𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

Act XXXI

Trigger warning for cigarettes and mention of smoking! Stay safe, loves <3

* * *

Grian looked panicked at Lizzie's reaction. "W-well, he- he's been upset lately," he stammered quietly. "And- a-and he was yelling earlier b-because-"

"He wasn't yelling at you, was he?" Lizzie asked.

Grian shook his head anxiously. "No, he was mad 'cause a v-vase broke," he said. The two shared a moment of silence before Grian looked away and muttered, "Please don't be mad at him."

Lizzie sighed. "Why don't you wait in here while I go get our food?" she offered. "I'll grab some medicine for you while I'm up." Joel can eat by himself if he wants to be a douche.

It took Grian a moment to agree to Lizzie's offer, but once he did, she smiled and left to the kitchen, leaving Grian's door slightly cracked open.

Joel had finally gotten the cooktop to work properly by the time Lizzie walked out of the hallway, and he was pouring the water into a mug with a tea bag when she saw him. The woody smell of unsweetened honey filled the kitchen, Lizzie sighing happily as she walked in.

"I love that smell," she breathed, reaching for the bag with the bento boxes.

Joel glanced over his shoulder at her. "Want some?" he offered, and Lizzie's eyes brightened.

"Sure, why not?" She grabbed a red and a pink box from the bag, pausing for a moment to consider having Joel eat with them then remembering how worried Grian was about getting yelled at. "Hey, Joel?"

"Hm?"

Lizzie bit the inside of her cheek. "Were you yelling at Grian earlier?" she asked finally.

Joel didn't hesitate for a second before lifting his head and whirling around to face his girlfriend. "I'm sorry?"

"Were you yelling at Grian earlier?"

The brunette looked taken aback at the question, seeming utterly confused. "What? No," he answered defensively. "Of course not. Why would I yell at him?"

Lizzie huffed, hugging the bento boxes to her chest. "I don't know, Joel," she sighed. "But he's scared because he thinks you're going to yell at him if you find out he has a fever."

Several emotions crossed Joel's features - frustration, confusion, regret, sadness. "I-"

"Joel, what did you do?"

"I- I didn't-"

Lizzie quirked a brow, ultimately shutting Joel up for the moment. "You didn't do anything?" she questioned. "Is that what you're going to tell me?"

Shaking his head, Joel looked more confused than ever. "No, I-" He shook his head again in attempt to clear his thoughts. "First of all, I would never yell at him because he has a fever," he began, "I don't know where he got that from."

"Oh, really?" Lizzie's narrowed into a scowl. "He said you were yelling about a vase breaking."

"A vase-" Joel paused, then sighed. "I wasn't yelling, I was just upset," he said slowly. "It was a vase I made with my mother that Grian accidentally knocked over. It shattered, and I... maybe I did raise my voice a little bit, but I never yelled at him."

Lizzie sighed. "Okay, then what did you tell him?"

Joel was hesitant to answer, nervousness evident in his eyes. "Well... I told him to go to his room," he said finally, speaking just barely loud enough for Lizzie to hear.