(Untitled)

[curiously_cora]

When Coraline had turned eleven Coraline had hugged Cain so tight she thought she might have broken him. When Coraline had turned twelve she had bounced on Adam's bed, kicking him in the side with her fet as she jumped excitedly and tried to get him up. When Coraline had turned thirteen she had thought of Sarah as mum. When Coraline had turned

Comments

[lucked]

Claire hadn't been a big fan of jewelry in a while, but she remembers being fourteen pretty well. Crazy about boy bands, crazy about fitting as many bangles onto her wrist as humanly possible, it's why she has a set of those bracelets in her hand, made in every color and with every pattern imaginable, although the majority are thin and metallic in sheen. Maybe three years still seems like an age to Claire, in some ways, she still thinks that she's got a better idea of what it's like to be transitioning than... most people at the party, actually. Pressing her lips together, she weaves through the crowd until she spots Coraline.

"Hey, birthday girl!" she calls out, holding out the collection of bracelets, which have been all tied up with a satin ribbon. "Oh, boy. That dress. Is there a boy somewhere around here you're trying to catch? Have I missed something?"

[curiously_cora]

Coraline looked at the bracelets curiously, holding her hand out before she threw her arms around Claire happily and hugged her. Not too tight though just in case she broke her.

"Yes!" Coraline said excited before adding quickly. "No. Sort of. Danny told me to ask him out, so did Luke so there might be a boy. I don't know. It's um... Hiccup. He's brilliant Claire, he took me flying."

[lucked]

"Hiccup?" Claire exclaimed, pressing the bracelets in Coraline's hand before trying to usher the girl back toward a quieter corner of the party, her eyes dancing with excitement. While she couldn't tell whether or not the match would work out, a crush was still pretty exciting news, and doing something about one doubly so- besides which, Claire couldn't help thinking that if Coraline was going to go after a guy, Hiccup was one of the best possible choices.

"Oh my god, no way, I totally know Hiccup!" she grinned, chin raising slightly with something almost like pride. "And Toothless, oh my god, I had no idea that you knew- that you were crushing on him. I totally approve."

[curiously_cora]

Coraline had never really gossiped before, she didn't quite understand why girls got excited and quiet and talked together in corners. But being friends with Claire made Coraline kind of get it.

"He's- I mean, he's not like Gale or Jake but he's just so handsome and sweet and kind. And good, he's really, really good." Coraline said as she let Claire drag her off. "We work together at the vet clinic and he's my friend. And I- Claire, flying is so-so cool. We were really close and he's really warm and brave and he's just brilliant. Do you really approve? I don't think Kon will. Or Bill."

[lucked]

"You don't need to tell me a thing," Claire reassured with another laugh and a nod. "Although obviously, if you want to, that's something else entirely. But yeah, I agree. He's about the best kind of guy you could find out there. Honest, hard-working, pretty clever, and, you know, the dragon doesn't hurt either. So I say... well, if you're brave enough, why not?"

She shrugged, couldn't think of any specific reason for Coraline to keep from dating. Claire herself hadn't been ready to date back then, but with all of the adults on the island who looked regularly after Coraline, she couldn't imagine that too much would go wrong. "Which doesn't mean that I'm telling you to move in with him or anything like that, but if you tell him that you like him, who knows? Maybe he likes you back," she teased, voice lingering on a sing-song note.

[curiously_cora]

"Ewwww Claire, I wouldn't want to live with him. He's a boy, he's probably really, really messy. I already live with enough boys," Coraline said, though her cheeks hinted at a blush. Coraline laughed when Claire did that sing-song voice. Coraline grinned widely. "Do you really think he could? Like me back."

[lucked]

"Tell me about it. Sometimes, I almost forget how much of a slob most boys are, but really, all I have to do is think about Lyle's room and I'm all set. Lyle's my little brother," Claire explained, shaking her head in exasperation, although there was a twinge of hurt inside as well. She missed him, as often as he spent simply sitting on the couch and eating cold pizza. "But... yeah, I think he could like you back. Just remember that if he doesn't, it's not because you're not likable. I don't want to tell you that he'll definitely like you that way, because well, finding someone to date just isn't easy. Sometimes you feel things for him, he doesn't feel things for you, sometimes he feels things for you, you don't feel things for him... let's just say that it's easier to find a friend than it is a boyfriend."

[curiously_cora]

Coraline wished she had a little brother. She'd had a sister, she'd had a family but they were gone and no amount of wishing could bring them back. And even if she did get them back then it would be like Johnny, they wouldn't remember her. They wouldn't know her and that was worse. But Claire had, had a real family. Coraline envied her that even if her brother did have a messy room.

"Doesn't it hurt though? Liking someone and them not liking you back," Coraline asked. Coraline had one big weakness and that wasn't her curiosity, it was her overwhelming desire to be wanted and to never be abandoned again. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

[lucked]

Claire's brows shot up at the question, her mind immediately traveling to thoughts of Chris and Peeta, although she pushed them resolutely away. She shook her head with a soft laugh. "Uh, no. No boyfriend. Haven't ever really had a steady boyfriend either, which... I mean, I think people have been interested, but it's never been the right person," she considered, wrinkling her nose. "I guess that's why I feel like I can't justify feeling too hurt myself, when someone decides that I'm not the right person for them."

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly.

"And, I mean... yeah, I guess it really sucks if someone doesn't like you back, but it's never been the end of the world to me. Probably because I've never been in love. Crushes are small things compared to all of that."