(Untitled)

[grabmyballs]

This is fucked up and make no mistake, but Cook's not gonna be the one complaining. There's worse things in life than waking up to find out your mad little island home has been transformed into a carnival. The rides aren't shit either, which goes a long way to ensuring that Cook spends the majority of the morning shouting and laughing his voice

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[behindtheskin]

Effy hasn't eaten all day. It's not a protest. It's not meant in an effort to curb a gnawing at her stomach, or further the shadow in either cheek. As far as life goes, these past several days have been fine, nothing out of the ordinary, a greater peace and lack of distraction than Effy's experienced in a long time. Tony is... well, Tony is still hurting, Effy knows that much, but it isn't a complete confusion that envelops him anymore so much as a shadow cast over the corners of his mind. He'll follow them, he'll cast light until everything suddenly becomes clear, and it's Effy responsibility to believe in that. But believing in Tony Stonem is something which comes easily to most people, and perhaps Effy most of all. She's there when he needs, but when he doesn't, these days it feels like the ice is firm enough under her feet for her to wander

[grabmyballs]

There's something so perfect in this moment that Cook almost doesn't want to continue. He wants to savor that smile on her lips. It's the faintest expression, the barest definition of a smile, and somehow that makes it all the more precious. Not put on or overwhelmed or dry. Just what it is. A moment of Cook and Effy.

His arm drops by degrees as he closes the distance between them with a casual strut. His index finger crooks and slides under her chin, light against the soft skin there. And Cook grins down at her, eyes warm with pure, genuine love.

"None of your cheek," he says, tapping her chin as he pulls his hand back. "Naughty girls don't get presents."

[behindtheskin]

Her eyes fall closed as his finger comes to rest under her chin, expression nothing more than pleased as she tilts her head along with the movement, catching a greater amount of sun on her skin. Warm. It reminds her of months ago, and in that instant, she's never felt so aged, raw, weathered. Things like this are hard to remember while caught in spirals of emotion, when hidden in the sweeping shadows of a cave, but she remembers today how things were, yet knows not to pine too much.

It will never be so simple again, but what they have now is enviable in its own right.

"Don't know what world you're living in," she replies, eyes sparkling with mischief when she opens them again to settle her gaze on Cook. "Have to be a bit selfish, don't we?" Her gaze skirts over the reach of his hand, eyebrow arching, playing at interest.

[grabmyballs]

There's times -- every day, it feels like sometimes -- where he wants to grab her and take her away. Steal her like he did once before and set out into the middle of nowhere with no plan but escape. Just the two of them, feeding off of and feeding each other. Selfish in a perfect, untouchable way. If the world is comprised of only the two of them, who could they hurt? Who could hurt them?

But the thought only ever lasts for a moment and shatters under the weight of reality. He can't even pretend that Freddie doesn't need him, can't fantasize about two days of Cook and Effy without his stomach twisting at the thought of Freddie alone. It works both ways too and makes him feel sick enough to drive him mad.

"No, naughty girls get something else," he says, mind falling back to the conversation and farther down, into the gutter as a devious smile pulls over his mouth. Cook shakes off his introspection and summons up a bit of pomp and ceremony as he reaches behind him to grab the stuffed toyHe holds it before him with a broad smile. "Now