#( thread ; haley sousa )

[fatescattered]

@apaise

the small package seems to weigh twice as much judging by the way she slumps and drags her feet, postponing reaching her destination as much as possible. what will they even say to each other? after their last conversation and the angered words haphazardly spat out, any chance of reconciliation is long gone. perhaps for the best. a secret like that wasn't meant to be kept while seeing someone.

it wasn't as though haley meant to lie. but there was never a natural segue for bringing up being bitten by a radioactive spider and begrudgingly becoming a vigilante overnight. instead, she kept making excuses for always being late and rescheduling their dates, avoiding any contact to hide her injuries. haley figured it was only fair she be the one to break things off too, bearing the weight of that responsibility herself.

definitely not because she was scared of being dumped sooner rather than later.

she takes a deep breath as she finally reaches the house. the walk over had been too familiar, and her feet seemed to steer her the right way no matter how many accidental detours haley tried to make. she stands awkwardly before the front door, the package safely tucked under her arm. she could just leave it there. ring the bell and make a run for it before anyone even got up to open it - she was certainly fast enough now.

with a sigh, haley shakes her head to dismiss those thoughts. hasn't she been cowardly enough already?

the loud ringing of the doorbell makes her mouth dry, and haley's antsy as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. she's praying ash is the one to open the door - she'll shoot daggers at haley and hiss venom with every word, but that's infinitely better than the alternative.

no such luck.

"hey." her voice sounds foreign even to her own ears, and haley clears her throat in a futile attempt to strengthen it. her eyes are torn between avoiding beth's entirely and refusing to look away - did she look as miserable as haley had been feeling since the breakup? was it wrong to wish for that? that she wasn't alone in her regret and heartbreak, desperate to fix things?

"mailman dropped this at my place. has your name on it." haley shows her the package nonchalantly and hands it over, speaking as if she doesn't know exactly what it is. chrissy's birthday was coming up, and beth figured that having the gift delivered to her house was too risky. haley had done the same plenty of times, barely home herself to receive any mail. during their time together, the roberts' house had become a second home to her. but not anymore. "figured i'd bring it over myself. 's easier."

[feveredblurs]

@apaise​​ | ( continued. )

when haley first started working at the lucky grill, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she could not be more ill-suited for the job. between impossible orders and even more impossibly difficult customers, it took haley an entire month to believe she was starting to get the hang of it. she had to, anyway. her dad didn’t have as much work these days, and there were still residuals from her mother’s treatments to pay off. plus, haley could use the distraction. if she was busy with work, it meant she was staying away from detention.

looking at avery’s progress over her first week, however... haley worries her transition into the job won’t be as smooth. it doesn’t help that the eastwooders picked her as their new target, nor that kai refuses to cut her any slack. on principle, haley didn’t want to be working alongside someone like avery either... but after a few shifts spent teaching her, she realized it wasn’t all bad.

avery never looked down on the westviewer customers, or even on the job itself. she took any and all nasty remarks thrown her way without complaining ( or blowing up, as haley and kai would ). maybe, for whatever reason, she needed this job as much as the rest of them – that earned her some leeway in haley’s book.

as she steps out of the grill, haley’s surprised to find avery still there. judging by how frazzled she looked a moment ago ( thanks to the eastwood cheerleaders changing their order no less than four times ), haley had assumed she’d run home immediately... but seeing how hard it’s pouring, it’s most likely avery is without an umbrella.

“ oh. ” she’s surprised by avery’s sudden words of gratitude. haley always had kai’s back on the job ( and out of it ), and kai hers... they needed no words to cement that, a thank you always implied. it leaves haley scrambling for an answer to offer in return. “ yeah, of course. sometimes it’s just a shitshow in there, you know. not your fault most of our customers are rude as hell. ” she shrugs, already cursing herself for sounding so crass; it didn’t sound like the kind of thing she should say around avery.

she can’t help a smile when avery changes her expression entirely, clearly trying a little too hard to be positive. it’s cute, if a little sad. “ you tell ‘em. ” haley gives an awkward thumbs up, unsure on whether she should tell avery to double down on her assertiveness, or if that would just bring her more trouble in the long run. she wasn’t like haley and kai, after all. avery lived in their world.

without thinking, she holds out her umbrella for avery to take, just a small thing she can do to help after this hellish day. it didn’t cross her mind that the other would naturally raise an issue with haley giving it away.

