OMFG I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT PUTTING THE TW AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST CHAPTER

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH

⚠️TW: panic attack⚠️

Ash's POV

Edge had left our hideout to go back to her treehouse. I don't blame her. She has people that rely on her.

"I'm back bitches," Briar announced, sliding down the slide.

And then two more people slid down.

"Who the fuck are these people?" I asked.

"New members," Briar replied.

I sighed. "You can't just recruit-"

"I'm Emily," one person with pink hair said.

I don't know why, but it feels like I know her. Maybe in an alternate universe, where I live somewhere like Canada, she was my friend.

"My name's Gluten Cruiser Goofy Goober, but everyone calls me GC." The dark-haired girl said.

"Nice to meet you two..." I muttered. "Floor four has two open rooms, 12 and 13."

"Actually, can GC room with me?" Briar asked. "We're friends. My room's a bunk bed."

"Yeah, sure. Emily, room 13." I replied. "GC, room 19 with Briar."

GC and Briar exchanged happy glances.

...

"So who's gonna tell her?" Emily asked.

"Tell who what?" I asked.

"You're officially going on a date with Edge!" Briar exclaimed with a smile.

"I hate you so much." I replied.

"There we go! Save all the love for Edge tomorrow!" Briar laughed.

"Tomorrow?" I asked. "Are you crazy you fucking crayon chewer?"

"What?" Briar asked. "Is that an issue-"

"Yeah it's a fucking issue!" I shouted. "I have nothing to wear, ideas for conversation, what the fuck do I do, how do I act, FUCK-"

I started breathing erratically. Chills, fuck I'm shaking. Headache-

"Deep breaths," Emily instructed. "Five things you can see."

I looked around. "Um, people... walls... hands... floor... shoes..."

"Four things you can hear," Emily said.

"People again... teapot... me... and, um, elevator," I replied.

"Good. Three things you can touch."

"Suit, hand.... how the fuck is this helping?" I asked.

"Please trust me-"

"I'm fine," I lied.

"Deep breaths." Emily said. "Please."

Reluctantly, I followed her instructions.

"You're gonna do fine tomorrow." Emily said. "GC and Briar are gonna be setting things up. The only things you need to worry about is being yourself."

I took a few deep breaths. "Thank you."

Fucking hell. I just had a panic attack in front of everyone. That's not... "professional."

Of course, by everyone I mean three people and a dog, but still.

Emily smiled. "I'm gonna help you with preparations, m'kay? I'll help you choose an appropriate outfit, tell you what's gonna happen-"

"I wanna get her a gift," I blurted impulsively.

"Well you are kinda going on a date with-"

"I don't care." I deadpanned. "I'm getting her a gift."

At this point, Briar and GC had left to go to their room. Jerks.

Emily laughed. "You're gonna make a protective girlfriend. There's probably some flowers outside. You can pick them right before you leave tomorrow so they're fresh."

"That's not enough," I replied."She's... special. And not like the way I subtlely insult Briar. I mean... you know..."

"I get it," Emily said, pulling out her phone. "I'll look up gift ideas-- oh that's not PG... neither is that...."

(A/N: That legit happened when i looked up gifts. I'm just over here tryna get "romantic gift ideas" and google is all "hOw bOuT dIlDo aNd sEx jOuRnAl" and I'm all "how about no motherfucker" what the hell google)

I sighed."Nevermind. I'll steal something from a store."

"Music box," Emily said. "I haven't met her, nor heard much about her, but an old-timey music box is something everyone likes."

Music box?

I mean... it sounds nice.

"Also, it's a fairly casual date. You probably shouldn't wear your signature suit," Emily stated.

"How do you know-"

"I see you on the streets sometimes. You've never worn anything else." She cut me off.

(wo ho ho another time squip brought to you by an inconsistent update schedule)

(anyways so it's like about an hour before the date now)

"You got the gift?" Emily asked.

I held out the heart-shaped music box and tulip.

She smiled. "Nice. What song does it play?"

"I dunno," I replied, winding it up to find out.

We both listened to it. It almost sounded like two parts were playing at once, in a harmony.

"Do you recognize it?" I asked, having no clue what the hell it was.

"I don't know," Emily admitted. "Sounds pretty though."

"Whatever, a gift's a gift," I muttered. "What the hell do I wear?"

"Lead me to your closet," Emily said. I took her to the elevator and onto floor 5. You're not getting a room number, but we walked into my room.

She dug through my closet, pulling out things that caught her eye.

"This weirdass hooded tank top fits your aesthetic," She explained. "Especially with this-"

"-and this-"

"--and... Can you skip the knee-high boots for hiding daggers tonight?" Emily asked.

