If We Found Heaven ✓

six ☀

Curls gave a shriek as Art looped their arms together and pulled Curls along, going as fast as he could with a human-sized deadweight being dragged along. "AAAAAAH!!" Curls screamed. "We're gonna die!"

Arthur couldn't help laughing, his head tipping back as exhilaration mixed with amusement flooded through him. Curls obviously wasn't enjoying the experience quite as much. The music sped up, and Art released him, spinning around so that he was facing Curls and skating backwards. "It's more fun when you're going fast," Art said.

Curls, who seemed to have stabilized himself more or less and was skating along just fine, gave a tight smile. "I still think I'm gonna die."

Art grinned. The thought crossed his mind that smiles hadn't come this easily since he and Rex had broken up. "You aren't gonna die," Art replied, speaking loudly to be heard over the music.

"If I do die," Curls answered back, "you're not invited to my funeral!"

Art held back another giddy laugh. "If you die, it'll be Cass's fault for concocting this godforsaken plan!"

"Still blaming me for everything, Art?" Cass's voice chimed in from behind Curls. She skated up, letting go of Sullivan's arm.

"Nah, I'm over it," winked Arthur. Their short talk at the ice cream shop had set things right. They had bigger enemies than each other (the cashier, for example), and it wouldn't do to fight amongst themselves.

"Good," Cass said with a light laugh.

Sullivan had flung her arm around Curls's shoulders, and they were chatting in low tones. Cass skated up so that Art and she were moving in time with each other. "Race me?" Cass asked.

"You're on," Art grinned. They sped up, zooming around the court.

Cass had been, since one fateful Tuesday afternoon, like the little sister that Art had never gotten. She was annoying at times, sure, but she was also one of his best friends. She understood him at a level that Sullivan couldn't quite get to. Perhaps it was because of their distant biological families, or their knack for getting their hearts broken, but whatever the reason, they had crafted, through banter and late-night talks, trips to the mall and trips to The Silk Moth, an unlikely friendship. Art couldn't imagine his life without it now. He wondered, briefly, if he would have the same bond with Curls - if they would grow so close that Art felt that he would simply cease to exist if Curls slid out of his life. Somehow, he had a feeling that whatever they had would be very different. And that was fine. What Art and Sullivan had was very different too.

If Cass was Art's frustratingly headstrong younger sister, then Sullivan was Art's pure, innocent best friend. He got the idea that Cass felt the same way about Sullivan as he did. It was their job to shelter her from the cruelty of the world, to only let her know bits and pieces of the pain that they had seen and felt in abundance. Art wasn't sure if it was working. After all, pain has a peculiar way of finding the happiest of people.

The race ended with a heated argument between Art and Cass over who had really passed the finish line first. The lot of them went home shortly after that. "Sullivan and I," Cass informed them as they stood at a deserted intersection, "are having a girls' day tomorrow." Sullivan's eyes widened slightly. Art shot her a smile. "Meaning we won't be around." Cass glanced between Art and Curls. "Art and Reid--" Art made a frustrated noise. Cass rolled her eyes. "Art and Curls will have to find a way to amuse themselves."

"Let's go on a jog," said Art. He was due for a run anyways.

Curls looked vaguely disturbed by the idea. "A jog?" he asked skeptically.

"Yeah. Meet me," Art glanced around, "right here. Tomorrow. One o'clock." Curls obviously wasn't in the habit of denying peoples' requests. He nodded. "Good. It's settled." Art began to walk off in the direction of his house. He held up a hand as a last farewell. "Enjoy your girls' day."