Knocking.
Again? With the knocking?
She groaned irritably, snuffling closer to the warm body she had her arms wrapped around. She groaned again when the back pressed against her cheek shifted and moved away, forcing her to open her eyes to a mere squint. The bed creaked and shuddered as Toby turned over to face her, looking even sleepier than usual (how was that possible?). Evie pressed her face to her pillow, yawning widely into the linen, and accidentally-on-purpose rubbing drool off the corner of her mouth. When she blinked her eyes clear and open to see his lopsided, private, little smile, Evie forgot why she was awake in the first place. Just smiled back goofily and squinted past her blurry nearsightedness.
"Mornin'," he rasped, knuckles brushing hair off her cheek and behind her ear.
"Mhm." She wriggled closer and tucked her nose against his collarbone, sighing blissfully as her eyes fluttered closed. He wouldn't argue to stay awake, not Toby. Just a few more minutes would be–
Knock. Knockknock.
"Evie!" The voice hissing her name urgently through the front door was disgustingly familiar.
Evie and Toby shared twin looks of surprise and Evie was crawling over him to get off the bed a second later. "I swear, if he's here for some stupid-fartknockin–" Evie stumbled to a halt in the middle of discarded clothing, shorts yanked on and eyes wide at the birthday paraphernalia still decorating her house.
"Oh shoot."
"Should I–?" Toby started, untangling himself from the knotted mess Evie had left behind in her scurry out of bed.
"No, no, I got it," Evie said quickly, snatching up the closest shirt– conveniently one she'd stumbled over– and dragging it over her head. It settled around her thighs, completely covering her shorts and she stared down at her torso trying to figure out why her shirt wasn't fitting right. The familiar blue finally clicked in her head and she blushed.
"Looks good," Toby said from the bed, still leaning on his elbow as he actually smiled at her.
She actually barked out a laugh while snatching up her new pair of glasses, and then hurried to the door before Luke could get anymore impatient and sneak a peek inside. Probably only the thought of seeing one or both of them "inflagrante" kept him from peeking already.
"You shut your face, Fisher," she whispered, half-turned back and a hand flapping in his direction. The low sound of his chuckles followed her out the door before she snapped it shut behind her. She yelped, butt hitting the door, when she almost bumped right into Luke, her shoulder actually clipping his when she turned. His hands flailed through the air wildly and he took several large steps back.
"Sorry, Evie, sorry, you just popped out so fast–"
"Didn't you hear me coming out?" Evie gasped, hand to her chest and glasses sliding down her nose. Her eyes narrowed as she took in his haphazard appearance. It looked like he'd just pulled his jeans on over his pj pants and the matching, very threadbare shirt was hanging loosely around his hips. He wasn't even wearing his bandana, his blue hair a messy tangle over his face and his gold eyes too wide. "Lu, are you okay? Why are you here so early?" she asked, quickly stepping towards him and putting her hands on his shoulders. "What's happened?"
"I–I had a dream, Evie," he said it past a wheeze and Evie wondered if maybe she'd heard it wrong.
"Excuse me?"
"A dream. A really really bad dream, Evie. What'm I gonna do?"
Evie stared at him. "I'm two seconds away from throwing you in the creek…" If he hadn't sounded and looked so desperate, she wouldn't have given him the warning, to be honest. "Explain better."
Luke yanked away and began to actually pace, hands digging through his hair and eyes still too wide. "I was dreaming about birthday cake one minute and the next I was… I was dreaming about Candy."
"Cakes and candy? Sounds like a solid birthday dream–" Evie said, still bewildered.
"No, not candy!" Luka interrupted. "Candace."
Evie froze, jaw dropping, as Luke stared at her almost miserably. Woodenly, she reached out to pat his shoulder. "Bro, everyone has dreams like that. It doesn't mean anything?"
"No, it wasn't like that! It woulda been fine if it was, I know they don't mean nothing!" Luke exclaimed, hands thrown up in the air. "It was… it was so much worse than just some stupid sex dream."
"Lu, c'mon," Evie tried again, rubbing his back. Her eyes widened when she felt him shaking. "Tell me exactly what happened, Luke," she said instead of whatever she'd first planned to say, her voice softer and kinder than she thought she could be.
Luke fell to the ground with a huff, head in hands, and she fell next to him, one arm around his shoulders.
"It can't be that bad. You're Mr. Melodramatic, you know," Evie tried to tease, squeezing him affectionately.
"It was, Evie. So bad. I… I dreamed that we were just holding hands. I don't know… I think we were laying out somewhere, and everything felt kinda warm and bright and she was just…smiling at me?" He sounded so confused and… wistful. "We spent all day together yesterday, and the whole time, all I could think was how great she was and how pretty she looked when she smiled. So I just thought maybe that was it, but… then I said… I said something, I don't remember, and she– the dream-she– just reached over to touch my face, like my Ma used to do to my Pops and said… she said I love you," he finally forced out hoarsely. He lifted red eyes to Evie's admittedly shocked face. "I dreamed about her saying I love you, Evie. I think I'm in love with Candy."
Evie blinked again. Slowly turned over all those inconsequential moments, of Luke's gentle hands and easy, unbreakable focus on Candy. The way his hands hadn't left hers as they held that lantern together.
"Okay, wait." Evie held up a hand, the other covering her mouth. "Let's think about this logically."
Luke groaned tragically and fell onto his back on the grass, hands over his flaming red face. "She's too good for me! I knew it!"
"Hey, that is not what I said. Slow your roll, bropperoni."
He peeked from behind his hands at her. "I think I liked Lu better than whatever you're doing now."
"There he is," Evie laughed, poking his side. "Now, just listen. Yesterday was a very emotional day for both of you, you bonded and spent the whole day together, right?"
Luke frowned. "Yeah, you could definitely say that."
"And then, last night, well, maybe me 'n Toby kinda… put it into your head? Being a couple, or whatever. I mean… me n' Toby aren't saying anything like that, but him staying the night and being so damned blatant about why, maybe it was kinda like subliminal messaging?" Evie suggested, glaring once at the door when she remembered last night.
Luke sat up quickly, thoughts whizzing and whirring through his head so loudly Evie saw it happening in his gold eyes. "Ya think?" he asked doubtfully.
"Look, you like Candy, right?" Luke nodded, cheeks pink. "But you're not sure how much. The dream just… gummed up the works. You need to calm down and really think if you really… if you really love her, or if it was just a dream. You can't go half-cocked and confess your feelings if they aren't real. That would… it break her heart, Lu," Evie said, reaching over to grasp his shoulder.
The look on his face, the utter disgust at the very idea, had Evie sighing in relief.
"So you, what, think I should just… think about it?" Luke asked with his nose wrinkled. "I'm not much of a thinker. I'm a doer, Eves."
Evie nodded once, arms crossed over her chest. "Me, too. Thinking too hard about this kinda stuff can be scary, but–"
"I never said I was scared," Luke interrupted, eyebrows high and tone incredulous. Evie blinked over at him. "Love's not scary. I want to fall in love. And if I really am… if it's really Candy, and if she could ever feel the same, I'd be the luckiest guy in the whole world. I ain't scared of being in love. I am scared that Candy wouldn't ever feel the same… or breaking her heart if it's all just a stupid dream scramblin' me up."
Evie stared at him with eyes wide and mouth parted. Slowly, she smiled, heart thumping too hard. "People… people have told me I'm brave. But I've got nothing on you." He glanced over at her, blinking rapidly. Evie reached over again, but this time she took up both his calloused warm hands in hers. "If you honestly have feelings for Candy like that, then she's just as lucky as you. You've got such a good heart, Luke Carpenter."
