I JUST REALIZED IT'S BEEN ALMOST 20 FRIKIN CHAPTERS SINCE THE LAST MEMORY CHAPTER THING... WHOOPS... I THINK I MIGHT'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE SWEPT AWAY IN THE STORY, BUT I'VE FINALLY COME UP WITH SOMETHING. YAY!
OH YEAH! SO I WAS AT MY FRIEND'S APARTMENT THE OTHER DAY AND WE DECIDED TO GO SWIMMING. AFTER BEING THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THIS GUY AND THIS GIRL GOT IN WITH THEIR LITTLE BOY. NO BIG DEAL, RIGHT? HOLY FRIKIN MONKEY CRAP ON TOASTED RYE, YOU ARE WRONG. THE GUY LOOKED EXACTLY, DETAIL FOR DETAIL, WHAT IMAGINED DAVID LOOKS LIKE (WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ;]). AND THE GIRL WAS A FREAKING BLONDE, BUT SADLY HER EYES WEREN'T BLUE.
CRAZY THING IS, AFTER I EXPLAINED MY RANDOM FANGIRLING TO MY FRIEND, WE WENT AND CREEPILY EAVESDROPPED ON THEIR CONVERSATION AND THEY WERE MAKING WEDDING PLANS AND THEY HAD THEIR LITTLE ADORABLE KID AND OMG IT WAS SUCH A CRAZY DAY CUZ I SAW MY OCS IN FREAKING REAL LIFE AND THIS IS THE LONGEST RUN ON SENTENCE I'VE EVER WRITTEN GOODBYE.
~37 years ago~
"Moron," I huff as another one of those dorky college kids knocks something over. He eyes it a moment before shrugging and walking away, leaving me to pick the decoration up. Lucy better appreciate my effort to keep her party nice. My stepmother bustles past, brunette hair tied back tightly and jacket loosely buttoned on. She pauses and looks back at me.
"Violet, dear, get a coat on. You'll freeze."
"Nah, I'll be alright," I brush her off, accidentally knocking my knee into a lawn chair and wincing. Curse my awkwardly long legs... "Do you know where Lucy is?"
"Honey, she's probably out back with her friends. That is where the party is being held you know. Not the driveway."
"I'm just making sure no one takes Dad's parking spot," I lie. "Besides, people keep knocking her signs over and it's gonna piss her off."
"Violet," she rolls her eyes, voice firm.
"What? It's true."
"Your father will be fine. Go out back and help your sister."
"But Mooooom," I whine. She scowls.
"You're twenty years old, Violet. Act like it!"
"Yes ma'am," I grumble, walking around the side of the house and cringing at the crowd of people. Lucy's never been that shy kid at the back of the class. She's the smart one that easily makes friends. Leave it up to my awkwardness and sarcasm to chase people away. Not to mention that I'm the world's clumsiest person and I can't seem to climb stairs without taking a slide down once or twice.
People's voices fill my ears, a loud hum over the quiet background music and laughter. Cups of soda and iced tea cover the tables (such a good girl, Lucy is), pizza boxes and some little sandwiches and crap lie about as well. Congrats Grad is painted on a banner and the cloth is tied on two tall poles Dad and I had to shove into the ground this morning. I spot my sister easily and decide the best thing to do is to just trail around behind her. Maybe then people will ignore me or something, I don't know. Of course, my plan doesn't work. Lucrecia turns around at the sound of my footsteps, a smile breaking out on her face.
"Violet! Come here, I want you to meet some people," she pulls me closer by my wrist. I yelp when I crash into her, blushing when some hot guy calls me an idiot. There goes that possible candidate... Goodbye, my love. "Gabe just went somewhere to..."
"I'm here," a voice calls, slightly muffled. We turn to see our cousin with a paper plate piled high with pizza and a chunk in his mouth. I scoff.
"Gabriel, you're such a pig."
"Hey!" He swallows. "We all have our roles in this family." He points at the people he mentions as he goes. "You're the klutz. Lucy's the smarty pants. Aunt Mae is the control freak, and Uncle Rick is that quiet workaholic that adores the klutz." I roll my eyes.
"Shut up."
"Okay. So Violet, these are some of the people in my class." She introduces me to more science nerds. "Raina, Freddy, Locke, Tina, and..."
"David," some guy walks over toward us, two cups in hand that he hands over to Raina and Lucy. A brown leather jacket, worn and fading just like his jeans, covers his arms, his significant height overpowering mine easily. He's gorgeous...
"Thanks Dave," Raina grins. David smiles back, a rough brown stubble covering his jaw and the area around his mouth. Then he looks at me, hands half hanging out of his jacket pockets.
