Three candles.

One for each person Paige Guthrie has lost to conflict. Her fingers tremble as she strikes the match, lighting the first one. Long and white, it seemed the perfect one for Clarice. She'd barely known the girl but that hadn't stopped the young mutant from sacrificing herself in order to save all their lives. She'd blinked away the Phalanx and doomed herself to who knew what. Paige knows that if she could have Clarice would have come back. The fact that she never did can only mean one thing.

The second is a swirl of colors, mimicking a rainbow and reminding Paige of the aura that Everett had seen. The sweet boy from St. Louis who only ever wanted to help. Another person who sacrificed himself in order to save others. If it hadn't been for him taking the bomb and letting it kill him who knows how many of others would have died.

The third is the most important to her, a small gray candle. She'd been unable to believe she could find one that color but she figures her City Mouse would have wanted it that way. His death had been the cruelest. Crucified on the front lawn and left to die. She'd nearly lost two friends that day and is eternally grateful that Jubilee had been spared.

Paige doesn't want to think what life would be like without her best friend. It's hard enough when the girl is away on a road trip but at least she knows she'll return. Clarice, Everett and Angelo are gone forever. They can only live on in the memories of those who loved them. Paige means to never forget. As one of the lucky ones it's the least she can do.

ooc: littlepaffs used without permission but she LOVES me so we're all good. starsmore_jono also in the background but again with the love. :)

Takes place after this

Paige should have known it was all Jubilee's fault.

Foo.

There was just no way Angelo would have come up with that many insane words on his own. Of course her annoying roommate/best friend was the one who had given him the ideas. She was livid and had silently fumed since learning the truth. Somehow she would figure a way to get back at the girl. Paige Guthrie had never backed down from a challenge and she wasn't about to start now.

So when the next Sunday rolled around she stomped into the rec room with her newly prepared chart of Scrabble rules and tacked it onto the board. Smoothing the paper out, she smiled as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. They were simple rules. The last one written in large bold letters to add emphasis: JUBILATION LEE IS BANNED FROM SCRABBLE. It wasn't like her friend enjoyed the game anyways. Paige knew that was the reason she'd helped Angelo figure out a way to annoy her. She'd just wanted to play LIFE. Jubilee should have said something instead of going this roundabout way to her goal. The irony of her posting a sign banning her friend instead of talking to her was completely lost on Paige.

"You are looking for trouble, querida," Angelo murmured, reading over the list. "And what's wrong with slang?"

Paige placed the game onto the table and pulled out the rule book. "It's in the rules. No slang, no abbreviations, no...hey! Give that back."

Angelo tossed the book into the trashcan. "You need to think outside the box, Country Mouse."

( Read more... )

Today is Día de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead. I'll kinda always think of it as the former cause honestly, I didn't know much about it until Ange. It's also known as All Saint's Day or All Soul's day but ta me it'll always be Dia de los Muertos, even if'n my knowledge of Spanish comes from the few choice words Angelo took the time ta teach me...none of them are exactly appropriate for repeatin'...

It's supposed ta be easier for the dead ta come back an' visit on this day. Yer supposed ta make a shrine ta them so that they can eat an' stuff an'...I didn't do that part. Sorry, Ange. No candy skull for ya either. I suck. I know. Next year I promise I'll go all out an' make ya the best dang candy skull ever.

I wonder what he'd think though...of everythin' that's happened since he died. Lordy, he'd have somethin' ta say about Jubilee! Most of us are all scattered to the wind.

I miss him. Scrabble just ain't the same without him around ta bug an' try an' use words that just ain't words on me. I miss his teasin' an' his persistence an' just him. My City Mouse.

I'd drink a beer for ya, Ange, but I kinda wanna be functional tonight.

I miss you.
We all do.

You...no one should have ta hurt the way ya did. Ever. It just ain't right.



Maybe I will have that beer...