were in with their talents.

Now that all the excitement is over, the three of them have been paid for their efforts. They've been invited to a boundless meal, as well as wine and ale, in the evening, because the town, frankly, loves to party, and has a great reason to celebrate. But that invite, though accepted, doesn't help them soon enough, and so they've found themselves at a pub for some lunch.

They're seated at a communal bench table, and the brothers are sitting next to each other across from Annabelle. Annabelle has been desperately trying not to look at Lauren more than she would normally, which has made her realize she has no idea how often she does or doesn't do that kind of thing. Right now, her jaw is set against her palm, thin fingers curled into her dark, wild hair while her eyes are lid downcast at her food, which she's kind of just. stabbing relentlessly (but not so frantically so as to make a pub-wide scene) with her fork.

It's not that she's in a bad mood, or anything—she's been quite chipper, if somewhat stilted and odd. At the moment, she's just lost in reminiscence. She's trying to find what the hell had come over here the night before. She bites her lip, and the fork slips, causing an unpleasant squeak against the porcelain.

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[forkedroad]

Annabelle bites her lip.

"I mean, I think so." She feels her cheeks burning red. All of this is so new, but not in a fun way—it's just uncomfortable, but she's determined to persist and push through in favor of learning. This is pivotal. She looks away, feeling unusually coy. "I don't regret what we did. When I think of it, no part of me reacts unfavorably. I connected with a part of me that I didn't think existed."

Her eyes fall, distant and distracted. She feels uncharacteristically shy, and doesn't know how to look at him. "...But I don't know what it means, now. I don't know if I should be worried about where it came from, for either of us, or if I should be concerned about our paths ahead."

[mylastchance]

He enters fully, closing the door behind him. He watches her as she speaks. Part of him wants to seat with her, but a larger part of him is afraid of getting too close. It wasn't as though he hadn't thought about the same thing, what it meant for them. He'd assumed Annabelle wouldn't have any trouble deciding on the meaning so he's surprised, but not at his lack of understanding her. Annabelle was nothing if not difficult in every way.

"Do you want it to mean something?"

[forkedroad]

"No, I don't," she admits easily, shaking her head. She knows it isn't lady like at all, but it's only curiosity. She pauses, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Is...that alright?"

Normally, she wouldn't be so concerned—but sex is intimate, and Lauren is her close friend.

[mylastchance]

It's a bit strange, he feels relieved, and yet at the same time it stings. He doesn't show it, instead looking forward at the room as he listens to her speak. Was it alright? It probably wasn't supposed to be, but he wasn't hurt for what had happened between them either.

"I'm not sure." he finally answers, wishing he had a less confusing answer to give. "You're my friend. I'd like it to mean something, but I don't want anything to change either."

[forkedroad]

Annabelle's eyes fall, and she picks some linty little pills off one sleeve of her sweater as she thinks. It's confusing for her too. Such that she doesn't know how to behave, or what she wants. She feels herself flush when she remembers how it felt to kiss him, and how it felt when he put his mouth on her, underneath her skirt.

"I guess—" she tilts her head, pensively knitting her eyebrows together. "I mean—it means...a lot. It does mean something," she says and rolls her eyes up to look at him. "—to me, that is. You are my friend, and I feel priviledged to have that sort of experience with someone I care for and trust. But...even if that kind of thing happens, I don't want to change what we already have?"

Annabelle looks confused at her own words. She decides she hates this type of conversation.

"I don't even fully know what I'm saying."

[mylastchance]

He does move forward now, sitting down near her, although he's careful to give her distance, not wanting to encroach on her space. She's all nervous energy, and his anxiety stops him from acting how he normally would. He hopes his awkward manners don't stop them from working this out though. Despite her confusion he finds himself agreeing with her. He feels, at least, like he understands what she's saying. He also feels like he agrees with it.

"...I feel the same." He normally worries over his words, about saying the wrong thing, but right now he has no way around his own bluntness. "I don't want to date you. That's not the right kind of love for us."

[forkedroad]

Lauren's awkward manners never bother Annabelle, because she's rather ill mannered and awkward in other ways herself.

In fact, she feels some of the unnerving tension dissipate a little bit when he sits down beside her. The tension in her shoulders leaves, and she sighs with relief at his words.

