Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 12: Title Name

Guinevere hid her anguish until they got back to the apartment. Nicholas unlocked the door, ushering everyone inside as quickly as he could to avoid suspicion from the neighbors. Not that any of them would have really noticed, but it was an effect of the slight dramatic rush he had gotten from talking to me again.

I am aware of the effect I have on people.

"Gwen, that went really well." Alexandria had watched Guinevere's face crumple as they walked through the door. "It really did. She said she'd consider our ideas, and that's all we were hoping for. She told us that she'd get back to us. That's great! She'll contact us again!"

Guinevere nodded as she sat down on the couch, but the pain in her expression didn't go away. "It was im-mpossible t-to und-derstand m-m-me," she spat out to nobody in particular. "I stut-t-tered the ent-tire t-t-tim-me."

Alexandria wrapped her arm around her. "I thought you did absolutely brilliantly," she attempted to assure. "It went jake."

Guinevere tilted her head, squinting at Alexandria. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Jake. You know, satisfactory? All right?"

"Do you have a word of the day list or something that you try and use one word per day from or something?" Guinevere asked. "Because that word is excruciatingly outdated."

"Ha, well, I found a use for it," Alexandria retorted. "Didn't I?"

"Yes, I suppose you did." Guinevere rolled her eyes but smiled. "And you know what?"

"What?"

"You're right."

"I'm right about what?"

"It did go jake. Nobody vomited. Nobody broke down crying in the middle. And she did say she'd get back to us."

"Exactly! And you know the best part?" Alexandria stood up and clasped Guinevere's hands.

"What?"

"That I can give you this as a reward for both of us doing so well." Alexandria leaned in, gently pressing her lips to Guinevere's. She pulled away after a moment and whispered. "I wanted to kiss you on the nose, but it looked cold."

"You wouldn't warm it up for me?"

"Do you want me to?"

Guinevere considered it. "No. Not really. Too many germs."

"There aren't too many on the lips?"

"I don't know, the idea of you kissing me on the lips doesn't seem to bother me as much as the idea of kissing on the nose."

"That's fair." Alexandria leaned back, still clinging to Guinevere's hands. "May I kiss you on the lips again?"

"Okay."

They started to lean towards each other again, but Guinevere's eyes flicked to something behind Alexandria and went crimson.

Alexandria attempted to swivel while still holding Guinevere's hands and ended up falling over onto her lap.

Nicholas and Christopher were standing near the Screen, not hiding their laughter very well.

"Dad! Father!" Guinevere cried, standing up and brushing herself off. Alexandria was on the floor, and wiggled herself upright, also a deep shade of pink. "We were just discussing, uh, the m-meeting, and, uh, how it went."

"Oh yes," Nicholas said dryly. "We are aware."

At this point, Alexandria was standing next to Guinevere, hands behind her back. "I am so sorry. I-"