Her head pained a familiar feeling across her temple and she brought up her right hand to rub her forehead. She groaned and sat upright but the headache came full swing. She looked down at herself and saw that she was naked. Her clothes were laying all around the bedroom and she tried to piece everything together but all she got was a blurry memory along with a smooth voice. She looked to her side wanting to find her company from last night but no one was there. Probably left after their intimate night together. Who would blame her, she was a mess this whole week. She stopped the Highbreed invasion but her grandpa Max died helping her. After his funeral, she started drinking away the pain and coming home late from busting criminals and facing Knights. Last night might have been her first and maybe her last one-night stand. She honestly didn't want to go through that again. But the pain didn't go away so drinking was probably the solution. Now she knows why her Uncle Carl started drinking after her cousin's funeral. The pain of losing a loved one and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. Twice had that happened to her. She couldn't drink when she was ten and now she was fifteen going to sixteen drinking like a sailor like there was no tomorrow. She laughed bitterly at how much she hated herself at the moment. It was her fault that Ben got killed. It was her fault that Grandpa Max died protecting them. That's why she still chose to live alone and honestly it does have its perks most of the time. She could cry alone in silence, watch anything she wanted, and could eat junk food anything she wanted.
She sniffed and held herself back from crying at the thought of her parents worrying endlessly about her, especially after Grandpa's funeral. She liked to think that she was protecting them by staying away but it only pained her heart the more she stayed away. She still went to school and saw her parents. Her mom's keeping herself busy with work while her dad and Uncle Carl are trying their hand at the Plumbing business. She couldn't imagine her father wielding a gun much less a high-powered plasma rifle. And to think both of them knew all along about Grandpa's Plumbing days and still didn't think about helping him. She didn't blame them. It wasn't a safe thing to do in the long run. She clutched her comforter tight in her hands up to her chest and wanted to scream out bloody murder. But she reigned herself in and decided to get out of bed and just do something. Grabbing a random black shirt and blue pants she hastily got herself dressed leaving her shoes off for the moment. She looked around for her jacket, a light blue leather jacket with the number ten on the side of it. She could have sworn it was over her dresser, she always threw it there even while drunk.
"Looking for something, Tennyson?" A silky smooth voice calls out from the doorway and she turns and is met face-to-face with her one-night partner. And, oh gods did she wish it wasn't her of all people. Dressed in a small pink crop top with boxers and wearing her jacket as if she owned it. Silver hair loose falling tk her backside with her dark purple eyes holding mischief, lips curled in a teasing smirk, and arms crossed.
"Hope," She paled, seeing the silver-haired sorcerer in her home, it wasn't the first time it happened. Hope or as she is better known as Charmcaster, is one of her enemies turned friends but still held a playful rivalry in between and this wasn't it. Far from it.
She expected a lot of things when she woke up. Being robbed of everything, aliens abducting her, the Forever Knights holding her captive anything but–
"Want some coffee, I could make you some?" But that.
"Sure, I'll have some."
A few minutes later she wore her slippers and made her way down to the stairs of her small apartment with a decent size living room and mixed kitchen, the bathroom, and bedroom were on the second floor. She found Hope stirring two cups of coffee, one blue and the other purple, along with a plate of cookies. She probably found her hidden stash of chocolate chips while she was dozing off. Taking a seat at the table, Hope brought forth her mug along with the plate of cookies. She thanked her softly and brought the warm mug into her hands. Letting out a sigh of relief at feeling something warm, aside from last night. Before she could take a sip of her hot beverage her emerald eyes caught the sight of the bulky blue watch on her left wrist. Right, how could she forget? She can never go a day without seeing the blasted thing. Honestly, it was more trouble than it's worth. Even Azmuth, the creator of the Omnitrix said it was in safer hands with her than him.
"Not going to drink it?" She looked up seeing Hope eyed her in confusion. Her eyes seemed to glimmer from the intense magic power she had within her but that could be the trick of the light, "After I went through all the trouble of making sure I added enough sugar." She chastised and Gwen snickered at the joke.
"It's not that, just deep in thought." She said, finally taking a sip of her drink. Perfect just the way she liked it, as she took a bite out of her cookies she wanted to save up for a special occasion, not a morning snack.
"About last night?" She spat out a bunch of cookie crumbs and looked wide-eyed at the silver-haired girl before her, "Isn't that why you're in deep thought?" She winked and her cheeks flushed a deep red. She buried herself in her drink and cookies. Charmcaster giggled at her reaction as the sorceress took a sip of her caffeine drink.
"N-No!" She stammered out loud but doubled back wondering what the actual hell happened last night, "I might be curious about last night."
