𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕤 ( Agnes // minou.xi )

[Ascensionism]

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Name: May Fiore
Age: 23
[the following story deals with sensitive topics such as addiction, mental illness, past abuse, trauma, and death. proceed at your own risk]
•••••
​

Set up for failure from birth. Out of all the names she had been called, and everything that had been said to her over the past twenty-three years of her life, that particular phrase was the one that seemed to stay stuck in her mind the most and it hadn’t even been said directly to her face. May was almost surprised that her mother hadn’t left her at the hospital while she was being treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome; growing up, the woman seemed to love her opioids more than she loved her own child. Her father wasn’t in the picture and had never been from the moment he learned about her existence— or perhaps it had been her mother’s (frankly odd) refusal to abort. Growing up in a broken household was never an easy thing to go through and it was only after May had presented as an omega when she had finally been removed from that toxic environment…only to be placed in another one. And another one. “Home” had never really been a word in her vocabulary since she was constantly bouncing from foster home to foster home. Never given enough time to recover from the constant cycle of abuse she seemed to be trapped in for the entirety of her childhood and teen years. School had really been the only place she could escape to since her peers left her alone for the most part; she could at least ignore the way they used to whisper behind her back whenever she showed up to class late with a new bruise or cut of some sort.

There had only been one person to approach her with good intentions and when it had gotten to be too much, too good to be true, May had ended up running away with her proverbial tail tucked between her legs. Dropping out halfway through her senior year probably hadn’t been the smartest idea on her part, but judging by her grades and overall inability to comprehend the simplest of schoolwork sometimes…she knew she wasn’t the smartest. Choosing to ditch high school altogether did allow her to work as much as she wanted to, but even then she had barely been able to save up enough money to rent a place of her own by the time she aged out of the system. Soon after that, the only person she could actually say that she liked had ended up moving across the country for college. While she couldn’t say she knew what true heartbreak felt like, even May could admit that being left behind (however unintentional) had caused her heart to ache just a little bit.

She was currently sitting on top of an upside down (thankfully dry) mop bucket, diligently rolling silverware into napkins and already thinking about when the next time she could use the bathroom was. The white powder crudely wrapped up in the torn corner of an old ziplock bag felt like it was burning a hole in the pocket of her apron…how long had it been since she’d last had a bump? Before she could finish rolling up the silverware in her hand, Nora, her boss and the owner of the restaurant, came to the back. “You’ve got a table askin’ for ya.”

“Tell them I’m busy,” May said simply, not even looking up from her task at hand. She’d been working here for years— her boss was used to her small acts of defiance here and there and they were never anything that she would actually fire the young woman for.

“You sure? They said they’re your friends from school…not the usual creeps who come in askin’ to see you.”

“Huh?” was the most intelligent thing that she could get out of her mouth in that moment. The omega had only had one girl that she had called her friend in high school, and now she was in California. Or something. With a quiet sigh, May set the silverware down and dusted her ass off before walking out to the front with a puzzled look on her face. It was a slow day, so the restaurant was virtually empty save for the one table of vaguely familiar women around her age. As she approached the table, her eyebrows furrowed together. These…weren’t her friends. No one that she had hung out with before, at least willingly.

They were Izzy’s friends.

Hannah, a red-headed beta that May could only describe as snobby in high school, offered her an obviously fake smile before turning to the other two girls, Amelia and Eliza. “See? I told you guys she would be here.”

The dark haired woman crossed her arms over her chest rather defensively; she didn’t have a good feeling about why they were here and almost had half a mind to kick them out. “Can I help you?” she asked. The girls at the table giggled amongst themselves quietly before Eliza spoke up. “You were pretty close with Isabela in high school, right?”

“I mean, I guess…why?”

“Welllllllllll,” the blonde began, “I’m going to pick her up from the airport tomorrow and we wanted to throw her a welcome home party, and since you probably knew her the best, we wanted you to help us organize it!”

To say that May was shocked was an understatement. She stared at the group, her blue eyes wide, in complete silence for more than a few seconds before she blinked. “Sorry…come again?”

“Izzy’s coming back! Isn’t that so exciting?!” Amelia practically squealed, “Come on, you have to help us! She’ll be so excited to see you!”

“I, uh…I-I don’t—”

“It’ll be fun, promise! Do you work tomorrow? We can pick you up after Eliza leaves for the airport! Two hours should be plenty of time to get everything ready, right?”

Since May was especially susceptible to peer pressure, it didn’t take much prodding to convince her to help organize the party, and once they were happy with her answer, the trio left the restaurant. The young woman shuffled to the back again and plopped herself right back down on the mop bucket, which Nora had been standing next to. “So? What’d they want?”

“They want me to help plan a party…a welcome home party. I…” May’s voice sounded about as hollow as she felt. Well, maybe she didn’t feel hollow, but she wasn’t sure how else to describe the feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Izzy’s coming home…”

 

[Agnes]

[mood music: VICES by Mothica]
[playlist]
by the awesome @minou.xi !

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Name: Isabela Navarro
Age: 23
•••••
​

Izzy was coming home. It felt both exhilarating and frightening at the same time, the woman not having set foot in the small town in years, ever since she went to UCLA for her law degree. Years since she left behind a quaint life in a town that didn't even appear in maps for an explosive one in the city of Angels. Years since she'd abandoned May. For days she'd been psyching herself out overthinking how she would re-introduce herself to her old friends, but the worries were washed away the moment she stepped off the runway in the tiny airport, when she was hit by the warm Arizona desert wind and a certain blonde squealing as she ran up to embrace her. Amelia was the giggly one of the group, but Eliza came a close second, and Izzy couldn't help but smile as her old friend recounted to her five years' worth of gossip on the way back from the airport.

One short detour to the Navarro Estate to leave her luggage and greet her parents and younger siblings, then straight to a restaurant to celebrate her return. It was strange enough that the girls didn't go with a fancy club for an all-night binge, but the fact that they chose the one she and May used to hang out in completely bemused her. The latter worked there part-time when they were in high school, and the latina had fond memories of the two of the sneaking free sundaes whenever May was on shift. Izzy had preferred the quiet, romantic place of the little place, oftentimes deserted in early evenings and late nights, not to mention just being around the other girl in general. She wondered how she was doing-- if she still worked in the diner, if she was still the self-destructive mess she remembered her as, if she still wore her bruises and scars like trophies.

Her family greeted her like it was a weekend visit-- it technically was, after all. Her father traveled frequently for his job and dropped in whenever he could, mostly to make sure she wasn't doing anything untoward and actively working towards her degree, and the rest of the family visited California quite often if only to relax. He only really shut up when she graduated magna cum laude and got an internship at Brigsley and Emerson, though he still might've wanted to bemoan her not getting the highest honor. Regardless, she spent less than ten minutes at her home, and on the way to the diner, Izzy had to speak up and ask. "Why'd you choose this one? I thought Hannah would drag us all to a club or something to get wasted."

Eliza only gave her a coy grin and a light punch on the shoulder. "Maybe we know you more than you thought! Just relax and enjoy the night, Izzy!"

The brunette was less than satisfied with the vague answer, but knowing Eliza, she wouldn't be able to get the truth out of her with a riding crop, so she relented, for now, pursing her lips as she leaned against the window of the car, lost in her thoughts. Soon enough, they rolled into the parking lot of the restaurant, seemingly empty except for two other cars, which she recognized as Hannah's and Amelia's. Taking a deep breath, she took a glance in the rearview mirror to retouch her makeup and lipstick, one last check before she stepped onto the stage. "Alright, let's go," she breathed, her nervousness breaking through the calm exterior, and stepped out of the car, readjusting her outfit.

