This time, baby, I'll be bulletproof [Cole]

Paige wasn’t one for Valentine’s Day. Oh, no. She rather hated the commerciality of it. Love wasn’t something that could be bought in a store, and while she loves gifts she found the whole idea of a party to celebrate the weakest emotion to be something of a trite ruse. Girls fell willingly into their boyfriend’s beds after a token gift and dinner celebrated in the name of this holiday, but she would never fall for something so silly. She had been asked out for the day, several suitors had requested her accompany them to Shakamaxon for the trip that weekend in hopes of wooing her, she assumed, but she had turned down all the usual suspects flat-out, and was rather angry at them, too. Did they think she was so easily tricked? Who needed a day to be romantic? Romance was meant to be an all the time thing, not a trophy that could be held over the girl’s head in exchange for favors that night or at a later date. 
 
So, she had set up and planned a single girl’s dream. Knowing it was headed by her, she knew that it wouldn’t look like a pathetic sad girl’s attempt to rebuff the more popular girl’s holiday. She was doing this for womankind everywhere. They deserved better. Demanded it. There was pizza, of course, as was common at many functions such as these. Soda and nonalcoholic cocktails, many of which she mixed herself, were served as well as heart-shaped cookies (all broken in half, which she thought made it very clever). She had decorated the garden in black and red and pink, with silver streamers. There was wrock music playing, harder stuff than she usually enjoyed, and the crowd of girls seemed to enjoy it. There were even a fair few boys in attendance, but she was missing one boy in particular. Where was Cole? 
 
She had specifically requested his presence here. Knowing he had no girl in his life who would have him, and knowing he likely thought the holiday just as ridiculous as she did, she was expecting him to help out—or at least attend. Finally, near the end of the night she captured him sneaking a cigarette behind the school building, near enough to the gardens to count but far enough away as to not look like he cared enough to attend a school function. 
 
She smiled lightly; she would take it. When the event drew to a close and the students left, he was still lingering by the school building and she walked over to talk to him. “Cigarettes are a dirty habit.” She repeated, not for the first time to him. Even so, she plucked the cigarette from his fingers, examined it, and took a tiny puff when no one but Cole was looking. “Tastes dirty too. I don’t know how you do it.” She laughed, her remark a little softened by the slight cough that followed. Instead of handing the death stick back to him, she put it out on the ground. “Come with me,” She demanded, taking his hand and pulling him towards the empty, save the décor, clearing. 
 
“You weren’t here for set up like I requested.” She told him, scolding. “You barely showed up at all. One would think you didn’t like me.” She was sure that was something he would reply affirmatively to, so she kept going. “But of course, you showed up eventually. Couldn’t resist sneaking a glimpse of me in action, I assume.” 
 
She handed him a large trash bag and adjusted it in his hands until it was open to her liking, then began throwing empty pizza boxes in it. “You’re on cleanup duty now, instead. I have a pass until we can get this cleaned up, so you should be fine out here if anyone catches us out after curfew. Surely that brings you some joy.” She huffed lightly. “Either way, I’ll be here for hours without your help, and surely your presence is better than silence, I suppose. Or is it?” 

@Coleman Close

Valentines’ day was stupid.

Coleman had felt that way about the Hallmark holiday since Sally Simmons had stomped on his (paper) heart in the third grade, and he had never looked back. He was interested in girls, obviously but felt like Valentines came with too many strings to make it worth it. Like if he wanted to make out with someone, or sleep with them, or whatever, he would rather just shoot his shot and get rejected on a regular day, rather than adding in the added humiliation of the holiday too.

Which is exactly the attitude that found him slouching against the back of the school building watching Paige’s party rather than attending it. The young wizard would die before he’d let himself be caught dead willingly attending such a function, but the small part of him that wanted the excuse to see Paige had compelled him to walk father than he usually would for a smoke, even if he wasn’t keen on admitting it.

He was mildly surprised to find that he’d managed to make two cigarettes last the whole of the party, but even more surprised to see Paige walking his way. As usual, he wasn’t sure if he was happy to see her or if he was annoyed, but he lifted his chin in a silent greeting all the same as he took another drag from the cigarette between his fingers, snorting lightly at her scolding “Yet here you are” he retorted, his tone light as he watched, surprised as she took a drag “Doing that” he finished a moment later, his surprise clear. He slouched against the wall at his back  as he took a moment to look at her “That’d be the addiction part of ‘nicotine addiction.’” He said semi-sarcastically, a small smile sliding across his lips as she coughed.

Though his smile was short lived as she dropped the cigarette and stomped on it and he protested with an undignified squawk “Seriously Hext? They’re fucking expensive.” He groused, as his frown deepened at her tugging him along. He debated pulling away and taking himself back inside the school on principle but decided against it, wanting a chance to argue more. He sighed melodramatically as she scolded him again, side-eyeing her with well-practiced indifference, wondering if she’d call his bluff “Funny how free will works, isn’t it? Must drive you crazy that I’m not at your heels like a puppy like the rest of the boys you talk to.” He said, wanting to see what it would take to ruffle her feathers. “More like your party was within eyesight of my usual smoking spot, and you were hoping I’d notice you.” He was not about to give her any ground, not tonight.Never mind the fact that he was somehow holding a trash bag and helping her clean up this sad party when he’d only meant to make a brief appearance.

“Yeah, because I’m worried about breaking curfew” he told her dryly. He wouldn’t be surprised if he held some obscure school record for most detentions earned by breaking curfew at this point. He lifted a shoulder, shrugging “I’ll let you be the judge of that. I think I’m great company, obviously.” He said with mock seriousness as he continued to hold the stupid trash bag “At least you didn’t pick shitty music.” He offered, hoping to find some common topic that wasn’t directly about valentines day.