“ it’s fine. ” she nudges the umbrella towards her again. “ i know all the best routes to take cover. and i got this – ” haley points to her hoodie, before promptly popping it on. “ come on, just take it. it’s not a big deal. ”

[feveredblurs]

@apaise​ | ( continued. )

having cursed someone just days before, it comes as no surprise to haley when the maiden returns to her doorstep – what is surprising is the lack of anger in her expression. where haley was used to shouts and insults, she’s greeted with a wide smile and sweet voice instead. what on earth...? at first, haley thinks it a ploy to get her guard down – her theory further cemented when she’s gifted a basket right after.

it’s filled to the brim with food and flowers, jewelry even. was the wine poisoned? avery’s gesture would not make sense otherwise. who reacts so joyfully to being cursed, forced to live without a man’s affection until the end of her days?

“ thank me? ” haley nearly drops the basket in confusion, brows furrowing as if she’s staring at something far more abnormal than her magical creations. “ i cursed you. ” for a moment, she actually begins questioning herself – had she performed the wrong spell? did she actually give avery riches and fame instead of cursing her? “ why are you thanking me for that? ”

as if she hadn’t disoriented the witch enough already, avery goes on to boldly claim she has no fear of her. haley won’t go as far as saying she has purposely tried to earn herself a reputation... but she certainly hasn’t done anything to refute it either. anyone in town knew not to cross enchantress sousa, lest they end up with green skin or with perpetual rain above their home.

“ you should be scared of me. ” haley shakes off her confusion and sets down the basket on the nearest surface. whatever trick avery is trying to play on her, it ends now. “ i could curse you again – something truly awful, like... all your hair falling off! ” she gestures for the other’s golden locks, trying to fight off the smallest feeling of guilt rising up her throat. “ or warts! ” surely that would be a nightmare for someone out to get a beauty elixir.

[feveredblurs]

@apaise​

even after she and andy got together, the idea of prom didn’t sound any more appealing to haley. her issue was never that she didn’t have a date ( though that was very much an inescapable fact ), moreso prom as a whole. westview’s events were always subpar anyway. she had a much better time spending the night lazying about with kai.

with prom closing in, it was impossible to ignore constant talks about it in both schools     what to wear, who to go with. haley figured it’d be best to talk to andy right away to gauge how she felt about it. it was a pleasant surprise when her girlfriend told her she didn’t particularly feel like going either. haley would still like to spend the night with her, though. maybe she could convince kai to change their plans around a little.

what haley hadn’t counted on was her father asking her about prom. a foolish oversight. he could clearly see just how happy haley was since she and andy started seeing each other. assuming they’d go to prom together wasn’t that big of a leap. “ why not? ” he had posed the question with genuine confusion. “ i’m sure it’d be a fun night for you guys. ”

those words stuck with haley for the rest of their dinner. why not indeed? people kept talking about how this kind of thing only happened once... an exaggeration, haley always dubbed it. but what if she and andy actually ended up having a great time? it’s one of the few occasions their schools aren’t competing too...

she goes to bed unsure, with countless scenarios running through her head. them sitting in haley’s living room, laughing as they watch a silly movie     or going for one of their late night walks... them dancing together without having to hide.

when morning comes, haley rises with newfound determination. she’s going to ask andy. even if andy tells her she doesn’t want to go still, haley believes she should at least try. maybe they both needed that push, instead of taking the easy way out of staying in their own little world, away from everyone else.

there’s a pep in her step as haley heads out to meet andy at their usual spot     the path through the park is the perfect route to walk to school together before finally having to part ways. they usually take forever to get to that fork in the road... haley hopes today will be one of those days too.

she finds andy already waiting for her, sitting on one of the benches. no matter how many times she’s walked up to that exact same sight, it always gets haley beaming. “ hey, you, ” she greets in her usual playful fashion, bumping her foot against andy’s. “ this seat taken? ”

haley plops down beside her, already leaning in for a kiss. “ morning. ” she smiles against her lips before begrudgingly pulling away. she’ll still hold andy’s hand in her own, though     to keep her close, and for how grounded it makes her feel too. as open and honest as haley always is with her girlfriend... she’s a mess when it comes to stepping out of her comfort zone.

“ soooo... ” she drags out the word, head canting to the side. how do other people bring up this kind of thing? what if andy hated the idea? “ i was thinking. about prom... ” her finger draws absentminded circles on andy’s hand.

