#and lucy is managing fine but i think she has something too yknow. she manages in the vault but on the surface shes The Weird One

[suppenzeit]

knowing that vault 33 was made to produce Nice and Agreeable people really makes me think about norm... he probably feels really alienated, especially during the events of the show, perhaps feels like he was just born wrong with some sort of permanent bad attitude. if i was better at writing id make like a whole post about his neurodivergency but youre just gonna have to imagine it for now

[5hfanfiction]

Too Close To Home - Chapter 14

A loud excessive bang wakes me from my slumber.

I begrudgingly throw my covers and slide off bed, stomping my way to the door. I’m too tired for this shit, waking a person up at this time should be illegal in my opinion.

As I open the offensive object, Lauren came into view. She seems… angry. Her eyes are burning, her body stiff as she looks at me, breathing heavily as she does so.

“How did you get in?” I ask, confused

“That doesn’t matter,” she spits, walking towards me as she continues, “Why did you intentionally try to make me jealous?”

“What?”

“You think I don’t know you? You did it deliberately. Every time you make flirty jokes, your eyes would wander on mine for a second to see my reaction. Do you think I’m stupid or something?” she growls, walking like a predator circling it’s prey, slowly trying to devour the scared animal - in this case, me.

What’s happening?

“Wha-? No..” I walk backwards subconsciously, away from Lauren.

“Then I’ll ask again. Why did you intentionally try to make me jealous? Was it because you want a reaction from me?” My back hits the wall across from the door. Lauren traps me, using her hands to captivate me by placing them on both sides of my head.

“I-”

“You what?”

“I-I wanted to pu-punish you because you were being stupid,” I stutter, scared to look at her eyes as I do so.

“How was I being stupid?”

“You had your girl on your arm, and yet, you’re je-jealous of another girl.” The close proximity is dampening the air, making me feel like I’m in a dream.

“Well, that’s not stupid..” She moves her hand from the wall to the collar of my hoodie, “this is.” She drags me to the bed beside us and push me on it. I yelped from the sudden move.

She then crawls on top of me, one of her leg in between mine. She looks at me. Even if the room is relatively dark, illuminated by only the small lamp on the corner of the room, her eyes were still bright enough for me to see that her pupils are dilating. She’s aroused.

She pushes her thigh against my sex, making me moan in pleasure. She leans on me, making an indication that she’s going to kiss me.

That’s when I jolt awake - for real this time. My body are sweating and my panties are incredibly damp from the dream. I’m usually the one on top when it comes to bedroom activities but let’s be honest here, Lauren is hot when she’s possessive and dominant.

That’s when I start to register as to what happened. I had a wet dream about Lauren, what the actual fuck?

I look around, finding Dinah with her back on me on the bed. Oh My God! I had an almost-sex-dream about Lauren. And I didn’t even think of Lucy during the rest of the dream. Holy- If it were to actually happen, would I have accepted it like I had in my dream?

An abrupt vibration stops me from my train of thoughts.

Lauren [3.17am]: You awake? 😶

Me [3.17am]: Yeah, what's up?

Lauren [3.18am]: I can't sleep 😭😭

Me [3.19am]: Me neither.

I mean, it’s not technically a lie. I don’t think I could sleep now.

Lauren [3.19am]: You wanna go out?

Me [3.19am]: It's 3 Lauren, what can we do at three in the morning?

Lauren [3.21am]: We could go to the beach?

Me [3.21am]: I think I've had enough beach visitation for a day, don't you think?

Lauren [3.22am]: Fine~ how about just cruising?

Me [3.22am]: I don't know 🤔🤔. Won't Lucy be mad?

Lauren [3.23am]: She's asleep..

Me [3.23am]: That doesn't make it right..

Lauren [3.23am]: She's asleep and I don't wanna wake her. Besides, she's all for us being friends again.

I refrain from texting, “This isn’t really a friendly thing to do,” because what the hell do I know? Our friendship was quite different from the start, what makes me think that it would change now? I already decided to accept, but not without playing a little.