Izzy smelled her scent long before she saw her face.

It was hard, being an alpha. It caused waves among her family when it became apparent what she was, and not even her closest friends knew what she really was, except for May. And that was only because the other girl presented as an omega around the same time as hers, and the new scent that opened up led the way for confessions behind closed bedroom doors, but Izzy didn't remember May's scent being this strong... or intoxicating. Her heart suddenly hammered in her chest, and a lump started to form in her throat, unsure of how she'll react to what she finds inside. Eliza, oblivious to her troubles, pranced ahead and gestured for her to head in. After one more breath to calm herself, she did.

"SURPRISE!"

Instantly, she was buried in bodies as Hannah and Amelia practically jumped onto her, embracing her as old friends should.

"You look so different now!"

"You never answered my texts, bitch!"

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, that choker is soooooo cute!"

"Guys, I can't breathe!" she rasped with a laugh, trying to stay standing under the weight of three grown women, and playfully swatted them away so she could greet them all in turn. But all of them were betas, unaffected by the scent problem Izzy was dealing with at the moment, and after the initial hugs were done, her eyes flicked to the lone figure standing by the counter, looking the same as she did when she was sixteen. Raven black hair cut in a messy bob, more piercings than she could count... eyes so dark and tired she worried if she ever got enough sleep. Padding across the room in unsteady steps, she came to a stop in front of the pale omega, heart racing, lips quivering, eyes half-lidded. "...Hi."

 

[Ascensionism]

Typically sleep never came easy to May, especially as a frequent recreational user of stimulants. This night was no different except for the fact that she was up for hours agonizing about a multitude of things rather than railing line after line. What was the best plan for tomorrow? How would Izzy react to seeing her after years of no contact? What would she wear? If only Izzy’s friends hadn’t suddenly sprung the idea of having her organize their little get-together— as if May would have even had the time to do so. She spent most of her days working, and whenever she was off, she would be at the bar or in some hotel room on a weekend bender with her dealer and his friends. Nothing involving sex ever happened…the omega had made it very clear to Lucas that she wasn’t interested in men when she had first met him. Thankfully (and surprisingly), he respected that.

Eventually, May had tired herself out enough (with the help of a small, terribly wrapped joint to soothe her nerves— one of her healthier habits) to crash on her couch after writing down every single detail she could about the events for the next day. Her queen-sized bed was the first thing she had ever bought for her apartment and now, it hardly got used since she had a perfectly fine couch. Maybe it was because the couch was closer to her front door and half of the time, she was too fucked up to make it to her bedroom. Maybe it just reminded her of Izzy too much…May couldn’t count the number of times as a teenager that she had wished out loud to have a bed as big and comfortable as her friend’s while laying down in it. After years of sleeping on decade old twin mattresses and bunk beds, anything was more comfortable.

The next afternoon, the ravenette woke up with a start to the sound of the alarm she had set on her phone. And for the first time in her life, she didn’t hit the snooze button and roll over. Instead, May sat up, wincing as just about every joint in her body cracked, before standing up and making a beeline for the shower. She had somehow had the right mind to lay out her clothes for the day on her bed so she wouldn’t be as tempted to rifle through her closet at the very last minute and ultimately end up being late. After showering and doing her makeup in record time, May got dressed and raced out the door after pulling her boots on. If she had her times right, Eliza should be at the airport now…which gave her an hour to prepare as much as possible. Thankfully not much had to be done at the restaurant— Nora had agreed to give May the next few days off in order for her to catch up with her old friend, but she did want to go over a list of possible bars to go to after they were done eating with Hannah and Amelia. Surely her usual seedy hole-in-the-wall bars weren’t the best place for a reunion.

As the hour went by, May found herself checking her phone every five minutes…then two…then every thirty seconds. There had been a few people dining, but by the time she saw Eliza’s car pull into the parking lot, the restaurant had pretty much cleared out. As Hannah and Amelia hopped up, eager to greet their friend, May snuck off to the back, eyes wide with panic. What the hell was she doing? Why had she agreed to do this? Why was she sober? She was in no way, shape, or form ready to face Izzy after all of these years. It was only after she had heard the excited chattering of the other girls that she took a deep breath, then marched back out to the front. She couldn’t back out now. May leaned rather nonchalantly against the counter, but in that moment she felt everything but casual— especially when Izzy met her eyes.

Her heart was racing as the other woman began to walk towards her. She looked different than she had back in high school; there was a certain air of elegance and grace around her that May could only imagine was newfound maturity. Had she always smelled this…good? The shorter woman had always found comfort in Izzy’s scent when they were younger, but it had never been so…addicting? She couldn’t help the way her eyes began to fill up with tears, threatening to spill down her cheeks as her ruby red lips trembled. Thankfully, Izzy had been the one to break the god awful silence between them. Unthankfully, just one simple word had been enough for the waterworks to start. May did her best to wipe away the tears streaming down her face, to no avail, before choking out a shaky, “H-hi…”

For once, she was at a loss for words. May Elizabeth Fiore, who always had something to say no matter what kind of situation she was in, could hardly find the right words to say in that moment. There were just too many that were jumbled up in her head, six years worth of stories and “I miss you”s swirling around and not a single one coming out of her damn mouth. Why had she come here sober? The lump in her throat seemed to grow as she did her best to hold back a sob. “I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled, hiding her face behind the oversized sleeve of her flannel, “I-I…” Thankfully she had brought her makeup just in case she needed to touch it up, since she was sure by now that there were streaks of mascara and eyeliner alike running down from her eyes.

 

[Agnes]

Waterworks were not unexpected in reunions, but Izzy had anticipated her friends would be ecstatic to see her. Despite this, she was more than ready when tears began to fall from May's beautiful baby blue eyes, swooping in to gently hold a delicate hand while she furiously wiped away her tears with the other. May had always been so headstrong, so guarded, pushing away people and building up brick walls faster than anyone could break them down. It had taken months for the two of them to warm up to each other after that first assignment they did together. It was such a momentous shift, seeing her weep openly like this. May was no ice queen— no, far from it. She bottled her feelings and swallowed them up, no matter how unhealthy it might be. These two tears for her might as well be equivalent to someone falling to their knees and breaking into full-blown sobs. It was touching, in a way, that she even allowed her to see this side of her.

"Oh, Sparkles," she murmured, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her into a tight embrace, guilt wrapping around her heart and every sob feeling like a vicious stab to the organ. She hadn't called her by that nickname in years, but it still came to her as natural as ever, which only amplified her qualms about leaving her behind when she did. Her petite frame felt warm and familiar, and as Izzy buried her nose into her black locks she breathed in her scent; cigarette smoke and marijuana clung to her like a perfume, but beneath all that she could smell her natural scent, the one she had noticed from way outside the restaurant. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I missed you so much..." she breathed out, her own usually assured voice shaky and riddled with emotion, repressed feelings and memories tearing their way to the surface.

Gently as the breeze, she reached up and pulled her hand away from her face, not letting her hide behind the sleeves of that oversized flannel shirt, and gave her a warm, wistful smile as she wiped away the streaks of black that rolled down cheeks. Grey eyes alight with both joy and sadness glazed wistfully over her face, remembering the familiar face and noting all the subtle changes from the last time they saw each other. She was older now, with a stronger jaw and deeper sunken eyes, but she still looked very much the rebellious friend she had remembered. The lump in her throat didn't go away, but it was no longer unpleasant; she felt... happy, relieved even, to see her here, rather than having to spend the day with her other friends. She loved the others dearly, of course, but May held a special place in her heart, someone who pulled her out of the conceited circles she ran in and taught her that there was more things in life than branded shoes. She was the one who rolled her first joint for her, the one who snuck her cheap booze on days she felt like the world might cave in, the one who came to her in tears whenever she had a problem and relied on her and looked up to her. Seeing her this emotional just from seeing her again... it made her feel loved like never before.

