Boo! Who? : A Jimogen Halloween Fic
AN: This is a Halloween themed Jake/Imogen story based on Justin and Cristine's Halloween costumes as suggested by the Jimogen Fanfic blog on tumblr. I had a lot of fun writing this one. I would love to see this couple become canon- they're just such perfect opposites!'
Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi, Jake Martin, Imogen Moreno, or any other Degrassi character mentioned. Otherwise this would have been the plot of the Season 11 Halloween Special and we'd be getting another Jimogen mini for Christmas!
Dedication: This one is for all the Jimogen shippers on tumblr. I love our little sub-fandom. Haters gonna hate, right? ;)
Halloween was supposed to be fun, right?
Jake Martin couldn't help but let out a tired sigh as he made his way up the stairs, away from the drunken crowd of Degrassi students partying in the Torres family basement. Tonight had been anything but fun. He should have known better than to get his hopes up. Ever since his father forced him to move to this crazy city, Jake's life had been filled with drama especially now that he was living with his new big happy family. It wasn't all bad; Jake actually enjoyed spending time with his new step mom, Helen. Ever since she announced that she was pregnant she'd really been making an effort to connect with Jake- and he didn't mind. Plus his dad was the happiest Jake had seen him in a long time.
But things with Clare just seemed to be getting worse and worse. Now that they were living together –and dating in secret- Jake was having a hard time putting up with Clare's drama queen antics. Every day she had something new to lay into him about and tonight was no exception. All Jake had said was that Clare would have made a great Daisy. It was a compliment! But these days it seemed like Clare took everything he said the wrong way. And now he didn't even want to be around her. He didn't even want to be at this stupid Halloween party at all!
Jake reached for the knob on the basement door and felt his hand fall short as someone opened it from the other side. Jake looked up and immediately rolled his eyes.
"Nice costume!" said Eli Goldsworthy as he leaned against the doorway, blocking Jake's escape.
Jake took in Eli's costumed appearance with horror- and not the usual Halloween kind. The shorter boy had come as Mario. "Great… we match."
Eli scoffed but pushed off the doorframe with a dramatic swoop of his arms clearing the way for Jake to get by. Jake managed to catch the smirk barely hidden on Eli's lips as the dark haired boy started down the stairs. The idea of Eli gleaming about their matching costumes was ridiculous to him. Jake shook the confrontation off as he made his way through the uncomfortably empty house. The sound of the music coming from downstairs was muffled but he could feel the vibrations of the bass echoing under his feet. And he also heard… something else.
Jake stopped in his tracks. There was definitely some kind of strange sound coming from the room just ahead of him. He didn't think anyone was supposed to be up here. Adam had explained to him earlier that the bedrooms were one-hundred-percent off limits. Maybe it was just the Halloween vibe but couldn't help feeling anxious. He quickly slid up against the wall keeping his palms flat on the wallpapered surface and crept slowly to the edge of the doorway. Jake's breath hitched as the tips of his fingers reached the door frame…
And instinctively recoiled back at the sound of glass breaking; before Jake had time to think the door swung open and Marisol Lewis awkwardly stumbled out. She clumsily jerked her body around and fell towards him. Jake let the girl lean against him but turned away as she started laughing. Wafts of whiskey from her breath burned the skin on his cheek. "What's a girl like you drinking hard liqueur for?" Marisol didn't answer only laughed harder and fell against Jake's chest. This night was just getting better and better. Jake shook his head to clear his thoughts and pulled Marisol's arm around his shoulders. "C'mon, let's go get some air."
Jake sat on the back porch of the Torres house with his head back, looking at the stars above him. They weren't as easy to see here in Toronto. Even at this late hour the sky had an unnatural purple glow to it that unsettled him. Jake thought back to the view of the stars from his family cabin. They were brighter out there in the woods, a truly magnificent sight.
"Oh gawwwd…" Marisol's queasy groan broke through his thoughts just before the smell of puke filled his nose. He turned away disgusted. This truly had to be the worst Halloween Jake had ever experienced.
"Do you want me to get you some water?"
"…ye-yesh"
Happy for the reprieve, Jake turned toward the sliding glass doors that led back to the house. But when he tried to pull back the door it stuck. It took everything in him to hold onto the bitter laugh in his throat. Of course the door was locked that's just the kind of night this was!
Jake decided to muster some fake enthusiasm anyway. "Hey Marisol, this door is locked. I'm gonna go around front. Don't lie down while I'm gone, I don't want you to die or anything." He didn't wait for her to respond before he stepped off the porch and into the darkened back yard. Jake rubbed his hands together as he rounded the side corner of the yard. It was a bit chilly toni-
"AAAAHHHHH!"
