𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖗 | ᴄᴏʀᴘꜱᴇ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ x ᴏᴄ | ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴᴇ

The Boardwalk Dinosaur

Jack was spending every second he could in a constant state of inebriation, if he caught himself remembering what happened, she would take over his mind completely, so he drowned her out with anything illicit he could. When he got a tolerance for one, he'd switch to another. He'd hidden away everything; photos, plushies, his letter... anything that was too much of her, from himself while blacked out- so he wouldn't dig it up and torture himself.

He was... managing. She was mostly out of the apartment during the day so he didn't have to feel constant dread and anxiety all the time. The only part that tested him was when she would text him, either letting him know she'd venmoed him her share of the rent or utilities (that he still wasn't accepting), or asking what groceries they needed. He usually replied in single or double word responses, half to stop himself from running his mouth and pushing her away further, and half because his spelling or typing skills couldn't outcompete this bender.

But it didn't take long for his normal vices to wear out and develop tolerances he couldn't keep up with, leaving him to seek something with a little more kick than his usual coke, liquor and pills: women.

He kept things as safe as he could, never matching or talking with anyone that could know who he was already, never letting them hear his voice until he knew they didn't know, and keeping things strictly casual. Additionally, he made certain that none of his guests were over when Violet was home- he didn't care to test fate that much.

Things were foolproof with each 'date', he'd thrown on the charm and play whichever flirt card had them eating out of his hand. But whenever it progressed after that, things kept getting a bit... awkward. He wasn't sure if it was the copious amount of substances or the stress of keeping the double life secret again, or that they really weren't his type. Whatever it was, it made making an effort more arduous than just laying in bed, awaiting the inevitable.

It wasn't until he started his bender back up again after a tolerance break that he thought he'd maybe found someone just enough of his type without risking too much. It didn't make him feel the greatest- but as soon as he took his fifth shot, she looked just enough like Violet that his mind and body finally could come to an agreement. Upon taking her home, they stumbled onto the sofa- his mind a blissful fog as she moved to unzip his jeans to take him in her mouth.

But the front door clicking immediately brought his mind back to the present. He wasn't quick enough to warn his date before Violet walked into the apartment much earlier than she had been lately. She took a long gaze at the pair, lips puckered in distaste as she swallowed harshly and walked right back out the door she'd just entered.

Needless to say the date had ended there. His fantasy now thoroughly ruined, he'd called his date a ride home before secluding himself to his room once again. However- physiologically- annoying the dry spell he was on was... it still remained at the bottom of the list of problems he currently had.

Walking in on a stranger with Jack had stung more than Violet wanted to admit. Over the past few weeks, Violet had done everything in her power to steer clear of the apartment, especially now that Jack was home full time. From spending more time in the office, to finding new cafes and bars to work from, and even going out with coworkers or friends on some evenings- anything to keep her from spiraling into the melancholy and anxiety of her entire life flipping upside down.

With graduation hovering in the distance, her official publishing date looming over her, the constant weight of work projects, and her clearly broken friendship with Jack, she was drained in every sense of the word, but she wasn't really complaining. As much as she tried to keep to a somewhat regular schedule, she found herself staying up later to finish projects, grateful for the first time in maybe forever for all the extra work to keep her busy from all the negative thoughts that barged in on a daily basis.