Me [3.25am]: Fine.. But on one condition.

Lauren [3.25am]: What is it? 🙄🙄

Me [3.26am]: I want you to beg.. Just say please.

Lauren [3.27am]: Please..

Me [3.27am]: Full sentence..

Lauren [3.28am]: Urghh.. So annoying.. omg.

Lauren [3.28am]: Would you PLEASE come out because I'm already waiting outside your door?

Me [3.30am]: You are?

Lauren [3.30am]: Yesss.. Can you PLEASE get ready now..

Me [3.31am]: Alright.. Alright.. So bossy..

Lauren [3.32am]: You were the one who wants me to beg, you sadistic ass..

Me [3.35am]: Enough with the technicalities.. Give me 5 minutes to get ready.

And with that, I tuck my phone in my jean pocket, brush my teeth, and fix my hair.

Once I think I’m presentable enough, I walk out, but not without hearing a moan from a hibernating Dinah.

“Mmm.. Mani.. Please.”

My eyes were wide as saucers at that. Why does she sound like she’s having sex with.. Mani??

What the hell is happening? Whaaaaat?

I shake my head. It’s too late to dwell on something I can’t really answer myself. Another question for another day.

I walk to the front door, opening it softly to find Lauren leaning against the wall with her phone on her hand.

She’s wearing a grey hoodie with black ripped jeans. The vivid dream I just had not 30 minutes ago crossed my mind, making me blush at that thought. She looks hot as fuck, even if she just got out of bed.

I feel like this is a way for God to torture me.. I’m already sexually frustrated as it is.

“FYI, You’re the bossy one here..” she starts.

“You’re such a kid.. Let it go.” I laugh.

She just huffs in response. We ride the way down to her rented car silently. She looks like she’s still cogitating on our banter.

“By the way.. I’m not the childish one here, you are,” she says while starting up her the car, bringing our conversation back.

I laugh. I knew it. She’s so easy to aggravate. “Not trying to be technical here, but technically, you are.. You can’t let things go.”

“I can-”

“Another example how you can’t let it go. Lauren.. let it go-”

“Fine,” she sighs exasperatedly. “I’m not childish,” she murmurs to herself, “you are.”

We drive around the block for a minute before actually driving further away to nowhere. Her phone was plugged in with the system’s auxiliary port, playing her songs from Spotify.

“Why do you wanna drive around?” I ask.

“I told you.. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Yeah.. but why?”

“I don’t know exactly.. I love car rides. It sort of gives me a sense of clarity. Like, driving in the middle of the night has those 2 things that I love. Music and Movement. I could listen to songs while laying on the bed, but I would feel like I’m freezing in motion. I don’t like it. I feel like I’m wasting my time staying still. I mean, sure, driving around to nowhere is technically wasting time, but the motion enables me to manipulate my mind into thinking I’m moving, yknow?”

“Besides, being under the wheels, it gives me a sense control. You know how management and the label were controlling our lives? Well, after you left, that hasn’t changed. So now, being able to control where we’re going gives me tranquility. It’s the only thing that I could control.”

“Did you stop writing? You usually express them on your journal.”

“I write too, but I guess it’s not enough anymore. I’m just so fed up with how I can’t do things without their consultation. It’s crazy.. Like, legally I’m an adult, but at the same time.. I’m not. I have those contracts hanging over my head.”

“I understand. Sort of the reason why I quit.” A few seconds of silence ensued before I eventually ask, “How about.. we write a song together? You could sing with me but you don’t have to if you don’t wanna or can’t. At least that way, you could express your mind vicariously through me.”

She turns to me for a second, smiling fondly, “I would love that.”

We drive around more, the street lights illuminating her structured face as we pass them. She looks beautiful, even if she doesn’t have any make up on, even if her hair is tied into a messy bun, even if she’s not wearing tight dresses, worthy of the red carpets. On the contrary, this is actually the time I think she looks most beautiful, because it shows that she’s human too. She’s basically a God on the red carpet, so knowing that she has those moments where there are ketchup stains on her hoodie, it kind of makes me lay off on trying to beautify myself externally.