Jake's body crashed into the side of the house with a shot of adrenaline. Wide-eyed the boy clutched his chest as he slid down the fake wood paneling to the ground. In front of him a crazed girl's face was twisted in horror and her body heaved with thick ragged breaths. An animal unhinged in hipster glasses and a handmade Pocahontas costume stood before him. It took a minute for Jake's brain to connect with what his eyes were seeing.
"Im-Imogen?" He couldn't tell if his voice was shaking or if it had always been like that.
Imogen seemed to have rebounded quickly. She straightened her back and her wide animal eyes relaxed back into their normal disinterested gaze. "Oh hey, Jake Martin! Sorry 'bout that."
"What?"
"Sorry about scaring you."
"Wha-what, why is you, what?"
"I don't think those words go together like that, Jake."
Jake felt his heart beat slow to something close to normal as he braced himself against the side of the house. He swallowed his shock and looked Imogen straight in the eyes. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Imogen's calm gaze dissolved into something a little more hurt. Jake couldn't bring himself to care since the girl had nearly given him a heart attack.
But then Imogen's expression changed again, this time to something a little haughtier. She lifted her chin and wrinkled her nose. "Why are you so jumpy?" Jake couldn't tell if she was being serious or not but before he could throw out a sarcastic comeback Imogen relaxed her posture and crossed her arms. "I thought you… I thought you were Eli." Jake raised an eyebrow. Mistaken for Eli? Was this girl serious?
Then Jake remembered his earlier encounter with Eli who was clad in a strikingly similar Mario costume. In the dark yard, lit only by the distant porch light, it was easy to see how Imogen had made the mistake. "Ah! I see. Well I'm not." Imogen rolled her eyes at Jake's obvious comment. "Sorry to disappoint you." He stood there looking at the strange girl for a moment. He wasn't sure what the proper social custom was for leaving after being scared out your wits by an almost stranger. "Well… bye!"
"Wait!" Imogen reached for his arm, her soft fingertips lightly tickling the skin underneath his costumed sleeve. She was close now and Jake could see her features outlined in the starlight. Her dark eyes reflected the night's sky so clearly that Jake could make out each tiny star like flecks of fool's gold in the cool stream by his cabin. He felt his own eyes slowly move to her pouty lips which were quivering ever so softly.
"What?"
"I said I'm sorry- y'know for scaring you. Are you sure you're alright? You didn't hit your head did you?"
"Nah. Don't worry about it- hey! Did you want me to get Eli for you?" Jake watched as her eyes clouded over, her dark lashes drooped heavily behind her quirky frames. She took a step back releasing his arm as she moved away from him. Jake felt the heat evaporate from her lingering finger prints. The cold that set it in made him shiver more than it should have.
Imogen's face was a stone mask now. "Nope."
He wasn't sure what to say, clearly this was a sore subject for the girl. He knew that hard gaze was Imogen's way of protecting herself. While Jake wasn't one to dwell on the dark moments in his life, he certainly wasn't spared from them either. "I was going to get something for Marisol, but I think she could live without it…"
Imogen's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are you saying?"
"I'm asking if you want to talk about… anything." Imogen's soft lips twisted into an almost smile. Jake could now see that they were glossed in a thin layer of glitter. His cheeks grew hot. What was this? It was like he was seeing Imogen for the very first time. She wasn't that kooky girl from his English class tonight- she was… intriguing. Jake realized she was simply looking at him and the answer to his question didn't seem to be forthcoming. But Jake didn't feel like leaving. Besides if he got Marisol that water he'd probably have to spend the whole night holding her hair back while she purged away the mistakes of Halloween. "You and I aren't that different, Imogen."
Her retort was swift and Jake was taken aback by the venom in her voice. "Oh no?"
"Nope-"
"No offence Jake Martin, but you and I aren't anything alike."
"No offence Imogen Moreno, but I don't think you know me well enough to make that call."
Imogen's hands moved to her hips as she rocked forward then back on her heels. Her eyes betrayed her amusement. "Oh! But you know me so well, do you?"
A wide grin spread across Jake's face. "Everyone's been there at some point. Falling in love with that one person who seems so perfect for you-"
"Ha! Clare?" Imogen rolled her eyes at her own interruption.
"Eh, you're too quick to assume you know everything, Imogen." Her face fell at his words. But for the first time tonight Jake actually felt like he was having fun. He just couldn't stop now. "Wanna hear a story?"
"No."
"Yeah you do!"
"No really, I don't."
Jake couldn't stop grinning. He wasn't going to give up so easily. "Why are you here, Imogen?"
"Excuse me?" Suddenly the offbeat girl appeared flustered. Her cheeks darkened to red and her eyes stared at him unblinking.