"You're going to ruin both our shirts," she jested with a small laugh as she let go, giving her one last affectionate squeeze before she did so. She could hear Hannah and co. giggle and chatter as they approached, somewhat confused by May's tears but politely making a point of not making a big deal about it, going to take their seats at a table while they waited for the pair. The alpha ignored them for now, focusing on what was most important in the moment. Still holding onto her hand, Izzy gave her a small squeeze and tipped her chin up with a crooked finger to gaze into her eyes, her voice soft and whispery, only for her ears to hear. "Did you pick out this place, May?" she asked, though she knew the answer long before the other woman answered. "Thank you... I don't know if I'd feel this happy if you weren't here." Not thinking her actions through, Izzy leaned forward and placed a soft, chaste kiss on May's forehead, gently sweeping away her hair and running her fingers along those ravenette locks.

 

[Ascensionism]

Izzy was right— May absolutely was not an ice queen in any way, shape, or form. She was hot-headed, one of the most temperamental beings that anyone in their small town had ever come across. Whenever she felt her emotions, she felt them hard. Anger became rage, sadness became a depressive slump that made her feel numb inside. But she didn’t cry…often. And she never cried in front of others. Izzy wasn’t just others, though. It had taken her what felt like ages to remove just one brick from the walls she usually put up in order to allow herself to have a halfway decent conversation with the alpha in high school— and that had been enough for them to come crumbling down completely. All it had taken was a simple, “If you ever need someone to talk to about anything, I’m here,” for the shorter woman to divulge almost all of the details of her not-so secret life. And even so, she still had a nasty habit of stuffing her feelings as far down as she could. So much negativity was bound to send anyone running for the hills.

Izzy never ran. She pried, and pried, and pried until she could get at least something out of her ticking time bomb she called her friend.

In a small town, people were bound to talk. Fiore was a well-known name, but it was never anything good. Borderline sympathetic at best. No one could fathom how a woman could neglect her child so badly; Valerie Fiore was a topic that came up in gossip that May had overheard all too much. Once the young omega had been taken out of her custody, the gossip surrounding her family seemed to die down, but there were still whispers here and there. Whispers that seemed to grow in number and volume the more time she spent with Izzy.

The rumors and speculations (however true they may have been) about her sexuality began at school. Teenage girls were bound to be very close with their friends, but for Izzy and May to be so close was odd to them, and for May to actually have a friend to be hanging around was even more strange. They came from two completely different walks of life, their personalities were completely different from an outsider’s point of view no matter how compatible they were. It was only a matter of time before the rumors reached her classmates’ parents and while May had no qualms with flipping off any adult that had looked at them the wrong way (much to the alpha’s dismay), she could never shake the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever Izzy’s parents had looked at her with more judgement than before.

The combination of the nickname she hadn’t heard in years and the feeling of arms wrapping around her thin waist had brought a strangely familiar warmth to the dark haired woman’s heart. May feebly clung to the back of the other’s cardigan, her forehead resting in the crook of Izzy’s neck. “I-I missed you,” she managed to squeak out without sobbing. She had spent so long rebuilding her walls, preparing to never let anyone else in like she had let Izzy just for the woman to come back and knock them all down again with one simple word. How dare she.

By the time the other woman had reached up to wipe away at the makeup running down her face, the waterworks had thankfully ended for the most part. May still looked as youthful as she did before, but years of drug use had gotten rid of some of the remaining baby fat in her face, and the dark circles under her eyes suggested that sleep was hard to come by nowadays. Izzy was just as beautiful as she had been the last time she had seen her, if not more so. The way that she had tilted her chin up with one finger had the little omega’s heart racing— her question fell upon mostly deaf ears. If she wanted to answer, she couldn’t even think of how to say the word “yes”; all she wanted to do in that moment was kiss Izzy. Make up for six years worth of the affection that she had missed out on and didn’t even know she’d been craving. May was nothing if not bold, but even she didn’t think she could muster up the courage to do something like that in front of the alpha’s friends, much less in the diner she worked at.

The kiss to her forehead had left her speechless and while she tried to scramble to find the right words to say, May simply nodded her head. “I, uh…thought you might like it,” she mumbled, “They were talking about going straight to the bar, but…” She didn’t have a chance to finish her sentence before she saw one of the servers walking towards the table that the trio had sat down at. “We should probably sit down, I’m sure you’re hungry.”

 

[Agnes]

Fiore and Navarro; two names that couldn't be regarded further apart in their small town even if people were more judgemental than they already were. Navarro commanded respect, awe, fear even. Mining magnates that have been based here ever since the town was a small hub on the frontier in the late 19th century. Old money, they built their fortune upon literal gold, though lately the family enterprises have branched out and expanded out of their home base. Stephen was a shrewd businessman after all, and his wife Carlota was just as able. The two of them cast a large shadow over the whole town, even their own children, and Izzy grew up pushing against these expectations set before she was even conceived. May grew up with a different kind of problem. Her family was shattered before it began, the girl having been neglected and alone most of her life. Izzy had little Hector and sassy Sofia to keep her company; May had her cracked ceiling at whatever wreck of a foster home she was currently at. Who could blame her for the way she turned out?

The differences did not end at the families. Their personalities were ice and fire as well, May a hot-headed temperamental girl who felt things deep in her stomach, and Izzy a cool, collected charmer who rarely raised her voice, and wore her heart on her sleeve. She was no princess with sunshine and rainbows, but she always reached out to people, was empathetic with them. Yet with May, she always took it a step further. Several, even. The very first day they met, the girl had followed her to her home for the assigned homework, and the bruises and cuts caught Izzy's diligent eyes. There was no hesitation on her part as she told her that she would lend an ear and a shoulder, and ever since then, she had been the only one May truly let her walls down for. Izzy knew May needed her, despite how it might sound to outsiders. Even then, she was turning to all these vices to run from the pain she hid inside-- if it wasn't drugs it was drinks, if it wasn't drinks it was things, and if it wasn't things it was people.

It came as no surprise then, that May clung to her for dear life once her walls had fallen and tears had shed. Izzy knew she had just come back into touch with a part of her long-buried, a sense of safety only she could impart onto her, and vice versa. The brunette let her take her time, blocking out everything in their vicinity until it was just the two of them, just like the many nights they spent embracing and opening their hearts to each other. Perhaps there was nothing deeper to the observer's eyes, but Izzy could feel it, the torrent of emotions inside the shorter woman rising and breaking through the dam, flooding out all vestiges of logic and reasoning. In a way, it caused a mirror reaction in Izzy's own racing heart, overcome with a need for closeness that warmth she didn't even know she harbored.

When they finally broke apart, it was because they had taken their share of each other, when they've taken back parts of themselves that went with the other person the moment Izzy stepped onto that plane six years ago. The alpha felt whole again, feeling a part of her she didn't even know she had lost. "...but you thought I might want to come here first," she finished for the little omega, noticing she trailed off after seeing the other three sit down. "Yeah... I guess I am," she said loftily, only noticing then that she had been fasting for well over 16 hours now. Holding the ravenette's wrist, Izzy led her to where the rest of their (her) friends were waiting, sliding onto the empty aisle opposite them, pulling May down alongside her.

"Ugh, finally! I thought you two would never stop making googly eyes at each other," giggled Amelia, to which Izzy only gave a good-natured roll of her eyes.

