A Summer Fling (Aris x Reader AU)

33) Paint Wars

The air was suffocating, the scent of heat and wishes of death filling the bedroom. The usually peaceful sun was a demon brought here to ensure I suffer.

Kicking the blankets from my sweaty figure like they were covered in thorns, I sat up. I could feel my clothes sticking to me, my usual comfortable hoodie I dared to throw on before bed becoming the closest thing to torture.

“That’s a lesson learned, isn't it?”she had the nerve to tease from the doorway. Looking up, I saw her leaning against it, arms crossed over her chest. I couldn't help but be jealous of her black tank top and loose denim shorts falling halfway down her thighs.

“You said a probable heatwave earlier.”

“That I did.”

“Then, why exactly am I in the seventh dimension of hell?”

“If you think that's bad, wait until it goes away. Nothing like freezing in the middle of chores to wake you up.”

“I’d rather have that than need sunscreen to go outside for five minutes. Seriously. This is unacceptable,"I huffed, wiping my palms on my shirt.

“Ooh. My favorite chore,”she grinned. Something about the way she looks when she says things for the sake of watching my already flushed face turn redder reminds me of the Cheshire Cat. That cocky smile that knows she already won and mischief in her eyes is so painfully unique.

“I’m getting dressed,”I sighed.

“Need a hand?”

“Y/N-”
“Okay, okay. Just being helpful,”she dismissed, arms held up in defeat as she walked out, shutting the bedroom door behind her.

That girl is going to be the death of me.

☆ ☆ ⁠☆

“Okay, seriously, where the hell are the cameras?”I grumbled, wiping my face with my shirt.

“That's just Texas for ya',”Susan shrugged, placing her plate in front of her as she sat. I joined them at the table, immediately picking up my cold apple juice.

“I think I might need a new partner. Mine complains a lot.”

I lightly kicked her under the table, making her narrow her eyes at me as she scooted her chair further back.

“It's in the hundreds today. I want both of y'all inside or in the shade.”

“But that's not fair.”
“I can be helpful.”

“Nu uh. I ain't getting angry parents knocking on my door when you two turn into lobsters.”

“But mine won't even care,”I complained.

“And mine live here. They know what the weather's like.”

“Well, that's great. But right now you're livin' with me. And I say you stay inside or in the shade today.”

“But-”
“Ya' want me to take away the shade option?”

“No ma'am,”I grumbled, sitting back in my seat.

“I didn't think so. Now eat up. Brutus is eyein' it over there.”

☆ ☆ ⁠☆

The breeze being non-existent didn't help the existential dread the heat seems to bring, but there was nothing we could do about that. Life is just a bunch of snippets of feelings, and one of those is intense suffering. As great as it would be if we could skip past those parts, nobody's publicly come out with the technology for it yet (though I'm sure it exists).