The Missing Part of Me | a Choni Story

Chapter Thirteen

sorry it's been a while. i don't know when the next update will be but i've picked this story back up and am writing a little every day. so stick around, please, and thanks for enjoying. x

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Toni knocks on the door of Thistlehouse, manila folder in hand of all the pictures she took of Cheryl. There's no answer. Toni knocks again, still nothing. She begins to look around, trying to peer through the small windows at the top of the door but they're just out of reach. She tries to find a rock to step on but notices a piece of paper tucked under a bulldog sculpture. She lifts the paper out and reads the message from Cheryl.

Cha Cha,

I've stepped out for a few moments, I'll be home soon. The door is unlocked, make yourself comfortable. X

The red head signed the note with her name in curvy script and a red lipstick stain. Toni saves the note in her pocket and walks in. She finds her way to the kitchen, the girls had been eating breakfast together so she hasn't eaten anything yet. She wants to surprise the girl, thinking of the look on her face when she sees a whole breakfast spread when she comes home. Toni quickly begins gathering the ingredients necessary for her famous french toast. (Her secret is a little cayenne pepper in the egg mixture. It started off as a dare from Fangs, who was in the midst of a prank war with Sweet Pea. At that time, it had been a fourth of the spice container, to which Sweet Pea surrendered, fearing the rest of his food for the next few days. Toni made the french toast again about a week later, thinking back to the cayenne pepper and wondering how an appropriate amount might taste. With just the right amount, the cayenne pepper added a nice heated kick, settled by warm maple syrup and salty butter.)

The last of the french toast hits the plate as Toni hears the door open and close. She hurries to finish plating and setting the table for them to eat at. Cheryl appears in the kitchen, jaw dropped and Toni gestures to the meal.

"Voila! Breakfast for my queen!"

The redhead leaves the kitchen for a moment, Toni fearing the queen comment was too much, but Cheryl reemerges with two big bags from Pop's. The girls laugh, combining the food to eat french toast and omelettes together. Cheryl wipes away a string of cheese on Toni's chin, bringing her hand to the girl's cheek once she disposes of the garbage. Toni blushes, lightly kissing her palm and the girls giggle. Cheryl enjoys the french toast, noting how it compliments the salty, savory cheese omelettes she ordered from Pop's.

They clean up the plates and mess Toni left in the kitchen before retreating to the living area on the couch. Toni gives Cheryl the manila folder of photos for her to look through and Cheryl holds the packet in her hands. Toni can tell she's thinking of something else, and after her consideration, Cheryl gets up and hurries upstairs. The serpent is confused, looking to the stairs. Cheryl returns with a stack of notebooks and gives them to Toni. She's beaming, opening one of the books to a recent page to show Toni. It's a drawing of the serpent from when she was over a few days ago.

The two had been watching movies again, Toni bringing some disks from her trailer to show Cheryl. When she used to go on missions, one of her favorite things to do was find obscure video stores and buy the strangest, most outlandish movies she could find. She brought a few of those and the girls were watching in the viewing room. Toni had been more tired than usual that day, taking a double shift at the Wyrm after an unexpected mission came up (It was only a bust). She had worked the previous night and then through the morning. She didn't want to, but happened to fall asleep on the couch in the middle of a film called The Zombie Werewolf Vampire: the story of an undead, hairy, immortal.

"I hope it's not strange," Cheryl begins, looking down at the floor while her thumbs twiddle with the manila folder. "I was trying to ask you a question and you didn't answer but you looked so peaceful and cute. I tried my best."