"We just haven't seen each other in a long time, Amy. Cut us some slack." With her words came a little inadvertent squeeze on May's dainty, pale hand, almost as if she was telling her not to mind her friends' comments.

"Well, I hope you're done with the theatrics because we're going out for drinks after this!" squealed Hannah, whipping her red mane dramatically and producing a little baggy filled with white powder, and another one filled with multicolored pills.

"Molly and blow? Are you trying to get me killed on my first day back or something?" Despite the jovial tone of the conversation, she held a worry for the woman beside her, only knowing all too well her history with substance (ab)use. Ash Grey eyes wandered warily to those beautiful baby blues, wondering if she was okay with them making light of drugs right in front of her, but decided to change the topic instead of dwelling on it.

"Uh, I'll take the chicken parmesan and triple espresso," she ordered to the server, knowing full well it sounded like a breakfast rather than a pre-bender meal. To be fair though, this was her breakfast. "Do you still work here, May?" she asked, turning her body and her full attention towards her while the other three chatted among themselves.

 

[Ascensionism]

Tearing herself away from Izzy had been one of the hardest things for her to do in that moment— as if she felt like she would run away again at any moment if those arms weren’t circled around her. But the alpha was hungry, and her friends were already sitting down at the table and waiting patiently. The hand around her slender wrist made sure that May couldn’t escape as she was led over to the booth and soon pulled down into the plush seat. Amelia’s light-hearted comment had caused a small wave of anxiety to roll over the little omega, but it was quickly squashed down by the way Izzy had gently squeezed her hand and responded. The ravenette was clutching onto that hand for dear life in an attempt to ground herself. She was severely out of her element— she never hung out in groups like this. Not anymore.

Her thoughts were soon arrested by the sight of two small baggies; one filled with a white powder that she knew all too well and the other filled with colorful pills. Lucas didn’t use baggies like that; he typically used pieces of old grocery bags, the corners of ziplock bags, even the cellophane off of cigarette boxes if he needed something quick. The sight of the drugs reminded May of the coke she currently had stashed in her wallet, and she was itching to sneak off to the bathroom for a moment. She felt okay, of course. But her eyes stayed glued to the baggies until they were put away.

Thankfully, Izzy had the right mind to change the subject, and their server helped distract May from the drugs, if only just for a moment. As the other girls ordered, she took a moment to look over the menu. She didn’t really have that much of an appetite (she never did, really), but she didn’t want her friend to worry about whether or not she had been eating enough. She hadn’t been, but May still didn’t want the other woman to worry about it. “Um…I’ll just have the cali burger, no onion. And Sprite to drink. Thanks, Serena.” Once her coworker had gone off to submit the group’s orders, May turned her attention back to Izzy. “I do,” she said, “Kind of hard to believe I’ve stayed here for so long…but it pays the bills.” And for other things.

Tired baby blue eyes wandered back over to the redhead sitting across from her. “Hannah. Question for you.”

“Hm?”

“Who’d you get that coke from?”

The question seemed to stun the three girls in front of her— Hannah specifically. Surely May had her own dealer, right? “Um…I forgot his name. He used to hang out at the cafe down the road from the high school all the time. Brown hair, green eyes I think?” This made the shorter woman wrinkle her nose. Clearly the description alone was enough for her to know exactly who she was talking about.

“I mean…as long as you don’t get anything else but coke and molly from him, you’ll be fine. He sells fake xans,” May said, bitten nails covered in chipped black polish oh-so casually picking at a loose thread in her flannel. “Wouldn’t want any of y’all to end up in the ER because of a shitty bar, y’know?”

The girls were silent, wide-eyed, before Amelia suddenly burst into a fit of giggles. “May, you’re so weird!”

“I’m being dead serious.” And judging by the look on her face, she was— though there was hardly a time where May didn’t look serious. Or pissed off. She was the poster child for resting bitch face. “You guys are Izzy’s friends, I don’t want y’all to get hurt doing something stupid. If you want bars, go to Lucas. He’s chill as fuck.” Not wanting to make the three girls the center of attention for any longer, the omega turned back to her longtime friend with a small grin. “How was your flight?”

 

[Agnes]

It was quite hard to believe, actually, and a perhaps sad that May had been here all this time, stuck in a stationary job while Izzy was out in the city living her life. She didn't know if it was guilt or simply feeling bad for her friend, but Izzy found herself inadvertently scooching closer to her for comfort, almost wanting to bring her into another embrace and tell her it was okay. "Well, at least it's a familiar place," she said softly, grey eyes wandering down to where she held her hands, her arms covered by long flannel sleeves. It almost scared her what she would find if she were to roll them up, and the brunette had half a mind to ask her if she's been taking care of herself when the conversation shifted back to drugs. The alpha pursed her lips, not entirely pleased with the way the girls were dragging May into this conversation, but how could they know the problems she had? Only Izzy was allowed to see the darkest secrets of May's inner being, and she felt the onus was on her to protect the girl.

Yet for now, she let them talk while she took out a cigarette from her purse, listening with one ear as she shuffled through for a lighter. It seemed her fears were confirmed— how else would May know which dealer was trustworthy and which was not, and which ones were 'chill'? The other girls obviously didn't take her words to heart, and Izzy promptly cut in before things could escalate. Flicking open the antique lighter she'd mooched off her grandma, she lit the cigarette and brought it to her lips, painting the white red and breathing in the carcinogenic smoke like it was an breath of fresh air. One of her few vices, perhaps, but one she was hopelessly addicted to. That, and coffee. "I'm sure May's being serious, guys. Just be careful when dealing with your guy, yeah?" she interjected loftily, taking a long drag and letting out the smoke through her nostrils, sweeping her hair over one shoulder as she settled into the seat. "And... Lucas. Isn't that the guy you introduced me to when I said I wanted to try weed for the first time?" The question was for May this time, and although her tone was neutral, her gaze was inquisitive, questioning, loaded with questions far more important than the one she verbally posed.

Are you still on drugs? Are you still beating yourself up? Are you still pushing everyone away?

"The flight was okay. I had a bit of trouble at the airport in LA, but it's nothing major. Wanted to search my bags for 'something'. I slept the whole way through cause, y'know, plans to go out with you guys and all," she answered, waving her cigarette clad hand at the three opposite them, a lopsided grin on her face. Fun was a rare commodity in university, despite what most people thought. Most of the time she was drowning in case studies and tutorials, and she could only go out for drinks on lucky nights where she could afford to leave her schoolwork for later. Getting to spend a carefree night with her friends like before was a blessing, especially since she would be heading into the adult world soon, and May... well, she hadn't expected to see her, but now it seemed all of her attention was fixed on her. "And y'know, having May tag along with us is a nice bonus," she said, shooting the shorter woman a sly wink.

"So how was living in LA? You find any hot lawyers there?" asked Eliza with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Izzy shrugged nonchalant. "One, I am a hot lawyer, and two, I didn't really have time to date while I was there." Not to mention she wasn't really open about her sexuality, having conservative parents and all. Only May knew she was interested in women, but she suspected plenty of her friends at school, Hannah included, would know something was up with the way she and the ravenette seemed inseparable back then. Thankfully, the redhead was tactfully polite or just ignorant, and did not press the issue. The other two however, did.

"Boo."

"Boo."

"Oh, boo hoo, you know how my parents are about dating," she deflected, having faced the problem a million times before, and was prepared to dish out even more sass when the waitress arrived with their orders, essentially ending the conversation. Thank God for that. She took a sip of the espresso and sighed as the bitter liquid pumped caffeine into her system, but she spared the woman beside her a glance before she dug into her meal. "Eat," she said softly, out of earshot of the others, nudging her gently with her elbow. "I know you haven't been eating much these days," she continued, offering her the chicken and the espresso, if she would like to try them. "Eat. For me," she insisted. "Or I'll have to spoonfeed you."