His whole face turned red and he laughed. "Damn, Evie. Way to make a guy feel better."
"Good. I'm glad I did. Now, you go back home, drink some blueberry juice, and take a nap. Get up and eat some spicy curry with your Pops and Bo. Then, you can come back over here and we'll share some cake, okay? Don't worry about that dream. It'll work out."
Luke nodded slowly, but frowned. "I don't think I can just forget it. I… I can't help it. I just keep seeing her, and hearing her voice in my head, and it just… it gets me right here," Luke admitted, one fist thumping the middle of his chest. Evie snorted softly.
"Well, then, we'll think of something to distract you! Maybe some sort of sports day or something!" Evie suggested. Luke grinned widely.
"Yeah! Like soccer!"
"Or… oh! Quidditch!"
"Quidditch?" Luke repeated with a loud laugh that Evie joined.
"Yeah! It'll be fun! We have enough Potterheads around, we could get together at least one game," Evie said. Luke got to his feet then, Evie with him.
"Sounds awesome! We'll plan it tonight over cake," Luke said, swinging his fist across his body.
"Yes! Perfect! Now, go take that nap," Evie ordered sternly. "But first…"
Luke only had a second to wait, because in the next, Evie had thrown herself at him, arms around his shoulders as she stood on her tiptoes to give him the hug of his life. He actually gasped at her strength, before returning it, going so far as to lift her off her feet. The return of his familiar exuberance relieved her almost as much as his smile.
"Happy Birthday, Lu-Lu," she murmured, ducking her face against his shoulder.
"You're the first one today," Luke replied, his smile curving against the sea-brine-scented shirt she wore. "Thanks… for all of it."
"Yeah, yeah." He set her down and she clapped his shoulders. "I'll see you, kay?"
"Yeah, tonight, princess. Thanks!" Luke agreed, shouting the last word as he turned to run back up to Garmon.
"Next time CALL ME, you IDIOT," Evie hollered after him. He spun around and ran backwards, finger-gunning at her as he laughed. "What a dork," she muttered, shaking her head. "Thank the Goddess he didn't look in the windows."
She pushed back into her house to see Toby laid out over her bed, bare back rising and falling rhythmically. Of course the lazybones was already asleep again. She really hoped Ozzie didn't mind losing his second-in-command so often for her sake. She shimmied out of her shorts, but kept the big shirt on before climbing under her blankets. She giggled at Toby's sleepy protests, and wrapped herself around his back once more. They had at least another hour before they had to get up. She was definitely going to spend that hour right here.
The next time she opened her eyes, it was because of the bed moving under her. She hadn't fallen completely asleep, too used to waking early to do so easily. It was more like dozing, awareness muffed and the sounds of the birds outside just beyond the edge of her consciousness. Blinking sluggishly, she squinted up towards Toby's face over her. He looked just as sleepy, hair even mussier than usual and pillow creases still etched across his cheek. Evie snorted softly and yawned against her pillow, stretching far enough for her limbs to tremble until she collapsed against the warm sheets.
"Breakfast?" Toby asked in that hoarse sleepy voice that had her flushing against the pillow.
"Mm, yes, breakfast. You can breakfast?" she mumbled thickly. He chuckled as his fingers flicked hair off her cheek.
"Yes, I can breakfast. Do you have a spare toothbrush?"
Evie finally pushed herself up onto her elbow, frowning in thought. "Yeah? Maybe? Lemme look."
She all but slid to the floor to dig through one of her giant suitcases, muttering under her breath. It was near the bottom of the bed, wedged as far as she'd been able to shove it underneath to keep it out of the way of the bathroom door. Movement at the corner of her eye had her glancing up to see Toby sitting on the edge of the bed closest to her, cross-legged and smirking slightly.
"I am going to need that back," he said, drawling and slow, finger pointing at her back. Evie stared at him, then blinked and laughed behind her hand to cover any morning breath.
"You mean you don't want to treat all the townsfolk to your bare bod? How selfish, Tobes," Evie teased, auburn eyes glittering in amusement.
"Maybe later. I need to tan a bit more," he replied. Evie snorted even louder and dug through her suitcase again. She missed the fleeting look of consternation on his face.
"You… you didn't finish unpacking?" he asked slowly.
Evie shrugged and shoved against some of her woolen winter socks. "When I first got here, I wasn't sure if I was gonna stay, and then I just got too busy. 'Sides, this place is sorta cramped already. I wanna make sure most my stuff is outta the way whenever I get around to fixing it up," she answered absently. She let out a quiet 'aha' under her breath and shimmied back onto the bed. Flopping around inelegantly, Evie managed to bounce into a sitting position and held up a toothbrush still in its box. "I got one!"
Toby chuckled under his breath, hand wrapping around her wrist instead of taking the toothbrush. He looked strangely relieved about something, and she felt her eyebrows lowering, not yet a true frown, as she glanced over his face. Then, she realized he was pulling her closer, her knees automatically shuffling over blankets at the gentle tug towards him. The hand not trapped flailed through the air before slapping over her mouth.
"W-wait, wait, morning breath!"
"I'll suffer through if you will," he replied, one eyebrow rising and a teasing smirk on his face.
"You're the worst," she muttered, words muffled by her hand.
He just tugged her closer, smirk becoming an outright smile. She rolled her eyes and sighed, but braced one hand on his knee and sank into the soft, closed-mouth kiss. Even something so simple and chaste had a shiver running down her spine. They broke apart, his thumb rubbing small circles over the knob of her wrist, and Evie knocked her forehead against his, trying to still her ridiculously too fast heartbeat over something so innocent.
"Hmm, you were right," Toby murmured, sounding contemplative and serious.
"Huh?" Evie didn't even bother to open her eyes.
"Definitely should've brushed your teeth first."
Evie gaped at Toby, who just stared solemnly back. His mouth twitched at the corner. And Evie broke. With a shouted 'you dickwomble', she barreled into him, knocking him onto his back on the bed as he burst into laughter. He fended off the toothbrush she tossed at his face before she dove for the only pillow on the bed. Between gasps and breathless chuckles, they wrestled over control of the pillow, jabbing their fingers into each other's sides and armpits. Just as Evie managed to throw most of her body over Toby's, crowing in victory as she teetered dangerously on the edge of the bed, she heard the quiet twinkle of a familiar bell.
Her grip loosened minutely, wide eyes darting towards the kitchen window she always left just barely ajar, and Toby yanked the pillow from her hands. She yelped, limbs pinwheeling, and tumbled off the side, balance completely shot.
"Goddess, Evvy!" Toby rolled over the side of the bed, face flushed red from exertion and shoulders heaving with each breath. He looked concerned and like he'd just done wind sprints. She burst into fresh gales of laughter, still breathless and a little dizzy from the fall, and the sound of Finn's trilling wings filled the house.
"Evie, why are you on floor? Are you sick?" Finn asked, zooming into sight and hovering over her anxiously.
"I-I'm fine," she wheezed out. She forced herself up onto her hands, completely missing Toby's outstretched hand until she was already mostly upright. She grinned gratefully at him and discreetly tugged his shirt a little lower down her thighs, eyes flickering to Finn. "I think it's time to get breakfast started, though. Who knows when Candy will show up to make cookies? Or if Luke will pop back up at any second," she added wryly.
"How do you feel about water conservation?" Toby asked, an eyebrow rising. Evie blushed tomato red and sputtered.
"Not that strongly," Evie retorted firmly. And a little regretfully. But no way would she be able to explain about sharing a shower with Toby to Finn. Oh hell no to that. "You can go first and take five minutes if you're that worried about saving the whales, Fisher."