"Exactly," she responds, rewarding his candidness and pointing in his direction before letting her hand join its other in her lap. She laughs a little, then puts her face in her hands, still smiling. "I was so worried. Sorry for being a git. I felt I was going to burst from my skin."

[mylastchance]

Her dissipating tension relaxes his own, and he smiles at her, although it's small.

"It's alright." He rests his hand on the bed behind him, leaning back to look out at the room. Really the whole thing was sort of his fault anyway. He'd started that mess and then hadn't even said anything about it to her. He hesitates, before looking Annabelle's way again.

"I'm sorry, for acting without thinking last night."

[forkedroad]

She isn't sure what to say right away, and she drops her head with a bashful chuckle. "Um—I mean, I wasn't really, either."

Still smiling, she bites her lip, looking back up at him while raising her eyebrows.

"Why it was so fun, probably."

[mylastchance]

If that was true, then maybe he should think less often. He laughs at the thought. He's relived she isn't made though, he was worried for a moment that he'd messed things up.

"Thank you, by the way, for being my friend."

LAUREN STOP SIMULTANEOUSLY SURPRISING MY CHARACTERS

[forkedroad]

Annabelle blinks, and she feels her face grow pink. She's not very used to gestures or words of affection, nor is she used to having friends. Around Lauren and Susan both, she often feels an indescribably pleasant warmth that blooms from her core to the rest of her.

"I don't know why you thank me," she says, picking at her fingernails. "I should be thanking you."

[mylastchance]

He tilts his head, looking confused. He can tell she's embarrassed, but he doesn't comment on it. That feeling was easier to ignore without others pointing it out and making things worse.

"What do you mean?"

[forkedroad]

"I can't remember the last time I had any, really, I guess," she mumbles with a little shrug. "Even before I got sent away, I couldn't really get along with other children my age." She glances at him, smiling. "I know I'm a lot to handle. It's always been that way."

It was fine, though. Annabelle didn't feel sad or lonely. But truthfully, she had been lonely. She didn't realize she had been lonely for all her life until she'd met Lauren and Susan, really.

[mylastchance]

Ah, that, well.. He looks at his lap, taking in a breath before letting it out again.

"Me too..." It's not a lot, but it feel like it is admitting it out loud. Susan didn't even remember that far back, and anyone else who would know was dead.

"People don't like things that are different, I guess."

[forkedroad]

"Except folks who are different themselves, I guess," she adds, agreeing. Sensing Lauren's inevitable melancholy, she keeps her own ball rolling. "I scared people—other children, their parents..." She laughs, straightening up. "Not even with just my magic! Sometimes it was my lack of manners, or silly things like that. My lack of ladylike qualities."

She gently knocks her knee against his. "Never understood things of all that nature. They found me daft."

[mylastchance]

Lauren smiles a bit, though he still doesn't meet her gaze.

"They're the daft ones if they couldn't appreciate you."

[forkedroad]

Annabelle drops her head in her hands with embarrassment.

"Lauren!" she laughs. She doesn't doubt his honesty, which is why her face is red. She manages to peek at him again. "Well, the same to those who passed up the opportunity to have you as well. You're actually very kind."

She dips her eyes along him, breathing out another little giggle.

"With some generous talents, as well."

[mylastchance]

He blushes red when she says that, looking at his lap. He's just glad she seemed to like it so much. He knows he certainly had, the mere memory of it has his pulse quickening.

"Don't." he says in warning, though he's still smiling from before. He's happy, he can't help it. She is his friend and things seemed to be going okay.

[forkedroad]

She laughs, delighted, clapping her palms on her knees.

"Ha!"

It's the same for her, though—she can't think on it for too long. But if she does, she doesn't have some huge, inconvenient erection to deal with, so sympathetically, she lets up.

"Anyway, go collect Susan, then; I'd say we're set right. I'm going to go take a bath and pretend to be addled with my girl period."

She lifts a finger.

"Also, I'm going to properly explain all that stuff to Susan, sometime later."

[mylastchance]

He looks at her as she laughs, laughing a bit as well.

"God. Thank you. I really don't want to do that."

[forkedroad]

She nods, still smiling.

"Yep, you're welcome."