And honestly, she had a hazy memory of the events. She remembered going to a pub and started drinking the night away. The drink just kept coming she didn't stop till…she blacked out and woke up naked alone in bed, as it should be, with Hope wearing her jacket like a trophy. Why was that? She was afraid to ask since she knew the answer already. They slept together and she has no recollection of it.
She groaned as another headache came. Christ, how much did she drink?
"Best not to think too much of it," The woman across from her said, taking another sip of her drink as she used her free hand to gesture around her apartment, "Had to cast a noise canceling spell cause someone wanted to scream bloody murder all night long." She did not want to know that of all things. She groaned a blush spread over her cheeks again as she couldn't look Hope in the eye. If she needed to cast a spell, then they were loud and Gwen probably wasn't the best at being subtle when drunk.
"But how did you know where I was? I'm certain not even Kevin knows where I was?" Had she been following the hero since the funeral or before that? How much did Hope see?
"You called me," Hope said plain and simple and Gwen had to rack her brain around it. She was sure Hope burned the phone she was given, as a token of their friendship but she had no use for it anyway, and the only way to contact the sorceress was through the door to anywhere or one of the charms she was given…Oh shit.
"Yeah, your expression gives it away, Gwen," She gave a teasing smirk and grabbed a cookie with her free hand, "I'll give you the short version. You used the charm I gave you, the one for emergencies only, to call me but I found you at the back alley of the pub and took you home. The rest is self-explanatory also," she gave a stern look at the watch-wielding hero, "You owe me new clothes and I'm taking these." She points to the clothes she had one
Well, fuck…this wasn't how it was supposed to go. She rubbed between her nose and closed her eyes and her images from last night came in nauseous waves. Calling Charm… being taking her back home… the sloppy kiss than their intimate night further on…and the bed wasn't the only place.
"Oh god…" She held her face with both hands, placing the mug down beforehand, "Why didn't you stop me?"
She didn't answer at first, probably thinking of an answer that won't get the red-haired girl fuming or at the least embarrassed enough as she is. She had been through enough and she didn't need any more stress added to her life. With the Forever Knights still out there as well as Vilgax lurking in the shadows of the cosmos, she wasn't ready for whatever this is. Hope is one of the two people to mostly keep her sane at times but now she was the cause of it.
"Look it happened, get over it," She huffed and took a big sip of her hot beverage, "Besides I'm mad that you used the charm I gave you." She stood up grabbing both their mugs, Gwen's was finished already, and she made her way to the kitchen sink and placed it inside.
"Why do you even care, Gwen? Aren't you madly in love with Levin?" She said his name with so much disdain and vulgarity. Right, she forgot the two don't get along. When they first met she thought they would but time went on and the two hated each other. The only reason why they haven't killed each other yet is because of her.
"I-I am, but…" She stopped herself short and looked down at her hands.
Hope walked up to Gwen beside her then kneeled, taking her hands into her own, her thumb brushing at the Omnitrix lightly. The young teen's hands were shaking a bit at the whirlwind of emotions going through her. She knows the feeling of losing a loved one, feeling helpless as she couldn't do anything.
"Hey," She called out and emerald eyes locked onto her. The pain, the sadness, and the suffering all mixed in. Hope can only begin to imagine what she has been through and she even tried to kill her once before, "It's okay to be scared but running away from your problems won't do you any good. I saw how you looked at Levin and the way he makes you feel, I'm jealous cause I don't have that but you do," Holds her hands tightly not wanting to let go, "If you don't do anything then you'll lose him, Gwen, trust me you will."
Gwen nods her head taking a deep breath to calm her beating heart as well as quell her emotions, "Thanks but I don't know how to ask him out?"
"Just be your nerdy, adorable self, Gwen, guys like a cute girl," She winked and her cheeks flushed again.
Hope sighs and gets up but before she walks, Gwen wraps her arms around her waist and pulls her into a hug. The action caught the sorceress off guard but she returned it after a few seconds. Her fingers ran through her red locks, the familiar feeling bringing back the memories from last night. She forced them down and hugged back gently.
The front door opens as a deep voice calls out to her, "Hey Gwen, there's mail for ya, thought I'd bring them for," Kevin E Levin stopped in his tracks seeing the girls embraced in a hug. Hope still had her fingers running through her hair and Gwen hugging her waist. But the shocker came when he realised that the witch was wearing Gwen's custom jacket and clothes that did not belong to Hope. Everyone stared at each other for a few seconds as Kevin waved the mail toward them. He kept his cool and just told himself nothing happened but why was she wearing Gwen's jacket. The two let go of each other as Gwen tried to hide her flushed face and Charm went back into the kitchen wanting another coffee.
"Morning, Kevin," She greeted but the older teen had his obsidian eyes glued to Charmcaster, "Kev?"
