Fic: To Withdraw 1/1
Title: To Withdraw
Characters: Katie, Emily/Naomi
Rating: T for swearing and whatnot
Word Count: 3185
Summary: Set after 4.04, Katie comes to some realizations about Emily and Naomi as she attempts to help mend their relationship. (Naomily)
A/N: So this one-shot was a bit of a test to see if I could pull off writing at least 3000 words - the minimum for the Reverse Big Bang that I’ll be participating in. So while IMing with reddawg82, I dared her to prompt me - and so she did! This is dedicated to my good friend reddawg82 - Red, I hope you like it :)
Disclaimer: I don’t own Skins! If I did - there’d have been a Gen 2 movie in the works by now!
Oh yeah, this is unbeta’d so all mistakes are mine.
--
This is so fucking awkward, Katie thinks as she is trapped sitting in a darkly lit movie theatre next to Emily and Naomi. It’s complete torture to be honest. The tension between her sister and her some-what girlfriend has been escalating since they arrived. Between forced conversations to fill the silence (since none of them had anything to talk about while they were in this particular setting), to the avoided eye contact with one another, Katie figures that the girls are pretty much close to teetering off the edge. That is unless she does something about it. It doesn’t help at all that they are sitting so far away from each other as humanly feasible in the theatre seats: Emily in the middle leaning close to Katie as much as possible, while Naomi sits on the other side of Emily pushed up against the right side of her seat. (Initially her sister first insisted that Katie sat in the middle, but the older twin put up a good fight. Like hell she would sit in the middle of the blatantly unhappy couple! This was their date and she was simply the third wheel.) It’s childish, and stupid. She wishes that she didn’t have to be stuck in this situation, but ironically this was her brilliant idea.
After the barbeque from last week when the cat was let out of the bag and everyone found out about Naomi cheating with “the dead girl” Sophia, (and after going through her own personal melt down with her parents, and her pre-menopause), Katie decided to turn a new leaf. Look out for her family, yeah? So “tending to her own” became her brand new objective in life, and Emily’s shattered relationship became a priority for her to fix. So, she convinced Emily and Naomi to try and rekindle their relationship by going back to the basics. Dating for example. The only sad thing was that Emily wouldn’t do it if Katie did not accompany them. That argument was one she couldn’t get out of. So here she is chaperoning them on their date: all of them feeling very awkward and completely uncomfortable.
If Katie had thought up a plan to do something to rid them of this painful tension, it wasn’t needed for at that exact moment the block of silence is interrupted when Emily randomly laughs at a text message sent from a mutual friend from school. It startles both Naomi and Katie. Due to the hostility between the girls (mostly from Emily to the forever-groveling-for-forgiveness-Naomi), the blonde is all nerves and full of panic that her jitteriness causes her to sit up abruptly in her seat. Her hands jerk out reflexively as she accidentally knocks the popcorn bag out of Emily’s hands. Kernels fly forward, as all three girls lean back to avoid the greasy missiles.
With a ticked off expression on her face, the younger twin puts her cell back in her pocket. “Great, well done,” she says sarcastically. Naomi immediately tries to rectify the situation, but her girlfriend gives her the dirtiest look before proceeding to tell her to sit back down. “I’ll handle this.” The younger twin gets up from her seat and begins picking up the spilled popcorn.
Thankfully, no one’s clothes seem to have been dirtied in the mess or there would’ve been much more hell to pay, Katie thinks. She watches, as Naomi pathetically tries to apologize but Emily will have none of it.
“Give her a break Ems,” Katie says tiredly. She has grown quite fed up with Scornful Emily. To think - about a year ago, she was annoyed with Smitten (for Naomi) Emily, that now she would give everything back to not have to hang out with her new bitter persona. Her plea is useless against her sister, as she is deflected instantly. Emily picks up the fallen bag of popcorn before glancing at her watch, “I’ve got about five to ten minutes to get this refilled. I’ll be right back.”