 

[Ascensionism]

It had taken almost everything in May to not let out a pleased hum when her friend had cut in, stressing the importance of being careful when it came to their dealer. She could always count on the other woman to back her up, no matter what— unless May was trying to get into a fight with somebody, of course. She could hold her own despite her small stature and had spent many years proving that. But the amount of times Izzy had come to hold her back and talk some sense into her in the past was almost embarrassing. /Almost/. The dealer in question was a decent guy, sure…aside from the fact that he peddled fentanyl to his unsuspecting customers. Though, she was momentarily distracted by Izzy pulling a cigarette out of her purse. She had accidentally left her own in the car out of excitement, but her focus wasn’t on the cigarette itself…

It was on the alpha’s mouth. Her own mouth felt incredibly dry as she watched those red lips wrap around the filter, eyes trained on the stain her lipstick had left behind on the paper once it was pulled away. She wanted to know how those lips would feel against her, how the red would contrast with her pale skin alongside constantly fresh bruises that seemed to appear weekly. May had been staring at Izzy’s lips so hard that it seemed as if she were in a trance— one that was only broken when the woman asked her a question.

The omega’s eyes quickly shot up to meet Izzy’s, her cheeks turning beet red almost instantaneously. “I- uh, yeah, same Lucas,” she stammered out. She knew that look in her eyes…the other woman had far more questions than the one she had just asked and, for May’s own sake, she hoped to god that she wouldn’t ask them. Not here. Not now. She wasn’t even sure she would be ready for whatever questions Izzy might have lurking behind those warm grey eyes.

Once the topic of potential prospects in LA had been brought up, May could feel her shoulders tense slightly. It wasn’t like they knew about her feelings in high school (even if it was obvious with the way she had followed Izzy around like a lovesick puppy), or the ones that seemed to be rekindling in her chest, but…just hearing about it still stung a bit. Thankfully, it had quickly been shut down by the alpha, and May found herself subconsciously scooting closer to her— just so that her outer thigh gently rested against Izzy’s own. Even better, the topic of dating had quickly been forgotten about once Serena had come back with their food.

May stared down at her food rather blankly. She really wasn’t all that hungry despite the fact that she hadn’t eaten since the previous afternoon, and even then it had just been a handful of fries that she had smuggled out of the kitchen while the cook wasn’t looking. When was the last time she had actually eaten a full meal? Did energy drinks count as a meal? They had calories…right? The soft murmur to her right had broken her out of her thoughts, and May looked at Izzy with a rather lost look on her face. Had she really gotten that much skinnier to the point of the other being able to tell that she hadn’t been eating as often as she should?

With a quiet gulp, the ravenette looked back down at her plate. Where there was an Izzy, there was a way— she had always been able to tell when May had eaten or not. Must have been alpha instincts, or something. While the thought of the woman spoon feeding her was an appealing one, it was entirely too embarrassing for May to ask for in public. She begrudgingly munched on a couple of fries in order to get at least something into her stomach. It seemed as if all it took to kickstart her appetite was a gentle push in the right direction, because soon after May had managed to muster up the will to pick up her burger and begin eating it. God. Couldn’t Izzy just stay?

 

[Agnes]

It didn't escape the brunette's notice how May scooted closer to her ever so slightly, just enough for their thighs to touch. It felt comforting, familiar, and Izzy was left wishing that neither of them had worn jeans and had instead opted for skirts. She had to exercise all her self-restraint not to lay her hand on her soft thighs and squeeze them, but she did subtly raise her leg and crossed it over May's, just the way they used to in high school. It occured to her that they were always touching each other in some way, purposefully or not, and although Izzy wanted to see May as nothing more than a very close friend, she knew deep down that she wal already lying to herself. The rapid heartbeat and the stolen glances she kept giving the other woman was proof enough, and the way she seemed to crave her touch without realizing it only exemplified the fact.

May obviously wasn't too happy with being told to eat, however gently she cajoled her, but Izzy would not relent, knowing the bratty rebellious side of her always crumbled when facing her calm, but unrelenting demeanor. Those Rosy red lips formed the most adorable pout as she begrudgingly munched on a few fries, and Izzy couldn't help but crack a wide smile at the way May was behaving— what would you call it? Rebelliously obedient? She believed it came from her upbringing as a child, where she was never in much power to do anything for herself, so she had to settle for her own little acts of defiance. In this case, it was pouting like a little girl while eating fries. How would those lips taste pressed against hers? How would the feel peppering kisses down her neck, her chest, her back, everywhere she wanted to go?

"Good girl," she teased, bumping her hip under the table with her own, and even reached for a few of her fries and dipped them in ketchup, not bothering to ask for permission. The conversation flowed a bit more freely after that, food and drinks and smokes helping to take the edge off everyone, and by the time everyone has finished their meals (even May), they had talked about a myriad of topics— from fashion trends to celebrity gossip to local news to wistful anecdotes, the whole table erupting in laughter every now and then at a particularly funny or nasty joke. The other three talked the most, as was normal, and Izzy has to step in before Amelia could share any more of her adventures in the bedroom with her many flings, or Hannah with ever growing collection of shoes. She did however, recounted tales of wild nights in LA, which, admittedly, weren't that wild at all. The most impressive story she had was convincing a professor to go to bar with her students and then everyone proceeding to do shots off her body.

Soon the plates were cleared away, Izzy paying for the whole thing (it would be crazy if she didn't break in her daddy's credit card, said Hannah), and all of them exited the restaurant out to the parking lot, debating between them where to go next. Izzy was on her second cigarette, and this time, she offered it to May after lighting it, having noticed the way the shorter woman gazed at her when smoking the first one. "Sorry for the lipstick mark," she said sheepishly, running her hand along her hair and popping her joints with a satisfied groan as she stretched and breathed in the fresh air.

"We're going to Florescence," called Hannah as she beckoned the pair over, walking over to where their cars were parked. "I think it might be better if we all just went in the same car? Eliza's is pretty roomy, though it still might get cramped at the back."

Izzy nodded in affirmation, placing her hands on her hips, letting her eyes glaze over the light blue sedan they would be travelling in. She didn't have a car yet, though she knew how to drive, and the brunette made a mental note to purchase one when she eventually goes back to LA. Taking the subway and getting into cramped spaces with her friends could only be exciting for so long. "Err, we'd have to fit three in the back, right? Uhm, May could sit on my lap for the ride, I suppose?" she said, blood rushing to her cheeks as she turned to May for her opinion.

 

[Ascensionism]

There had never been a time in the omega’s life where she hadn’t had problems with authority— namely, just being told what to do. In turn, her behavior growing up never went without consequences. Having to sit out during recess in elementary school turned into constant detentions in middle school and high school. Her guidance counselors had chalked it up to simply having no real parental figures in her life. Unsurprisingly, May had received an out-of-school suspension in her sophomore year for two weeks just before she had been moved to her second foster home for “attacking” an upperclassman. What else was she supposed to do? Sit there at the cafeteria table and silently deal with the verbal degradation she had been given just for being an omega? That wasn’t how she operated. After years of undergoing the physical and mental abuse she’d received from both her own mother and her foster parents, she wasn’t going to just sit there and take it.

So instead, May had punched her square in the face and broken her nose, which resulted in a pretty nasty fight. The first time many of her peers had seen her smile was as she was pulled off of the other girl by the security officer, then escorted to the front office with blood dripping from her own nose. Given her long track record of misbehavior, the principal frankly didn’t give a shit as to why the ravenette had lashed out. Going into high school she had already been labeled a problem child, and it had been a title that May wore with pride. In any case, no one else but Izzy had the guts to approach her afterwards.