"Well, that's a shame," he said with a sly grin. Evie got to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest with a huff that belied the pleased curve to her mouth. "If you set everything out, I'll cook while you shower."
"Sounds good to me," Evie agreed, looking over at him fondly. He slipped off the bed and stretched, arms reaching high over his head and bare chest on display. She had to tuck her hands into her armpits and look away to keep from touching. He was all slender and lithe, with a soft tummy that had her itching to reach out and grasp. Tug close and revel in the sea-briny scent and soft warmth of his skin.
He was definitely dangerous to her focus.
"We work well together, then," he said, breaking through her thoughts. She blushed to her hairline at the sweet kiss to her cheek, the words rocking her onto her heels.
They really did work well together. Too well for her peace of mind.
She watched him saunter around the bed towards the bathroom door, the pants he'd– thankfully– pulled on and left on when Luke had shown up earlier hanging loose around his hips. Remembering something, she hurriedly looked over the bed and snatched the long, thin box from the covers.
"Oi, fishbreath," Evie called over. He stopped in the doorway, frown flickering over his face, just for Evie to toss it at him. "Think fast."
He grunted in surprise and fumbled, barely managing to keep the thing in his hands. He glanced down at the toothbrush and snorted under his breath. "Thanks. I'd appreciate a shirt when I'm done, too."
"I'm sure I have an extra somewhere. I bet you could pull it off," Evie replied in amusement. He just laughed and stepped into the room.
"I do look great in yellow," he said just before closing the door.
Evie threw back her head to laugh as Finn fluttered up to perch on her shoulder.
"He's staying over here a lot. Am I gonna havta stay up with Mother more often now?" he asked plaintively.
Guilt stabbed her between the ribs and Evie's laughter ended abruptly. The sound of the shower squeaked and rattled from the bathroom, and Evie quickly reached up to cup Finn in her hands. He came willingly, wings buzzing contentedly as she nuzzled against his squishy cheek.
"No way, Finn. I'd never kick you out for someone else, not like that. We're partners," Evie reminded him firmly. He sighed in relief.
"I'm glad. It's okay if you want him to stay more, though. His breakfast is better'n yours, anyway," Finn told her magnanimously.
She snickered in relief and set him on her shoulder once more. "Yeah, yeah. I know your criteria for a… a kissing… friend…" Evie trailed off weakly, ears steaming.
"That's right! I still like Renee's pancakes the best, but Toby cooks all right." Finn tilted his head as Evie made it over to the fridge and began to rifle through. "Hey, Evie?"
"Mm?" she mumbled, wondering which eggs were the ones Candace left and the ones she'd saved.
"Why aren't ya wearing any pants?"
She dropped her head against the fridge and groaned.
...
Her whole house– shack– smelled like cookies and spinach cake. The lights were out, having been warned just minutes ago by Dale that Phoebe was on the way with the birthday boy. It meant she'd already stubbed her toe and Finn was crowding close to her ear and jangling loud enough with his barely contained excitement to deafen her, but her own anticipation kept her from being out of sorts over it. Evie could barely hold back her grin when Luke knocked at the door. She could hear him outside with Phoebe– worrying if Evie'd gone and forgotten his birthday, even though he'd literally just been there that morning, and how in the world could she forget birthday plans within a couple hours?– although she couldn't quite hear Phoebe's quieter and shorter replies. Perhaps she was finding it just as difficult to keep a straight face as the group of young folk crouched in the dark and listening. Renee and Maya were giggling, heads bowed close, as Owen hissed at them, breaking off into his own barely muffled chuckles.
"I feel like I'm eight years old again," Anissa whispered to Kathy as Evie shuffled awkwardly past. Another round of snickers went through the crowded living area.
Evie shushed at them, then cracked the door barely ajar, peeking out to where Luke was huffing outside the door. Phoebe was standing just behind him, hands in her pockets, and mouth pressed into a thin, tight line.
"Hey, brochilada, what's shakin?" Evie asked as nonchalantly as possible with only her head peeking around the door.
Luke stared at her while Phoebe barely smothered an ugly snort.
"It's my birthday. We have plans," Luke said incredulously.
Evie blinked as owlishly and innocently as possible. "Oh, yeah. I totes forgot."
"You totes forgot? I just came by this morning!" Luke exclaimed, throwing both his hands in the air.
"Yeah, but then I fell back asleep. I mean, you came by really early." Evie pointed out. She let the door open only a little wider and rubbed the back of her head, sighing wearily. "I was about to head to bed. Have an early night, yanno."
"Ear- Early?! It's barely five o'clock!" Luke said, jaw dropping. He actually gestured towards the sun that was still pretty high over the horizon. "Five o' clock, Evie!"
"Repeating the time doesn't make me any less tired, brottata," Evie retorted with an eye roll that could put emo teens to shame.
Luke sputtered in outraged shock. He even looked a little hurt and Evie had to bite her lip to keep from blowing the secret. Or laughing. She was about fifty-fifty.
"Well, he's here now, we both are. Let's just get something at Ocarina together. The three of us," Phoebe said quickly, putting both her hands on Luke's shoulders and winking at Evie just out of his sight-line.
"I guess I can do that. But I'm not gonna stay long, so don't even think about suggesting Brass Bar," Evie warned, pulling herself back together quickly. Only to waver again at the sad wounded noise Luke made.
"Okay, yeah, Ocarina's not so bad. Maybe Maya hasn't eaten an entire cake," he said with a droop to his shoulders.
Evie stepped back and swung open the door, making sure it was wide open before she clicked on her light. Luke, who had been staring at his boots, almost jumped into Phoebe's arms as all six of his oldest friends crowded inside jumped into sight and bellowed–
"Happy birthday, Luke!"
–while pulling the strings on half a dozen different noise-and-streamer crackers from all around him. He gawped at them, gold eyes wide and face covered in ruffly bits of colored paper. Then, he broke into a grin and grabbed the nearest person– Owen, incidentally– to drag him into a half-Nelson.
"You jerks, all y'all! That was real mean– Evie! You're the worst!" he exclaimed, laughing and pointing at Evie who was still half-hidden behind the door and grinning shamelessly.
"Thank you!" she said, preening. "That's the first time I've ever done a surprise party. I think I did well."
"Don't congratulate yourself, Evie," Anissa admonished. Evie blushed and rubbed the back of her head, chuckling awkwardly.
"C'mon, we have to sing! Look at all this cake we have to eat!" Maya exclaimed, holding up one of the two cakes that she'd ended up bringing. Luke's eyes bugged out of his head.
"Now, don' forget the candles!" Kathy said, shaking a few of the thin, neon-bright candles from a small box into her hand.
"I got matches," Owen offered quickly. "But I don't think we can fit a whole twenty candles on top o' this…"
"Don' be a quitter, Oh-bro," Kathy said with a wink. Owen chuckled and bumped their shoulders together lightly.
"Oi, oi, I wanna light 'em," Luke said as he eagerly reached for the cake. Anissa and Renee slapped his hands at almost the exact same time, making him jump back and burst out laughing.
"You get to make the wish, so let us get it ready," Renee scolded.
"That's right. Birthday boy gets to sit and relax and pick out his first gifts," Anissa said brightly.
"Ooooh goodie, gifts!" Luke let Evie lead him to her bed, the only place big enough to lay out all the gifts they'd brought. He skidded to a stop next to it and levelled Evie with a suspicious squint. "You did wash this bed, right?" he muttered under his breath, hand cupping the side of his mouth. Evie flamed red from the collar of her shirt to her hairline.
