FTRS Shots and Other Stuff

Beside Each Other, Always (Gilly x Jax)

Summary: A fight between two people over the question "What are we?" They're around sixteen, four years later, and one year before the fulfillment of the five years later assignment.

I also posted another oneshot in archive! https://archiveofourown.org/works/33815218

***

She had sensed him before he had even spoken.

"I think we should stop bringing in patty cakes."

Though somber, it didn't fail to bring a quirk to Gilly's lips. "But what's Ollie going to eat?"

Jax scoffed a bit. "Anything else! Just not the patty cakes. I like those too, you know."

Gilly managed a faint smile. Jax always complained about Ollie hogging pastries first.

The conversation didn't continue and the awkward silence that had persisted for the past few days returned. Gilly focused her attention to the courtyard below. The balcony had a view to the cobbled stone gathering surrounded by flat grass and shrubbery that the students would usually crowd in during break time. Tonight, it was decorated with fairy lights, a pole at the center to gather the tethered twinkling lights from several posts to meet and form a sort of promenade. Sparkling dust was scattered here and there, some on the little hedges and stone pathways. She could imagine the scrunch on Maxine's face when she had to clean the yard in the morning only to be greeted with pixie dust. Not that she didn't mind, Maxine liked sparkling things, but it'd take lots of time to clean them up. She felt Jax' presence beside her, looking down below too.

"The RLWs really outdid themselves with the decorations," he said, attempting a conversation. "This is probably one of the best parties thrown."

Gilly thought of the group. "We helped out too, didn't we?"

Jax nodded. "As usual, the school does rely on us."

And they didn't say anything else again.

Gilly twisted her thumbs, the unsettling feeling of the gap she felt with Jax reverberated in her. Lots of awkward silence and small talk. Grimm, they didn't even hang out anymore by themselves!

It was too much. Too much to handle, but neither wanted to confront it.

Or am I just that huge of a coward.

Gilly glanced at Jax. He was already staring at her. Look away, she thought. But she didn't.

Jax was decked in his prince attire, yellows and blues as the dominant color. He didn't choose the standard tunic, and opted for a suit, with a cape dangling by, which to Gilly, she far preferred more. Gilly spied him wearing gloves from the corner of her eyes, white and tight around his fingers. Some of his hair was slicked back to show his forehead, but some curls dangled to one side. It bordered his violet eyes like a velvet robe, and no matter how many times she's looked at him, staring at them always made her think they were breathtaking.

He had grown taller, if he wasn't already tall enough when they were younger. But from his forehead, Gilly was by his ear now, and she was above average height herself. She didn't know how long they stared at each other. They spent moments just basking in silence, their eyes on one another. A light breeze blew that brushed Jax' hair, and he broke the spell to blink and pat his hair down. Gilly didn't stop. Even if he looked raggedy or winded, he always looked beautiful.

For the longest time after their silence, Gilly spoke. "You're unfair."

Jax looked confused. "I beg your pardon?"

She shook her head. "The girls spend countless hours to get their looks right, Kayla probably more than what's considered average, but you still beat them at that." Gilly didn't think of what she had said, and realized she had blurted those out suddenly. Jax looked stunned. For a moment, Gilly thought she should've kept quiet. The silence was already comfortable.