Both Katie and Naomi watch as Emily stalks off. Out of the corner of her eye, Katie sees that Emily’s missed some kernels on the ground. She leans down to pick them up but then realizes she has nowhere to put them. Fuck it, she decides as she shoves the remainder of the mess under the theatre seat in front of her.
She hears a quiet chuckle behind her.
“What?”
Naomi smirks, but Katie could see a hint of a blush creeping on her cheeks. “Nothing I just, saw your dreadful thong.”
Katie sits back up, giving her jeans a good tug before she throws Naomi a sarcastic grin. The blonde smiles back in time for the older twin to flip her middle finger at her. Naomi of course returns the gesture with just as much pleasure. They sit in silence for a moment before Katie pipes up, “Smooth, by the way. Real suave.”
Naomi doesn’t waste a second as she retorts in a very withdrawn negative manner, “Leave it Katie.” She’s tired like she’s given up all hope. Katie can even see it through the bags under her eyes that she surprisingly tried to cover up with foundation tonight. In fact, now that Katie looks at her properly, Naomi has made an effort to look halfway decent for Emily (that is to say in Katie’s own personal opinion.) She’s sure that in Naomi’s mind, the girl thinks that she’s gone all out and is dressed to the nines. Yeah, right Campbell.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” As Naomi attempts to tell her to fuck off she interrupts the taller girl to elaborate, “I mean why are you acting like JJ’s fraternal twin sister, all locked on and shit? You need to calm the fuck down. Relax. Okay?” If Naomi was ever going to get Emily back, she needs to remind her sister of all the goods things they shared before things went to shit. Right now all Emily could associate Naomi with is the pain, and hurt that she’s been going through since her girlfriend broke her heart. Acting like an unconfident moron was not in Naomi’s favor. “I mean, unless you’re telling me all your past dates before you guys hit the rut that you’re in now has been this romantic?”
Naomi scowls at Katie, folding her arms and shaking her head. The burgundy haired girl smiles approvingly, “I’ll take that as a no it hasn’t. Good. I’m glad that this isn’t normal.”
“Why do you care? Since when are you on Team Naomi anyway?”
“She’s my sister,” Katie retorts, remembering how she used those same words not too long ago when she was fighting against Naomi. Now she’s fighting to save her, and her broken relationship. “I care because I want what’s best for her.”
Naomi looks up, “And you think I’m what’s best?”
“Fuck no. I think she could do so much better,” Katie scoffs, but continues in a softer tone, “But deep down - I’ve seen it. I’ve seen the way she looks at you, or at least looked at you when things weren’t shit. If you take away the hurt, and suffering she’s going through right now - beneath all that anger, and bitterness - you, are what makes her happy. And that is what’s best for her.”
Naomi’s eyes begin to look less miserable as she lets Katie’s words sink in. The older twin sees a familiar spark she hasn’t seen in the blonde’s eyes in a long time, but just as the taller girl almost begins to smile, she suddenly frowns. “I just don’t know what to do anymore.”
“Well for starters,” she bends to the side to pick up another stray popcorn kernel she sees wedged between the seats, “try not acting like a complete twat when she’s around, yeah?”
She flings the kernel at Naomi’s head with much pleasure. The blue-eyed girl rolls her eyes, as she half laughs at Katie’s popcorn attack. Naomi leans back in her seat, as she drones, “Come on… You can’t tell me that she’s not still punishing me because she can?”
Katie reluctantly agrees. Having been wronged by the love of her life, Emily has been taking advantage of the victim card every now and again. Yes, Naomi did deserve it (like ALL fucking cheaters do), but clearly the girl is sorry. Has been sorry for months even. How long did she have to be punished? How long was right and just?
The thing is if it were Katie, she would do exactly the same. If she hadn’t dumped Freddie, and stayed together with him like Emily still stays with Naomi, she would be putting him through the exact same shit. She too would make him suffer for the betrayal, and for all the humiliation he put her through. She too would force him to prove his love for her, to fight for them. But he’s not Naomi, Katie realizes, and it stings. Freddie never loved Katie the way Naomi loves her sister. Freddie is in love with Effy. It’s the same way her sister and Naomi were in love before the betrayal.