"Yes, of course I did. Now, pick your darn present!"
Luke held up his hands, laughing hard enough to shake his whole body. "Okay, okay, I will. But where's Toby? And… Candy?" He actually looked lost for a second, heartbroken at the idea Candace hadn't come to his party. Evie patted his back.
"She's coming with her sister later. She's the one that brought all the decorations and came by earlier to bake cookies and stuff. No way she'd miss it," Evie assured him
"If she was here already, why'd she leave?"
"Cuz she had to go get her sister and she thought your 'best' friends should be the ones for the beginning. No matter how many times I told her you would've wanted her to stay," Evie explained with a sigh and shrug.
"The beginnin–?" Luke started to ask, frowning slightly.
Abruptly, the lights clicked off and the two turned to see everyone else walking forward. Maya stood in the middle, gleeful smile lit up by the dozen or more candles clustered over the pale green surface of the cake. Evie eagerly dodged into the crowd and took up singing, almost all of them a little off-key and pitchy, and only a few purposefully so. Somehow Luke managed to blow out all of the candles in one go, grinning widely and breathlessly at the end, and laughed under slaps to his back and extra-tight hugs around his neck. They demolished the first cake in seconds, the biggest slice given to Luke first, of course. Evie was pleasantly surprised how much she'd liked her own relatively small piece and wished she hadn't been so dubious about it before the slices were doled out. She'd been sure she wouldn't like it, but it was pretty delicious.
They played a game of 'Never-Have-I-Ever' solely to embarrass him and get his fingers to fall as quickly as possible each round. Most of them were embarrassing anecdotes from his childhood, but even Evie thought up a few that cornered him and had everyone laughing. By the time the presents were being shoved into his arms, a hat that been decorated by Evie with Candace's supplies the day before was already sitting jauntily on his head, kept on by the thin elastic band that cut awkwardly into his jaw. The sheer amount of glitter on it was blinding– a cacophony of color that showered over his blue hair and caught in his eyebrows within minutes. Owen's gift was the smallest, it seemed, until Luke flipped open the card to see a picture of a shiny new copper axe inside.
"It's waiting for you in your workshop, man," Owen wheezed as Luke hugged him so tightly he could barely breathe.
"And my gift I had to leave at home, but when you have everything ready for her, you can come get her," Renee said, handing over a fancy black certificate holder that held an adoption certificate she'd gotten professionally printed at Simon's. "I know you love Rocky, but now you can have your own ostrich living up at in Garmon with you. Dale promised it'd be fine by him."
Luke's eyes actually swam with tears. "Really? I'll be able to take it home with me?"
"Yup, as soon as Rocky's latest egg hatches. We've been incubating it just for you. Oh my!" Renee gasped, giggling, when Luke flung himself at her and wept against her shoulder. "There, there, Luke."
"Yeah, pull yourself back t'gether, Lukester. You still got all these other presents. This is a purdy one… from Candace?" Kathy wondered aloud, holding up a very pretty blue gift bag spilling over with tinsel and glittery tissue paper.
Luke jerked upright and stared over at it. "Candy? She left a present?" he asked, rubbing at his damp face.
"Of course she did," Evie said with an eyeroll.
Luke took it eagerly and tore the paper out like an excited kid. Evie was both amused and annoyed by the amount of glitter she'd have all over her house now. He pulled out an envelope, which he carefully put back in the bag to read later, and a small box wrapped in a bright red cloth. He untied it to realize it was actually a new bandana, vibrantly crimson in color with bright yellow lightning bolts embroidered across it. Evie stared at it, wondering if Candace had actually made that herself. It wouldn't make sense for her to order it, being a seamstress… Luke was staring at it, too, quiet and smiling pensively as everyone else leaned in close to ooh over the beautiful color and threadwork.
"She has such a way with the needle. I'll never be as good as her." Anissa sighed softly, fingers pressed to her cheek.
"It looks almost machine made. It's remarkable," Phoebe agreed.
"Oh, oh, what's in the box?!" Maya pleaded, shaking Luke's arm. He blinked, as if snapping out of a trance, and then carefully folded the bandana to place back in the gift bag with the envelope.
"I'm lookin', just hold on a sec," he said with a grin at Maya. The box, now that it was uncovered, was plain and black. It looked almost like a jewelry box, which seemed strange, until Luke opened it and everyone saw the item lying pristine and perfectly-fitted to the shaped innards of the box.
"Oooh, now that's fancy," Maya gasped in delight. "She doesn't look it, but she does have such nice taste, don' she?"
"I'll break this!" Luke exclaimed, eyes too wide on the watch lying innocuously in front of him.
"Actually, if that's what I think it is," Phoebe said, adjusting her glasses, "it's meant to be rather durable. The glass front should be almost impossible to scratch or crack, being made of the same sapphire glass that they're building those new smartphones with."
"Brorrito, it's got a calendar and back-lighting. You won't get lost in the forest for a whole week again with this," Evie teased, poking his side to make him cringe. It successfully broke the spell and Luke shook the watch into his hand.
He poked his tongue out to concentrate as he latched the watch around his wrist. Then, he twisted it around so the face of it was resting on the back of his wrist. "Hey, she already set the time and date!"
"It's lovely. And it looks rather rugged and durable, just like Phoebe said," Anissa said approvingly.
"That girl really knows how to present. Mine ain't half as nice as that," Kathy said with a grin and shake of her head.
"I think that even beat my shiny new axe," Owen agreed with a chuckle.
"Speaking of which, let's open the rest. We've got a time limit, yanno," Renee said, clapping her hands briskly. "Now, which one's next? Maya's?"
"I already gave my present! I baked the second cake for you, Lukey!" Maya told him proudly. Almost everyone else blanched to sickly-looking grey. "What?"
Luke glanced over at Evie, a hopeless little smile on his face as he held up the watch. Evie smiled back with an awkward shrug. A large heavy package was shoved into Luke's arm, breaking their private look.
"Mine's next, Carpenter. Hop to," Phoebe said, smiling.
The sanding gun from Phoebe, the basket full of blueberry jams and mini-pies from Anissa (made from the last of the blueberries of spring), and a homemade 'coupon' from Kathy promising a "LuLu Sundae Special' (a banana split sundae smothered in chocolate and blueberry sauce) added to the Brass Bar menu, that he could order any time, any day, for free (provided they had the ingredients) all went over much better than Maya's cake present, fortunately. Though, none were quite as awe-inspiring as the bandana and watch from Candace. Lastly, Evie handed over yet another card and a small box wrapped in balloon-decorated paper.
"I got Barbara and your dad to help me pick it out and order it. Oh, and the card is from Toby. He left it here to give to you," Evie said with a grin.
"Thanks, Evie, but if it's another watch, I'mma havta give it back," Luke joked, already tearing into the envelope. He flipped the card open and whooped, fistpumping excitedly. "A whole day of deep sea fishing?! Toby told me 'bout it a couple weeks ago, but we weren't sure when we'd be able to go out. Awesome!"
"Only one left, hurry up. I'm starvin'," Owen urged, grinning.
Luke huffed, but tore through the paper quickly. The small box wasn't filled with that molding inside, so the gift inside rattle around a little when he shook it. He grinned and pulled off the lid to see a wooden handle, stained dark blue with bronze bolts. He lifted it out and expertly flipped the blade from where it was hidden within the handle. It gleamed bright and shiny from the oil Dale had shown Evie how to use while sharpening it.
"Your dad said yours was gettin' old. And, well, he tries to talk big about you not wasting time whittling, but he still told me it's something you needed. You like it?" Evie asked, fidgeting excitedly.