"Did someone actually invite you or did you just show up all-"
Imogen threw her hands up. "Okay! Fine! Tell me a story! But make it quick."
Jake had won. The boy carefully sat down with his back against the side of the house. He let out an exaggerated sigh of relief and placed his left elbow gently on his knee. With his right hand he patted the ground next to him- inviting the little Pocahontas to join him. Imogen did so begrudgingly. She took her time walking over to him then proceeded to dust the ground before she sat as if that would somehow make the soil beneath the yard's grass less dirty. Jake couldn't help but find her strange little mannerisms amusing. There was something almost childlike about Imogen Moreno, and it worked for her.
"Congratulations Imogen, you're a very lucky girl."
Imogen didn't seem very convinced. "Oh? And why is that?"
"Because I'm going to tell you a story I've never told anyone before. This is the story of how I fell in love- for the very first time." Imogen's eyes stared at him half lidded with disinterest. Her fingers twisted in the grass beside her picking at the blades with the environmental consideration of a toddler. But she didn't stop him and she didn't make a snooty comment either. It gave him a surprising sense of pride. "Her name was…. Edwards-"
"Oh my God! Are you serious?"
"Okay, let me finish-" Imogen covered her ears dramatically and squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she was a kid after all. A laugh escaped Jake's lips as he moved in front of her letting his knees touch hers as he mirrored her crossed leg position. Ever so slowly he reached his hands out to cover hers and pull them away from her ears. Imogen kept her eyes squeezed tight even as Jake brought her hands to her knees. He leaned towards her letting his nose brush the side of her cheek as he whispered in her ear: "You didn't let me finish."
Imogen's body remained completely still as she let out a breath. When she spoke Jake was surprised to find her voice small and sad. "I don't want to hear this."
Jake straightened his posture yet he kept the girl's hands in his own. He loved the feeling of her warmth spreading through him. He studied her face taken aback by how candid she looked in this moment. She was still young. The naive heartbreak on her face fluttered away she opened her wide, dark eyes. It was the first time all night that they had made real eye contact. Jake felt an odd shiver ripple through him. Before he could question his thoughts a single word slipped from between his lips.
"Darcy." Jake didn't remove his eye's from Imogen's gaze. He simply watched the confusion spread along the contours of her face. Her lips parted to ask something but Jake didn't give her the chance. "Darcy Edwards. She's Clare's sister. And my first love."
Imogen's smile was soft and her eyes suddenly warm. "Darcy?"
"Oh she's something, I gotta tell you!"
Imogen laughed. "Wow- two sisters that's impressive Jake especially considering they're your own sisters."
"Ugh!"
Imogen's smile spread into a wide grin. "It's true though, isn't?" She was barely containing her giggles now. And while Jake made a valid attempted at looking disgusted he couldn't help but join in with her.
"It's true… oh why must you point these things out?"
She narrowed her eyes playfully. "I'm just an observant person by nature."
This time it was Jake who was rolling his eyes. "Yeah great. Now do you want to hear my story?"
"I'm not sure, Jake Martin. Incest just isn't my thing."
"Oh shut up!"
They looked at each other for a moment with matching goofy grins chiseled onto their faces. It was Imogen who broke eye contact. Her eyes drifted down to their laps and she seemed surprised when she realized her hands were nestled between Jake's own. Yet she didn't pull away instead she looked back up at him this time with complete honesty in her eyes. "I wasn't invited to this party." Jake didn't respond to her words or her pause. "So… I guess I have time for a story."
A flutter of happiness pulsed in Jake's chest. He carefully lifted their linked hands; pushing his palms up against hers. She didn't protest as he wove their fingers together. Maybe tonight hadn't been such a waste after all. And as he sat with Imogen in that cool night air, Jake actually had fun. He told her how Darcy was the first girl he ever saw in a bikini, and how his mom had taught him how to roast the perfect Marshmallow. Soon enough he was telling Imogen things he hadn't told anyone before like how he felt out of place in Toronto and how the city made him feel lonely. And Imogen confided in him as well. She told him how she had never been good at making friends and how her parents were often too busy to pay attention to her. Eventually they even talked about Eli and Clare. Turns out they both felt like extras in some kind of tv show about Eli and Clare's relationship.
If Imogen had doubted their similarities earlier, she didn't by the end of the night when Jake took it upon himself to walk her home. And as Jake watched Imogen disappear through her front door he felt like -for the very first time- there was actually someone in Toronto who understood him. Jake went home, brushed his teeth, shut off his light, and crawled into bed- all with that goofy grin still plastered on his face… and Imogen's phone number tucked safely in his pocket. Halloween had actually been fun after all.
At three-o-clock in the morning Jake woke up with an uncomfortable sensation of guilt. Turns out he had forgotten all about getting Marisol that water.