Everything hurt. Her head ached, her stomach hurt- pretty normal for a hangover. But she felt...empty. This weird, open feeling, like a literal ton had been lifted from her chest. Not bad, but not pleasant. Then there was this pounding in her head, and she found herself with her head in a toilet bowl for the second time that week.

"Well, it looks like the dead have risen." Cassie said, entering the bathroom.

Cassie looked awful. Not hungover awful, or sick awful, but she looked like she'd spent part of the night (at least) crying. Her hair was a mess.

"You're one to talk."

"Am I puking out my guts in a bathroom right now?" Cassie said.

"No."

"No, I'm not. I'm the friend who didn't drink too much last night and also the friend who's going to make you breakfast. Brush your teeth."

Cassie didn't talk. She bumbled around the kitchen, trying to find anything that would make it so they didn't have to talk. Which they didn't. Completely ignoring the person who was right next to you was a lot easier when that person didn't want to talk either. Of course, Cassie could have left- she didn't "live" with Jacqui, though there were jokes that she did. She might as well have, though. She had the vast majority of her thing stationed at Jacqui's and even a mug with her name on it all stationed here.

Cassie technically lived in a tiny apartment (like Jacqui's, but smaller) a few blocks away. But she was always here, had been since they started college. That being said, Jacqui supposed being an actor's daughter had it's benefits (like not worrying about rent for example.) Not talking gave Jacqui a lot of time to think, so mid-afternoon on that humid Sunday as they were both on opposite ends of the couch, she blurted out,

"Why don't you rent out your apartment?"

"What?"

"Your apartment. You don't live in it. Why not rent it out to someone?"

"I do go there occasionally, Briggs."

"Move your stuff here."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine."

"That wasn't an offer that the Jacqui who didn't hate my guts would have made."

"Forget it."

"Whatever."

Jacqui scowled, despite knowing Cassie wouldn't see it, and unlocked her phone, planning to watch some happy cat videos to cheer her up. The first thing she saw were the messages she'd sent last night, specifically the ones from Takeda.

She glanced at Cassie, who had her eyes glued to her phone. Then, Jacqui composed a text.

Do you want to study later?

Study? We've got Ninja Mime to watch, remember?

It has to be tomorrow, though. I'm a little under the weather.

Didn't realize the forecast called for Jack Daniel's. Actually, how high is the brightness on your screen?

Hangover jokes? I thought you were better than that.

Do you know how to relax properly, Jacqui? Because I do.

You do?

I don't have the old man looming all over me. He flew to Japan, and we've got that break this week.

I'd forgotten all about that.

Of course you did.

We're not hanging out tomorrow if you're going to be mean to me.

I suppose I should save it for the movie. I'll be over at noon tomorrow, if that's a good time.

You don't want me at your pigsty?

I doubt Watchdog Cage would let you come here.

Noon is fine.

I didn't offend you, did I? I didn't mean to. If anything, it's a compliment to Cage- she could kick my ass without trying.

She's not going to approve of the movie choice.

I don't approve of the movie choice.

At this, Jacqui had to laugh, something that didn't go unnoticed by Cassie.

Gotta go. See you at noon?

You know it.

"Who are you texting?" Cassie asked, in a tone that almost made Jacqui believe they weren't mad at each other and it was a friendly question.

"Takeda."

"I see. School stuff?" That same, innocent, bubble gum voice that would have fooled anybody else.

"Nope. He's coming over here, actually. Tomorrow." Jacqui didn't have to tell Cassie that. If Cassie had asked, her response could have been, "I don't have to tell you, you don't live here. But that didn't happen.

"For?"

"We're watching a movie. One of those "it's so bad it's good" films."

"Right." Cassie nodded. "You do watch those a lot." A stranger would have never been able to guess that "you do" was really "we do". Bad Movie Mondays had been their thing.

"Well, some things have to stay the same, you know?"