"I love it. Thanks!" Luke exclaimed, he moved to hug her, and froze when everyone leaned back with gasps of shock. He laughed awkwardly, flipped the knife closed, and then reached over to hug Evie tightly. "It's great, princess."
"I got you a shirt, too. But I didn't have anything to wrap it in. After this morning, it's extra fitting," Evie said, patting his back before leaning away and reaching towards the ground.
"Huh, what d'ya mean?" Luke asked, stuffing the knife in his pocket.
Evie just dug out the plastic mailing bag from under her bed and held out the dark red shirt. Luke ripped the bag open. He flapped the shirt open and his eyes flicked over the front, mouth moving as he read. Before he even got to the end, he was grinning around the soundless words.
"A lion…?" Maya asked, nose wrinkling.
"It's a Gryffindor shirt!" Renee exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
"I have one just like it. Twinsies," Evie told him.
"We're already, like, half a Quidditch team!" Luke joked. He dropped the shirt on his lap and immediately started tearing off the shirts he already had on.
"Oh my goodness!" Maya squeaked, covering her pink face.
"You should wash that first…" Anissa advised, sighing and looking away.
"Nah, no way. I'm gonna wear this all day. This and my cool new watch. You guys, thanks. This was an awesome birthday. Best one since I was a kid," Luke said sincerely, eyes bright and mouth grinning wide enough to hurt.
"You're still a kid. You're barely twenty," Owen said, laughing and rubbing Luke's head.
"You're not much older'n me!" Luke protested.
"Still the baby. Even Maya's older than you," Renee teased.
"Y'all're the worst," Luke grumbled, still smiling.
"Anyway, what's with this noise, like we're done or something?" Evie asked getting to her feet and grimacing over the mess.
"Huh?" Luke asked. Everyone else was also getting up, going for the balloons and the few dishes still sitting on the counter. Maya's cake was also taken, but mostly so it could be discreetly thrown away without Maya seeing it.
"That's right. It's just about dark enough. We better go before it's too dark to see what I'm doing," Phoebe said, hurrying towards her small pack by the door. She checked the flashlight inside with a satisfied nod.
"To see what? Where're we goin'?" He stared, bewildered, as Kathy and Owen grabbed an arm each and led him towards the door.
"You'll see~" Renee and Maya sang and then giggled.
"Wait, wait!" Evie grabbed the pretty blue gift bag and pulled free the fancy red bandana inside. Luke protested in confusion, then spluttered into silence when Evie wrapped the bandana around his head, neatly covering his eyes and tying it tightly. She chuckled when she realize she'd tied it right over the bandana he always wearing. "There. Now you're ready."
"Where are you guys taking me?!" Luke exclaimed, laughing, as Evie placed her hands on his shoulders and gently shove-led him towards her front door. Anissa hurried to open it, and the whole lot of them trouped out, singing happy birthday in as many different rhythms and even languages as they could think of; Anissa blew them away with a surprisingly and beautifully fluent version in Hindi.
Their feet left hard-packed dirt to stumble into the soft sand of the beach. Evie grinned and waved as Luke's head turned this way and that uselessly. The group around them ran over the sand and Evie held Luke still in the middle of the beach, just where the path completely disappeared and the ocean spread in front of them. They weren't quite facing west, so they weren't looking straight into the setting sun, thankfully, but it was still a gorgeous sight. With a flourish, Evie untied the bandana and jumped away.
"Ta-da, birthday boy!" Evie announced with arms open wide.
Luke took just about two seconds to take it all in, blinking rapidly; the huge crowd of every single one of his friends and a few extra, the grill lit up with bright, ready charcoal, the balloons tied to chairs and cooler handles, and the sky stained gold and red as if to match him. Then, Luke grinned wide enough to show almost every single one of his teeth and actually got teary-eyed, rubbing the corner of his eye with his gloved fist.
"Wow, everyone, thank you!"
"It was actually mostly Evie," Renee said, giggling.
Luke whooped and bounded forward. Evie barely managed to yelp, hands up to ward him off, to no effect, as both his arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her into one of his overly-exuberant, spinning hugs. "I shoulda known it was all you, Eves! It's awesome!"
Evie laughed against his shoulder, hugging him just as tightly with both hands clutching his vest. "You're one of my best friends, Lu. I had to do something for your birthday," she muttered, giving him an extra squeeze. She straightened up and flailed a little. "But it wasn't just me! It was Candy, too. She helped a lot, and Phoebe helped with the best part!" Luke set Evie down and turned to where Evie was pointing.
Candace jumped in place where she stood next to her sister. "I-I only did a little," she whispered, shuffling awkwardly and fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. Luke swooped her up into a hug, laughing loudly as Candace shrieked and hid her face against his neck, both her arms thrown over his back and holding on tight enough for her knuckles to whiten.
"Thanks a lot, Candy. You're the best. Y'all are! This is really really really the awesomest birthday ever. Really, thanks everyone," Luke said, still holding the red-faced Candace aloft as if he'd forgotten she were there.
Or just didn't want to let go, Evie thought to herself, biting her lip. As everyone rushed forward to pile Luke with hugs this time, Candace caught in the middle and flaming hot enough to compete with the grill, Evie stayed back and frowned pensively. That morning came rushing back, with all of Luke's characteristic dramatics and uncharacteristic anxiety, and Evie couldn't help but watch Candace. How, even after Luke finally put her back on her feet with a sheepish smile, she kept close, eyes lingering on his profile when he turned away.
Candace couldn't… could she?
"So why are you suddenly on the outskirts of everything?" Toby asked, coming up beside her. She startled slightly, then huffed and knocked her shoulder against his. "Well?"
"I'm just… thinking a few thoughts. That's all. I better throw myself back in the thick of things before Luke notices and complains, though," she said with a grin over at him.
He nodded, and tilted his head towards the grill. "I'll be over there."
"You mean you won't be here?" Evie teased, cheeks tinged pink. His mouth quirked up and he leaned down. His lips brushed the shell of her ear, breath warm on her skin and sending goosebumps down her spine.
"I'll always be here, no matter where I am," he promised quietly.
She watched him walk away, heart beating too fast and mouth too dry. Her hands reached up to twist into the thick blue overshirt she wore. A dancing ball of light dropped to her shoulder. Finn's hand patted her cheek as his wings twinkled with leftover glow.
"Evie, are you okay? Arencha hungry?" he asked worriedly. Evie blinked and smiled affectionately down at him.
"Yeah, I really am. Did you like that cake earlier?"
"You betcha!"
She jogged over to where the party was in full swing, an actual boombox from the nineties blaring music as loudly as it could, and food being set on to the grill. Selena was hovering between Kathy and Maya, Luna and Candace were chatting with Anissa, and Owen was helping Phoebe set out fireworks (mainly by keeping Luke's hands away from them). Chase, of course, was at the grill with Toby, looking pleasantly surprised at how deftly the fisherman handled it while somehow simultaneously looking like he was barely exerting himself. Renee bounced her way over the sand towards Evie, quickly linking arms and dragging her towards the fireworks.
"You havta help us keep him entertained. Who knows what'll happen if he snags one," Renee joked, laughing at Luke's outraged protest.
"I gotta distract myself, too, or else I'll be in danger of blowing 'em all up," Evie said, throwing herself on Luke's back and blowing a raspberry on his neck.
"Ugh, gross, stop!"
"Nuh-uh! C'mon, let's go play in the ocean! We've all got bathing suits on," Evie suggested eagerly.
"I don't have mine on, no one told me!" Luke complained even as Kathy whooped and tore her shirt over her head.
