Here For You | ✓

the pilot

She'd expect she wouldn't see any of them after they graduated, but she secretly hoped two of the gang would still stick around: Bilal Youssef and Allen Ford - her favorites. She loved the former because he was a complete jackass, and the latter because he was irresistibly charming, and she refused to give them up to live with Crowley and Aziraphale (1).

"It's not gonna be that bad." He arched a sharp eyebrow, dark eyes rolling.

"You're one to talk." She rolled her eyes. It wasn't a secret that if Ethan had the chance to throw one of his cousins off a cliff, he'd do it without batting an eyelash, with his initial choice being Chloe. They were only two years apart, and she was able to bite his head off the moment she was born.

They stepped inside the reception. Natasha, an Australian woman in her mid-twenties, politely smiled at them behind her desk, lips painted the shade of blood. Veronica couldn't get used to her sweet smile, especially after she met her hostile one. At sixteen, she had been going through an emo phase; the bracelets she had worn jangled around her arm, the massive doctor martin boots had scuffed against the floor. She had worn ripped leggings, a band t-shirt, and a leather jacket, her hair a mop of unruly curls - even mascara had been smudged under her eyes for extra effect. Natasha had looked at her from head to toe, shot her a piercing look, and went back to her task. Veronica had always been intimidated by her, despite the woman slowly opening up to her over the years.

However, she liked Ethan. He was oblivious to it, but Veronica quickly caught the tiny curl the corner of her lips did when she'd see him. She was used to girls telling her how charming her brother was; she never believed it until the day Natasha, the Cerberus (2) of the Lodge Tower, slipped.

Ethan thanked Robin when he put the bags in the elevator, waving a quick goodbye as the double doors slid shut and pressing the button to the twelfth floor. What helped Veronica know she could get through this was Ethan living right across the hall from them.

"I'm gonna be crashing at your place way more often than you think," she threatened as they moved to stand before their respective apartments, rolling the luggage behind them against the carpeted hallway.

"I'll be having girls over, you sure you wanna do that?" Ethan arched an amused eyebrow, and Veronica visibly gagged, groaning in disgust.

The moment she opened the door to apartment 1203, she was attacked with the blaring sound of yelling, making her stumble a step backward. Ethan faltered by the entrance before he jumped inside his apartment, Veronica twisted around to follow him, but he shut the door in her face. Her jaw hung, and she slammed her fist against the wood.

"Asshole," she hissed, knowing fully well he did it on purpose.

"Dan, I swear to God, I am not keeping your dead insects up my wall."

"They're not gonna jump out or anything!"

Veronica rolled her eyes and turned to face her future roommates. Her top lip curled, and her mouth hung open at the sight before her, staring at the frame Danielle was holding. "Please, oh, please, tell me these are fake."

Both her cousins turned. Chloe was holding a deep glare while Danielle cracked a broad grin of sudden excitement. She spun to face her, ginger hair matching her red cheeks, and held the tray up to show her the beetle collection she recently framed.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"Tell her it's utterly disgusting," Chloe urged, eyes sharp and fingers clawed.