Katie pushes away her own sinking pain of being lonely as she looks up into the other girl’s eyes, “Do you love my sister?”
Naomi replies quietly, “Of course I do.”
She sighs at the blonde, ignoring her feelings of envy. “Then you’ll just have to accept that it takes time. Right now, you need to be showing her all the things she fell for when she fell in love with you.”
Naomi’s brow furrows, as she thinks about Katie’s advice. “Like what?”
The smaller girl laughs, “I don’t fucking know.” She eyes the blonde’s clothes before she continues, “Emily certainly likes your dreadful fashion sense.”
Naomi snorts, “Fuck off you know I look good tonight.”
Still smiling, Katie responds, “Well it’s certainly better than the usual, but in my opinion your fashion sense is still a fucking train wreck.”
“Well I’m not dating you am I?” Naomi teases.
The burgundy haired twin snickers at the thought as she ponders hard on what it is Emily likes about Naomi. She looks over at her sister’s girlfriend and examines her.
“Well if we were to really begin with what she likes about you… I guess you do have beautiful eyes?”
Naomi’s cheeks flush pink for a second before she bursts out in laughter, “Are you fucking hitting on me, Katie?”
“Oh for chrissakes you twat. I’m not hitting you. I’m just…” her voice falters allowing Naomi to cut right back into the conversation again, teasing, “So what, I should figure out a way to bring out the blues in my eyes?”
“Hopeless. You’re fucking hopeless.”
Naomi sighs, “Look I’m sorry I’m being a complete arse. Here you are trying to help me out, while I’m just being a complete dick.”
“Part of your charm I presume?”
They share a smile as Katie goes back to her point, “Don’t give up, okay? If you really love her, you’ll know exactly what it is that you need to do in order to get her back.”
The blonde nods, “Yeah, I guess so.”
At that moment, Emily returns to her seat, with a fresh new batch of popcorn in her hands. “Jesus that took forever.” She offers the snack to both Katie and Naomi to which they both decline. The lights then begin to dim as the commercials start playing on screen.
After fifteen minutes of advertisement Katie almost forgets what movie they came to watch when the film finally starts and the opening titles are shown. It’s some sort of generic romantic comedy (Katie’s pick, despite the other girls’ protest.) It’s cute, funny, and apparently the right choice, as all three girls appear to be enjoying the flick.
There’s an extremely funny moment between the leading man, and the leading lady that all three of them laugh hysterically. Out of the corner of her eye Katie watches as Naomi hesitantly slips her hands into Emily’s. Her throat goes dry as she watches Emily tense up at the action. The redhead looks over at Naomi accusingly, as the blonde looks back offering Emily a hesitant smile. A second later, Emily smiles back briefly before turning her attention back to the screen. Katie relaxes with her sister. Well done, she thinks as she shares a knowing look with the blonde, who’s beaming.
As her sister’s girlfriend turns her attention back to the film, Katie suddenly feels a pang in her chest. She swallows hard as her eyes find Naomi and Emily’s hand, clasped together. Suddenly she’s back to thinking about how she wants that, and it really pisses her off. She despises that she’s envious of how her sister has found love, even if they’re going through a rough spot right now. The fact they’re still together means that they both somehow believe in it; that what they have, or rather, what they had was real enough to fight for - to hurt for. Which is more than she’s ever had, Katie thinks bitterly. However, this isn’t about her. She isn’t sitting in this damn theatre to brood about how unlucky she is when it comes to love, and relationships. This is supposed to be about her being a better person - a better sister - and so she is here for Emily - and fuck if she spent the rest of the movie moping over love!
She looks away, and tries to focus on the film. Thank god it’s a comedy. It only takes a few minutes before Katie gets distracted enough to forget her own misery.