Evie just laughed and jumped back, tossing off her shirt but leaving on her shorts. She always wore swimming trunks with whatever suit she happened to own, so it wasn't that different. "What, scared of getting your pants wet, Lu-Lu?"
"Lu-Lu?" Selena asked, a thin eyebrow rising as she smiled.
"He's my brostata, I call him what I like," Evie told Selena with a grin. "How are you likin' Castanet? Everyone welcome you with eerie amounts of cheerfulness?" she asked.
Selena actually giggled behind her hand, flipping her pretty red hair over her shoulder and cocking her hip. "You know it. It's like being a mini-celebrity. I think I might hang around just a little longer. … did you…?" the teen looked a little uncomfortable for a moment and guilt had Evie ducking her head.
"Oh, uh, not yet? It's been too busy since you've come. But… I think I'll have some time tomorr–"
"Evie, look out!" Finn shouted a moment before everyone around her starting laughing uproariously and two familiarly strong arms wrapped around her waist. She barely caught sight of Selena's eyes widening, then she was swept off her feet as Luke cackled maniacally behind her.
"Holy Goddess, what the crackerjacks are you doing?" Evie shrieked, half-laughing, arms clutching at Luke's as she kicked and flailed to no avail. Although she might be broader and probably heavier than Luke, she still didn't have half his strength or height on her side. She was carted towards the ocean, laughing herself breathless, as easy as a life-size doll. "Don't you do it, Carpenter, I'll kill you!"
"What'd I say about Lu-Lu?" he responded, just before water lapped over their feet and he threw them both into the water.
They were followed seconds later by Owen, Kathy, and Renee, who all ganged up on Luke with Evie the moment the two of them broke the surface. Evie gasped and wheezed, soaked head to toe, and helped dunk Luke gleefully. They were joined by Anissa and Selena, both too classy to join in the dunking, but Maya followed after in a frilly eye-blinding pink suit with a glow-in-the-dark frisbee they all eagerly tossed around randomly when they got mostly bored of dunking the birthday boy. Evie and Luke missed the most, flailing and splashing their way towards the frisbee at the same time whenever one of them missed. It helped that Luke still had on his jeans that were much more constricting than Evie's shorts, so she was able to beat him usually. They played in the water until it was almost completely dark, and came back out of the surf, soaked and shivering, to the fire that Phoebe and Candace had managed to get started. Luna was near the cooks, standing just far enough away that none of the smoke drifted over her, but in an animated conversation with Chase. Sometime while they were swimming, Julius had come and was talking with the two and Toby, though Luna's many pointed glares in his direction reminded Evie sharply of Renee's words so long ago.
Luna really did not like him, and seemed to be keeping him from Candace by leaving her whole body between him and where Candace was handing Phoebe an armful of logs. Fortunately, the moment Candace saw them coming, she rushed forward with so many towels she was almost hidden behind them. And far away from the danger zone that was Julius.
"D-don't catch a cold!" Candace said anxiously, flittering between all of them.
"I hope you have extras, Candy. I didn't bring anything," Luke said slicking his hair back and grinning down at her. Candace blushed beet-red at his state of damp undress and shoved one at his bare chest.
"Y-You c-can use m-mine," she stammered painfully. Luke grinned and rubbed at his face and hair ineffectually.
"Thanks, it smells like you- your shop, yanno, that purple flowery stuff all your stuff smells like," Luke hurriedly blurted, his own cheeks pink.
Candace huffed and took his towel in her own hands, forcing him to bend down so she could rub his hair dry herself. "You're going to c-catch your death, Luke. It's… it's lavender. It keeps away the bugs," she added quietly.
"It's summer! I'm fine!" He peeked out from under the towel, smiling and hair falling over his face. "Whatever it is, lavender, it smells nice, too."
"Th-thanks," she whispered, letting the towel fall over his shoulders and her hands falling further, fidgeting with the cuffs of her cardigan.
"C'mon, stop motherin' him! He'll learn soon enough. It's time for eatin'!" Kathy told Candace, grabbing her shoulders and spinning her around.
"That's right! Fresh grilled seafood!" Renee said eagerly, rushing forward to link arms with Candace.
"Ugh, there's more than that, right?" Owen muttered, trudging by with Maya on his back who was breathless and giggling.
"Don't be mean, Owen~ Chase made it, it's gonna be de~licious~" Maya said, somehow singing some of her words.
"Not even Chase can make seafood good," Owen said doubtfully.
"There's chicken and a whole bunch of vegetables over here, Gravel, stop whining!" Chase called over his shoulder, not even breaking eye contact with Luna and immediately lowering his voice to continue whatever he was saying to her. She raised an eyebrow at him as Owen laughed.
Evie shuffled closer to Luke, who was standing strangely still and frozen to the same spot, towel pressed over his face and head ducked. She punched his bicep lightly, catching his attention. It was dark enough that she could barely see the light flush on his face by wavering firelight. The look he gave her– the crooked, self-effacing, little smile– had her heart clenching, and she wanted desperately to spill out her suspicions, but it wasn't the time now.
"Hey, Lu, you got it together?" she murmured, nudging her shoulder to his and shivering. He wrapped his damp arm, somehow already warmer than her, around her shoulders and noogied the side of her head.
"Yeah, I got it t'gether," he said reassuringly.
"You two coming? Anything wrong?" Anissa asked, walking up from behind them with Selena, the faintly glowing frisbee in her hands.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you were both half-drowned," Selena said a little sardonically, though her mouth was smiling. And her eyes were lingering on Luke's bare shoulders and chest. "You spent more time underwater than above."
"Well, that's the fun part!" Luke protested, laughing and more his usual self.
Evie resisted the urge to cover Luke like a too-protective older sister, her eyes darting to where Candace was standing between Kathy and Renee, giggling and holding a plate. But what if…
"I thought you weren't a kid anymore? Isn't it your, like, twentieth birthday today?" Selena asked, fists on her hips. Evie noticed then that Selena was wearing a bikini, curves and perfect tanned skin glowing orange and crimson from the firelight. She was gorgeous, but her Hollywood-flawless looks and ruby eyes were being focused on Luke. It was like watching someone flirting with a brother, one that happened to be in a very delicate place emotionally and with not a whole lot of skill in introspection. (Yeah, she knew just how ironic it was for her to be thinking that…)
"Selena, you're still a teenager, should you really be scolding Luke about his age?" Anissa teased, chuckling behind her hand. Selena tossed her hair over her shoulder, baring her throat and shoulders as naturally as breathing.
"Everyone knows women mature faster than boys," she said haughtily.
Luke held onto the ends of his towel around his neck and threw back his head to laugh. "If being twenty means I can't throw Evie around the ocean, then I'm gonna stay nineteen forever."
"Don't be a dork. Next time I'm throwing you around. Just look at these guns, no, really! I'm not so puny anymore!" Evie said, flexing her biceps and posing like a bodybuilder.
"Dude, looking good. You'll be the next Schwarzenegger!" Luke agreed, throwing her two thumbs-up with a wide grin.
"OI! TOO FAR!" Evie exclaimed, using her towel to rat-tail him. He yelped and ran over the sand, laughing hysterically as Evie tripped and stumbled after him.
"It was a compliment!" he yelled over his shoulder.
"You called me a Terminator! Not a compliment, you cheese doodle!"
"A what?" Owen asked in confusion, reaching into a cooler for a drink as Luke raced by, Evie just seconds behind him.
