Project: Neverbound (A Double Life AU fanfic)

7 - A Contrast to Typical Nature

It was now 5 pm, and most of the 14 inhabitants were getting ready for their first activity. Joel stood in front of the bathroom mirror, reapplying a bit of his green hair dye to make sure the highlight was still as bright and vibrant as it could be. 

"-oh, and sorry I didn't call you earlier," Joel said, running his fingers through his hair, "I think the jet lag messed with my brain too much. I was so tired when we were unpacking,"

"Aw, don't worry about it," Lizzie said, her voice a bit staticky coming from the phone's speaker, "Etho sent me a picture of you sleeping last night anyway, so I knew you were fine,"

"Oh my gosh, of course he did," Joel sighed, smiling a little as he dug through the makeup bag his wife lended to him. "So how's everything going so far with the whole house to yourself?"

"Whole house? I just wanted the whole bed," Lizzie joked, "no more blanket hogger here to make me cold at night,"

"You're going to tell me you miss that blanket hogger 2 days from now and you know it," Joel chuckled, going silent for a quick minute so he could focus on keeping his hand steady to apply his eyeliner.

"I knooow, I already miss you," Lizzie said. "How's living with Etho going so far?"

"You should ask him that question, I'm the trouble maker after all, so I'm doing juuuust fine," Joel said, finishing one eye and moving on to the next. 

"I should ask him what it's like to share a room with you," Lizzie said.

"He'll probably tell you it's very nice, Etho's a great cuddler," Joel joked, having to pause from his eyeliner so his giggling wouldn't mess him up.

"Joel!" Lizzie yelled playfully, giggling along herself.

"I'm kidding, we have separate beds!" Joel said, calming himself down so he could go back to his steady hands. 

"I know, I know," Lizzie assured, smiling widely. 

"Alright, that should do it," Joel said to himself, turning to his phone and flipping on the camera.  "How do I look?"

"With your eyes, hang on," Lizzie said, picking her phone back up after putting it down to grab a snack.

Joel was in a black and white tuxedo, a fake flower resembling a green-colored peony pinned to the right of his chest.  His eyeliner was a very thin black, so it wasn't the most notable aspect of his outfit, but he still liked the detail nonetheless. 

"You look stunning hun!" Lizzie said cheerfully.  Joel's face lit up.

"Thank you!"  He said, a sort of child-like happiness running through his body.  "I'll text you after I get back, and if I don't, Etho will.  I love you!"

"Love you too!"

Joel sighed with a smile as he hung up and put his phone in the pocket of his pants.  Just as he was about to check over his things one more time, Etho lightly knocked on the bathroom door.

"You ready to go yet?" The fox asked from the other side.  Joel opened the door to face his bound, still not bothering to change into anything fancy for the occasion and sticking to his earth green vest and navy blue clothes.

"Couldn't be ready-er," he said.  Etho let out a half-finished chuckle and let Joel walk past him so he could follow him to the docks.  They ended up walking beside each other later on anyway, and as they walked, Joel noticed a piece of paper sticking out of one of the pockets in Etho's vest.  Whatever was written on the outside of it was in an eye-catching purple, but Joel couldn't make out what it said, if it even were words at all.