Dents

[+] Little Pink Plastic Bags

Ace was at our doorstep a week or two after we found out  he'd be subbing in. When he arrived, he had a couple of tightly packed suitcases in hand.

He was a tall man with a sharp jawline. He looked younger than Murdoc by a half decade or so. He carried himself with a confident posture. Admittedly, I fully expected him to be green and insufferable too. So far, one of those boxes had been checked. I wasn't eager to see the other follow suit.

Noodle put him up in Murdoc's room at the end of the hall. We didn't speak much. I didn't have an interest in sparking up a conversation with him in the first place, considering who he kept for company.

Besides, I had much bigger things to worry about than who was going to cover for our bassist.

2D called Father Merrin the next morning after our talk. He'd been meeting with him regularly for the past several days. It seemed like the 2D I knew was coming back a little more with each session, which gave me a great sense of relief. Oftentimes when they'd meet, Russel would tag along as well. I asked 2D if he wanted me to come with them. Each time I tried, he shook his head and gave me that same sweet smile, telling me 'et's alrigh', luv.'

I understood he probably didn't want for me to see him that way. He might have worried he'd hurt me again if I was nearby and the spirit inside him came to the surface.

It had figured out that the greatest threat to it shacking up inside 2D wasn't Russel.

It was me.

After the first few days, 2D and I started sleeping in the same bed again. It did wonders for my state of mind. I felt as if I was finally able to relax, if only a little.

The sun glinting through the window burned against my eyelids. I flipped over in 2D's bed, nuzzling my face into his pillow in an effort to drown out the light. The sheets smelled sweet with a faint whisper of smoke beneath the scent of his cologne.

I realized that he wasn't in bed anymore.

The pit in my stomach that I'd gotten used to since this mess began swelled up inside me again. I imagined him downstairs in the kitchen, making one of those repulsively perfect breakfasts and sauntering around without a care in the world.

I stumbled out of bed and down the stairs. He wasn't there.

I spun in circles in the kitchen, utterly baffled. My brain rapidly tried to come up with a valid possibility of where he would be. I was so groggy that I couldn't think of anything.

It was then, as I stood there in my shredded sweatpants and stained tank top, my hair a lopsided wreck, that the person I'd been frantically searching for showed up.

2D and Russel came through the kitchen entry with several plastic bags stuffed with all sorts of things. They'd obviously been having a lively conversation until they saw me standing there staring at them with a stupid look on my face.

"You weren't in bed," I said.

2D grinned at me, tracing his tongue over his teeth. The bags noisily crinkled together as he fumbled to set them down.

"I'm sorry, luv. Yew're righ'. Bu'," he leaned down to kiss me on the cheek, "I got yew somefink."

I touched my fingertips where the memory of his lips had been. I was blushing.

"I - I suppose in that case, I forgive you," I giggled, "So what'd you guys get anyway? There's so many."

This time, it was Russel that smiled. I was happy to see such a rare semblance of normalcy between the three of us. It almost felt like none of the scary things over the past couple of weeks had ever happened.

"Take a look for yourself," he said.

Russel grabbed four of the bags that 2D had set down and handed them over to me.

"These ones are for you."

I crouched down and peered inside one of the bags. I was brimming with curiosity. My hand made contact with a soft, plushy fabric. It was a fuzzy winter coat with faux fur around the collar.

"It's gettin' cold, and seems like you don't have a good enough jacket lyin' around. Figured you needed one."

I hugged the jacket in my arms, a warm feeling budding in my heart.

"Thank you. Both of you."

"Aye, aye, yew 'aven't gone frough all ov 'em yet!" 2D crossed his arms, "Yew can fank us afta."

"Alright, alright, don't get all worked up now, 'D. Let's see the rest."

2D pouted at my playful scolding. It was adorable.

The remaining bags had various shirts and jeans, a skirt, and a couple of sweaters. They were all new with the tags on. I tried not to look. Still, I saw the price on one of the jeans and was stunned that anyone would be crazy enough to spend that much on a pair of pants.

2D kneeled to my level, handing one more plastic bag over to me.

"Last one. Et's a little out ov season, though."

I opened it like a kid on Christmas.

It was a white summer dress, adorned in coral flowers with a watercolor print dyed into the threads. I never owned anything like it. It was beautiful.

"'At color looks great on yew," with a mischievous smirk, he whispered in my ear.

"Try et on fo' me?"

He reached his hand out to me. I took it, following him up to his room.

He closed the door behind us. Now that he had gotten me alone, he released a growl from the depths of his chest. He tackled me onto the bed, wrapping his arms around me tightly. The mattress spit a puff of dust out the side in response to our presence.

"I know I asked yew to try on 'at dress, bu' yew don't need et. I fink yew look so luvly, jus' like 'is," his breath was hot as it crept over my neck, "Yew drive me crazy."

He turned onto his side, leaning his head on his arm. He created enough distance to take a closer look at me. I nervously avoided his eyes, resisting the urge to smooth my hair down and fix my shirt.

2D's expression softened. His black orbs wandered around my figure, hesitating on every awkward wrinkle in my clothes. He admired the strands of hair that didn't sit right, and the sheet marks of the pillowcase faintly imprinted on my cheek.

He gave me one of his signature scrapyard smiles.

"Yew feelin' shy? 'Round me? Really?"

His grin widened.

"S'pose I'll hafta do somefink 'bout 'at."

He took my face in his hands and kissed me, patiently, sweetly. I could taste the morning coffee still lingering on his lips. When he pulled away, I was so enamored that I'd forgotten how to breathe without him.

I kissed him again.

"You got up so early today, 'D. Let's take a nap. Please?"

2D squinted at the ceiling, pretending to think it over. I already knew what his answer would be.

"If yew say et lookin' all cute like 'at, how could I say no?"

I buried my face in the crook of his neck. He squirmed a little from how ticklish it was.

"And Saoirse? Maybe I could see yew in 'at dress sometime soon, yeh?"

"Yeah. Count on it."