Page 27 of Marked by the Demigod

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* * *

This time, Trixie picks her up from the airport, cause she flew into Burbank instead of LAX, and she's quiet. Too quiet.

Aimes enjoys the feeling of being able to sit back in the chair for about 5 minutes, then twists and looks at Trixie. "So. Texas was decent."

Trixie jumps, as if she had forgotten Aimes was there. "Oh. Right." And Aimes has known Trixie for long enough that something is suspicious.

There was something she isn't saying, and it's big enough that Trixie feels guilty about it.

"Trixie?"

Trixie scowls. "Was the plane okay?"

"Trixie what's wrong?" Aimes waits until they're at a stoplight, then pokes her in the elbow.

"Promise you won't freak out?" Her voice is plaintive, almost begging.

"Sure."

"Rocky called me, asked me for 'advice'." Trixie takes her hands off the wheel long enough to do the quotation marks. "He said you...rejected him?"

Ah. Aimes stares out the window, stomach turning again. "We had coffee. It didn't go too well." The car turns down Magnolia, and they of course pass Priscilla's. "I ...I dunno."

Trixie raises an eyebrow at the road in front of her. "I told him to fuck off." She admits. "If he can't even be nice enough to you that you, you! Want it, then he shouldn't be asking me."

Aimes pats her on the arm, and Trixie visibly relaxes. "You did fine. Thanks, I think."

Trixie manages a smile.

* * *

Aimes startsto go to the meetings with Katya, and Katya starts to unwind around her. It's like the fact that Katya has no answers is a point of personal shame for her, and she can't imagine what she could do without that information.

But while the lack of information doesn’t sit well with Aimes, it's not, well, not actively causing her pain. She dreams, way too much, and it's all the kinkiest sex she's never had, not with Rocky and not with her college boyfriend and not...not with Jake. Yet.

She didn't text that one to Katya.

* * *

Trixie callsfor a lunch as soon as Aimes comes back from one of her one-day conventions in the Midwest. They meet at Timmy Nolan’s cause a lunch that can be justified with a beer is an excellent lunch.

And Timmy Nolan’s is dark enough that any vulnerability is so easily covered up.

And they have fried pickles.

Trixie picks at her meat pie, a frown visible on her face, as Aimes waits for her to talk. "Remember that guy? The one with the dating?"

Aimes nods, cause she has sure as shit didn’t want to ask but really wanted to know. "Yeah, the one who wanted to know the personality thing," she ribs, sitting back.

The back of her neck prickles, but she doesn't look back, not wanting to deal with the staring and whatever drama Trixie is about to unleash.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend, all traditional like. You know, to hang out all the time, and do shit together." She prods at the meat pie, as if it isn't her favorite food and delicious. "I said yes?"

"Hey cool." Aimes knocks shoulders with her, casual, cause if she treats it like a big deal then Trixie would.

"You're okay with that?" At Aimes surprised face, Trixie continues, "I mean, with the whole thing how Rocky shook out and such."

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