send.

coincidence

Jon's phone vibrates a few times on the endtable while he sleeps, but you don't look at anything else. You can explain away the single text, but you don't think Jon would be too happy to see anything else going from you to that girl.
You hope you're the first thing he sees when he wakes up, looking down at him and trailing your fingers absently through his hair. You can't help but smile quietly down at him. You feel better when it's just you and him, cozy and comfortable and safe, always safe. He keeps you safe, and you'll do the same for him.
"Hi," you hear him murmur, voice soft and groggy. His hand rises up to rest on your cheek. You turn your head to nuzzle into it, smiling.
"Hey. Welcome back to the land of the living."
"Sorry. Tired. C'mere."
He reaches his arms up to wrap around your neck and you oblige, shifting so you can lay with him, burying your face in the crook of his neck. He cradles you close, the rhythm of his breathing slow and relaxing. When he speaks, his voice is gentle and hesitant. His words fill the air with anticipation, like he's hanging on your impending answer.
"Sock, why'd you act like that before? With Cass?"
You feel your fingers tighten in his shirt, biting roughly at your lower lip. How to go about answering this without admitting that you're wickedly, dangerously protective and slightly jealous? You're not too sure. Your sigh sounds deflated, shaky.
"... I don't like the way she looks at you."
"How does she look at me?"
"Like she has a motive. An agenda." Your words are tinged with venom. Jon's exhalation sounds relieved, like it's a small thing.
"Sock, I just met the girl..."
"And yet she managed to grab your number and your attention in the timespan of a bathroom break."
"She just wanted to talk."
"Isn't that what you wanted when we started talking?"
He snorts. "Well, if we're being honest here-"
"Jon, I'm serious!" You press your face into his shirt, your voice lowering to a soft mumble. "I don't like it. I don't like any of it. I don't trust her." Or myself, you want to add. I don't trust myself to keep your attention with this girl around.
He sighs softly and pulls you closer to his chest, wrapping you up in a bear hug. His words breeze across your ear and you squeeze your eyes shut, hugging him tightly.
"Don't worry so much about it. I came here for you, didn't I? Nobody else but you."
You do your best to believe him.
He convinces you to let him take you out for ice cream a bit later on. You're pretty sure the two of you will be broke with how much you're going out this week, but there's not much else around to do except eat and wander. You're laughing about his qualms that the shop probably won't accept pocket lint for payment and holding a cone in your hand, his own hand in the other, finally starting to forget about what's happened, when the shop bell jingles behind you. You don't pay much attention until you hear an achingly familiar voice over your shoulder.
"Fancy meeting you here!"
Oh, fate has got to be fucking kidding.
You don't know why the universe has decided to endlessly pull your leg but, sure enough, the she-devil herself is waiting there behind you. You want to whack the grin off of her face. You can't ask Jon why she's here right now, but you're damn sure you'll be asking later.
Speaking of, Jon looks about as confused as you feel. He blinks a bit as he turns his head, fingers thankfully still linked between your own.
"Cass? What are you doing here?"
"You told me you were going for ice cream and I got a craving." She laughs, a sound that grates against your eardrums. "I didn't hunt you down or anything. This is the most popular spot in town."
"Oh. Cool." Jon sounds passive, but you don't share his ease. Your stomach twists anxiously, fingers subconsciously tightening around Jon's. His gaze shifts down to you, thumb running reassuringly over your knuckles. The girl's gaze shifts downward, noticing your connected hands, raising a curious eyebrow and grinning. You silently think that she looks like the Cheshire cat. You keep that thought to yourself, tugging Jon along to a table as Cass falls to the back of the line.
"Is this a joke?" you whisper as you slip into your seat, looking past Jon to the girl toying with her dark strands a few yards away. He shrugs as he lowers himself into a chair opposite you.
"I promise I had no idea she was gonna show up here."
"But you told her where we were going."
"I just said we were going out for ice cream. It's not like I wanted to meet up with her or anything." He looks at you in disbelief.
"Of course you didn't," you sigh, rolling your eyes. Jon's own sky blues narrow, frustration filling his voice.
"Are you implying something?"
"Only that you'd rather hang out with a stranger than your boyfriend - sorry, kind-of boyfriend. Slip of the tongue. Wouldn't want to force the title on you."
"Are you kidding me right now?" he hisses, leaning in closer. "You're being ridiculous, Sock. Listen to yourself. I saw your text to Cass and I still kept my mouth shut about it, but the way you're acting right now is-"
He's interrupted by the sound of screeching metal, making you flinch. To your continuous dismay, Cass is currently dragging a chair over towards you, her other hand clutching a red popsicle. Lovely.
     "You look kind of glum," she remarks as she tosses herself over the chair, leaning forward on her elbows and looking at you curiously. You're awful tempted to shove her out of your personal space, but you look away and shrug, taking a lick from your ice cream cone.
     "Boy, Jon," she quips, leaning back and crossing her legs with a wicked grin. "Seems like your guy is giving me the cold shoulder."
     You want to die.
     Jon snorts, smirking and glancing over at her. "That was absolutely terrible. I'm ashamed to have witnessed it."
     "Ooh. That insult had some frost-bite."
     "Stop it."
     You can feel yourself shriveling up and wilting in your seat. This is the most painful thing you've ever endured. You listen to their banter for a bit, all too aware of the flirtatious edge to her voice, the way it lilts with each word, like she's trying too hard to be floaty and carefree. Jon, oblivious as always, is carrying on conversation like he doesn't even notice. What a dork.
     When she bats her eyes and sticks the popsicle in her mouth, your gaze instantly shifts to Jon, looking out with the eyes of an eagle for the slightest reaction. Thankfully, he turns his attention to his own cone without a single signal. The deities are on your side today, it seems.
     You keep silent for as long as you can, but after a while, her grating giggle becomes too much. You push back your chair and climb to your feet, earning looks from the two of them as the metal squeals.
     "You ready to head out?" you ask, pointedly looking only at Jon as you toss the remainder of your ice cream into the nearby trash can. He blinks for a few moments before nodding, standing as well.
     "Yeah, sure-"
     "Oh, hey, Jon," Cass interrupts, turning to look up at the boy - your boy. You bite back a groan, frustrated. Can't she just let it go?
     "Hm?"
     "There's this music festival next week in the park. It's no Soundbox concert or anything, but it's usually pretty fun. You up for it?"
     He looks intrigued for a moment before his face falls, and he shakes his head. You revel in Cass's disappointed expression, as much as you hate yourself for it.
     "I wish I could, but I'll be back in Seattle by then. I'm just visiting Sock for the week."
     "Ah. Understood. I was wondering why I'd never seen you around before." The mention of your name makes her look your way. You offer the most sickeningly sweet smile you can, shrugging passively before circling the table to hook your arm through Jon's.
     "We should get goin'. You up for some games when we get back to the house?"
     "When am I not?" He looks back over his shoulder as you haul him along. "Later, Cass."
     "Bye, Jon. See you around, Sock."
     You answer with a small hum, refusing to turn, before slipping through the swinging door, the small bell jingling overhead.
     You two are probably better off spending the rest of the week in the house, anyway.
     Just to be safe.

(note: i love writing sassy sock holy shit haha. it's such a good time B)))))) i feel like this chapter was kind of dragging even as i was writing it, sorry about that!! im really in the mood for cuddly stuff lately, so the next chapter will probably be something like that. what do you guys think of the whole cass situation? dont worry, theres a plan for all of this, just hang in there! thank you so much for reading ❤️)