Yes, this is teeny-tiny, but I was scribbling madly away in my little notebook in bed and have to get this out of my mind before sleep will indulge me. Don't worry, more to come - eventually. This should hold everyone over the weekend.


I Will If You Will

He came for her the next day.

She was flowing through her yoga poses - confined to the guest room because Artemis didn't want Wally to see her sister in the little sports bra and spandex shorts she'd brought in her duffel bag - when the doorbell rang, and even though she hadn't responded to his text and she had no view of the street from her room, she knew it was him.

She managed to stay put - despite the building urge to go to him - until Artemis opened the door and came in, arms crossed over her chest and eyes an irritating mix of exasperation, amusement, and relief. "Jade, Roy's outside."

Slowly, Jade bent over backwards, laying her palms flat on the floor, before letting out her cool response.

"I'll be there in a minute."

From her position, she didn't catch Artemis' eyeroll.

He was leaning on the rail of the little porch, chatting with Wally, who was laughing around a mouthful of fish crackers. Sky-blue eyes connected with hers the instant she emerged from the house, almost as if he'd been counting the down the seconds to her arrival.

Wally mumbled some excuse about homework and went inside, closing the door discreetly behind him.

They looked at each other for a moment. Roy, arms crossed in front of his chest, hair just as red as the picture she had certainly not gazed at for ten minutes on her phone the night before, looking more casual than she'd ever seen him in shorts and a T shirt with a little v-neck. Just as sexy as always. His brow was furrowed, but she knew he was drinking in the sight of her, too.

She hadn't bothered to put any more clothes on, and her hair was still in the loose bun she'd slept in all night. She watched him, hands perched challengingly on her hips, waiting for him to speak first.

Eventually, he did.

"Why did you move in with me?"

It was not at all what she'd thought he'd say.

She cocked an eyebrow, not losing an iota of composure. "More convenient for sex."

He shook his head. "Not good enough, Jade."

They were never supposed to have this conversation. It was not part of the plan.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me the truth, for once."

"You want the truth?" She hoped he hadn't heard the tremble in her voice, but she was barreling forwards before she could stop herself. "Truth is, Red, you're the only guy who's ever asked me to stay since I was sixteen and ran away from the hellhole I grew up in."

There was a pause as he processed this and she stared at his shoulder, inwardly cursing herself in every language she knew and wishing with her entire being that they could just go back to the times where they would greet each other by tearing one another's clothes off. She hadn't meant to say any of that -

But then she was pulled into a crushing hug, her face shoved hard against his chest and his arms locked tightly around her waist and neck, and he smelled like his generic-brand laundry detergent and the sharp scent of the oil cleaner he used on his bow and like their bedroom. Before she could think, before she could imagine what Artemis and Wally were thinking - she could feel them watching, maybe listening, through the kitchen window - before she could catch a breath, her arms wound themselves around his waist and she was pressing into him because it felt right and she didn't give a shit about the rest.

She couldn't help thinking, though, that this was their first non-sexual embrace.

He held her like that for a while, only clenching his arms tighter every time she tried to pull away - about every five seconds - and pressed his cheek against the top of her head.

"You've really got to stop ditching me in the middle of the night," he said into her hair.

She made an irritated noise. "I will if you will."

It wasn't supposed to be a promise, but when Roy finally stepped back, there was a thoughtful glint in his eye.

"We'll see."