Yeah, the weekly updates aren't exactly weekly, but we'll manage.


Scarlet Fever: Part Six

Group Chat: Captain Thorne's Crew.
Members: Cinder, Cress, Wolf, Scarlet, Winter, Jacin, Thorne

Cinder: Who's sick?

Scarlet: Me and hungover.

Kai: Same.

Thorne: Also me and hungover.

Winter: That's it?

Thorne: Stupid rain at the farm party.

Kai: To be fair, we were laughing, crying, drinking, and dancing till we were soaked and shivering.

Wolf: Yeah but only three of you got sick.

Jacin: Ha.

Cinder: Lunar immunity.

Scarlet: I'm literally a quarter Lunar.

Cress: A quarter sick?

-o-

The American Republic

Jacin sits on the side of their training lot, watching the American cadets follow their commander's yells with designated drills and marches. He already finished his round, his legs hurt, and he was on his break sitting to the side as the next cohort practiced. He catches Iko and Kinney in formation. She winks his way and Kinney flips him off for a moment before getting whistled.

"Cadet Kinney, you'll be repeating this drill by yourself after!"

"Understood, sir!" Kinney responds.

Jacin knows Kinney would find that punishment worth it. He'll catch a video of it afterwards and send it to Winter since she's currently texting him.

Jacin: I'm still waiting to hear from schools.

Winter: It's been a week. They probably haven't looked at applications yet. You also applied for early acceptances and whatnot.

Jacin knows that. Of course, he has. His parents are educators and everyone in his school has already sent out applications for their desired programs. Winter's right about him being jittery and anxious, but Kinney's already received an offer from a military post-secondary program in Australia with expeditions and tours in the African Union. The University of Artemisia's co-op program, serving the country and fulfilling a program (which is what Jacin initially applied for to start his path towards medicine) also offered him a generous package. The American Republic base they're on now already expressed interest in keeping him and Iko around.

Him? Jacin's heard nothing as of now

Maybe he isn't as good as he thought that freak-out he had so long ago was warranted. Maybe he should've taken the "easier" path for him and gone to military college.

Jacin looks down at his phone and sees a cute selfie Winter sent of herself. She's smiling brightly, a shimmer on her face making her natural glow illuminate through the screen. His heart swells so he hides a grin cause he knows any cadets looking at him will start teasing.

Winter: This pallet may bring highlight to my face but you are the highlight of my life.

Jacin: Good one.

Winter: When are you heading back to Artemisia?

Jacin: Not sure, to be honest, I think in a few weeks at least.

Winter: Are you liking America so far?

Jacin: If I had to rank them all, Luna is the top tier. Then I'd have to go with the European Federation, Australia, The Earthen Union, and then the American Republic. Haven't visited the African Union so no comment.

Winter: Yet. You could be sent there.

Jacin: That's the goal at this point.

Winter: You'll get in. You have to.

Winter: I believe in you. I love you.

Before Jacin could send his I love you text response, a whistle screeching causes him to look up. Jacin immediately stands straight and salutes, an automatic response. He lowers his arm when he sees the cadets practising their drills finish and being dismissed, except for a Kinney who has to repeat the drill on his own.

Like Iko from the other side of the lot, Jacin holds up his phone to record it.

-o-

Commonwealth, The Earthen Union

"I don't think you should be eating those like candy," Cress advises.

Thorne looks at the bag of individually wrapped cough drops sitting on his lap. Every time he untwisted one, it was a different flavour. Some chilled on his tongue while others were sour and some were sweet. It was always a surprise.

"So, about your mother and Artemisia," Thorne says slowly, twisting another cough drop.

"Jump scare," Cress states, grinning a little. She takes a breath. "I guess it's weird to think about, really. My mom didn't even want to be a mom anymore at some point and now she's here suggesting I go to her for university."

"Parents get weird when it comes to university."

"Have yours?"

Thorne pops another cough drop in his mouth. "I think they will soon. Good Ol' Mom and Dad will have some input on where to send their Darling Carswell." He shudders. "Watch them choose military school again. They're from The American Republic so watch me go to pilot school there cause of connections."

Cress's heart flutters a little. Her boyfriend, a pilot, what a dream. "Do they know you want to be a pilot?"

Thorne shrugs. "Probably not." He coughs. "But my dad's a pilot so he'll be proud of me for once. Maybe I should weasel it into a conversation and see if nepotism can help me out."

