Where Everything Is Good

Reece leaned back against the edge of the pool, the backs of her palms resting uncomfortably against the brick. She glanced at Sonia.
“Did you mean what you said,“ she paused to correct herself, “thought earlier?”

Sonia felt a swell of panic as Reece mentioned that whole can of worms. She’d half hoped that Makoto’s group telepathic connection was spotty, or that Reece wouldn’t bring the subject up so she could pretend it never happened.
"The... which thing? The being in love with you, or being the worst girlfriend?" GOD I hope it's the latter. Or the former. I don't know.

Reece tensed as she quickly averted her gaze again. The slight blush that lit up her cheeks stood out against her usual pale complexion.
She cleared her throat. “The first one.”
Well fuck. That was blunt.

Sonia made... a face. A combination of thinking and awkward discomfort. Mostly that latter.
"Look. Look. Yeah. I have a massive crush on you. No point really lying about it, I think." Now that I know you know.

Reece just kind of froze for a second, her face slipping into a similar expression of panic and flustered discomfort.
“You... have a crush on me.” She shook her head, mildly disbelieving when actually faced with confirmation of that revelation. That’s never happened before.
She didn't know how to feel, really. She's never felt that way before.
She never really bothered with emotions.

Not til her.

“I like looking at you. You’re... stronger than you look, and you’re... nice to me, understanding.”
“I think I feel the same way?” Reece's gaze drew towards the brick beneath her, suddenly finding the grout immensely interesting as her usually steady voice wavered.

Wait what????? Sonia's face felt like a human-furnace. The Sonia-equivilant of Makoto's normal temperature.
"Ah. Um. Thanks. No, shit, that's not what I'm supposed to say."
"Like. Uh, It Is A Good Thing We Both Like Each Other."

Reece laughed slightly, rolling her eyes. “... Probably not.”
“Yes. It Is.”
Fuck. What the fuck am I supposed to do now.

Sonia exhaled, an air of dramatique to her, practically a soap-opera come to life. "But like. Every other time I've asked out or been asked out it's been like. An affair with roses and chocolate or something dramatic in a private location. Not me falling over myself in genuine appreciation of my best buff friend."
"And certainly not while I'm fake-dating Zayn the Two Cent Chicken Nugget."

Reece snorted, shaking her head. “Well I’ve never been asked out ever. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be as dramatic as Dominique literally dipping Hugo.” Or whatever the fuck is going on with Reishi and his bad taste.
She winced slightly, yep. Zayn was still a person that was somehow involved with this. Gotta sort that out. Although upon hearing that comment, Reece couldn’t help but laugh. “Two cent chicken nugget.”

Holy shit, this is why I like her.
She didn’t pull her punches with shit like this. 

"Haven't you watched any movies? A lot of people get their ideas from the drama of asking out the local hottie, but a lot of the time they mix up... a lot of the stuff. A lot of people loved me for my celeb-sona. Not this..." Sonia glanced down, gesturing vaguely towards herself, just barely starting to dry off from her dip in the pool. Her hair still plastered across her face.
"But you know me for myself. And I can't believe this started with you trying to suplex Makoto and looking hot."

Reece stared at her now-girlfriend(?) rather intently. Before quickly glancing away. “I have seen that many movies, actually.” Aside from horror movies. I thought they were a waste of time.
“But yeah. That’s... shitty. I guess... appreciating the mask isn’t the same as... loving what’s underneath it.”
“Screw those people.” She gazed at Sonia, looking over where she gestured. She smiled ever so slightly, looking a bit pink. Looking hot…

And next time. She plans to actually throw Makoto— she’ll dropkick his ass.
Although maybe a little less.
Since his plot-convenient telepathy did play a hand in them finally talking out these feelings, and they were, maybe, acquaintances.

Sonia sighed, her hands gesturing intently by her side, small, but with intent. "I'm just... bleh. You know how insincere I can be. You sure you want me? Of anyone you could've been with?"

That prompted Reece to turn her head, to properly look Sonia in the eye. One-scarred grey meeting her own green. “You’re perfectly fine. I don’t care if you’re... insincere. I feel genuine around you.” I guess. Or whatever. “I don’t... feel that way about anyone else. So yeah. You.” She exhaled. “I understand though. I don’t get why you’d want me either.”

There was an underlying silence for a few moments, as Reece contemplated her life choices before her open question was met with a bombard of rambling.

"You're buff and you have really hot scars. You're really cute when you try to express yourself, and I can get behind your cynicism. I guess... I like it when you're honest. It feels like you mean it and you're not just trying to be on the list of people I've dated for sinstagram likes."
"And I dunno. For the first time in a while, I really want to make this work."

Reece exhaled, hearing all of those compliments. Her chest felt a bit warm as well.
“T— Thanks...” she averted her gaze. She... likes when I’m honest, huh. She attempts a smile at Sonia, although it looked more like a grimace. “I’ll... I want to try and make it work as well.”

You're so sdafkljfhasdjf cute.
"Wanna hold hands?"

Reece blinked, before nodding after a while. She shuffled closer to Sonia, putting her hand next to hers- barely brushing it at first, as though testing the waters. “Yeah.”

She glanced down at the pool that they sat besides. Their reflections, hands intertwined, stared back at her.
It made her feel… strange.

Sonia would just sit there, a little stiffly. Trying not to overreact as Reece held her hand. "You can do more if you like."
"It's me, after all." I'll let her set the pace.

Reece then breathed as she slowly reached over further, slowly intertwining her hand with Sonia’s. She actually smiled genuinely, a small blush forming on her expression. The small gesture felt kind of... nice. Strangely gentle.
It wasn't something she was used too.
Lidded grey eyes would spare the occasional glance over to Sonia. A small, but growing- stupid grin slipping onto her expression as well. Shit- fuck. Stop.
But nonetheless, she'd eventually relax into the contact. Yeah. She’d be happy to just stay there for a while.