Choni Oneshots

#2- "But they weren't you."

Background: Cheryl and Toni lived in a small town together as teenagers. They dated but Cheryl eventually broke it off because she was confused about her sexuality and scared to come out. Toni left town to live in the city. A few years later, they meet again.

~

"The sky looks nice"
Cheryl shook her head slightly as the words left her mouth, feeling a small, sheepish smile begin to tug at her lips.

"Yeah, I guess. But it has its drawbacks."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's very fucking hot"

Toni observed the girl for a moment, feeling helpless she looked at the painfully large space between them. Pointedly looking away over the balcony, Cheryl responded slowly.

"Maybe you're right. I prefer this to winter, though."

The brown-haired girl scoffed.
"I thought winter was your thing."
"No- not at all."
"You never did look too happy during winter now that I think about it. Although, that was when things were starting to get too real for you."
Fear flashed across Cheryl's face.
"What's that supposed to mean, Topaz?"
"Oh. I didn't realise we were on a last-name basis now."
The taller girl rolled her eyes.

Wordlessly, Toni took a long and purposeful swig of her drink, feeling an almost instant buzz moving through her.

"I don't remember you drinking much."
"Well I'm gonna need it to get through this conversation, aren't I?"

Cheryl couldn't argue, so she let another silence fall between them. A sigh escaped her lips. She knew well where they would end up, but thought (somewhat naively) that maybe she could postpone it.

The unforgiving summer sun, despite it being late afternoon, continued to beat down on them both, and Cheryl suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to walk back inside to escape it. Toni took a few more swigs, her eyes only leaving the other girl for a few moments.

"Want some?"
"I'm trying to avoid alcohol."
Toni scoffed slightly.
"That's not the only thing."

The red-headed girl felt a wave of tiredness come over her. Lately, she had been lacking the willpower to fight anything.

"Alright. Pass me the bottle. What is it?"
"It's-"
"Nevermind, actually. I don't need to know."

The other girl shrugged and carefully placed the bottle on the table next to Cheryl. With trembling hands, she brought it up to her lips, closing her eyes and taking a few long swigs. She placed the bottle down and slid it across the table towards Toni.

"So, this what we're-"
"Don't finish that."

Toni's eyes slid over to Cheryl curiously. She raised an eyebrow. The red-headed girl had gone back to observing the cloudless sky, looking as if she had never said anything. By now, the sun was a short time away from beginning to set- in it's wake, a sea of darker blue was beginning to appear. The heat it produced was still as opressive as ever.

Toni said it anyway.
"This is what we're reduced to now?"
"Oh, just stop."

Toni laughed- it was a sound devoid of humour.
"Too confronting, right? Just like always."
"No, it's not." Cheryl lied.
"Then what?"

Silence.

Toni sighed in obvious frustration, but her eyes betrayed longing for a moment as she looked at the other girl.

"You know- It took me a while to come up to you. I was trying to decide whether you were worth it. Didn't look all too inviting while you were skulking around the balcony of the club."
"Flattered. Did you end up deciding?"
"No. Depends on what happens."