Clinging to Gold

[x-foliate.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I'm poetic.


“And what did those apples ever do to you might I ask?”

Paige stood in the tall autumn grass, arms crossed against the cool wind with a bemused expression on her face. Jono had been pitching apples from the school orchard at the targets set up for Sarah when she had walked up, boots making only the slightest of rustles. She’d waited there for several moments, letting him abuse the fruit until he finally paused, still glaring before speaking up.

"They exist," he said shortly, sending another bruised apple to its doom. It seemed to yield some sort of grim satisfaction to him as the fruit smacked against the target.

"Mm... yes. A horrible crime indeed, punishable only by death." Paiged walked behind him, picking up one of the apples in his pile. She threw it up into the air as if testing its balance, rounded back and let it fly in a dangerous underhand pitch. Just as it should, the apple promptly exploded on the target.

"Nice throw," Jono observed, while choosing another apple to decimate. "Bloody buggers," he did his equivalent of muttering, squeezing the half-rotten fruit until the juices ran down his hand.

“Have to learn something from your brother,” she said as thanks, smiling contently. Her smile faded as he crushed the fruit, sighing in exasperation. “Oh, come on, don’t do that. Such a pain to clean up.”

Jono looked up as though he'd only now realized what he was doing. He made a move as to drop the apple, but then changed his mind and threw it at the target, hitting the edge. "At least I'm not throwing chickens," he added humourlessly.

She pulled her handkerchief from her pocket, old habits dying hard, and wiped clean his hand as she watched the target and his shot. “You have a bit of a hook.”

He shrugged laconically. "Can I have my hand back?" he asked, not waiting for her to reply, and snatched his hand away from her. This time he didn't bother to pick up an apple, but kicked at the small pile instead, scattering them.

Paige looked hurt for a moment before using it as fuel for her steeled glare. “Someone is in a mood. Let me give you a hint: it’s not me.” She picked up one of the less abused apples, tossing it back and forth in her hands.

"Ha ha," Jono glowered at her for a moment, then turned to look away, clenching and unclenching his apple-sticky hand. "I am in a mood," he finally said. "What did you expect?"

“Better,” she said shortly. “I expected better.”

"Better what? Better person?" he kicked at an apple again. "You're out of luck then."

“No, I’m quite content with you, Jono. More than, possibly.” She caught her apple, overhand throwing it at him so that it bounced off his shoulder.

He half turned, giving Paige a look that was a lot angry and a little lost. "The targets are that way," he nodded towards them.

“Yes, but the targets don’t need any sense knocked into them,” Paige countered, crossing her arms.

"Sense," Jono rolled his eyes, and rubbed his shoulder briefly. "This whole thing makes just about as much sense as the Mad Hatter."

Paige sighed and resisted massaging her temples. “Here, let me break it down for you. You’re having a mood. I’m attempting to be nice. You’re shutting me down. I’m now going to ask you what is wrong and you’re going to answer me.”

Jono's eyebrows twitched in some sort of desperate amusement. "What's wrong? You're looking at what's wrong," he tapped his chest.

“And I’m not seeing anything,” she replied in frustration. Taking a deep breath she pushed her hair back, looking at him straight. “There is nothing wrong with you, Jonothan.”

"Then why do I need fixing?" he kicked at the ground this time, making a little clod of grass come loose.

Paige tilted her head, giving him a soft look. “Who says you need fixing?” She swallowed, forcing herself to look away.

"I do," he replied after a while and started towards the mansion suddenly.

“Jono!” She called at him, suddenly very out of breath.

He stopped, looking at her over his shoulder. "What?" he asked, his 'voice' still clear in her mind.

“Don’t go.” She paused, biting her lip. “Please? I… I’m sorry.”

"For what?" Jono raised his eyebrows, then, thoughtfully, raised also his hand and beckoned to her.

She slowly stepped up to him, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "I tend to assume things. You aren't me and therefore you're going to think different things... and that's okay..." She trailed off, eyes meeting up with his.

"Yeah," he nodded, dragging his eyes off of her, and continued towards the building.

“Am I doing the following thing now?” she asked quietly, arms about herself again.

"You don't have to," Jono stopped again, giving her a look. "But I'm going to go wash my hands. Then I'll come back out here if you don't follow me."

Paige smiled brightly, falling in behind him. “You make me wonder sometimes.”

"About what?" he shook his head, trying to get his hair out of his eyes.

“Many things but mostly myself,” she replied, reaching up idly to brush his hair away.

He leaned slightly into her touch, bumping into her side as they walked. "Makes you wonder that you can actually look at someone like me?"

“No, makes me wonder if you’re just putting up with me for niceties.” Her answer was nearly carried away by the October wind and she shivered.

"I'm putting up with you because you're bloody pigheaded and don't know when to give up," Jono glanced at her, a brief glint of amusement in his brown eyes.

“How kind of you,” Paige said, voice flat. The corner of her mouth lifted in an attempt at a smile, eyes kept on the mansion. “I don’t give up because you keep giving me hope, Jono. I’ll leave you alone when you don’t.”

"Hope of what, I wonder," he said, not really expecting an answer. They had almost reached the mansion.

Paige cut him off, stepping in front of him and turned around. She put one hand to his chest, left side and to where his heart should be, the other cupping his face and all she did was catch his gaze and hold it, head tilted slightly to the side.

Jono stared at her for a while, mildly confused, then slowly stepped out of her reach. "Don't," was all he said.

“Then stop leading me on,” she said lowly, blinking back the beginnings of tears. “Stop pretending you care.”

"Paige," he said, his hand sketching a useless gesture in the air, then his shoulders sagged. "Why would you want me to care? Someone with..." he touched his 'chin'.

“Are you deaf Jono, or do you just not listen? Because I care about you!” Paige exclaimed, suddenly quite loud and wiping back tears with the heels of her hand.

Jono took another step back, shaking his head. "I don't want you to get hurt."

“The only thing hurting me is you doing this. Just make up your mind and try to find some time to inform me, okay?” She took a deep breath and turned away to hide fresh tears.

He raised his hand as if to touch her, but then let it fall. "I'm sorry," he whispered, the barest hint of his regret touching her mind.

Paige half turned, eyes still sparkling. “Yeah. Me too.” She tried to smile, wiping at her eyes. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

"Yeah," Jono nodded, not looking at her and walking a few steps farther away this time.

Paige hopped up the stairs two at a time, pulling open the door and holding it open for him. Her eyes were dry now, but very dark and very blue even though she kept them to the ground.

Jono walked up a little slower, passing her in the doorway and continued onward, hardly acknowledging her presence.

There was crackle in her ears that might have been something breaking and she turned her head to the evening sky, the fields still holding onto the last bit of gold. The door closed with a solid click but Paige was not in front of it. She was making her way back down the hill.

OOC:
Me: Great. Now "Come Away With Me" is playing in my head and Paige is doing the "Idon'tcareIdon'tcareIdon'tcare" thing and gah. There had better be very, very good make-up snogs or something.
Jenni: well, there'll sure be some fireworks!