The rest of the day passed, with no incident (okay, they ordered Chinese food without speaking, which was really weird, and ate dinner in silence, which was weirder.) Cassie still slept over, just on the couch this time.

...

"I really need to change my alarm." Jacqui grumbled to herself, when she was woken up at 6, having never bothered to turn it off despite being on break. She stretched and then slid out of bed, groaning at how early it was.

"T minus six hours." She said, remembering her movie plans. She headed to the kitchen with the intention of making breakfast, and passed Cassie asleep on the couch, but she had fallen asleep at an awkward angle, with half her body dangling off the side. Jacqui paused in her path.

"Fuck you, Cage." she muttered to herself, as she fixed Cassie and pulled her covers over her.

As Jacqui poured herself a glass of orange juice, her mind wandered. When the flying fuck had things become so complicated? And why was she nervous, of all things, about Takeda coming over? He was a friend, an actual nice human being and the way they were going to spend time together wasn't necessarily romantic. Still, anxiety gnawed at her stomach, and it was noon before she blinked.

Takeda arrived with popcorn, soda, and a goddamn beret.

"Seriously, Takeda?" Jacqui asked, as she set up the movie in the living room.

"I like to immerse myself into movies."

"Yeah, I can tell."

"Is Cage here?"

"When is she not?"

"Fair enough. Shall we start the movie?"

It went better than expected. Takeda laughed exactly where Jacqui expected him to- like when the title character (Cassie's dad) jumped off the Eiffel Tower and survived even though he very clearly should have been dead, or when the infamous "mime fight" scene happened. Everything was perfect, and Jacqui knew it wouldn't last. And it didn't.

The second Takeda left, but not before saying "We should do this again!" Cassie came out of Jacqui's room, fuming. The look on her face made Jacqui want to duck behind the couch and brace for impact.

"You're doing this because you're mad." Cassie said.

"I'm doing this because I have a right to other "romantic encounters". Don't you remember? You made the rules." Jacqui shot back.

"Takeda doesn't deserve to be jerked around like this."

"Takeda doesn't or you don't?"

"You are really pushing my buttons, Briggs. You're going to get hurt, and I'm not going to be your safety blanket."

"Are you- Look, Cassie, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you are not my guardian, you are not my magical best friend that I can hug and everything is better."

"I'm moving my stuff out this weekend. It okay with you if I stay here until then? Because if not, I can leave." Cassie said, ignoring her.

"If I haven't complained before, why would I give a shit now?"

"Great. Thanks, roomie." Every single one of Cassie's words dripped with sarcasm.

"Oh, and Jin is coming over later, just in case you think everyone I invite here is to spite you."

"Doesn't matter anyway, because I'm going for a run."

"Sure thing, roomie."

The minute Cassie left, Jacqui grabbed her phone, and asked Jin to come over.

Trouble in paradise?

More like trouble in the shitty motel just outside of paradise.

I'll be there in fifteen minutes.

He was there in ten. Jin wasn't exactly the hugging type, so Jacqui wasn't surprised when Jin didn't greet her with outstretched arms.

"Did you guys have a fight?"

"I think so." Jacqui explained everything, finishing with, "She was convinced I invited Takeda over just to get back at her or something."

"She's jealous. I don't think she's "girlfriend" jealous. I think she's "best friend" jealous. You guys were really close and it was fine, but now she's fucked that by fucking you."

"Real classy, Jin." Jacqui muttered, but he did have a point. "But what should I do?"

"I'm not exactly experienced in this field, Jacqui. Just go with your gut." Jin offered.

"It's not that easy."

"I know. You're stuck in some weird "friends with benefits" purgatory, my family's breathing down my neck about everything, there's a research paper due next week no one has started- it's overwhelming. Life is weird. But that doesn't mean it has to be bad, and it's up to you to decide who you do and don't want in your life." Jin patted her shoulder. "Good luck."

She was going to need it.