“ i know we said we didn’t feel like going. but     i don’t know. ” haley shrugs, beginning to lose her confidence. this seemed much easier in her head this morning. “ maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to go? could be fun. ”

[fatescattered]

haley will never admit it, but she has thought about what it'd be like to see beth again. she envisions them locking eyes at long last, and suddenly all the pain and misery are forgotten. they reach for each other once more, and haley pulls her in for a tight embrace -- what bullshit. as if it would ever be that easy.

she doesn't deserve easy, anyway. beth had done nothing wrong in the end. haley was the one who chipped away at their relationship with every missed date and unread text. even if her reasons weren't selfish in the slightest ( she was trying to save people, to her credit ), it didn't change the fact that she hurt beth - and that pained her far more than all the times she was stabbed or shot.

beth is just as awkward in her response, clearly surprised to see haley there at all. did she think they'd never see each other again? haley only gives a nod and a half-smile to her stuttered gratitude, unsure of what to say in return. she should ask how beth is doing, the polite thing to do... but was that really her place? does she really want to know?

instead, beth beats her to the punch, posing the question herself before haley has a chance to think of an escape plan. typical beth, to worry about her even when haley didn't deserve it - she didn't deserve it in the weeks before the breakup, and she certainly doesn't now either.

"ah, you know... track's kicking my ass as usual." as if. haley can't remember the last time she's even been to a track meet. a part of her fears she'll be kicked out the next time she shows her face there. she supposes it's an unfair advantage to compete now that she has enhanced stamina... but she does miss the sense of freedom she had on the field.

she misses a lot of things about those days.

it's a good enough excuse anyway, she figures. it'll probably account for the bags under her eyes and the way she drags her body when she walks. maybe beth will actually believe any of it this time.

"and... you?" haley returns the question tentatively, her expression losing all semblance of nonchalance in favor of guilt. "how have you been?"

the evening starts out pleasant enough, all hands on deck to help maddy with her charity bake sale tomorrow with the scouts. with aprons dusted in sugar and fingertips dipped in frosting , beth doesn't have time to think about the bruise on her heart still rapidly blackening. she's laughing with ash and maddy, making plump bunnies and bears out of colored cream. and then chrissy comes home, swiping a cupcake and giving her compliments to the chefs. it's fun. she can almost forget.

but then chrissy mentions visiting luís at the woodshop.

she goes on about wanting to make a custom charcuterie board or jewelry box for erin's mom; her birthday's coming up, or an anniversary, beth can't really hear the details. it's like the wind's knocked out of her the second haley's dad is mentioned, and it's all beth can do just to stay standing. but before she can even think of what to say . . . ash speaks first in all furious outrage, livid at chrissy for once again bringing up haley. "i didn't even!" chrissy promises; "you were about to," ash counters. the silence falls heavy with chrissy unable to think of a good defense afterwards, and then, finally . . . resorting to her usual attempt at trying to get beth and haley to talk it out, one more time.

the kitchen grows even louder after that, voices ringing all around the tile as maddy attempts to interject as peacemaker. it becomes so heated that the sound of the doorbell just barely cuts through the angry feud, beth immediately grateful for the escape. ❝ i think that's the thai food, ❞ she gives a nervous smile as she steps away, quickly excusing herself. but she catches the apology and regret on her sisters' faces before she turns around, feeling sorry again to have tangled them up in her breakup. she doesn't want it to weigh on them too, but it's hard knowing how close they had grown to haley over the months.

beth's trying to think of a way to still salvage the evening when she opens the door and discovers it isn't their takeout at all. when her eyes fall on haley, there's pain and heartbreak all over again, new spots just barely healed tearing open again and flooding with grief and hurt and confusion still too. and then, stupidly, beneath it all -- hope. maybe they did it all wrong, maybe haley's here for them to make up like chrissy keeps insisting. ❝ hi. ❞ her heart's thumping, she can feel it all the way in the back of her throat.

but then haley explains the mix-up with the package. it's nothing more. beth almost drops it as she takes it; it's only been a few days and yet it's like her body's already forgetting how to be this close to haley. ❝ oh -- thanks, i, um -- i forgot about that. thank you, ❞ beth flusters through, completely embarrassed. she wants to run back inside and hide under the covers, but she doesn't know if there's still a war going on in the kitchen.

besides that, when she looks at haley standing at the doorstep . . . . she looks tired. stressed, almost small. beth isn't used to seeing her like that. haley's always been the type to knock down a crowd if she wants. so even though it isn't her place any more, beth has to ask.

❝ how are you doing? ❞ even though haley had deflected every question each time throughout the weeks leading to their breakup . . . beth can't help but reach out again, just wanting to help her. she can't stop trying to.