He shook his head and finally looked at the tennyson girl seated before him, "Sorry, didn't know you had company or else i would have just left it," He motions towards the mail in his hand. He walked forward and placed the mail down onto the table. "Some are from the colleges you applied for and one's for rent."
"Thanks," Gwen grabbed the mail in hand and quickly tossed the 'Due for rent' one away, "Want anything to drink?"
"No thanks, whatever she's making, I don't want it."
Nodding her head Gwen stood up and started opening her college letters. This is something she wanted, even if it's outside of Bellwood, she just wanted a normal life away from all the craziness. Some would say applying for college is idiotic but others would say she was brave in doing it. Her grades are above the rest and she quickly learned martial arts and got her black belt in record time as well. She opened the first one…'We regret to inform you that your application has been rejected…' she threw the letter into the ground as she opened the next letter. Same thing as the last one! What the hell?! She worked hard, studied way past her bedtime and even did multiple projects just to hand them in on time! What the fuck!
…This was the final one. She tore it open and began reading it in her head.
She wanted to ball her eyes out but she chewed the inside of her cheek as her tears streamed down her face and onto the letter. Three college's rejected her. She put in all that hard for what? Just to get rejected? The last one she applied for was only a few hours away from Bellwood. She was sure she would get in. Then why? Why? She crushed the piece of paper in her hands as she started to tremble and shake. The questions began to swirl her mind with no end as her emerald eyes finally landed on her left wrist where the blasted watch was. It was this stupid thing's fault. Everything was its fault! She wanted to rip it apart and throw it into the null video but it was fused to her skin. For five freaking years, the thing has been fused to her wrist and it can't get it now matter how hard she tries. She was ready to end it after her Grandpa Max died, just jumping off a building. No one would know when she would jump like now.if she can get into the roof and just—
"Gwen, what does it say?" Kevin's voice broke her out of her thoughts. She wiped away the tears and plaster on a fake smile, she turned around and waved the letters at him. Hope was still in the kitchen making coffee as this whole ordeal was going on.
"I got rejected from them all," She did her best to pretend as if it didn't hurt as much. She could only hope that Kevin doesn't ask her further and takes notice.
"Sorry to hear that you did the best you could with everything thrown at you," His frown expression along with the way he said it made Gwen even more guilty, "Oh, right the other reason I came here, wanna hang out? It's the weekend and I'm sure you don't have any other plans."
Sniffing, "What makes you say that?" she crossed her arms, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Unless you wanna spend time with the witch of all people," He threw his thumbs towards the kitchen.
"I heard that you asshole!" Hope shouted from the kitchen as her hand glowed pink with magical energy.
He cranked his neck towards her direction, "Good, cause there's nothing interesting about you anyways," He spoke out and reached inside his pocket and pulled out a shard taydenite. He encased his entire arm in taydenite and got himself ready for a fight if the sorceress wanted it.
"You guys aren't serious?" She asked, having had enough time to calm herself and wipe away the tears that were threatening to fall.
"We are," They both announced then glared at each other.
"Why are you still wearing Gwen's jacket? Take it off will you, it doesn't fit."
An amused smile graced the white-haired woman's lips as she leaned back against the counter behind her, "Oh, jealous are we?" Her hand still crackled with magical energy.
"Who cares what I think." He said through gritted teeth.
"I do, and quite frankly, I wear it cause we had a fun night, right Gwendolyn?"
"As if I'd believe you of all people."
"You don't. But the proof is all here," She gestured towards the clothes she was wearing then pointed towards the room, "More proof in her bedroom, a little warning though, it might smell."
His brow twitched and he was ready to sucker punch her but Gwen stepped forth and pulled him back. Holding her hand over her watch, in case there will be a fight happening in her own apartment of all places.
"You guys cannot think this is a good idea to start fighting, right?" She looked between the two who kept their gazes on each other, "I had a bad week so don't make me make it worse by beating you two in the ground."
"You can try," Hope said slyly, "But you know I'm flexible," She smirked.
"What the hell is she even doing here?!" The black haired teen partially shouted.
"Long story," She muttered, "But that's beside the point—"
"No, the point I saw you two hugging and she's wearing your clothes so obviously I know what's going on," He unclenched his hand holding the taydenite shard as his arm returned to normal, "I'll be waiting at my car in case you still wanna hang out." He started walking away, their gaze finally broken as he opened the door then slammed it shut, hard.
A few heartbeats a second later Hope releases a sigh, "Thank gods, he's gone." Gwen threw a glare at her direction but the older teen waved it off.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!"
She groaned, "Don't shout, it's still early,"
"You were ready to fight him!"
"You wanna go hang with him or not?"
"...I don't know what to wear."
"Lucky for you I'm here, now let's get you dressed for this 'hangout' with Levin."