"You're Lucrecia's sister?" I nod, a warm blush crawling up my cheeks. He smiles. "Cool. You're lucky, you know. My sister's a jerk."
"Uh, yeah. Lucy's pretty, er, cool," I nod, stumbling over my words awkwardly. Lucrecia suppresses an amused smile and her friends hide their snickers. Except for Freddy, anyway. He sticks out his hand quickly, red hair bouncing as he does so.
"I'm Frederick Lawson." I shake his grossly clammy hand and force myself not to grimace.
"Violet."
"You've got some nice phalanges," he says in awe, holding up my hand and playing with my fingers. I blink at him in surprise, looking at my sister for help. She giggles and pulls me back.
"He's really into human anatomy," she explains. "But Freddy, now's not the time to check my little sister out. I think Kathy just got here."
"I'm comin' baby!" The idiot screams, running toward the front yard. Freakishly possessive boyfriend, I think..?
"Hang on, Vi, can you..." Lucy starts.
"The brownies are done!" Mom calls from the house. I nearly face palm as the crowd tries to stuff itself inside our house. Mom, never announce the arrival of chocolate baked goods at a party full of college students. We don't have room for that stampede. Lucrecia's friends drag her toward the house, insisting that she has to get some because it's her party. I turn back around and jump when I see only David standing there, pouring himself a cup of soda silently. He casually leans against the side of our house and raises an eyebrow at me.
"Violet huh?"
"Hm?" I flush scarlet, pushing a strand blonde hair behind my ear. "Oh yeah." He chuckles softly, taking a drink from his plastic cup. I freak out. Is my name funny?! "Yeah, I know, it sounds like a toddler's name," I give a nervous laugh. He shakes his head, a smile that suits him playing on his lips.
"I like it. Pretty name for a pretty girl." Did he just compliment me? What do I do?! I laugh again and look down at my shoes.
"Uh... Thanks, I guess. So, um, what are you studying for?" He shakes his head.
"I'm not, just Raina's older brother, which means I kinda know your sister, I guess." He sighs, staring into his cup. "I want to be in SOLDIER, but everyone says I won't make it. I guess they're right. I mean, not just everyone can get in, and I'd just be another guy looking for some adventure to them. It's silly, I know. A child's dream." His head leans back, bright blue eyes studying the stars.
"I don't think it's silly," I finally speak up. "You should be able to do what you want. It doesn't matter what they say, you'll just prove them wrong and then they'll feel stupid." He looks back down at me.
"... You're right. Thanks."
"For what?" I frown. "I didn't do anything."
"For believing in me," he grins. A steady flow of people begins to emit from the kitchen and David turns on his heel, hands shoved in his pockets and his head bend forward while he walks away.
"Where are you going?" I ask somewhat desperately. Am I that bad? He looks at me and smiles.
"Getting away. This isn't exactly my scene. Wanna join me?"
"Uh, sure?" He laughs and starts walking again, leaving me to catch up. I hurry after him and he glances at me before looking up at the sky.
"So Violet, what're you planning to do?"
"I don't know, to be honest," I sigh. "I think I kinda let everyone down. I mean, growing up, adults pressure you to know exactly what you want to do and to have your whole life planned out by the time you're like fifteen. It's too much pressure for someone as indecisive as I am. I don't operate well under stress and all that chiz, and I never really cared until now. Of course, when people pressure you to know by the time you're considered an adult and you don't know even two years later, you begin to feel like it's too late."
"I get it," he nods, flipping his messy his face. "I always hated that in school. Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, everyone, they just expect you to know what you want right away. Half the time, I have no idea what the heck I want."
"Yeah," I huff. "But I'm fast and kinda strong, I guess, and I'm good with both bow and blade. They're hiring my sister for a project in the mansion Shinra is building on the other side of town, and I thought maybe they'd need someone to protect the premises from all those monsters out by the mountains."
"What about the Turks?"
"They have their paperwork and babysitting to do," I shrug. "I might be doing them a big favor."
"Smart girl," he chuckles. I smile.
"Hey, this is a highschool drop-out you're talking to here."
"It's 'cuz you're too smart for them," he elbows me playfully. I roll my eyes. David has this cheerful attitude about him that sucks you in and makes you feel instantly welcome. He's smiley, he's handsome, he's honest, and he's fun to be around. I suddenly notice a familiar path toward something I visit often and have an urge to take a trip there now.
"Come on," I nod toward the path. He hesitates.
"Are we allowed down there?"
"Of course we are, goody two shoes," I roll my eyes, hiding a shiver that takes up my spine. With my arms crossed tightly against the cold wind, I lead the way down the beat down, narrow road. We reach the end of the short path only to find a tombstone, cross shaped with a plaque-like slab at the bottom.
