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Butterflies, they were everywhere.
The colorful hues flying around the small park looked almost unreal but breathtakingly beautiful at the same time. At least that's what Grace thought as she leaned against the wooden fence surrounding the clear blue lake.
Jack, however, who was standing right beside her, couldn't help but flinch every time a tiny butterfly zipped past his face.
"This is so beautiful," Grace repeated for the third time since they both had stepped inside the park. She glanced over at Jack with a wide grin. "Isn't it?"
Jack took his time to answer her. His eyes darted across the lake and towards the small white pup jumping around the grass in circles. A bit horrified, Jack realized that Frost was trying to eat the butterflies.
"It's...colorful." He finally responded, sounding a lot unsure than he had meant to.
Grace looked over at him and her smile seemed to waver a bit, morphing into a worried one. That happened a lot. Jack was almost getting used to the way people acted so worried around him, especially his sister.
It was weird, he thought.
"I mean, it is beautiful." He added on quickly. And since he was obviously forcing out those words now, Grace seemed a lot more worried. She wanted him to be truthful but she didn't want to constantly pressurize him to do that either.
Grace nodded and looked towards the lake once again. The morning was slightly chilly, a little less since the sun was up in the sky. It hadn't snowed yet in Hayward and Grace seemed to miss the snowy atmosphere.
"So," She spoke up, aware of how short conversations seemed to go between the two of them. It had been months since they escaped that horrifying place, the Research Department, but things still seemed so much similar when they should've changed. "Have you decided yet?"
"About what?" Jack asked, ruffling his dirty blond hair when a coral blue butterfly flew past him.
"The winter camp I told you about."
It was just silence and Frost's small barks.
Jack didn't really express what he felt at that moment. In moments like such, he felt clueless as to how he should act. Should he even act?
"Did you think about it?" Grace asked, trying not to feel too bothered by his silence.
"I don't have to think about it." He slowly murmured.
Grace let out a small sigh. She agreed with his opinion. She really didn't want him to go out there to some random camp program, away from her, when she had just gotten used to having her little brother around.
But that really wasn't her place to decide. Jack's therapist thought that he slowly needed to get out more. Marleen thought the same. And the best way for him to feel normal again was to go on a summer camp, except that this was in the winter.
"I know that it's happening so suddenly and I understand if—"
"I don't know what to feel about it." He cut her off, his eyes still trained at the lake. "I don't know."
Grace pulled the corners of her jacket closer against herself, letting her eyes wander off to the light blue sky above.
"Just be honest with me, Jack. Be truthful." She murmured slowly. "I promise I'll hear you out."
Jack knew that she was telling the truth. He knew that Grace would never lie about that. He hadn't even meant to say what he said earlier. It wasn't even the feelings he was so confused about, it was the expectations.
He just didn't know what to expect.
•••••
"I love sleepovers!" Alice squealed in a high-pitched voice, her excited eyes darting across Grace's lounge. Once she had thrown herself on one of the beanbags, she repeated the same words in a much deeper voice, "I love sleepovers."
"We get it, Alice," Grace spoke up as she got out of the kitchen with a big bowl full of cheese popcorn.
"Yeah, but you don't at the same time!" Alice complained. "It has been ages since we had a movie night. You know why?"
Jack had the decency to continue the conversation, unlike Grace. "Why?" He asked.
"Because of the mids!" She answered, her arms flailing up in the air. "God, I'm so glad they are over."
Grace nodded in agreement before sitting down on the empty couch. Jack remained where he was, sitting against the foot of the couch and slowly stroking Frost's head.
"Did you guys decide on a movie?" Grace asked as Frost perked up and tried to shove his face in the bowl of popcorn. "Or are we really watching Harry Potter again?"
Alice looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Jack, however, turned his head around and peeked up at Grace. "But we don't do that without Luc, remember?"
"Of course." Grace grinned, ruffling his hair gently. Jack unconsciously scrunched up his nose even though he secretly liked it. "Luca will be here in a moment. But that still doesn't mean we have to watch Harry Potter again."
"I know what we should watch!" Alice jumped up before running towards the stack of DVDs. A very messy stack. "Jack, help me out with this."
It still took Jack a moment to interact with anyone, but he usually seemed like himself around them; Grace and Alice. Lucius too. Grace noticed that and it made her happy. She still worried about him a lot, but she knew that she'd have to just wait.
Jack went up beside Alice and tried holding onto the piles of DVDs that Alice stacked in his arms. Frost in the meantime, circled around their feet, barking out loud.