Paige smirked a little at what she would take as a compliment, and started shoving things in the bags as he held them open. He was being a good sport. He could have thrown the bag on the ground at any time and walked away, but so far he hadn’t. She was appreciative of his help, but didn’t quite know how to say it. It didn’t take long for them to clean up working together, and she wiped a little bead of sweat off of her forehead after they were done, with a deep sigh.

“Really would think you like me,” She teased, despite herself. “Could have left at any time, but here you are, here and helping. Good.” She smiled at him, warmer than usual, and slid a little closer. Paige liked Cole. This much she knew, and thought it was very obvious. She always sought him out, pushed him around and teased him. Just like a boy who dipped a girl’s pigtails in ink, she would have left him alone if she wasn’t fully thrilled with his attention.

In fact, she had the whole thing planned out, all the way to her senior prom next year, where she would finally give up her virtue to him. Of course, they would have been dating for some time already, she assumed, but tick, tick, tick the school year was flying by, and her claws weren’t fully into him yet. She had plenty of boyfriends and suitors to pick from, but she only teased them and used them for presents and attention. She never sought them out like she sought out Cole.

“Thank you.” She said, a bit more genuinely. She looked up at the lamps illuminating the gardens, then back at Cole. “Perhaps I should thank you a bit more genuinely?” She wondered, moving closer still. If he didn’t see what she was trying to do, he was an idiot. He wasn’t an idiot, right?

Cole raised his eyes in silent comment, knowing better than to walk into a trap like that one. He might like her, that much was true, but he sure as shit wasn’t going to tell her that just now. Instead he shrugged, smirking in her direction “Or I’m just a nice boy” he joked back, knowing full well that that was not who he was. He kicked the now filled trash bag lightly with his toe out of habit as he shrugged again “I am capable of doing helpful things.” He told her, deadpan, still joking “Shocking, I know. With all the time I spend being a delinquent.” Which, while he was at school, was surprisingly little, what with all the clubs he’d been mandatorily volunteered for.

The fact that Paige was moving closer was not lost on Cole, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t confused. Usually they would trade insults and jokes, but now here she was invading his personal space again, and he wasn’t sure if it meant what he thought it did? If it did, the boy was mad that he hadn’t thought to bring a mint, but he supposed that that was his luck.
She thanked him again, and he felt himself shrug automatically in response “Seriously, Hext it’s not a big deal.” He insisted as he watched her scoot closer still. This definitely meant what he thought it did, but even so, he wasn’t quite sure what exactly to do with that information. Obviously making out with Paige was something he wasn’t going to turn down, but part of him wondered if they made out, would that mean she’d try to boss him around like every other whipped boy she had following her around? Fuck that, he decided.

Paige was very much in his personal bubble now, and Cole was very aware of the fact as he turned to face her, surprised to find her as close as she was as he leaned in to press his lips to hers. After a moment, the wizard broke the kiss “Just so we’re clear – this doesn’t mean you can boss me around.” He told her before closing the gap between them again.

Paige was, despite herself and her seemingly never-ending confidence, surprised when Cole moved forward and closed the distance between them. She closed her eyes and kissed back, the irony of the situation completely lost on her. Two anti-valentine’s day students sharing their first kiss on valentine’s day, at a love sucks party no-less. She opened her eyes to grin at him when she spoke, and was going to reply before he kissed her again. Don’t think she could boss him around, hm? What had she been doing if not that for the past 30 minutes? She grinned into the kiss and let him set the pace, hands moving up to his sides and face tilting lightly to the side to fit their mouths together a little better.

This wasn’t her first kiss, neither was it Cole’s probably, but it was their first one together and that was special. She was still reeling that he had caught her less-than-vague hint and been eager to oblige her without her trying much harder. She didn’t want him to be one of her whipped boys, though. Regardless, she loved that he fought her every step of the way and that was part of his appeal. She liked that he pulled away, like a cat and mouse game. Sometimes she chased, and sometimes she was chased. She loved everything about their dynamic.

She parted her lips a bit, unsure how far she would let this go. How long she would let him kiss her. But, for now, she didn’t want things to end.

Cole meant what he’d said when he’d told Paige he wasn’t interested in being bossed around, and even now as he found himself kissing her again, he wondered even now if things would change between them, now that he’d done what she’d wanted. He forced himself to push the thought aside, leaning into her space momentarily before he pulled away, needing to breathe and wanting to be the one to make the decision.

As much as he’d liked kissing the witch in front of him, and that he had to admit it had been worth the wait, he didn’t want to become another collectible face. He liked her, he half-admitted to himself, but he had no interest in following her around like some lovesick idiot.

Even as he pulled away, he didn’t withdraw completely. His hands were still resting lightly on her sides and he studied her for a moment before he smirked lightly “I’m guessing the irony of us kissing now isn’t lost on you, either?” he asked lightly.

Paige felt comfort in Cole’s strong hands on her sides, even as he pulled away for air. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer despite his attempt at distance. She didn’t want him to be another collectable face, either. She didn’t want to push him around and use him for attention like she so often did with the other men in her life. He wasn’t replaceable. He was hers, the one she chose. She wanted him, and for now she let herself think she had him at long-last. 
 
She grinned at him lightly, loving the look of that smirk on his still-damp lips. The lips she had just kissed. “Oh, you mean at my anti-Valentine’s day party?” She teased back. “I don’t see any irony here.” She joked, pulling him a little closer. The party was cleaned up, they only had a few bags to discard of now, but she wanted and excuse to stay out even later. She moved them gently, leaning back against a planter with a brick side, and then sliding onto it in a sitting position, legs shifting around him and eyes dark with desire. 
 
“Kiss me again?” She purred, moving her arms from around his neck to tug at his shirt, bringing him forward towards her waiting lips.