If eating had been hard before, it had been made all the more difficult when the other woman uttered those two words. May froze mid-chew, her entire face immediately turning a bright shade of red. Did Izzy even know what she had just said?! And even worst…

May had liked it.

She couldn’t even begin to describe how much she had liked being called a good girl. And by Izzy? The butterflies in her stomach seemed to have turned into a hurricane. Praise was something she had severely lacked growing up, and she hadn’t even noticed it until that very moment. Those two simple little words repeated over and over in her head like a mantra. Good girl. Good girl. Good girl. Surely if the alpha had said it, it was true, right? Before she could burn a hole through the table by staring at it so hard, a sudden burst of laughter broke May out of her momentary trance, and she began to eat again until her plate was empty.

Pretty soon, it was time to head towards the bar. May had almost been surprised when Izzy had offered her the cigarette and took it gratefully, bringing it up to her lips as the alpha apologized for the lipstick stain on the filter. “Nothin’ to apologize for,” she mumbled, words somewhat muffled by the cigarette between her lips. She was just happy to have her mouth somewhere that Izzy’s had been…no. That was weird, she should not have been thinking something like that. Either way May wasn’t going to complain— she felt like the happiest girl in the world in that moment with her nicotine and her Izzy, and that was saying a lot when she didn’t have any blow running through her bloodstream. Then the question of how they would all fit in the same car came up…

It was almost embarrassing how quickly May had nodded her head in agreement when Izzy suggested that she sit on her lap. “Yes.” Please. Getting themselves situated in the sedan had taken a moment and a lot of adjusting, but thankfully, the omega was small enough to where she could fit comfortably on her friend’s lap without too much of an issue. She pulled on the seatbelt, making sure it was out far enough to where it wouldn’t suffocate her, then handed it off to Izzy sheepishly.

 

[Agnes]

Painfully oblivious to the mental gymnastics May was performing inside her head over getting called a good girl, Izzy continued on as if nothing had happened, chalking up her beet red cheeks and flustered demeanor to being embarassed at the leaked tears earlier and the social awkwardness that followed the girl around like a shadow. Besides, the statement wasn't untrue; actually finishing a meal when she seemed like she hadn't eaten in a week was worthy of praise, no? It was a good thing then, for the sake of both of them, that the brunette didn't miss how quickly and enthusiastically the ravenette agreed to sit on her lap for the ride to the club. A flattered smile and a rosy blush came upon her face, but the alpha said nothing further as the five of them crammed and pushed and squealed and giggled, trying to fit in the sedan.

It served as an interesting juxtaposition actually; May obviously had grown up without much good things said about herself, and didn't offer many compliments to people, but the girl seemed to turn into putty at the slightest hint of praise, while Izzy was the completely opposite. She received compliments with a grace and honeyed words rolled off her tongue without much effort, and was used to the dance of social niceties people in her circle often played. It was often difficult and not worth it to discern whether people were being honest, but at least with May, Izzy could count on the girl being painfully blunt with where she stood. So the little blush and the enthusiasm to be near her really endeared the alpha, elated to see that the unbreakable bond they shared in high school had endured the five years of her absence. It was touching... that she would let her back in so easily, just like that.

With her being the taller and slightly larger of the two, Izzy served as the perfect fit for May to wiggle on top of, giggling as she let the other woman settle into a comfortable space. She deigned not to talk about how her ass was sat directly on her crotch, for fear of turning things awkward, but just the little touch of her wiggling her backside against her had a profound effect on her loins. Dicks being dicks, her penis didn't cooperate with her most of the time, and May would inevitably feel something bumping against her through Izzy's jeans. She just prayed her friend wouldn't notice, or wouldn't say anything if she did. "Thanks," she murmured, a bit flustered, and took the seatbelt and clipped it in place beside her, essentially locking the two of them in. Arms wrapping around her slender waist, she buried her face into the back of her neck and leaned her face on her shoulders as Eliza revved the engines and rolled onto the street, heading for Florescence Nightclub.

Small towns like these had a quaint, romantic feel to them, and it showed when the roads were empty and peaceful already when it was barely 7 PM. Despite this, the young folks of the place had their designated places for nightlife fun, nightclubs being one of them. The one they were going to was relatively classy, a high end place for successful young adults looking to kick back and relax after a hard day. They soon rolled into the parking of the club, the neon lights and purple hues and blaring music inside making it stand out from the many quiet homes surrounding it. The others got out quickly, chatting and giggling among themselves, but Izzy took the time to unbuckle the seatbelt and let May get off her lap and out the car before she followed, wanting to spend a bit more time with her long-time friend before the both of them lose themselves on the floor.

"Remember when the two of us tried to sneak in here with fake IDs?" she joked wistfully as two of the walked to the entrance, Izzy having shed her long grey cardigan for a look more appropriate for clubbing— a black crop top, jeans, and heeled boots. She flashed her (authentic) driver's license to the bouncer, but the guy barely looked at it before nodding them in. She passed the vibe check, she supposed. "Drinks?" she asked once they were inside, tiltng her head towards the bar where most of the clientele were grouped up. It was a godsend that the DJ wasn't blasting some eardrum-splittinh tunes— it was loud enough to give the room ambiance, but not so much that they had to scream at each other to make out the words. But before they could order though, Hannah waved at them from inside the ladies room, waving the little baggie with the white powder. Pursing her lips, she turned to May, unsure if she would be comfortable with doing coke considering... well, everything. "I won't do it if you don't want to," she offered, wanting to keep the girl company.

 

[Ascensionism]

She might not have been the smartest person in squished in the car, but May certainly wasn’t completely oblivious. At first she had thought it was just the way that Izzy’s pants had bunched up when she sat down— jeans were weird like that. But as soon as she had realized that it wasn’t her friends jeans that were rubbing up against her ass, May couldn’t help the way she had instinctively (and discreetly) rolled her hips down. The little omega in her mind was absolutely going crazy. It had been way too long since she had last had sex; she refused to sleep with anyone that lived in this town for her dwindling sanity’s sake and just stuck to the women who would pass through (alphas, betas, and omegas alike). They would never stay for long, and May was a lot more comfortable opening her legs for them than she was opening up to them as a person. If she was lucky enough, they would rock her world (or vice versa) and leave her place right after.

As she felt arms wrapping around her waist, May felt like her mind was going one thousand miles a minute. What would it feel like to have Izzy take her from behind? For those gorgeous hands to hold her in place by her hips, tan skin contrasting with pale and bruised. For both of their sakes, she didn’t say anything about the little situation Izzy had going on under the belt, but she rested her hand against one of the other woman’s arms, gently squeezing it in a way to silently let her know that she could feel it…perhaps not as much as she really wanted to feel it.

The ride to the club hadn’t been to long, and as they pulled into the parking lot, May looked out of the window, gazing at the neon lights and the people that were filtering inside. She was severely underdressed for a place like this…and usually, the girl wouldn’t have cared. But she could already picture the stares she would get from the people inside, the whispers of “Why is she here?” The anxiety was clear on her face as Izzy’s friends hurried out of the car, and she was thankful that the alpha at least seemed to be taking her time. She held onto Izzy’s wrist tightly as they walked inside, only letting go once they made it to the doorman.

