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i'm the love of your life?

──● hector
COCO

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Merlene wishes Yume was here.

At the same time though, she's glad her older sister got the opportunity to go to South Korea for a writing program she'd applied to over a year ago. It wasn't a long program really, about a month long. Yume would be back in June, the 20th, more or less, to get here before Jasiri's birthday.

Of course, Yume not being here and all, one of her other siblings had to fill in the role.

Naturally, none of them were Yume, but they each did their little part to help her prepare for her date. Now she was dressed, well-fueled, and currently enduring the pre-date talk from Reysa, of all people. To be honest, Merlene was thankful it was Reysa. Other than Yume, she was probably one of the siblings she was exceptionally close with. It hadn't always been that way, but since the couple of years they actually had spent together, especially this last one, they'd grown to understand each other in ways that some of their other siblings didn't.

Reysa was angry too, not in the way that she was angry at her family, but rather angry at the world, angry at the universe for putting her in a home that had never wanted her at all. That wasn't the case for either of them now, thankfully. 

"You have your location on?" Reysa was sitting on one of the bar stools by the kitchen counter, arms crossed over her chest before removing a hand to admire her recently done nails. 

"Mhm."

"You know to send me a red heart if something is wrong, right?"

"Yep."

"You have pepper spray and everything?"

"Uh-huh." Merlene looked back from the mirror, pulling her hair back into a bun as she met the gaze of her sister. Reysa was frowning. Not inherently at Merlene, but surely at something. Before Mer could even ask, she was given a short response.

"Do you ever think about how sad it is that we have to ask that?"

"All the time." Merlene supposed that she was used to it by now. Most of them were. But they were women, weren't they? "Well, no time for a philisophical conversation about the patriarchy, that's what the Barbie movie is for. I have a date."

After a second look in the mirror, and the eurphoric rush of aching butterflies in her stomach, she ducked herself back into the bathroom, feeling the buzz of a notification on her phone. Momentarily delighted, she pressed on it, only to feel her face pale.

Fuck, my period was supposed to start two days ago.

Hurriedly, Merlene stripped down, feeling that sinking anxiety that she thought had just been nerves worsen into something stinging into the pit of her stomach. Of course she was on her period. What else in the world could possibly go wrong now?

Don't answer that.

Merlene didn't, instead digging through the bottom of the bathroom sink in a fervent manner in search of the products she desired. Upon finding none at all, reluctantly, she turned back to her phone, pressing Kasumi's contact instead.

Jasiri was out on a date, and although her relationship with Delaney and Jady had significantly progressed, she still felt the burning heat of embarassment about asking them to bring her some. Yume was gone, and Reysa might just laugh about Merlene's dumb fucking luck. It was true that she could ask any of her brothers, and they wouldn't so much as blink, but she wasn't about to send them in search through her sister's stuff all around the house for what she now desperately needed. 

So that left Kasumi.

 A dull ache had settled in her stomach now, one that she distinctly recongnized as not butterflies at all, but the prologue of cramping. Mentally pressing down residual shame, she texted her sister.

'i started my period, :(, downstairs bathroom by the entry' 

At the very least, she could trust Kasumi to not giggle at her predicament. The cramps attached to her sides worsened, and Merlene sat on the toilet, arms wrapped around her stomach as the pit of anxiety in her stomach swelled with each stabbing ache in her side.

Oh fuck, my date.

Merlene wasn't embarrassed of her period, and her father never made her feel like she had to be (although having the conversation with him is something she gladly wishes she could forget), but it's still a drag to have it. She's not gonna go around parading the fact that she's on her period either, lest she deal with one too many jokes about 'hysterical women'.  A scowl plays onto her mouth, both from irritation and muscle memory. 

The thing is, she doesn't know how delighted she'll actually be to go out and do a bunch of shit while she's on her period. Especially because her emotional state does feel a little fragile right now, not that she'd admit it to anyone. Her stomach hurts and waves of nasuea and dizziness are hitting her unexpectedly. Sometimes the pain can alter her mood, sharpen her sarcasm to the point of fatality rather than just a poke, and she really doesn't want to fight with Vett again at all.

She also doesn't want to cancel their date, or worse, somehow gross him out.

Vett doesn't really seem like he would be grossed out by the fact she's on her period, but something inside of her really doesn't want to take the chance and find out the hard way.