Seconds passed by into minutes, yet Alice and Jack could still not decide on a single movie. Grace was about to suggest that perhaps Harry Potter was fine when the bell rang.
Neither Alice nor Jack made a move to check on the door. Frost did but he really couldn't do much other than dash towards the locked front door.
So in the end, Grace had to get up from the couch.
Frost was overly enthusiastic to see Lucius when Grace opened the door, so much so that he started barking real loud.
"Frost!" Grace hissed, her eyes darting around the neighboring houses. It was near midnight right now. She didn't need to wake up the neighbors, especially the old lady who just shifted two houses across from hers—that lady was too grumpy for her own good.
"Looks like somebody couldn't wait any longer to see me." Lucius gave her a cheeky grin before leaning down and picking up Frost in his arms.
"What took you so long?" Grace asked.
"Your dog gives me a much warmer welcome, Rose." He replied.
Grace couldn't help but grin as she took his form in. He had that usual messy attire going on, even his hair looked ruffled up. However, one thing that made Grace's heart skip a beat was the tiny colorful splatters across his hoodie sleeve. Some were even in his hair too.
"Were you sleeping all this time?" She mocked before reaching out and messing up his hair even further.
Was he painting? Grace wondered.
"Maybe?" He asked instead of answering before leaning closer towards Grace and planting a soft kiss on her cheek. "I wasn't." He didn't really tell her what he was doing either, and Grace decided that she wouldn't push it.
"All right then, come on in."
Once they made it back inside, Alice still seemed unsure of the movie selection, while Jack seemed pretty relaxed in between the DVD stacks all around him.
"Did I miss the movie?" Lucius asked from behind her.
"Halfway through it," Grace spoke up sarcastically. "You missed all the good scenes."
Frost barked before jumping out of Lucius's hands and running off to Jack.
"You didn't actually," Alice announced before holding up a DVD. "We found the movie."
"We're watching Harry Potter." Jack looked up at them just as Grace flopped down on the couch.
Lucius joined beside her and grinned at Jack. "A classic."
Grace couldn't help but look at them in disbelief. "You guys spent hours finding a movie just to stick with Harry Potter?"
Dragging a hand through his curls, Lucius leaned his head back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling. He felt tired at most, but there was still an exciting feeling buzzing somewhere inside him.
Ever since he picked up those paints again. It just felt good.
"Come on, Grace. We all know about your tiny crush on Malfoy." Alice threw a smirk before inserting the DVD.
"What?" Grace said, seeming confused. "No way."
"I mean, who didn't?" Alice rolled her eyes. "My younger self thought that he was just too hot."
Frost nudged Jack's leg with his small black nose and Jack softly stroked him behind the ears, a faint smile forming on his lips. He did kind of remember hearing Grace say something the same along the lines of what Alice had just said, but he didn't say it out loud. Grace already seemed a bit horrified.
Lucius chuckled lightly when Grace responded with a slight grumble under her breath, "Whatever, Alice."
Soon enough, the movie started and everyone fell into silence. Frost too curled up against Jack's side and stopped doing his usual energetic antics. Everything was quiet and peaceful, and it felt like home.
When they were all indulged in the middle of the movie, Lucius wrapped his arm around Grace's shoulders and pulled her closer. Grace responded with completely leaning against him.
"How was your day?" He asked her in a soft murmur.
Grace took her time to answer that question. The movie was still playing in front of her, yet she still couldn't pay attention to it. She found herself enjoying Lucius's presence beside her.
"It was good." She whispered, loud enough for him to make it out. Taking his other hand that wasn't wrapped around her shoulders, she intertwined her fingers with his. "I'm glad the exams are over, though. I don't think I did much good but I'll pass."
He hummed in response, letting her know that he was indeed listening. He liked listening to her; he could actually listen to her talk for hours.
"I love you." He whispered quietly, his lips hovering above her ear. And to further emphasize his words, he placed a soft long kiss at the side of her head.
Grace closed her eyes and further shrank into him. There was this smile playing on her lips but she didn't actually reply to him.
"I even talked to Jack about that camp I told you about." She added, although talking about it made her feel a bit sad. "I really think it would help him."
"What did he say?" Lucius asked, his lips still lingering on top of her head.
Grace couldn't help but look over at Jack. He was busy watching the movie and casually patting Frost at the same time. He had changed quite a lot over the past few months. He talked more, he expressed what he felt at times, but not all the time. They never really talked about their parents or all the other things that happened months ago. Jack wanted to forget it all and Grace seemed to feel the same. Maybe they'd have a talk one day, about everything, but not now. Grace didn't want to think about it now.