She did remember when they’d tried to sneak their way in as teenagers— Florescence had always looked like it was a magical place from the outside with its glowing purple lights and booming music. Unfortunately the bouncer from before had known what they were up to and sent them home with their tails tucked between their legs. May had just been in the middle of pulling her own drivers license out when the man waved them through— clearly he was either having a good night, or just wanted the night to be over and done with. She didn’t think too much of it though as Izzy gestures towards the bar. But before she could say anything, she noticed Hannah from the corner of her eye waving them over…as well as the little baggy full of blow. Cocaine sounded a lot more appetizing than a drink in that moment.

Was Izzy even aware that May was still up to many of her old antics?

The young woman offered her friend a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine, I promise. We can all share.” This time, it was her turn to grab Izzy’s wrist, leading her into the bathroom. Thankfully, it was big enough for all five of them to fit comfortably despite being a single person bathroom— and the latch on the door would provide them a little bit of privacy. Without even a moment of hesitation, May pulled a small mirror out of her wallet before addressing the entire group. “If you guys are wanting to do lines, you can cut them on this but if you’re wanting to take just a bump or two then use your own keys or something. I don’t make it a habit to sniff anyone else’s keys, y’know?”

 

[Agnes]

Izzy wanted to blurt out something, anything, regarding her apprehension to the whole affair, but how could she when May was the one leading her by the wrist. In retrospect, she should've squirmed, simply said no, but 'no' doesn't come easily when she was around her pale friend. It was the same story all over again, from when they were stupid sixteen-year-olds to stupid twenty-somethings. And so she went, heart racing like a prize horse, second-guessing things before they had even happened. Into the strangely spacious bathroom they went, and deftly as ever, she locked the latch as she entered, all five of them cramped around the stall. Turning around, the woman found herself pursing her lips and scratching her tan arms at the sight that awaited her - May pulling out a little mirror to cut cocaine on.

Was May still up to all her old antics?

Before she could say interject, Hannah had already taken the mirror, squealing that they would be going hard tonight. Again, Izzy glanced to May, worried as ever for the shorter girl, two sides of her mind waging a war behind her smoky grey eyes. Izzy was no stuck-up prude; she was all for having fun and letting loose, especially when it was her homecoming. The only reason she was having reservations was May and May alone, worrying about things she shouldn't worry about. But that thought sparked a little epiphany in her - how pretentious she had been, deciding what was good for omega by herself. If she said it was fine, she was fine. After all, why shouldn't she have to worry about something as a harmless line of coke?

Swallowing the ball of uncertainty in her throat, Izzy grinned. "Why not? It's just for one night, yeah?" she mused breathlessly, talking more to herself than any of the girls in particular, and snatched the mirror from Hannah after she was done with it. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead; she hadn't really indulged all that much during her time in L.A., and her inexperience (or rather, rustiness) showed in the clumsy way she went about lining up the powder with her fingers. It did get done though, after a few seconds of fumbling around, and before she could change her mind, she dove in and dragged her nose along the glass.

"Oh - oh fuck," Izzy exclaimed with a nervous laugh, covering up her nose as her eyes watered and her nose sniffled. It burned. She'd almost forgotten how it felt, but what a way to be reintroduced to it - taking a questionable amount in one go. A bit dazedly, she handed the mirror off to someone else, blinking her mind back to earth, acutely feeling the drug working its way through her body. Everything felt hot. She felt giggly. May looked gorgeous. In her little world, everything made sense, and she wondered with a little wistful smile how it would feel to take a bump off May's thighs... would they still be bruised like before? Would she still smell wonderful? Izzy could bet she did. No, she knew she did. If anything, ever since she walked into that diner, the only thing she had been able to smell was May.

What would she look like, pushed up against the stall walls while she took her? Would she be squeezing her hand like back in the car? What would-

What would-

So lost in her thoughts, Izzy only realized after a while that she had been staring at May's baby blue hues, her lower lip caught in her teeth. "Uh, ahem, I'll go on ahead to the bar," she said, flustered, and quickly unlocked the door and left to get some much-needed air to gather her thoughts, but not before she gave one lingering gaze towards May, which may well have been an invitation to join her. "Tequila," she said resolutely once she was back into the midst of bass-boosted music and the sea of writhing bodies, downing the little glass with aplomb to get some liquid courage in her.

What was she getting herself into?

 

[Ascensionism]

The ravenette had busied herself with rolling up a dollar bill for Izzy as the girls all took their turn with the mirror. The trio could fend for themselves and inhale the powder however they pleased, but May figured her friend would appreciate something easier to use. She usually kept one that was already rolled stashed in her wallet, but for some reason she just kept on losing them… Right as her shaky hands had finally finished rolling it up as tight as possible, she watched with wide blue eyes as the Izzy dipped her head down and just went for it.

“God damn,” she breathed.

It shouldn’t have turned her on as much as it did. May shouldn’t have felt that all too familiar heat pooling in her core while watching Izzy blow through an entire line right off of the mirror. Fuck. Fuck. She had tried to reach forward to wipe away the remnants of the blow off of her nose and upper lip, but the most she could do in that moment without completely losing her cool was settling a supportive hand at the small of her back and rubbing it gently before taking the mirror from Izzy. Truth be told, the omega probably would have let herself go if it had only been the two of them in the bathroom. As thankful as she was for them giving her the opportunity to see her old friend again, the trio was only getting in her way at this point. Getting in the way of what she wanted to do, and she wanted nothing more than to overwrite the various times she had hooked up in club and bar bathrooms in that moment.

But she couldn’t fathom just simply hooking up with Izzy for a night of fun. It had to be more than that.

Various bruises still littered her pale skin, though the reason they were there was far from the physical abuse she endured during her childhood. May was a bonafide klutz (and kleptomaniac, but that was just a minor detail) whenever she was fucked up. She would stumble, run into everything and everyone, trip over her own feet. She couldn’t even count the number of times that Lucas had ended up carrying her out of the bar because she had forgotten how to walk like a normal human being. Door handles and table corners were the bane of her existence. And knowing how May was, she would be surprised if she didn’t end up that way tonight.

She gave the alpha a gentle smile upon hearing that she was heading to the bar. “I’ll join you in just a sec,” she promised, already rummaging through her wallet for her own coke. Once Izzy had left the bathroom, May made quick work of cutting three lines for herself— two from her own personal stash and one from Hannah’s. It was clear that she’d been doing this for a while, and the girls could only look on in what seemed to be awe…or judgement, she wasn’t sure. Nor did she care. After doing all three lines in succession with seemingly no trouble at all (and coaxing Hannah into selling her a couple doses of molly), May turned to the mirror to check her nose, adjusted her septum ring so that it didn’t sit crooked, then made her way out of the bathroom.

Cocaine had a tendency to work fast, so by the time May had slid into the spot next to Izzy, she was feeling good. Better than good, even, she felt amazing. The ravenette leaned her head against the other woman’s shoulder, a purr rumbling from the back of her throat as her senses were filled with Izzy’s scent. “Mm…missed you,” she mumbled softly, then suddenly perked up once she realized the bartender was close by. “Can I get, ummmm…a shot of tequila and then whatever seltzer you guys have? I’m not too picky.” Then turned to Izzy again. “Did you already do a shot? D’you wanna do one with me?”

 

[Agnes]

Cocaine did indeed work fast, and with a shot down her throat, Isabela was beginning to feel the effects quite strongly. Pleasant wouldn't be the right word for it - pleasant is curling up with a good book with coffee and good music - no, this was more... exciting. Intense. She could quite practically feel her inhibitions slipping away from her, and as May slid in beside her, Izzy thought she might've just went for it if she had taken some ecstasy or some shit. Still, the brunette was glad that it was May, and only her, because as much as she loved her friends and was thankful to them for arranging this little get-together, the alpha wanted nothing more than to ditch them and just be with May.

