this chapter is a mess i apologise but i didn't wanna keep y'all waiting longer 😭
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THE HARD DECK HADN'T BEEN QUITE THIS BUSY IN SO LONG, it was bittersweet; seeing so many familiar faces fill the bar, and yet they were dressed in black.
Kristen found herself tucked into a bar seat in the corner, where Penny kept an eye on her throughout. The constant sound condolences and apologies had started to wear Kristen out, who'd spiralled into a lonely silence with a now empty whiskey glass in one hand, and the other twirling Iceman's old dog tags between her fingers.
"How's it going blondie?" Jake slid into the free seat beside Kristen, her favourite drink in his hand as he nudged it closer to her. Kristen clasped the dog tags in her hands shut, looking over at Jake, "Pretty shit, blondie."
Her eyes slurred into his gaze, her jaw tightening as reflex to push the tears back, "Today fucking sucked, Jake."
"I know," Jake answered in a whisper, as he lowered his head. His eyes lingered on her fallen expression, acknowledging that the last thing she wanted to hear was something else to cause tears.
"You want me to grab Bradshaw?"
She was almost startled to hear some sort of kindness in Jake's tone as opposed to his snarkiness, "I already covered his shirt in mascara, I'm forcing him to mingle otherwise I'll start crying into his shoulders again."
"Mingling at a funeral?" Jake teased the girl, a short smile cracking, "You know what I meant Jake."
He just wanted to help bring a smile back to her face.
"I know," He hummed again. Jake watched the girl take a sip of her drink, "But hey... my shoulder's free for mascara stains, only for you though. Trace uses some waterproof shit, I couldn't get it out."
"Look at you, Seresin. Still the shoulder to cry on but not the shoulder to lie on?" She said, resting her head onto her hand upright over the bar.
"Har, har," He rolled his eyes, "I ever told you, you're a comedian?"
"Beware of a woman with a heart broke in a couple places, Hangman," Kristen took a swig at her drink, continuing to poke at Jake, "It's cool though, I'm sure you've had plenty of women crying on your shoulder. Is it like, a move?"
Jake threw his arms up in defence, "I'm not this casanova you keep telling yourself I am, Frostbite. Y'know, I have been in love once."
"I was kidding, Jake," She pouted, nudging the blonde, her words slurring in the slightest, "Dude, lighten up — it's a funeral."
Jake pulled at her drink, "Is this the time where I get Penny to cut you off?"
She released it from her fingers, "Alright, alright. I'm done."
Kristen stretched her arms, a yawn coming from her mouth as she picked up her father's dog tags once more, "I'm surprised you're not playing pool."
"Well I was actually tasked with getting the p-pr-," He pretended to choke, "The pro to come play to teach some old bags a lesson, and apparently that's not me."