Cress laughs before it fades into a sigh. She isn't one to talk about nepotism since her mother is an alum at the University of Artemisia and her father did research work there. Despite finally talking to Thorne about some plans for when high school ends, she doesn't feel as fulfilled as she thought. There are still so many unanswered questions and she thinks this conversation brought more to the surface.

"Either way, we'll figure something out." Thorne grins at her as he unwraps another cough drop and pops it in his mouth. "Now, let's play some video games to pass the time."

-o-

Wolf returned with some medicine and food for Scarlet and then texted his mom that he was still at her place since she was sick. Of course, his mom was all right with it. She would've been more peeved if he just left her there to fend for herself. But, of course, Scarlet is more than capable of fending for herself. Sometimes, he wonders if he could manage without her. Wolf knows he's more than capable of doing so, but it's knowing that she's there even when he doesn't need her that comforts him.

Wolf escapes his thoughts when he feels Scarlet place a hand on his knee. He didn't know he was bouncing his leg till she stopped it.

"You have two tattoos dedicated to yourself," Scarlet states. He didn't expect her to say that but it's true. He has a barcode on his forearm with his last name and a howling wolf on his lower back which was basically gang initiation. "Are you a narcissist?"

Wolf laughs. "One of them is coincidentally my name. Want me to get one of your name?"

Scarlet cringes. "I'd dump you. Immediately."

"Even better. I'd be one of those guys with my ex-lover's name on my body. People will think I never got over you, cause I probably never will if we ever did break up, but really it's cause I can't afford laser, as if I would do that."

"Speaking of art, paint me like one of your French girls."

Wolf holds Scarlet steady when she purses her lips and starts swaying. He knows the drowsiness of the medicine is making her head spin. "You're my only girl who happens to be French."

"Okay, serious question," Scarlet says. She turns to face him while sitting cross-legged on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and has a bowl of takeout soup on her lap. "Would you want to stay on the farm forever?"

"What do you mean?"

"You and me, this farm, Grandmère's business. Forever and ever."

Wolf doesn't respond right away. To think another possibility for his future just got handed to him. As if he wasn't already confused. "Scarlet, you're tired."

"I am, but that's not the point. I'm serious."

"Scarlet."

"Wolf."

"That's a lot to ask."

Scarlet nods. "I know. Okay, easier question cause I'm doped on cough meds, you have pictured some sort of future with at least me in it, right?"

"All my possible futures have you in it."

Scarlet blushes. If Wolf had to feel her temperature, he'd imagine her forehead starting to burn a whole new fever. It makes him feel good, ironically.

"Good," Scarlet says, clearing her throat by coughing into her arm. "Mine have you in it as well. Secondary question, how many kids do you want one day?" She smiles seeing his face fluster. "One day, Wolf Kesley, one day."

"I heard you, Scarlet Benoit. Your question implied at least two." Now he's smiling at her face flustering. "Which is fine by me cause I'd want a few."

She raises a brow. "Seriously?"

"Why is that surprising?"

"I was picturing you as a cage fighter like at the very start. You'd never say that back then."

"You wouldn't know that. A lot of the toughest guys in there have a whole family of cute kids."

"I can imagine."

"Cause I didn't know you and I only want kids with you." He looks at her. "I'm serious."

Scarlet purses her lips for a moment. "One day."

-o-

After Cinder rubbed some tiger balm on Kai's chest, they both sit on the couch with servings of chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese that she made.

"This is like noodle chicken soup, not chicken noodle soup," Kai says.

Cinder shrugs as she stirs around her bowl. She tried her best with the limited ingredients in Kai's house. All she had were noodles and chicken bouillon cubes to work with so she made magic.

Winter is the type to make some nice potato and leek soup for dinner while Cinder would microwave a frozen pizza. Levana would hire a chef or go to some fancy restaurant with an entire menu in French. When they were kids, Evret would either try to cook something or take them all out for dinner.

This noodle chicken soup is some of Cinder's best cuisine. The grilled cheese with the fakest cheese slices to exist is a close second.

"How have you never had a boyfriend back home?" Kai asks. "Or any suitors or prospects? This soup would've won anyone over."

Cinder laughs a little. "Levana is terrifying, Winter went crazy, and I wasn't interested in anyone that could've been a prospective suitor. And although nobody knew I was Selene Blackburn, my carbon copy face probably triggered a subconscious memory unbeknownst to them. Collective trauma. Still, I'm glad I never had a boyfriend before you. Why would I ever waste my time?"

"Flex your cooking skills."

"Only you get that pleasure."