A smile bloomed on her lips, shining with the residue of tequila, and a low hum, pleased and content, escaped them as May leaned into her neck and, for lack of a better word, nuzzled into her. "It's only been a few minutes," she teased, though she knew full well what the omega was talking about. A soft, dainty hand, unworked and privileged, glided down and caught the other woman's, interlocking her fingers into hers and squeezing tight. "I missed you too..." she whispered, shifting in her seat to turn her body fully towards May.

Maybe it was just the drugs and alcohol doing their job, but Izzy could only think about how beautiful May looked, from those wide azure eyes to the plump rosy lips and the flushed pink cheeks. Without even thinking, she leaned forward and licked the little specks of white powder lingering on the tip of her nose, giggling like an overexcited schoolgirl. "You had a little something there," she said laughingly, though she toned herself down a bit when the bartender passed by. She ordered the same as the shorter woman, another shot of tequila and sparkling water; she'd have to pace herself a bit though, if she didn't want to end up with a splitting headache later on. "Yeah, I had one to uh, calm the nerves, y'know." A small blush rose to her cheeks, making it even redder than it originally was; she felt like some inexperienced teen admitting it. "But I'm down for another one. Especially with you."

The drinks didn't take too long to arrive, and Izzy downed half the cup of seltzer right of the bat - strawberry flavored, by the way - and swiped the tequila glass and raised it up in a little toast. "To old friends," she said lamely, offering it for May to clink with, then gulped down the shot in one fluid motion. At least she looked good doing it. The second shot was much more intense for her, and Izzy audibly sighed contently as she let the burning liquid go down her mouth. Setting the glass down gently, her eyes darted to May's eyes again, so many intentions and unspoken words shrouded behind her greys, and then flicked down to her lips and then back up. Izzy gulped.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked suddenly, gently tugging her under the counter, standing up to lead her towards the sea of crowded bodies on the neon-lit dance floor. "Before Hannah and the others come find us," she added with a faint smile.

 

[Ascensionism]

If she had been any more sober, May might have jumped back in surprise. Having Izzy’s face in such close proximity with hers always had a way of making her heart flutter, no matter how many close they had gotten to each other in the past. Exchanging secrets as they laid in Izzy’s bed, whispering to each other during lunch in high school. The soft touch of the alpha’s tongue against the tip of her nose had May’s heart hammering against the walls of her chest. Thankfully the club’s lighting helped to obscure the way her cheeks flushed even more…hopefully. May quirked her lip slightly at the other woman’s quiet admittance. “So even you can get nervous?” she joked lightly.

Within what seemed like seconds, their drinks had been slid across the bar. The omega eagerly grabbed her shot glass and raised it just as her friend had. “To old friends,” she echoed, clinking her glass against the other’s before knocking it back. It burned, and with how the back of her throat had gone somewhat numb from the lines she had done just moments ago, May couldn’t help but quickly gulp down some of her seltzer. “God, I guess I should have told him I wanted a White Claw or something,” she muttered, but she wasn’t about to nag the bartender— she was already well on her way to getting fucked up much to her delight.

Izzy’s question had pretty much smacked her right upside the head. May almost couldn’t find the words to say. Did she want to dance? With Izzy? Her baby blues flitted towards the crowded dance floor, watching as various women ground and rubbed their bodies up against each other or their boyfriends. Hell yeah she wanted to dance. The ravenette didn’t think she had ever danced with anyone in her life, but with both the coke and the tequila in her system, the nagging anxiety of potentially being judged by everyone around her had completely vanished. May eagerly nodded her head— but first…

She shrugged herself out of her oversized flannel, tying it tightly around her hips before pulling her shirt over her head and off, revealing the black bralette underneath, as well as a small, diamond bellybutton ring that gleamed and shimmered under the neon lights. It was way too hot to even think of walking into that crowd with this many layers on. Regular bras were uncomfortable and just a pain in the ass to deal with altogether, and the majority of the time May didn’t have the mental energy to figure out her exact bra size. Her chest wasn’t small enough to get away without wearing at least something under her t-shirts, so she settled for cute, cheap bralettes with very little padding and none of those pesky wires. She balled up her t-shirt as small as she could, eyed Izzy’s purse for a brief moment, then handed the ball of black fabric up to her. “D’you think you can fit this in your purse?”

 

[Agnes]

"Of course I get nervous," she shot back instantly, the little joke serving to give her a much needed boost in confidence, along with the liquid courage coursing through her body in the form of tequila. "I'm only human too, you know. Besides, who wouldn't be nervous about meeting up with an old friend and going clubbing with her?" A cheeky grin crossed her lips, her cheeks a rosy red from the coke and alcohol the effects of the stimulants starting to really show her effects on the alpha. "You're the one who cried earlier, remember?" she teased lightly with a small giggle. Putting up faces and hiding behind facades might as well be Izzy's life motto, for how often she had to do it. In front of her parents, her 'friends' in LA, even in front of Heather and the others. So it felt strangely liberating, to be able to share her nervousness, her state of mind, and who better to listen to her than the who has always been there for her, May?

An eager nod from May to Izzy's invitation to dance, and a wide, relieved smile in response from the alpha to the omega - she hadn't doubted that she would accept, but it was still appealing, being able to sneak off to the floor with her without the interference of her other friends. "Awesome. Let's—" She was then stopped in her tracks as her friend... starting stripping right at the club. "May? Sparkles? What are you doing?" Off came the oversized flannel shirt, tied around her waist, and then her little black shirt, coming off to reveal that she girded her beasts with an adorable little bralette. Instantly, Izzy felt her cheeks go hot and red; she might've wished to see see her friend strip in front of her, but certainly not so soon and certainly not right here! With some trouble, she swallowed, her eyes greedily trailing along her torso, the line of her stomach, the curve of her breasts, her clavicle, her neck. Five years since she last saw her like this, but Izzy remembered every single part of her. She was and is still, gorgeous.

But then she noticed all the other eyes staring at May, seemingly having attracted the attention of half the customers at the lounge after she took off her shirt. And Izzy, much to her surprise, she found herself filled with an overwhelming sense of jealousy. It wasn't even that revealing, truth to be told, but the fact that these people were shamelessly oogling at her, and that she would inevitably brush up against some on the dance floor - it did not sit right with Izzy at all. The omega might notice the alpha chewing her lips softly, wondering if she should say something, but it was all interrupted when she asked her to hold her shirt. "Yeah, it could probably fit..." She held out a hand and beckoned for her to give it, and stuffed it safely inside her purse.

"You know, I'm really jealous of all the people staring at you," she said breathlessly, trying to make her words sound like a jest to mask her true thoughts, "But I'm gonna be the one you're dancing with, so I don't care." Easy as it was, she blamed it on the drugs running through their veins. Neither of them were really themselves tonight, and they weren't supposed to be acting prim and proper anyway. Stormy grey eyes flicked down to May's abdomen, where she spotted a shiny little piercing in her belly button, though any bruises there might've been were masked by the darkness. "This is a new one..." she murmured, gently running a thumb along her stomach and gently playing with the little diamond.

Why did she want to kneel down and lick it?

"Come on, before the others come," she urged, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along to the neon-lit dance floor, tossing a 20 to the bartender as the two left. There was a new fire within her now, the desire to keep May close, to wrap her arms around her and run her hands all over her body, to make sure every damn person in the place knew who she was with. With some maneuvering and pushing, the two of them soon got into the midst of the crowd, and without missing a moment, she pulled May into herself and moved - eyes locked heavily, slightly lidded and hungry, lips turned up in a breathless smile. Izzy was not a particularly graceful dancer, but she did know how to look good to her partner, and at the moment, that was all that mattered.