Fallout and Future

Chapter 17: Run

I'm late again woohooBeta read by UdonPuddle and spooky. In other news, I've started a new longfic on AO3, which will be one of my two new main longfics after I finish Metal Shears Rising: Bladesil and FaF. This one's still sunflower, don't worry:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/42670158

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Aubrey leaned against the brick wall of the school building, candy cigarette in her mouth and fear in her belly. Above, light grey clouds blotted out the sun, which she knew would be low in the sky—it was the afternoon, after all.

"Last afternoon before Winter Break..." she muttered to herself.

To her immense 'misfortune,' her suspension had been ended early by one of the teachers who really hated her and thought she'd be less happy at school than she was at home. Mr. Jones would never know how grateful she was.

"Technically, it's already Winter Break!" Kel said cheerily, walking around the corner and startling her.

"Jesus, Kel-" She fumbled to not drop the candy cigarette.

"Taking the Lord's name in vain? Not very Christian of you." Kel leaned against the wall next to her. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Aubrey rubbed her arm, grimacing not (just) because of how shitty the cigarette tasted. "Well..."

She hadn't planned anything for this. Her younger self probably would've come up with a five-page poem filled with terrible grammar and allegories about unicorns. Right now, she really wished she had that kind of creative energy.

"I... well, I wanted to tell you something," Aubrey began slowly.

Kel didn't respond, instead giving her that stupid grin, waiting for her to continue.

"So... I think I've felt this way for a while, I just never wanted to admit it because it felt embarrassing to me." Aubrey ran her hands through her hair. It was slightly sweaty despite it being winter. "But... um..."

She tossed the candy cigarette into a trash can, sighing and avoiding Kel's gaze. "There's no easy way to say this, but I... uh... I like you."

"Can't relate," Kel replied, making finger guns at her. "But I like you, too."

"I-I mean..." Aubrey buried her burning face in her hands, but noticed something in Kel's own. A cheap plastic gold medal. "Wait... where'd you get that?"

"Oh, they finally passed out the awards for the autumn sports festival. This one's for the two hundred-meter sprint; I got another for basketball. And they were only four months off-schedule, too!"

"Huh. I never went to those. That's cool, though. Are your parents getting you anything?"

"Yup! After they take Hero to pick up his new car, they'll probably swing by McDonald's on the way back."

"Oh." That seems pretty fuckin' lackluster to me. This might not be the biggest school out there, but the kids are all damn athletic. Coming in first place once, let alone in two different categories is one hell of an accomplishment. "That's... nice. What's the occasion for Hero? I mean, doesn't he already have a car?"

"Yeah. Mom and Dad said they'd buy him one to celebrate him making it one and a half years through med school, and he reminded them I'd won two medals, so they decided to pick something up for me, too!"

Aubrey stared at him, blush long gone. This just keeps happening, doesn't it? Basil had told her about Thanksgiving, and she'd witnessed other incidents firsthand. "...That's kinda fucked, Kel."