"Ignore the animals," Chase told him firmly. He reached in the cooler to grab a bottle of chilled apple juice and replaced the can in Owen's hand with it. Owen stared down at it, then smirked at Chase, who merely glared back, his arms crossed. Owen held up his hands in surrender and took the juice without a word. Kathy stared at them, eyes a little wide and mouth softening into a relieved smile. Chase caught the glance and rolled his eyes with a scoff, though his eyes skirted away.
Evie and Luke eventually made it back to the food, laughing and flushed, and reaching with eager hands for the plates Anissa and Renee handed them. Almost everyone ended up circling the fire as the coals in the grill died. It wasn't a huge bonfire by any means, but it was wide enough around for everyone to surround it easily and to quickly discourage Owen and Luke from making a bet to see if they could jump over it. Somehow, Evie ended up sitting on the sand next to Toby, their shoulders brushing and knees bumping comfortably, Candace and Luna curled up on a beach blanket on Evie's other side. On Toby's other side were Phoebe, who was finishing off a box of zaru soba she'd brought down, and Anissa, her skirt back and tucked around her knees, her bare feet layered in sand. The other side of the driftwood fire that burned with sparks of green and blue sat almost everyone else, all singing, and Chase somehow stuck in the middle looking pained at the caterwauling around him.
Evie snickered behind her mouthful of roasted corn on the cob, only to choke and bend over double, hacking. Toby and Anissa hurriedly leaned towards her, both admonishing and concerned, and all three of them missed the sudden low hissing sound that came from Luna. By the time Evie waved Anissa and Toby off, blushing in shame and wheezing in a few clear breaths, Julius had managed to neatly insert himself in the space between Evie and Candace, seated on the sand almost too posture-perfect.
"This has been an entertaining evening so far. Did you really help plan it, Candace?" Julius asked with a small smile.
Evie knew the words themselves weren't condescending, and she was sure Julius didn't mean them to be, but Candace wilted under his gaze as if they had been.
"I..." Candace whispered, flustered and eyes on the ground.
"She did," Luna snarled. "Why aren't you over there with the fun crowd? Surely we're too boring and quiet for you over here."
"Why you could never be quiet enough, Ms. Snyder," Julius said in a voice so pleasant it made Evie's teeth ache.
"Uhm… uh…" Candace stammered painfully.
"Julius, how's Ms. Mira?" Evie asked quickly, almost desperately.
Julius turned a real, sunny smile on Evie. "Absolutely thriving. I was worried about yesterday, but she's still her busy, hard-working self. You really helped her."
"I didn-"
Luna snorted loudly. "Anyone is better help than you, it looks like. You probably don't know the meaning of hard-work."
Julius' smile went tight and Anissa sighed wearily. Poor Candace was stuck between two combatants, paling considerably with every word exchanged.
"I don't suppose a privileged child barely out of college would understand it any better. Even Candy has known more than you have," Julius retorted in a barely controlled tone.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Rosens?" Luna seethed, small hands actually clenching into fists. "And it's Candace to you," she added, with a sneer that could cow a Rottweiler.
"Hey, leave Candy out of this!" Evie interrupted fiercely, half-rising to physically pull Candace away. Julius immediately looked contrite and horrified at himself.
"That wasn't what I meant, Candace."
"I-I kn-know…" Candace tried to say, eyes on her lap and hands rising and falling limply. "I-it's f-fine."
"No, it's not, go bully someone else," Luna said hotly.
"No one's bullying anyone," Toby said quickly, his voice mellow and soothing, hands up as if trying to calm feral animals. "It's just a simple misunderstanding."
"Let's not ruin such a perfect evening," Anissa said with a worried glance towards the others.
Phoebe cleared her throat when Luna looked ready to ignore them all and start sharpening claws next. And Candace looked ready to faint. Eyes turned towards her, except for Julius and Luna who were glaring each other down, and Candace was staring at her lap, face shadowed by her bangs.
"I think it's time for the finale, yeah? Julius, why don't you go crack open that wine you brought and we'll get started?" Phoebe suggested pointedly. He finally dragged his gaze away from Luna and got to his feet so elegantly and smoothly, Evie wondered if he'd practiced it.
"I can do that. Candy, would you–"
"It's Candace," Evie and Luna said at the same time, though with different tones.
"I'll help you," Anissa said swiftly while getting to her feet with the same effortless grace. She linked her arm with Julius' and led him away before he could get a word out.
Phoebe got to her feet and shook her head. "That could have been worse. I suppose. Let's keep the two cats away from each other."
"I am not a cat," Luna snapped furiously. "Just keep that- that dick away."
Running a hand through her hair, Evie groaned under her breath, "Thank the Goddess for Anissa."
Toby raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not the best at tact, are you?"
Evie sputtered and twisted away, ignoring the chuckle. She caught sight of Candace, body curled forward and face hidden, and concern propelled Evie over the short span of sand. Luna saw her at the same time, and both women were at Candace's side in a snap. Luna grasped one of Candace's hands, and Evie wrapped an arm around her trembling shoulders.
"I… I shouldn't have let him get to me. I'm sorry, Candy," Luna admitted rather guiltily, voice cajoling. "You know me, I'm not angry at all, not with you."
"If you need to go, Candy, we can go," Evie said, just as gently and anxiously as Luna.
Candace quickly shook her head, braids swishing over her cardigan. "I-It wouldn't b-be fair to L-Luke. I d-don't want to ruin his p-party. Julius… he didn't s-say anything m-mean."
"No, but he keeps putting his nose where it isn't welcome," Luna said with a dagger-like glare towards the coolers. The pop of the cork from the wine had Candace jumping and pressing a hand to her mouth.
"Julius is very good at that, but he honestly didn't mean harm tonight. I'll try and talk to him about it, though, Candace. If you'd like me to," Toby said, kneeling next to Evie. Evie glanced at him with a relieved smile.
"Th-thank you… for the offer and t-tonight. You helped. A lot," Candace told him, mirroring Evie's smile, if a little smaller and wibblier. "I… I don't want t-to cause any t-trouble…"
"No trouble," Toby assured her. He patted Evie's shoulder, "I'm going to go play party buffer again. I'll walk you home after the show's over?"
She nodded gratefully. For a moment, she swayed forward, but she caught herself and blushed an ugly shade of red. What was she thinking, leaning in to kiss his cheek like… like her boyfriend or something!? "Y-yeah, that's great. I trust you to handle him."
"Trust you more than me," Luna agreed, sighing.
Toby nodded, looked over at Evie one more time, then down at Candace. His jaw tightened slightly, but when he was on his feet, his expression was its usual affable blankness. With him gone, Evie's blush faded and she looked back down at Candace who was wiping at the corner of her eye and laughing quietly.
"I was just b-being silly. He's not d-doing anything wrong," Candace said sadly. "I just can't… I c-can't forget how he used to be. I'm not b-being fair to him."
"Bullocks."
"Bullshit."
Evie grimaced at Luna's cruder word. Finn was still polishing off the last of the cornbread somewhere, but that ladylike demeanor seemed all but smashed to pieces. She really didn't want Finn to pick up the worst of these words. Speaking of which, a dancing ball of light made its way over even as Candace scolded Luna's language. Finn popped into his corporeal form on Evie's shoulder, little belly round and bulging, contented groans escaping him.
"What'd I miss? Why's everyone so sad looking?" Finn asked, blinking groggily.
"Nothing," Evie said with a shake of her head.
"Nothing what?" Luna asked, scowling in confusion. Candace was merely looking up at her. The solemn recognition on her face, as if she'd seen Evie do this a thousand times, had the rancher's heart beating extra fast in embarrassment and worry.
"Nothing, nothing! Just, nothing!" Evie squeaked, flapping her hands in the air desperately.
