tratie oneshots

{ homecoming }

words: 1328

-

He was coming home.

Travis was finally coming home.

And Katie couldn't wait.

When she first heard the news, she nearly laughed out loud at how grossly cliché it was.

Of course Travis was 'coming home' on the same day as Goode High's 'homecoming'. She wouldn't have been surprised if he had planned everything out just for that one moment.

After laughing at his stupidity for around ten minutes, the stress set in. How was she supposed to ask him to homecoming?

As stupid as it sounded, it was such a big deal for mortals that Katie figured she should at least try and get the best experience out of it.

She half wished Travis could see her, hunched over the ancient computer in the closet of the Big House, anonymously scrolling through Pinterest for ideas.

She mentally formed a list of ideas, but found herself slowly discounting more and more.

Over time, Katie fell down a rabbit hole of aesthetic plant photography, and decided that she needed to get off Pinterest to try and come up with her own ideas.

Staring at her reflection in the blackness of the dusty screen, she fiddled with the flower she'd woven into her braid on that particular day. It was a chrysanthemum, Travis's flower. She was fully convinced that he only chose it as his favorite because he knew she always messed up when spelling it. Stupid him and his stupid love of long words.

Sliding her chair back, she made her way out of the Big House and wandered, lost in thought, until almost running into Miranda, who was on her way out of the Demeter cabin.

Toying with the flower once more, an idea popped into Katie's head, as if the gods wanted her to get this right.

Three hours, a lot of confused campers, some hot glue, and lots of supplies later, she was placing the finishing touches on her project.

Brushing her hands off on her jeans, she stood back to admire her work. Travis had to like it.

She could barely wait until the Iris message they had planned for that night, and felt a strange sense of giddiness. Was this how Travis felt when he was preparing a prank?

Even though it sucked that they weren't talking in person, it was easy to slip into their usual routine of playful arguments, as if Travis didn't have to be in Pennsylvania for three weeks to help his mom move into her new house.

Him making it back in time for homecoming would be cutting it close, but his heart was set on it, and Katie had no desire to change his mind.

-

"Um, so," Katie could already feel the blush creeping up her cheeks, "I was wondering..."

"Yes, Katie-kat?" Travis smirked at her, clearly enjoying how flustered she was, and she barely found it in her to glare at him.

"Just read the sign, idiot."

As he read, Katie watched the smirk on his face morph into a real smile, growing wider by the second.

Travis's eyes widened slightly in recognition when he spied the chocolate bunny, green hair dye, and superglue-coated scissors, alongside many of his other former prank supplies.

"You made this?" he was still smiling, and Katie tried to force her uneasiness down.

"I did," she waited for him to say the one phrase that would slow her racing heart.