Her throughts were rudely inturrupted by a knock at the door, and the gentle, lulling voice of her older sister. "Mer, I got your stuff, and some clothes too, cause I figured..." her voice trailed off, then momentarily piped up again as Merlene stood, cracking the door open to silently thank her sister and snatch her things. "So yeah, okay." Kasumi offered a sympathetic smile, then a quick nod before Merlene again closed the door, closing her eyes briefly as she sat back down.

What do I even do? Just cancel?

Either that or she could just bear it. The first day was almost always the worst for her, both with cramps and with bleeding, and now that she knew she was having her period, emotional exhaustion set in a little deeper. Reluctantly, and after a mild internal debate, she reached for her phone.

'hey, Vett?'

'yeah'

'i gotta cancel, i'm sorry'

'oh okay, it's cool' There was a brief pause, and Merlene watched the little bubbles on the screen appear as he began typing again, 'you okay?'

'no, i started my fucking period, this is just my luck fr'

'bffr period' Vett responded within moments, much to Merlene's surprise. It was a delighted discovery, honestly. He hadn't seemed thrown off at all, and again the indication of his typing reappeared underneath his previous message, 'you need anything?'

If she was truthfully speaking, Merlene probably would have asked him to come over anyway, just to be with her, but she wasn't going to ask that. Instead, she answered with a quick negatory response, dismissing the question in the back of her mind, and setting her phone back down with a dreary sigh. 

As fast as she could manage with the ongoing pain that seemed to linger everywhere she moved, she applied the products, changing before gathering her clothes to wash instead. Merlene hoped she hadn't bled through her favorite pair of pants, that would really suck. Dropping the clothes in her designated wash basket, she gathered them all up to set them on a cycle before trudging back to the kitchen in her spandex and sweatshirt. 

Reysa looked up after a beat, then frowned, "Why'd you change?"

"I'm not going."

"He canceled on you??" It was distinct anger that suddenly disrupted the tranquility of the kitchen, Reysa's face contorting into distaste as she reached for her own phone. "I'll give that mother-fuckin bitch a piece of my mind-"

"No, Rey." Merlene instead pushed herself up on a neighboring bar stool, letting her head drop into crossed arms on the table. "I canceled, I started my period." She peaked open her eyes, only to see Reysa's face shift from furious to borderline amused.

"Wow. That is pretty shitty luck."

"Don't rub it in." It was a groan, and her head dropped right back into the security of her arms.

"Don't feel too bad, Mer." Reysa's hand rubbed up and down her back, in gentle, soothing motions. A trick that she'd probably picked up from Yume since she did it to all of them almost constantly. "I'm sure Vett understands."

"We'll see." Despite his affirmative response, there was still that lingering anxiety that sat like a weight in her gut, only adding onto the pressurized feeling that her cramps often gave her body. He had responded more positively than she felt like some of the other dates she had would, but thoughts of doubt and insecurity continued to be force-fed into her mind.  "I'm gonna go lay down upstairs." Reysa only nodded when Merlene pushed back up from the bar, heading up the stairs instead and to her bedroom. 

Upon her arrival, and opening of the door, of soft-spoken cry came from behind the pillows on her bed. To her momentary delight, a cat head poked up from it, purring almost immediately as Merlene reached to stroke their head. Everest, her own cat, pushed into her touch. It was a good think Everest and Pumpkin had a smoother introduction than Delaney and Merlene. 

Shaking her head at the thoughts, Merlene flopped onto the side of her bed, staring up at the ceiling as regret set in her chest. Maybe she should have just gone on the date, she'd really been looking to seeing Vett today. It wasn't their first date, no, but it was still in the beginning stages, and she didn't want to seem disinterested, especially because she was very, very interested.

She could have sucked it up, she had before. It's not like she was dying or something, she was just bleeding a lot.

Rolling onto her stomach, Merlene set her head on its side to watch Everest bump noses with her. Purring gently as she snuggled up to Merlene's side, and tried to worm her way underneath them to get to the warm spot where she'd put her own head on her forearms. It did pull a small, fleeting smile to her face, pushing to sit up and scoop the cat into her arms.

"Maybe it's fine, maybe Vett still likes me."

"Oh I definitely do." Merlene feels her head snap up towards her still open door, seeing the handsome frame of none other than Vett Doran leaning against it, arms over his chest as that smug, arrogant glint in his eyes appears. 

Well, fuck me.

