[psl] 1991: you're a bad idea and I know it

[firewatcher]

Ever since the family had gotten back from their reunion trip to the northwest, Maria had been anxious to see Aunt Danielle. Even so, she'd managed to end up alone on stakeout with her three times already and not actually bring up the topic she really wanted to talk about.

Maria stared out into the dark through the sight on her rifle, biting her lower lip and resisting the urge to glance over at her "Aunt." Prepared for everything, she'd always been, except, well... this. And asking for advice meant acknowledging to herself what was going on. It had been easy to think of it as no big deal after that one night on the camping trip... less so after the next time she and Vera had been alone together, and the next, and the next.

Okay. This was it. She had to do it tonight. After all, Aunt Danielle was basically the only person Maria knew who, well... knew what it was like, if rumor was correct. And the only one, because of that, who stood any kind of chance of keeping her secret.

All right. Gonna do it. Just gotta spit it out.

Maria cleared her throat. "Uh..."

Comments

[beyondthisillusion]

There were moments when Danielle saw Shawn in Maria's enthusiasm. This was one of them. And as Maria prayed that Danielle's relationship would last, Danielle hoped that Maria's spark would always burn this brightly.

Nothing lasted forever, of course. But a lifetime was forever enough.

They both had to take what they could get.

"I don't think anyone's called me cute before," she said, wrinkling up her nose.

[firewatcher]

"You're so goddamn cute about this that I think I'm getting cuteness cooties or something. Next thing you know I'll be wearing a flowery dress." Maria gave her cousin a friendly punch on the shoulder, jostling her slightly. "But hey, I think you could own it. I—"

Maria turned, spotting a change outside out of the corner of her eye. It was only for a split second, but it matched up with the description of the weird lights they'd gotten. "Whoops, I think it might be showtime."

[beyondthisillusion]

For a split second, Danielle had a look of utter delight flash across her features. She could actually be very pretty when she was happy.

The problem was that she was almost never happy.

But all of that was gone in a flash. Of light, to be specific. Her game face was on and she immediately set the barrel of her gun on her arm, sitting up in a crouch.

"I'm going first," she hissed. "Watch my six."

[firewatcher]

"Right behind you," said Maria, grinning even wider even as she lowered her voice. "Just make sure not to look directly at the light. And watch out for the teeth, but you knew that."

She was always glad for their little talks, but that was enough feelings for one night. Time to do some serious violence to a hideous abomination of nature.