Status: let's see how this goes, shall we?

Trace Your Shadows

we need umbrellas on the inside

THEN

“Would somebody go return that stupid dog back next door? Before I wring its neck?”

The sound of her father’s loud voice had Fiona jumping in her seat, immediately looking up to meet her mother’s amused glance as the older woman sighed and shook her head fondly.

“Fi, go save that dog from your father’s wrath before he murders it,” her mother asked in mock weariness, the two of them both knowing that her father was too much of a softie to ever even consider harming anything living. Regardless, Fiona sighed and got to her feet, not wanting the poor creature to be subjected to her father’s frustration at how it always escaped with only one specific goal in mind; to shit on their front lawn.

Fiona made it out just in time to grab the little Jack Russell away from where her father was muttering angrily under his breath, a plastic bag on one hand to clean up the mess the small dog had made. The dog nestled into Fiona’s embrace, seemingly thankful to be away from the angry man that had been screaming at him as Fiona carried him over to the Wentz place, a little weary of approaching the household that had been so heavy on her thoughts.

“Come on, Razzo, let’s get ya home before you can cause any more trouble,” Fiona whispered to the dog, giggling a little when Razzo leaned up to lick at her cheek as she made her way up to the front door of the Wentz home and rung the doorbell. “I don’t even know how you keep getting out, little guy.” Razzo just yipped happily, wriggling in her arms as she tried to settle him until she could hand him over to his owners.

There was a long wait and the sound of movement inside. She knew someone was home yet with the time that had already passed with nobody answering; she wondered if maybe she should ring the doorbell again. She outstretched her arm, about to press the buzzer once more when the front door opened and a ragged looking Pete emerged from the other side.

“Whoa, hey,” Fiona said immediately, her eyes locking onto Pete’s. To say she was a little taken back was an understatement, she’d never been so close and personal with the oldest Wentz boy before and with everything that had been going on lately, she hadn’t thought she ever would be.

Pete looked just as surprised as she was, watching her closely before lowering his gaze to look at the armful of excited pup she held close, as if it was something to help separate the two of them. Fiona cleared her throat, opened her mouth, shut it, then tried again.

“Hey, ah, so, this little guy got out. Again. Just thought I’d bring him back before my dad gets his revenge,” Fiona said, trying to keep her voice light and friendly but she could hear how shaky it was. Pete watched on for another excruciatingly slow moment before giving a small nod and opening the door wider.

“Come in,” he responded, jerking his head in the direction of the house and Fiona could only look at him in surprise. He gave a half grin, the smile not quite meeting his eyes. “Seriously, I’m not going to bite.”

Fiona couldn’t think of any reason not to go inside, at least not a plausible one that she could come up with on the spot, and so she did as she was told, entering the Wentz household for the first time. She waited until she heard Pete shut the door behind her before letting Razzo finally jump from her arms and she watched as he took off down the hallway, leaving her alone with the heavy weight of Pete’s stare on her. Traitor.

“Are you, um, home alone?” Fiona asked before immediately cursing herself for asking such a dumb question.

Pete’s gaze didn’t move from her as he gave a little nod. “Yeah. First time they’ve let me be by myself since the accident.”

“Accident,” Fiona repeated quietly before realizing she’d said it out loud and holy hell, what was she even thinking? She looked over to Pete, tongue already overflowing with apologies which disappear the moment she saw there was a smile on his face. An actual, honest to God, smile.

“That’s what they call it,” he replied, looking suddenly brighter than when she first saw him. “An accident. Like I didn’t mean to do it, it wasn’t intentional. And I guess I let them think that, it takes the blame off them at least.”

Fiona nodded like she understood but they both knew she didn’t. “So, if it wasn’t an accident,” she felt herself grow brave, “does that mean you’re going to try again?”

Pete shrugged, looking scarily detached from the conversation, as if they weren’t discussing his life. “Maybe. I don’t know. Perhaps I’m not good at it.”

“I don’t really think it’s something you should be good at,” Fiona responded immediately, terrified she’d anger him but somehow unable to stop her stupid mouth from doing all the thinking.

“Yeah?” Pete questioned before grinning again. “What’s your name again?”

“Fiona,” she supplied, realizing this was the first time they’d been properly introduced. “And you’re Pete.”

He nodded. “That’s me. Though I’m pretty sure everybody in this goddamn state knows that by now.”

“People love to talk,” Fiona said weakly, not sure how to deal with this situation and Pete nodded again.

“That they do. How old are you anyway? Pretty sure the last time I saw you, you were just learning how to ride a bike or something.”

“Sixteen, seventeen in three months,” Fiona answered, trying to stand a little taller because he was looking at her like she was just some kid and somehow that didn’t sit right with her. “And how old are you?”

“Too old. I’ll be twenty next month,” he replied, grimacing at the thought. “It’s such a fucking awful age, everybody starts treating you like you understand the world, like you’re ready to grow up and be an adult. It’s fucking bullshit though because everyone’s spent your whole life treating you like a kid, just for it all to change.”

There was a pause and Fiona managed to find her voice. “Is that why you did it? Because you were scared to grow up, scared to get old?”

Pete watched her for a moment, his face dark, and he suddenly looked much older than before. “I did it because I’m fuckin’ crazy,” he told her with conviction but Fiona found herself in disbelief, a sudden truth presenting itself to her.

“No,” she told him, shaking her head and watching as surprise took over his features. “You did it because you’re sad.”

Fiona left after that, feeling like she had nothing more to say. Pete didn’t try to stop her, and she wouldn’t stay even if he had. Something happened that night, as Fiona left behind the broken boy feeling as though she’d caught some of his sadness and had it trapped within her, and it became apparent that everything had changed.
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i wrote, what i believe, to be a rather lovely scene between pete and fiona a few chapters ahead so i couldn't help but update again so soon.
as always, thank you for spending your precious time reading this! it's much appreciated!