"He's not sure." She whispered.
Lucius must've heard the sadness in her voice as he buried his head in her hair. "It'll be fine, Gracie. He just needs time."
Grace nodded and pulled his hand closer towards her.
"Don't worry so much. I don't like that." He added.
"Of course you don't."
"I really don't." Grace could hear the frown in his voice.
She smiled. "I know."
He pulled away from her. "Rose?"
She turned her head towards him and raised her brows questioningly.
"I actually really love you." He whispered quietly, and a few seconds later small grins overtook both of their faces. He leaned closer to kiss her just one more time.
Grace pulled away with a cheeky smile and glanced over at the TV screen.
"You know, you don't have to be so rude and not say it back." He added with a frown, leaning back against the couch and looking up at the ceiling.
Grace laughed and Frost perked up at that, walking over towards the couch. She scooted closer to Lucius before raising her head and pressing her lips lightly against his cheek. "I love you more."
•••••
When Grace woke up in the morning, it was snowing outside.
It was a bit too cold around her and the sunlight was too bright from the glass windows behind the couch. Lucius was awake by the time, scrolling through his phone, but he made no move to pull away from Grace, especially when she was literally hugging him like a bear.
It was too cold, Grace thought.
When she lifted up her head from his chest, she realized that Alice and Jack weren't there where she had last seen them. She didn't even remember watching the end of the movie. She always slept in between Harry Potter.
"Morning." Lucius smiled lazily before placing his lips on her forehead. "Are you cold?"
She stretched her arms lazily before nuzzling her face further into him. "Nope."
His phone buzzed and he picked it up again.
"Where is everyone else?" Her voice came out muffled and confused.
"Outside. I think your dog wanted to play in the snow."
"It's snowing?"
It was snowing heavily by the time Grace got up and changed out of her pajamas, into something much warmer. Everyone joined in for breakfast, all except Frost. He seemed a bit too excited to stay outside in the backyard and enjoy the snow.
"What about a road trip?" Alice asked. "We should all go on a road trip!"
Grace wrapped her hands around the mug of hot chocolate, enjoying its warmth. Breakfast still wasn't one of her favorite times of the day, but she managed somehow. At least it wasn't that worse like it had been a few months ago.
Lucius looked up from his phone and glanced over at Grace, realizing that she seemed worried. He didn't have to ask her to know what she could be worried about at this moment. It was obviously Jack that she was thinking about.
"Or not." He said, lightly wrapping an arm around Grace's waist. "Why would you want to go on a road trip?"
"Why not?" Alice asked. "It'll be amazing! A bonding experience for all of us!"
Lucius huffed. "Don't you think we've had enough bonding experiences for a lifetime?"
Alice stopped buttering her toast. Her expression fell, a flash of unease that only Grace noticed before it was gone just as quick. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right, I guess."
Grace looked over at Jack and realized that he seemed to be zoning out, deliberately trying to stay out of this particular conversation. Maybe he was thinking about the camp she had told him about. He wouldn't really be going on a road trip if he said yes to that camp program.
But would he? Grace thought.
"I think Luca is right," Grace spoke up softly. "We shouldn't—"
"No." Jack cut her off all of a sudden. Everyone sitting at the table seemed surprised, especially because Jack almost never participated in conversations like this. Even Frost seemed to come inside the house, circling around the table. "I think a road trip sounds great."
"See, I told you guys!" Alice was grinning by then.
He looked down at his own untouched mug. "I think you guys should go."
Grace just frowned in response. "Jack—"
"I think I'll go to that camp you told me about." He cut her off yet once again. He wanted to say it all before something inside him stopped him from doing so. He wanted to move on, so desperately.
Grace's face fell into surprise. Even Lucius seemed surprised.
"Really? Why?" It didn't settle well with her. Why would he accept this all of a sudden? Was he trying not to be an obstacle to their so-called road trip?
"You said it'd help me."
"But you don't have to—"
Jack almost felt bad for cutting her off again. "I'm not forcing myself. I just believe you when you said that it'll...help me."
Grace blinked, at a loss for words. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know if he was lying. At times like such, she really wished to know what was going on inside his head.
She opened her mouth, probably to say something else against the whole idea, but Lucius beat her to it. He knew that she was just worried, but Jack seemed sure of it at the same time.
"Of course it'll help you." He said, taking a hold of Grace's hand from under the table. "But nobody is forcing you, Jack. Just know that."
"I know." He said, leaning down and ruffling Frost's fur. "I'm sure of it."