Ruka Smith, 1961-1980
Beloved daughter, student, and friend.
"Who's this?" David gently brushes a dead leaf off the top of the cross.
"My best friend," I kneel down, fishing through my pocket for something. "I meant to drop by earlier, but I got caught up with party decorating. You don't mind, do you? You could always continue without me."
"That's alright," he smiles gently. "I like meeting new people." I nod, my slight smile falling and my eyes closing when images of her death flood through my mind. Frantic texts, blades, blood, speeding down a highway, apologizing, lifeless green eyes, blood caked auburn hair, sobbing, screaming at everyone, starving, locked away, lonely... I clench my jaw and force my eyes open again when I feel a hand lay on my shoulder gently. "Are you okay, Violet?"
"I couldn't save her," I force out.
"... What do you mean?" He asks carefully.
"She... She struggled with depression a lot," I sigh, pulling out the necklace I stuffed in my pocket earlier. "I promised I'd always be there for her, but one day I just got sick of her 'life sucks' talk and told her to suck it up like everyone else. I didn't see her for a week after that. Then one day, I came home and plugged my phone in because it was dead. When I finally got on it again, she'd texted me so many times about how she was gonna end it all and how she was giving me an hour to respond if I actually cared about her." I close my eyes again, head hung in shame. "I'd read them three hours too late."
'Vi, it's me, Rukie. I don't know if I can go on any longer, not with the stuff I need to end it all just laying there a few feet away. Help me...'
'Violet? I know you're mad and I know I can be annoying, but I seriously think I'm just going to lose it and just kill myself. Please answer.'
'Vi, you're my best friend. I love you so much, but I don't know how much longer I can do this. Do you even care anymore? I don't blame you if you don't. I'm giving you an hour, just PLEASE answer. Say anything, I don't care what. Just let me know that you're still gonna keep your promise. You swore on your life, Violet, six years ago. You can't leave me now, not when I'm this lonely. Please just answer.'
"You don't have to..." David starts, but I push out of my memories and shake my head.
"No, I do. I grabbed Lucy's car keys and we drove out to her house as fast as we could. I had to break down the door and I ran around looking for her for so long before I found her in her bathroom upstairs. She was just laying there with the dagger her grandfather had given her for her twelfth birthday in her heart. She was still a little warm, the blood was still somewhat fresh.." My voice cracks and I clench my fist up, hand locking around several blades of grass. "David, she'd waited three hours for me, and I never came. I broke my promise, I couldn't stop her. She was... She's dead because I..." David sighs and turns my face toward him, brushing the tears from my cheeks gently.
"It's not your fault. She did what she wanted, right? Followed her dream of being free from this world?"
"I was mad at her at first," I start up again. "I was mad that she'd taken the easy way out and just given up like a coward. I was mad that she'd left me behind, alone, when she knew I have problems with people. She was the only person I could talk to and she'd selfishly taken her life."
Then I shake my head. "But then I realized that while suicide is sometimes the most selfish thing one can do, it takes so much bravery to leave those you love behind and ignore that whisper in your brain that kept you from hurting yourself when you were younger. She'd had such a hard time as kid... She was the strongest person I knew, and I honestly can't believe she lasted until nineteen looking back. I just miss having my Rukie around, you know?"
"I would have been mad too," David says slowly, his direct eye contact making me slightly uncomfortable. "And probably for the same reasons. You're right about all that, though. I told you that you're smart."
"But I'm not a nerd," I laugh faintly. He smiles, finger resting under my chin to keep his eyes on mine.
"You could be, just one about things other than science and math and history."
"Weapon nerd," I scoff. He laughs and his blue eyes slide down from mine, taking in every detail of my face. Don't notice the acne on my forehead, please. His face moves toward mine, stopping when I instinctually draw back.
"Sorry," he mutters, pulling away slightly. I shake my head.
"You didn't do anything."
"I... I just met you. I shouldn't make a connection I won't keep." It was in that moment David had won more respect from me than any other man I'd ever been with, and it was in that moment I knew he would be mine forever, because for once, I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass.
"Then you'll just have to make a commitment, won't you?" I give him a teasing smile. Ocean blue eyes move back up to mine, that smile twitching across his face. Then he kisses me.
AW, VIOLET/DAVID FLUFF. IF THIS WASN'T A VINNIE FIC, I WOULD SO MAKE THEM BE TOGETHER, BUT WITH CURRENT THINGS IN THE THREE PEOPLE, I STILL SAY VIOLET AND VINCENT ARE MY OTP.