~The Shy and The Stubborn~ (the santa clause)

Chapter 3: loyal little doggy

Justice crashed on her sofa with a loud, exasperated sigh, fiddling for the packet of cigarettes she'd hidden between the cushions as she found it and pulled it out.

No, smoking wasn't her best habit. But the effects it had on elves were different than the effects it had on humans, much less detrimental to their health, and wouldn't increase any risk of death but only difficulty in breathing and physical activity associated with cardio.

She only did it because she found that it helped calm her, being the overly anxious elf she was. That's why she was much more stressed at work, because obviously smoking was forbidden on the premises. Either way she wouldn't be caught dead smoking, her friends would kill her - aside from Jamie, who understood that she needed some sort of coping mechanism.

It was late when she lit her first cigarette and prepared a canvas and a selection of acrylic colours for an expressive artwork. One that she could vent the frustrations of her day onto so she wouldn't be so worked up returning to work the next day. Painting was another hobby of hers. Personally, she didn't think she was that great at it, but her friends on the other hand thought her amazing at the activity. Her work was realistic, but mixed into abstraction and emotion to create works that had deeper meaning that what was simply painted and seen on the canvas.

So, with a cigarette between her lips, her head between a pair of headphones, and a brush between her fingers, she got to work for the evening.

(I made her a Spotify playlist if y'all wanna know what kind of music she'd listen to:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1qiHMHeaqHRPXN1006WH6b?si=234ac48641e54ed8 )

~

..honk, honk!!

...

..honk, honk!!

...

...

...honk, honk, honk!!!

Justice snorted herself awake at the obnoxious honking she could hear from outsider her little home. It only took her a short moment to realise something.

...oh no...I've done it again.

She thought that in reference to the fact that she'd passed out painting late again. She was a mess, still in her clothes from the day before and covered in paint. And that honking which was coming from outside was Maxine in her car, most likely with Jamie who she also tends to pick up on her way to work.

Luckily, this wasn't the first time something like this had ever happened to her, so she was quick to throw herself up and rush to her room, throwing her clothes off and dressing back up with a fresh set as quick as she could and using a little bit of magic to fix her hair and remove any paint that was still on her face. Once that was done, she spritzed herself with her favourite perfume, grabbed her bag, and rushed out the door, finding Max in her car with Jamie in the front seat as she opened the back door and jumped in.

"I pray for the day you wake up on time, Justice," Max sighed as she grabbed a takeaway coffee from the front seat cup holder and passed it back, "your morning coffee."
"I'm sorry," Justice huffed as she took the coffee, feeling it's warmth as she cupped her hands around it, "I can't seem to set a solid sleep schedule."
"What were you doing last night?" Jamie asked as he looked at Justice through the rear-view mirror, Max beginning to back out of the driveway.
"Painting. I fell asleep at my canvas again," Justice sighed as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Of course you did," Maxine chuckled, though it seemed teasing she meant it endearingly.
"I had to let out stress somehow, or I probably wouldn't have woken up at all this morning," Justice said, leaning back in her seat, "you know my process."
"Yeah, yeah. Maybe one day you can include an alarm clock into that process too," Max joked once more, Justice huffing as she crossed her arms and they drove off to work.