Suddenly Emily’s phone starts to vibrate loudly. She releases Naomi’s hand and turns her cellphone off completely. Naomi looks over as Emily doesn’t slip her phone back into her pocket, and doesn’t reach out to hold her hand again. Instead, the redhead just holds her phone in the middle of her lap, cradling it with both her hands. The blonde’s smile drops, and the look of rejection on Naomi’s face is heart wrenching. To her own disbelief Katie’s heart breaks for the girl. She watches, as Naomi doesn’t look over at Katie, and instead keeps her head forward.
It dawns upon Katie right then and there, that this night was not only about Emily, but also about Naomi. She couldn’t believe it herself, but she gets it now - that she cares for Naomi too.
The movie ends.
On the tube ride back to Naomi and Emily’s place (at sister’s request, Katie was obligated to sleep over and spend some sister time with her) Emily strategically decides to stand up during the travel back home, suggesting that the two girls should take the last two seats on the busy train. Katie isn’t dumb. She’s much more clever than many people give her credit for because she knows that Emily’s graciousness was an obvious cover up so that her sister could avoid sitting next to the blonde. Naomi says nothing, as she sits down next to Katie. The trip home is quiet and Naomi manages to ignore Emily the entire way, while Katie looks on.
When they get home, the blonde says a quick good night to the girls as she silently makes her way up the stairs to her bedroom.
The twins head to the spare room, where they both were going to spend the night.
After changing into a spare jumper and shorts, Katie crawls into bed with her sister had already changed before her. They lay in silence for a few minutes before Katie realizes that neither of them are ready to sleep.
She sits up, leaning against the backboard as she turns her head to look at her sister.
“Ems,” she starts timidly. “Talk to me. Please.”
With her back turned Emily remains quiet. It isn’t until Katie sees Emily’s shoulders shaking that she realizes that her sister is crying. She reaches out, her fingers grazing Emily’s shoulder. “Oh Ems.” A sob escapes her sister’s lips, and Katie sighs. She scoots over and hugs her from behind, instantly setting Emily off. She sobs uncontrollably, rocking back and forth in Katie’s arms. Her crying continues on for a while until Emily finally speaks, “I can’t, Katie. I can’t seem to do it anymore.” The older twin remains silent, allowing Emily to spill her heart out, “I feel like it’s gone. What we had? It’s over. I can’t seem to get it back anymore no matter how much I want to. And it makes me so… so sad… because I love her so much.” She pauses as another whimper escapes her lips. “But she hurt me Katie. She hurt me so bad, and it’s just eating me up inside. Every time I think that I can get over it and finally go back to the way we were, I always remember what she did and suddenly I’m back to hating her again. I’m just so torn and I feel so empty inside that I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to forgive her.”
With tears welling up behind her own eyes, Katie listens as Emily continues to let it out. She ends up talking for what seems like an hour, while the older twin just holds her sister, letting her cry in her arms. When it’s over, and when Emily’s close to falling asleep, Katie whispers, “Love you Ems.”
“Love you too.”
Katie hesitates before adding, “And she loves you too. All right? Don’t forget that.”
Emily nods very slowly, as sleep finally catches up with her.
It takes a while before Katie begins to feel sleepy; her mind is still awake and dwelling on many thoughts. Mostly ponderings of whether or not Emily and Naomi will get a happy ending. Is it really over? Did Naomi royally fuck this up forever?
Katie doesn’t know the answer. What she does know is that true love is rare. It is something she knows for sure that she has yet to experience, but that her sister and her girlfriend may have. Love is also something that given her track record she isn’t sure she’ll ever find. So with that being the truth, Katie figures to just let it be. If she is bound to be alone - fine. It’s okay because she doesn‘t want to be in love. She doesn’t want to hurt like these girls do. She knows she isn’t strong enough, or even sane enough to experience what Emily and Naomi are going through. And honestly, it’s much safer to avoid the consequences of losing things if you never really had them to begin with, right?
Sleep begins to take her as she ponders, that maybe the entire world isn’t meant for love, and only a few lucky people like Emily and Naomi are destined to be together. If that is the case, that her place in life is to never find that someone, Katie accepts her fate. She doesn’t want love. Not really, and not if it means that Emily and Naomi can get a chance at finding love again.
end.