"FIREWORKS!" The three of them spun around to see Luke actually cackling in glee, fistpumping as Phoebe set the small crate down in front of him. "We're actually gonna do fireworks?!"
"Not any big ones," Phoebe warned him. "Some fountains and pop rockets and, of course, sparklers."
"Sparklers! Oh, let's do those right now! Evie! Candy! Get over here!" He cupped his mouth with his hands to call over to them, despite the maybe five feet between them. Evie rolled her eyes fondly.
"I'm glad I stayed," Candace said. She got to her feet, dusted off her tartan skirt, and waved when he whooped and jumped in the air.
"That's the ticket," Evie agreed, getting up and tucking Candace into the circle of her arm. Luna shook out her own skirt and eyed the crate warily.
"It seems like an accident waiting to happen to me," Luna said dubiously. She then sighed and shrugged. "But… it's been a while since I was able to light them myself."
They made their way over, where Anissa and Julius were handing out plastic cups of wine. Chase sent so many poisonous glares at the cup in Owen's hand, Owen had to clap a hand to his shoulder to divert his attention. They shared a long look, Chase's mouth a thin white line and Owen's gaze weary, before the redhead tipped almost half his portion into Chase's cup. Evie blinked and quickly looked away. She had no idea what was going on there, but she did remember Kathy's worry weeks ago. Before the girls' night. She let Luke drag her to the crate and shove two sparklers into her hands.
The next moment, she and Luke were running over the beach, laughing and waving their sparklers around like wands. Which prompted them to pretend "duel", shouting every spell they could remember and re-enacting the effects. Kathy and Renee shortly joined, though they didn't remember the spells as well, and started shouting just any "magic" sounding words they could think of, Renee blurting 'bippity boppity boo' once and nearly making Kathy fall back into the sea from laughing too hard. When Candace got too worried, they calmed down and just traced their names with her and Anissa (and then obscene words when Luna joined them). Maya spent most of the time with her sparklers trying to convince Chase to get his own, and then spun in dizzying circles with Selena, the two of them using each other to stay standing and barely managing not to burn each other.
The bigger fireworks went off minutes later, bursts and pops of sound and color. The fountains hissed and fizzled, sparks dancing over sand before burning into nothing. The smell of sulfur had Candace's nose wrinkling, and Luke wrapped the towel he'd borrowed around her head, pulling it down like a scarf still covering her nose. Her muffled laughter had the last of the tension in Luna and Evie ebbing away.
Owen and Phoebe took care of most of the fireworks, both familiar with fire. Owen's cup of wine was long gone, his soot-blackened face grinning and clear as he raced away from whatever firework he'd lit and clapping Luke's back when he whooped and leapt in place. Even Phoebe was laughing, wiping at her sooty glasses every five minutes and gratefully gulping down whatever Julius passed her. Chase and Toby were the first to walk back towards the grill, packing everything up and pausing occasionally to look over at the fireworks and the people cheering under the lights.
Despite everyone being exhausted, they were all sad to see the last firework fade from the sky. The rest of the group helped Toby and Chase finish packing and clearing the beach, most of the trash being thrown right into the remaining embers of the bonfire.
"It's too hot to take back to Harmonica tonight," Toby said, frowning slightly at the grill.
"It's also too late," Anissa agreed, yawning as she spoke.
"You'll just take it back with you in the morning. I don't mind if you stay the night again," Evie said, bumping his shoulder and grinning sleepily over at him. "You were gonna walk me home anyways."
"Do you want me to walk you home, Candy?" Luke asked, turning to the sisters who were walking up with their beach bag. Luna raised an eyebrow. "And you, too, Luna! Duh!" he added hastily.
"Better… I guess…" Luna drawled drily.
"I… I don't want you to go out of your way. It's so late…" Candace said.
Selena stepped up to Luke's side. "You can walk me back, and Maya, too."
Luke stared over at her, blinking owlishly. "Wait, what's your name again?"
Selena's cheeks puffed as her dark skin actually flushed. "Selena. Selena Toucan!"
"Oh, right. I'm Luke Carpenter," he greeted blithely.
"I know that, I'm at your party!"
"But… it's polite to introduce myself the right way, right?" he asked, grinning widely and rubbing the back of his head. "Now we can be friends for reals."
Evie smothered a laugh behind her hand as Selena gaped at him.
"I am too tired for this," Selena declared loudly.
"Well, Luke's walking us back, let's go birthday boy," Luna said, snapping her fingers. Luke actually snapped to attention, oofing slightly when Luna shoved the beach bag into his arms. "You carry that, too."
"Okey dokey."
"Oh, no, wait, Luke, d-don't!" Candace gasped, hands reaching for the bag, but too polite to pull it away.
"I got it, no probs!" he said easily, giving her two thumbs up. Luna rolled her eyes and began marching away. "Bye, everyone! Thanks for the great party!"
"Yes, it was fun!" Candace bowed to everyone and hurried along next to Luke's easy loping stride. "Please, Luke, let me carry the bag."
"I'm goin' Flute Fields way. Rey, you're still good with me pitchin' at your place so I can get a decent ride in tomorrow 'fore work, yeah?" Kathy asked, rustling her bangs sleepily.
Renee smiled and nodded. "As long as you get me all the way to bed. I'm about to fall out right here."
"Yeah… uhm, I can do that," Kathy agreed, voice cracking slightly.
Almost everyone else went towards Flute Fields. When Phoebe offered to help Selena and Maya get to Ocarina, Owen decided to go with Chase to his house. They all waved good-bye and called out sleepy good-nights until they were too tired to raise their voices. Evie trudged up the hill towards her house, admittedly the closest of all destinations, smiling at the whistling snores in her pocket. Toby didn't even look back at the beach, where his uncle's grill still sat forlorn and unprotected, not a chain or lock in sight. Such a country boy, Evie thought with a grin.
The only light they turned on when they got into the house was the bathroom light, unwilling to burn their eyes out on the brightest overhead light. When Toby ducked into the bathroom, Evie hurriedly, but gently, placed the heavily sleeping Finn on the pillow. She straightened just as Toby peeked out, the water of the shower going inside.
"You'd like to hop in first?"
Evie frowned, eyes already half-lidded and balance wobbling. Toby had to be just as bad off. She smirked sleepily. "Mr. Fisher, how do you feel about water conservation?"
His drowsy chuckles echoed in the tiny bathroom and she stepped in after him. The faster showering was done, the faster she could sleep and not get the smell of sulfur and old kelp all over her bed. Finn was too deeply asleep to worry about, anyway.
A/N: I did actually do research on watches and some were SO EXPENSIVE. just WHY? okay, Candy, you do you gurl. y'all know she fantastic fashion taste, for... everyone else. I think it's officially time to post the second main pairing. Yup. I'm also thinking up some timestamps, so if there are any pairings or characters' POVs you want, let me know!
OKAY BUT I'M IN IDIOT? the cocktails? Are actually just different kinds of alcohol they just call cocktails. MINDBLOWN
Grape cocktails? Wine. Fucking WINE. Owen getting tipsy on wine, he so classy gay.
Olive cocktails? Martini.
Yam cocktail? SOJU. Fucking SOJU. OR Vodka.
Rice cocktail? SAKE.
Buckwheat or wheat cocktails? Dude, it beer.
lmfao from now on, my canon is changing the cocktails to the actual shit it represents. imdyingloooool (me n' my beta made a whole LIST of every cocktail's RL counterpart. she got super invested in it, it was great hahaha)
Next update: 02/14/2018 (V-Day?! AND I'll be in USA?! whaaaat)
