Another Way | Adopted by Gerard Way (Book Three)

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A/N: sorry this took so long. i've been busy af with school. i'll try not to disappear like that again

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She couldn't stop thinking about Mason. He was clouding her thoughts, her vision, the feeling of his slender fingers intertwining with her own was too real when she closed her eyes. She wanted to lie her head on his chest and hear his heartbeat, just to ensure that he wasn't really too good to be true. She wanted the smell of his cologne to wrap her up like a blanket, to coat her throat when she inhaled. She wanted to make him laugh only to scan her eyes across his sharp jawline when he threw his head back.

She wanted him to like her as much as she liked him.

And yet, she was afraid of him. She cowered under his height, shrunk away when she thought he might try and kiss her, as though his lips might inject venom into hers and she'd lose her autonomy. She was Harley, the kid who was always independent for her age, and now she was being enchanted by a boy. She resented his power as much as she swooned over it. The constant ebb and flow made her head spin.

"Harley, I'm pretty sure all your blood has rushed into your head," Ray said, looking at her upside down as she held her legs up against the couch, her head dangling off. The far-away look in her eyes turned to recognition when she realized Ray was standing there, smirking at her slightly after his remark.

She let herself slide off the couch and onto the floor, then lied there, waiting for the dizziness to subside and the blood to drain from her face.

"Oh, hey Ray," she said dazedly, looking up at him. "When'd you get here?"

"I literally just walked in," he said as he towered over her, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans, a Pink Floyd's The Wall T-shirt on. "What were you doing?"

"Just hanging out, having some thoughts about some stuff."

"What kind of thoughts are we talking? Like, deep existential thoughts, or fun thoughts?"

Harley picked herself up off the floor, stumbling a little when she stood. But she shook off the wooziness and gestured to the couch, "Please, Ray, sit— wait," she interrupted herself to scan the otherwise-empty living room, "where's Gee and Lindsey?"

"In the kitchen making popcorn and stuff. Why?" Ray replied, sitting on the couch where she'd pointed him.

She sat next to him, on his left. "This is for your ears and your ears only."

A twinge of fear gripped at Ray's throat, thinking what she had to say must be serious, but mostly he felt honour and flattery at being the sole person Harley felt she could trust with what was on her mind. "Okay," he said, "you can trust me."

Harley studied his face for a moment as if searching for any indication of insincerity, but she detected only earnestness in his eyes, a slight crease of concern between them.

"This boy is messing with my mind, Ray," she said finally, leaning her head back on the couch and looking up at the ceiling.

"Oh, I see, it's those kinds of thoughts. You know, your mom used to come to me for relationship advice? She'd be like, 'Emerald texted me this and I don't know how to interpret it! What am I supposed to say?'"

Harley's head snapped in his direction, her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you saying you're the mastermind behind my moms' relationship?"

Ray laughed, Harley saw the lines on his face fold into where previous smiles had been. "I wouldn't go that far. I just gave her a little nudge once in a while if she really needed it."