𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚃𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙽 ➭ 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗇 𝗁𝗎𝖽𝗌𝗈𝗇

seventy; the break-up

— the way i was so close to uploading thanksgiving on thanksgiving </3

After Finn's unexpected visit, Winona introduced him to Elliott and then the three of them headed to bed.

In the morning, Winona slipped out of bed without waking her boyfriend and headed for the kitchen to make them breakfast. Standing there, was Elliott, getting out the supplies necessary to make pancakes— Which Winona mentioned was Finn's favourite at least a week ago.

"You look tired," He commented quietly, smiling over at her. She rubbed her eyes and nodded.

"We didn't go to bed until late."

He grinned, "Lucky you."

"—but not in the romantic way. We just laid there. He didn't even talk to me."

Frowning, he nodded and looked past her shoulder to see Finn, groggily walking over to them.

"I have a job interview today, so I should head out," Claimed Elliott, "I got out the stuff to make pancakes if you want some. Bye you two!"

As he left, Winona silently got to work pouring the batter into the pan on the stove.

"Wow, this place is awesome," He mumbled, gazing out the window. Turning to face him, Winona wore an unhappy expression.

"I can't do this, Finn. I can't pretend this is normal," She insisted, Finn sitting down at the dining table as they gazed at eachother, "I don't know what's going on. Why are you here and why aren't you in your uniform?"

"Because I'm not in the Army," He replied with a defeated shrug, "Well, I was, for 16 days."

"You quit?"

"It wasn't that bad. I really felt like I was someplace that I could make a difference, and I'm pretty used to getting yelled at. So I was doing okay. Then, one day, I was cleaning Winnie— they make you give your rifle a name. And then bam! Right through my thigh."

"You didn't have the safety on?" Winona raised her brows, listening attentively while flipping the pancakes as he continued embarrassedly.

"Thank God it didn't hit any bone. I got a semi-honorable discharge, so I've been backpacking through Georgia for the past couple months. I'm sorry I didn't call you, but I was just so embarrassed," He confessed, scratching the back of his neck, "I mean, I left with so much certainty and confidence. I was gonna redeem my dad and make you proud. I couldn't face you seeing me as a Lima loser."

"Enough of this lumping around," Winona asserted, putting a pancake on the plate and then pouring more batter into the pan once again, "So the Army didn't work out. Plans change. You're here now, with me. What a better place for you and I to find you a new dream?"

"Like what?"

"Before the Army, you wanted to be an actor. Sure, you maybe applied to the wrong school but maybe we can find another," Winona explained, handing him a plate and a fork.

"Are you sure?"

"100%. I love it here, but something has always been missing. I let you go once and I'm not gonna let it happen again," She insisted, sitting on the chair beside him, "Now eat up, I have a couple auditions today, and you can come along."

( — ✿ — )

Finn was quiet and awkward the entire time spent to and at Winona's auditions. She was auditioning for multiple movie roles, and doing similar exercises to the ones performed during her NYFA audition. Suprisingly, the directors were all comfortable with Finn sitting in to watch, not letting his presence distract them from her talent.