“Are you hungry?” She asks.

“When am I not?”

“Fair enough,” she laughs, “there’s a burger place I know that opens 24 hours, wanna go?”

“Sure.”

***

“Omg.. This is heaven.” I say with my mouth full.

“I know….” She laughs at me when she saw the ketchup drips from my mouth.

This is another reason why I like Lauren’s company. She doesn’t care if I look gross right now. Yes, she’s laughing at me, but it’s not in a condescending way, she’s laughing at me as if I made a joke.

We are now in the car, eating a takeaway burger place in front of us. We could eat inside but stupid Lauren decided that she wants to eat in the car instead.

But now that I’m making a mess, I’m pretty sure she’s regretting it.

“I feel like you have a hole on your mouth.. How could a person drip that much sauce?” she says, gesturing me.

“Shut up, you’re the one who wants to eat in a claustrophobic space. Lauren, seriously, I’m not cleaning my mess.”

“No one asked you to, but now that you mention it, you kinda have to.”

“Fuck you.”

“Gladly,” she smirks, making me recall the dream again.

I blush excessively, making my face shade like the sauce that is currently dripping down my mouth.

“Hey, I’m just joking,” she says guiltily when she saw my face.

We clean up everything once we were done and continue driving around. But we’re silent now, the friendly banter absent.

“So, you and Ariana..”

I sigh, of course.

“What’s happening between you guys?”

“What do you mean?” I play dumb. Ariana’s obviously straight, I don’t even understand why she’s asking me this.

“Are you interested in her?” she murmurs.

“Nope.”

“Are you sure? You guys seemed… close.”

“We’re not. I don’t like her.. like that. She’s my friend.”

“But.. you were my friend and you liked me.. like that.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Because,” I sigh, exasperated. She’s being completely unfair and petty right now. I can’t exactly say that we were never platonic in the first place, considering that we’re trying to be friends. So, I went with a vague one instead, “I was never attracted to Ariana like I was with you.”

I know she doesn’t deserve even an answer. I do. It’s just that I don’t want to have these tensions between us.

“Okay..” she says, finally letting the topic go, but not before a barely audible, “was,” slips out of her mouth. I don’t think she wanted me to hear that, so I let it go.

“So how long are you going to stay here? Before going back on tour?”

“I have another concert in the next two days before going back on the road. This is actually the longest break I have in quite some time. Schedule has always been crazy, I don’t know why I thought it would change.”

“True.. What are your plans now?”

“Well, Dinah mentioned about clubbing later at night. She said that we should all go to a club because tomorrow could be our lazy day. If we go out tomorrow, I could have a hangover by the time the soundcheck starts so that’s a huge no. Wanna join?”

“I, uh, have the date night with Lucy.”

“Oh… Okay then,” I say softly. No matter how hard I try to hide my disappointment, she seems like she can see through my emotions like a glass.

“Maybe we could come by after that?” She says hopefully.

“No.. Don’t, it’s your day with her.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind..”

“But you said you guys barely have time alone, today’s your day.”

“But-.. Yeah, alright,” she says, adding a nod, seemingly trying to convince herself that it’s the right thing to do.

***

The sun was already up by the time we park the car on the car park reserved for the hotel guests. I went to my room while she went to hers.

A few minutes later, my phone vibrated against my thigh.

Lauren [6.32am]: That was fun… We should do it again sometime.

Me [6.34am]: Yeah… Sure.

Lauren [6.35am]: By the way, Lucy knows that we went out. She was awake by the time I came in. Told you she doesn't mind.

Me [6.36am]: Really? Damn, I wouldn't have reacted accordingly.

Lauren [6.37am]: Ahahhaha 😂😂..

Lauren [6.37am]: Alright.. Sweet dreams, Camz…

Me [6.39am]: Goodnight..🌙

I turn off my phone and stare at the ceiling with Dinah snoring beside me.

I’m convinced, Lauren is a hurricane.

What is she doing to me?