I'll Be Holding on to You

reunited

"Mmm." She finished filling out a word. "Fuck. Okay." She stood up. "Better undo his hair, because damn." She pointed at Mo. "And you should have washed your hair when you were in the bath," she said over her shoulder to Cameron. "Because it's dirty; I can see the oil in it from here. What were you doing in there, playing with your dick?" She said the last softly enough so Evie didn't flinch but loud enough to hear.

"Oh my God; she's great!" Freddy shook his orange half-curls.

I noticed Evie didn't love him gushing over Freak so much and smiled to myself. It wouldn't be long before the newness and shock value of her wore off and he realized who hung his moon.

It was definitely Evie; always had been.

Freddy noticed Evie's reaction too, because his ability to read people put him on the level of a mind reader. He focused his attention on her. "So how do you know how to do all of these amazing costumes?"

She looked down at the pink stone in her hand, pleased. "I just do," she said, modestly.

"Well, it's really something," he went on. "I never know who you'll be."

She became a little alarmed at this. "Oh. Is it, I mean, sorry if that's more confusing?"

Now he looked startled. "No! No, it's good. I mean, I like it. It's great." He grinned his big easy smile. "I'm chuffed."

Cam and I exchanged knowing looks. He shot a glance at Erika and then ventured, "Hey Freddy. What kind of coat do you put on wet?"

He loved telling riddles usually. But it could run a person nuts. Especially since some of them were really out there and impossible to solve.

"Dammit, Cameron, you're going to get him started." Erika shook her head but it was too late.

"Oooh, gotta be a coat of paint," Freddy said, delighted. "Wait, I seem to know some more."

"We know," several of us chorused.

I took out Mo's braids and he and Erika traded places again. We found where we'd left off watching Stargate SG-1 and I carefully used the comb and coconut oil to form and create several intricate braids of my own design. I was very good at it by now.

It took three forty minute episodes and I was sorry when it was completed because I could have sat with her leaning against me and my hands in her hair the rest of the night.

At one point Mo got up to smoke and when they noticed me shadowing him it caused a minor uproar.

"Oh hell no! Tell me you are not fucking smoking." Erika put her hand over her face. "Dammit, Dorienne, you are a pain in my ass."

"You want my shoes, maybe take a couple of laps around the block?" I asked her mildly.

I saw Evie shaking her head but none of them were judgmental about it.

Freak gave me a look. "Don't you give me a fuckin' attitude. And this is your fault, Mohammed," she pointed at her brother.

He looked properly astonished. "Me?" He made a rude noise. "Like to see you t-t-tell Dory she can't have a cigarette."

"Yeah," I said smugly, half-mockingly. She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me so I went on. "Like to see that." She raised the other one. "Just kidding," I relented.

The eyebrows went down. "I swear to fucking God, your lungs are just finally one shade less black," she said in exasperation, unable to keep her mouth shut. "But that's none of my business."

"Do what I want," I murmured just loud enough and then quickly disappeared after Moey as she made like she was getting up.

Out back we sat on the porch swing and he handed me a cigarette and his lighter. I lit it and breathed in the bliss, took another drag and passed it back.

"You always gonna be in love with m-my sister?" he asked super softly so as not to be overheard by the possible spies everywhere.

I was glad his stutter was back to what he called a stumble. It tortured him when it was bad.

"Shut up, Chef Boyardee," I said without enmity. Only he and Cam knew how I felt about Erika, and only because they had figured it out on their own. Hadley had known too. They were sworn to secrecy. "You just lost smoking rights." I snatched the cigarette back.

He just grinned at me a little.

"You're talking again," I observed of his word flow.

"It's easy again," he agreed. Now that the stress had passed. "But, present c-company, and all." My innate calmness had always helped with that. He held out his hand for the cigarette.

"I guess you can smoke now," I relented, passing it back. It was getting dark and a little chilly. I was glad to have my pajamas on. "Also, consider this me putting in my formal request for black forest cake tonight when you're baking in the wee hours of the morning, yo."

"Consider it baked," he said with a sitting down bow.

We finished and went back inside so I could start on his hair.

"An hour later and shit," Erika said pointedly.

"Right, you have a date or something?" I asked as I took my seat again. She had never found someone she liked enough to date more than twice. Not that any of them could have handled her.

"Maybe," she lied, starting the next episode.