"It defines who I am!" I shouted defensively.

"No, it defines your lack of trust." Emily retorted. "Wear these."

Okay but that's kinda badass.

She left the room and I put it on. Damn. Emily's good at this.

I walked out of my room, gifts in hand.

"I'm ready."

Edge's POV

Aston sighed. "Relax, you'll be fine-"

"BUT SHE'S REALLY FUCKING HOT AND I'M GAY PANICKING-"

"Stop screaming, you'll scare someone." Aston muttered. "Lemme look through your closet."

"You don't-"

"Found an outfit," He said, pulling it out.

"Wait, ignore those jeans. Here's a better pair."

After he left the room, I put it on. Not... terrible? I think?

(A/N: imma let y'all in on a secret: I actually have no sense of style. Fucking jeans and hoodies. So I mean if this is really 100% burn-it-and-never-look-at-the-ashes horrible, let me know lmao)

I left my room. "Where is everyone?"

"I thought you knew," Aston said. "They're staying the night in the Trash Cult hideout so you can have your date with Ash."

"Isn't the location supposed to be a secret-"

"GC blindfolded and guided them, one by one." Aston replied.

"But we have 125 members, that's gonna take forever-"

"She was done an hour ago." Aston cut me off. "Just relax. You're gonna be fine. As long as you don't fuck it up."

"Wow, really helpful." I deadpanned. "No shit, Sherlock."

"Fuck you too Watson," He replied.

Briar and GC came down from the rooftop.

"Everything's set up there,"GC said. "Where's your TV room?"

I pointed the two of them in the direction, and they left.

Aston sighed. "In all honesty, I don't think Ash is completely right for you-"

"Well lucky that I don't actually give a flying fuck," I retorted.

"Can I finish?" He asked. "As I was saying, she might not be completely right for you, but she seems to make you really happy. And if you think she's right for you... then I have no objections."

"I'm sorry did you not catch the part about me not giving a flying fuck?"

"You suck," He said.

"You bite because you're a sadist," I replied.

"Incorrect, I am a bottom." He retorted.

I laughed, suddenly remembering he's way too open about that.

I checked the time on my phone. 7:32.

"Hi- uh, was I supposed to wait at the ladder?" A familiar voice asked.

I whipped around. It's her. Oh my fuck she's really pretty in purple.

"Hey A-Ash!" I greeted, waving. "Thanks for coming here!"

"No problem. Thanks for not, uh, killing Emily and GC and Briar when you found out about this." She replied. "I have a... gift."

"I'll leave you two alone," Aston said, leaving.

I looked at the gift she had in her hand. A tulip and a heart-shaped music box.

"Thanks!" I said as she handed them to me. "I'll go put this in some water."

I walked to the kitchen, getting a vase and water for the flower, putting it by a window.

Grabbing the music box, I ran back to Ash.

"Hang on, I wanna hear this," I said, opening up the music box and winding it up.

"Yeah, um, we couldn't figure out the song so I was hoping you had vague idea?" Ash replied.

I... I know this song...

"♫ If you were the popcorn
I would be the movie
If you were strawberries
Then I would be the smoothie
If you were October
I'd be apple cider
And if you were the waffle fries
Then I would be the slider~ ♫" I sang to the tune of the music box.

"You have an amazing voice," Ash complimented.

"Thanks.." I blushed as the music box stopped. "It's, um, Perfect Together by Rosanna. I know it's a really cheesy romance song, but I was kind of obsessed with it during my painfully single middle school phase-"

"I really like it," Ash smiled.

"You look really..." Wait how do I finish that sentence without being awkward? I can't say hot, that's just weird for a first date, right? I can't say cute because she was obviously going for badass. "Pretty" is just so overused.

"...mesmerizing..." I finished. That... is not much better.

Ash laughed. "I gotta admit, that was not what I expected you to say but that's even better. And, for the record, you're adorable."

Is she calling me adorable, or my outfit adorable? Is there a difference?

"Let's get to the rooftop," I said, guiding her to the staircase. She followed me up the stairs.

"Nice! We made it just in time to see the sunset!" Ash exclaimed, taking a seat and patting a spot next to her. A gesture for me to sit next her.

I gladly took the spot. I looked around, seeing what Briar and the other girl did to this roof. There was a radio with a CD in a case on the top of it. A telescope sat on the opposite side. There was a small table-- how the hell did they get a table up here-- with some foods and desserts and a pamphlet.

"Looks like your friends put a ton of effort into this," I mentioned. "Tell them I said thanks-- hOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS SALTY IS THAT GARLIC BREAD?!?"