Later when Grace cornered him outside in the backyard, she couldn't help but bombard him with questions.
"But why would you agree about that all of a sudden?" She asked him. "Jack, if you're doing this just so that you won't feel like a burden on us, then don't. I don't want that. You know I'd rather have you come with us than go on that stupid winter camp, right?"
Jack huffed a laugh, rubbing his nose at the same time. His hair was in a disarray and the tip of his nose had gone red because of the cold.
"Why are you trying to get me out of it when you were the one who introduced the whole camp idea?" He asked.
The guilt on her face was evident. "I didn't mean to...I didn't want to pressurize you. That's not why I—"
"It's all good. I promise." He spoke up, looking into her eyes. He sounded genuine, but Grace could see the hidden uncertainty. "It does make me feel...scared, but I think I can make...friends. I'd like to do that."
Grace stared at him before blowing out a long sigh. Grasping him by his shoulders, she pulled him into a tight hug. "Okay. It's fine. If you're really sure. You still have time to think about it, though. You can still talk to me about it. If you start thinking otherwise about it, you can—"
She felt him chuckle before he replied in a muffled voice, "I can't breathe."
Grace pushed him away and smiled sheepishly.
"Can you stop worrying for now? I'd like to enjoy the snow." He gave her a pointed look.
"Of course, Jack." She murmured before wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they both walked over towards Frost and Lucius.
"What are you guys doing?" Grace looked over at Lucius and then at Frost, who was rolling around the snow.
"Making a snowman," Jack replied even though he hadn't been there. He plopped down next to Luca and started helping Frost make a giant snowball. "It's been so long since I last saw snow."
He's being honest, Grace thought. It made her feel very happy.
She sat down on the other side of Lucius and rubbed her hands together. "Can I help you?"
"No." Jack shook his head.
"Wow, Jack." She rolled her eyes when Frost barked once again and jumped on top of her, all with his cold wet paws.
"Don't be so grumpy, Rose. You do suck at making snowmen." Lucius added.
Grace couldn't help but roll her eyes again. "I feel so appreciated these days."
Lucius grinned and took her cold hand in his surprisingly warm ones. Unlike the others, Grace wasn't wearing any gloves. "We do appreciate you." He said. "Why aren't you wearing gloves?"
Grace shrugged and pulled Frost against her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Alice pulling on her snow boots.
"Where are you going, Alice?"
She looked up and smiled sheepishly. "Mom's calling me. I'll be back in a bit?"
Grace smiled at the question in her voice before shrugging, only looking back at Jack once Alice was walking towards her house. He had managed to stack another round of snowballs over the first one.
"That's such a small snowman, Jack."
"Not like you can make a bigger one." He stated.
"I can. Don't underestimate me." She defended herself before pushing Frost aside and gathering up the snow. "I'm gonna prove you wrong." Just as she picked up a snowball, a sneeze escaped past her lips and it fell down from her hands, crumpling down almost immediately.
Jack looked at her and laughed.
"Whatever, Jack." She frowned.
Lucius chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "Don't look so glum, Rose. I'll help you." He said before planting a small kiss on the top of her head.
Jack looked at them before scrunching up his nose. "It's very weird."
"What?"
"You two," Jack said. "It feels like I had a wrong childhood when you two do that."
Frost barked and Grace felt her face heating up. She hadn't really known that he'd start being so extra-honest.
"Do what?" Lucius asked, looking like he might start laughing any second.
Jack opened his mouth to say it but he really didn't know-how. "I don't know. Snogging each other. Just that."
Lucius couldn't help but laugh this time and Grace couldn't help but glare at Jack. "Don't be so honest, Jack."
He looked up at her from the snowman. "I thought you wanted me to be honest?"
"Not that honest!" She exclaimed, making Lucius chuckle once again.
Jack looked up at them and smiled. "I was just kidding. It's not really that weird. You two always—"
"Okay, let's just change the topic, yeah?"
It all ended with Jack making an almost perfect snowman and Frost jumping all over it. Jack didn't seem cross, though. He loved Frost too much to scold him.
All in all, everything felt perfect.
It was different from usual and not like the past few months. It was normal and different for Grace. It was everything that she could've asked at this moment, especially after all that they went through.
Everything was fine.
And she could really get used to this.
_______________________________________________________________________
It's been so long and I was almost thinking of not publishing this epilogue but oh well. Hope you guys enjoy it. I didn't really add a lot in the epilogue but maybe I'll add the other deets in the bonus chaps.
Love you all!
Xoxo,
Crystal 🌿