Rapidly, she feels heat run into her cheeks the same moment nerves and anxiety implodes in the center of her stomach, unable to speak for a humilating moment. Especially when it only seems to feed the sparkling confidence in his dark, enchanting eyes. "Are you really that surprised to see me?" His voice softens after a moment, into that gentle, patient tone. "My girlfriend is having a rough day, and you expect me to not show up with gifts?"

"Gifts?" It sounds shallow when she echoes it, momentarily stalled by the upload of information. In the replay in her head, her thoughts catch on an entirely different word, her own voice softening to an equally fragile one, "girlfriend?"

Vett's answering smile soothes some of the waves of regret she felt a moment ago, tilting his head at her slightly. "Well, I was planning on asking you today if you'd like to be my girlfriend, just because some of our plans changed doesn't mean that one did."

"Oh."

"Is that a yes?"

"Oh- um, yes." Merlene nods, rapid emotion chasing up and down her chest in beats. "No, yeah, I wanna be your girlfriend." 

"Great. Now that that's settled." Vett steps back, just barely, and reaches down on the side of her door before pulling up a pretty basket in his arms. "I didn't really have time to wrap it..or take off the tags, which I know is kinda tacky." He shrugs, setting the basket aside atop her desk before taking out the boquet of flowers at the top and setting them aside gently. "I figured that I could do it here while I show you everything, since I'm so good at being sneaky." Sarcasm wormed it's way into his voice, and Merlene felt herself smile a little, watching him with half-wide eyes as he removed a stuffed bear, before turning to offer it to her. 

"I'm eighteen."

"Okay, Miss Judgemental, you're never too old enough for stuffed animals, I'll have you know." He rolled his eyes as Merlene took the bear from him, hiding her smile behind it. "You're so grumpy today."

"I'm grumpy everyday." Merlene watches him sit next to her on the bed, and gives into the urge to snuggle an arm into the crook of his, dropping her head on his shoulder as she picked at the ears of the bear. He's warm, and smells a little like a mix of the outside air and something foresty. 

"Yeah, don't I know it."

"Asshole."

Vett shakes his head again, fondly this time before she feels his sharp gaze on her. "Alright my snarky snippet of sunshine, have you eaten already?"

"That's a horrible pet name."

"Is asshole any better??"

"It's shorter." Merlene's voice is petulant, looking back up to meet his gaze. It's trained on her, and the corners of stoic features cleverly hide a smile before he looks away.

"It's a work in progress. I don't have a pet name for you yet."

There's a beat of hesitance from her then. Her arm tightens in his, feeling the scurrying of her cat across the back pillows to sniff the newcomer before she glances down at the soft fur of the stuffed bear in her arms. "..I liked lenie."

Vett's smile could be heard in his voice, warmth interwoven between words. "Alright then. I'll just keep calling you Lenie." Merlene feels liquid affection drip down into her ribcage at the nickname, contently sighing. Her boyfriend is quiet for another moment, before his arm retracts slightly, body shuffling in front of her dip his head into the crook of her neck. Her face heats as stardusted kisses trail down it, the murmer of her name whispered into her own skin. "Lenie."

Oh God.

It's not scary though, the feeling. She raises her own arms, weaving them over his neck to drop her head back into his shoulder while he adamantly spreads affection over his reach. He feels warm, and gentle, and safe. 

Safe.

The world sends glittering magic down from her ceiling, glowing in sparks of bright forests and soft spirits. For a moment, she can see a shattered tapestry, a burning fury that only resides in those who have seen too much for their years. The word is painted in honey-coated orange, and muted greens, and Merlene can't help but smile at the realization.

Merida.

Vett pulls back after a moment, pressing a soft, solid kiss to her mouth before retracting once more. "I brought snacks." He has that same kind of gentlness he always speaks to her with when he's being serious. "You want some?"

"Not hungry." Her cramps have to let up at least a little before she eats something, and Vett's eyes soften before pressing another kiss to the corner of her mouth. 

"You're so pretty."

"You keep saying that."

"Do I?" Vett's grin turns smug, pressing another lingering kiss to her mouth. "I didn't notice."

✦

✦ WYN ✦

- part nine is finished !!

- lemme know how you
felt about it pls !!

no question today ! as part
nine is finished , and we'll be
moving to part ten (omg) shortly !
so i need all opinions on jasiri
done as soon as possible <3
if this is already done feel free
to just comment as such !

──● answers