Ash laughed. "Hell yeah! Garlic bread is AMAZING!"

Wait a sec....

She shares the same sociopathic love and interest in garlic bread as I do?

Fuck 2020's TikTok POVs. I just met my soulmate.

Just kidding... unless...

"Edge, look!" Ash exclaimed, pointing out. "The sky is pansexual!"

I looked out. It really was pansexual.

"Awwww that's so pretty!" I cooed. "It's honestly an amazing view."

Ash glanced down at me. "Yeah, it is."

We talked for a while before the stars came out, eating garlic bread and brownies. The darker and colder air around us seemed to make Ash smile.

"They made a fucking playlist?" Ash asked, picking up the CD. She put it in the player, starting a song I didn't recognize.

Ash picked up the telescope and pamphlet, handing it to me and setting up the telescope.

I glanced up at the shiny stars. They lit up the sky, yet you couldn't see the ground from their light. You couldn't see the Kawali skyline or the absolutely broken society it holds. You couldn't see the executioners marching the streets, or the people trying to hide from others in fear of being turned in, or The Anax sitting on his stupid pedastol--

You can't see it.

But that doesn't mean it's not there.

"Let's take a look--" Ash said. I handed her the pamphlet.

She angled the telescope downwards. "Look."

I looked through the glass of it. A few stars, almost house-shaped? It's harder to find constellations than you think. You have to mentally play connect-the-dots, and you know you're expecting something, but you don't know what you're expecting. Does that make sense?

"Is that... libra?" I asked.

"I think so," Ash replied with a smirk.

We took turns spotting constellations. I don't know how, but that was the best series of conversations I'd ever had.

By the time we'd seen all the constellations, it was almost 12:30 AM. Oddly enough, I wasn't tired.

"Before we finish here, I'd like to look at one last thing," Ash said, reaching for the telescope. "My mom used to tell me this story about a constellation--  thánatos érchetai-- it's suppised to be a constellation of love. If you see it on a first date, it's supposed to be true love."

She looked through the telescope. "It's... a triangle with a rough outline of a heart..."

"Oh, so first you're all 'i am meanie cult leader i do not alliance with u' but now you think it's true love?" I teased.

"You sound like you're getting your hopes up," Ash replied, obviously avoiding the statement. "On a completely unrelated note, it's here."

I smiled, my face heating up.

"Do you believe in true love?" I asked.

Ash's face fell. "To be honest... I wish I did. But I think that one true love kinda violates our right to choose. Like, if there's only one person out there for us, does that mean the billions of other people out there are entirely wrong for us?"

"Interesting," I said.

"What do you think?" Ash asked.

"I think you're just too scared to let your guard down," I replied, immediately regretting it.

Ash chuckled lowly. This can't be good.

She was close to me, within stabbing range, and definitely within point-blank if she had a gun.

I screwed my eyes shut, half scared for my life when Ash put her hand on top of mine.

"I'll let my guard down for you," Ash said with a smirk. "Just you. You only. Please don't take advantage of it."

"Never," I whispered, looking at her face.

Ash leaned her forhead against mine gently, closing her eyes as I closed mine. She squeezed my hand tighter, as if she never wanted to let go.

...

Am I allowed to kiss her now?

No. Too soon, right? It's late, she's tired. That's non-consensual. I mean, maybe that only applies to the deed, but I still don't wanna do something she's gonna regret tomorrow.

Ash pulled away reluctantly. "I think we're supposed to watch a movie downstairs."

Ash's POV

Edge nodded, bringing me downstairs.

"Wait-" She inturrupted, looking back up at the roof. "The song on the playlist."

"What about it?" I asked. She'd already ran back up the stairs, so I followed her.

"It's the same song on the music box you got me," Edge said.

I listened-- the same lyrics she was singing earlier.

(A/N: this would be a good time to listen to the song at the top)

"Beautiful song, but we should go inside. You're shivering," I said.

"Right," Edge replied, pausing the CD player and going back inside.

In the TV room, there was a giant blanket fort and a bowl of popcorn.

Edge set up the movie, sitting next to me. We laughed, she screeched a little at a little jumpscare, I saw her tear up.

And, maybe I don't believe in a one true love or soulmates or anything like that...

But Edge and I seem to be pretty damn close.

~

I'm so sorry this came out so late. I was sick yesterday (not corona) and just didn't feel amazing :/

Anyways, there's the cheesy date chapter.

And, uh, if I were to, in theory, make a Trashprince Spotify playlist, would anyone listen to it?

Uh, anyways, have an amazing day/night/next 24 hours you amazing human being!