So I know I said that Subtlety was going to be a one-shot, but I lied. Not sure how I feel about this, but I hope you guys like it. It's kind of based off my own personal awkwardness. For any Book Thief fans, I have a poem that I'm debating posting. Would you guys read it? Or should I stick to short stories here? Anyways, enjoy teenage awkwardness in its shining glory
If you'd told Hazel Haskett six months and a day ago that she'd have kissed her best friend, she'd have flushed bright red and stammered an unthreatening threat, probably something involving Roofus. She'd have taken it back, because she really had no control over the damn bird, but the effect was good. Of course six months ago, they'd been recovering from an horrible period of time, in which they lost Panama, Mandy and came uncomfortably to losing Winter, and Sawyer was on a plane to Boston, leaving Hazel to push aside any feelings for now. Her only concerns had been that she now had to revert back to being alone and that Winter was going to need help if she were to avoid another lapse into depression. Now he was back, and if you told Hazel that she was going to kiss her best friend, she'd have looked around for Roofus. But this time, it wouldn't have been because it was ridiculous. This time, it would be because it was true, and she wasn't about to give Phoebe the satisfaction of knowing.
CMA, Pre-Opening Time: It's just any other day, Hazel mentally hissed to herself as she and Phoebe prepped breakfast for the dolphins. She hadn't stopped smiling since yesterday, and it was becoming increasingly challenging to come up with reasons why she was grinning like the Cheshire Cat at nothing. Phoebe had spent the last five minutes interrogating her on just what was so smile-worthy about dead fish. She tried to focus on the supposedly delicious fish corpses in front of her, and internally sighed with relief when her phone buzzed. She wiped her hands and clicked the home button,
Shut up and tell Phoebe I'm running late. Be there in ten.
Sawyer. He hadn't stopped telling her to shut up and do things since she'd told him to shut up and kiss her. She snorted and Phoebe turned around,
"What's so funny, now?" She pointed a fish at Hazel accusingly, "And none of this it's a beautiful day crap. At least try to tell a decent lie." Hazel blushed a little bit and typed a quick ok, now shut up for real. See you soon. She put her phone on the table and returned to the fish,
"Just Sawyer. He says he's running late." They picked up the buckets of fish and moved them to the dolphin platform for today's feeding session, to be done later, and in front of an audience,
"And why is Sawyer running late particularly funny?" She knows. I don't know how she knows but she knows, the little voice in Hazel's head muttered as her stomach dropped slightly. Slightly wary, Hazel replied,
"He's being Sawyer. Sawyer says ridiculous things." Phoebe cocked her eyebrow. She knows.
"Oh, shut up, Phoebe." Hazel's voice took on a teasing and sarcastic tone as she headed towards the sink to rinse the fish guts off,
"Want me to kiss you, too? Or do you only kiss people you deny any sort of emotional connection to?" Hazel whirled around to see Phoebe grinning wickedly,
Hazel stared at her and said slowly, "How do you know about that?"
Phoebe examined her fingernails and opened her mouth, armed with a torrent of teasing when the door opened and Sawyer entered, slightly out of breath. Standing before him were a wickedly smirking Phoebe and an open-mouthed, flushed Hazel. They both turned to look at him,
"Sawyer!" Hazel and Phoebe cried at the same time, Hazel out of relief of having some back up, and Phoebe out of delight. Sawyer looked perturbed at the enthusiastic greeting.
Staring suspiciously at Phoebe, he slung his backpack off his shoulder and set it down, "What's going on?"
"Well, young Sawyer. Hazel was just about to explain herself. And yourself, actually. I mean, if we're being specific." Hazel watched as a flash of horror followed by a look of sheepish consent crossed his features. He glanced at her, and she gave him the can't help you, I'm stuck too look.
"Phoebe, I don't know what you know, or how much you know, but if this interrogation could wait until after you go talk to Clay about running tests on Jack, I think Jack's health and Clay would appreciate it." He gestured over his shoulder, towards the inside of the marine hospital, where Phoebe knew Clay was just getting ready to start the day in his office.
"Oh, crap, I forgot about that." She pointed at the two of them, "We're not done here. I expect answers." She rushed off, leaving the two teenagers staring at the back of their tormentor. They looked back at each other and burst out giggling.
"So Phoebe knows," Sawyer shook his head and laughed. Hazel blushed a little bit,
"Well, it is your fault." Sawyer looked thoroughly indignant, and opened his mouth, closed it, and quipped,
"I resent that."
"Well it was your fault."
"You told me to kiss you."
"You kissed me!"
The two stared at each other in mock fury, each glaring at the other until Sawyer's resolve cracked and he burst out laughing again. Hazel lasted another two seconds before she cracked and they melted into gales of laughter. Hazel, still trying to catch her breath, looked up,
"Hey, Sawyer?"
Sawyer sobered slightly, "Yeah?"
Hazel smirked, "Shut up, would you?"