Heart Of Iron (GirlxGirl)

Julie Wants to Pet the Cat

"Look, Gen, do you see that?"

Julie placed her hand on my back to lower me down to her eye level, her hand pointing to the white and black ball of fur underneath a gray pickup.

It stared straight at us.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"It's a cat," she whispered, like it was some sort of secret the cat couldn't know. "I want to pet it."

I shook my head. "It's hiding there for a reason." I looked at her. "I'm pretty sure it doesn't want you near it."

If it could, it would have probably made a restraining order.

The thing seemed to tense up each time Julie moved any closer.

Poor thing.

"Animals love me."

I laughed and sat down on the curb. "Not this one."

Julie pouted and dropped down next to me on the curb, crossing her arms while staring intensely at the cat. "You're mean."

"For protecting a cat?" I smiled at her look of disbelief at my words. "Sure."

"You make it sound like I want to hurt it."

Julie made a sour face that looked more cute than as mean as the message she tried to convey.

"It's scared of you."

"Am I a scary person?" Julie looked horrified at the thought of it.

I snorted. "You're the least scary person there could ever be."

Julie looked back at the cat with a glum look on her face. "Then why?"

"It's a stray," I explained. "It's not going to let anyone near itself."

"Oh." Julie furrowed her eyebrows. "Once this really mean dog let me pet him while no one else could."

It weirdly sounded familiar to our situation.

"Maybe because you're annoyingly persistent."

"That's a good thing."

It looked like she wasn't going to let it be a bad thing.

"If you say so."

Julie stayed silent for a while, rocking from side to side for a second before her head fell onto my shoulder. She's only going to get bolder and bolder with her affections, and unfortunately, I can't really do a thing about it.

I don't even think I want to do anything about it.

"We should go to the park."

I raised my eyebrows. "Should? Or you want to?"

She shifted her head to look at me through her eyelashes. "Should."

"You want to," I said.

"Okay."

"And." I looked down at her. "I have no money for ice cream."

"Don't worry," she said with a grin and patted her pocket. "I've got us covered."

That stomach ache was definitely gone.

"Alright."

I sighed and stood up, Julie stood up along with me and grabbed my arm. She looked up with hopeful eyes. "Piggyback ride?"

"Do you want me to die?"

I'm not the strongest person really, it's mostly a facade I'd hope not to ruin.

"No." Julie looked down and back up at me as we began to walk; she still stuck close to my side. "Am I that heavy? I don't eat that much..."

"No, you're not heavy." I smiled at her. "I'm just weak."

__________

Julie got her usual two scoops of strawberry ice cream while I got chocolate. We sat down at the usual bench and ate our ice cream.

Julie was content enough with her ice cream to stay silent.

I kind of like this.

Although I do like when Julie talks, whatever it was about, it's also pretty nice when she just doesn't say anything. I guess I just like her presence, and for her to be absent would feel weird.

I've just gotten so used to her that I don't like the idea of her not being there.

It's weird. So weird.

It's so weird that it was me she decided to pester.

"Jules?"

Julie licked the ice cream off her lips and looked at me. "Hm?"

"Why me?"

She raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"The day we first met, why'd you decide to approach me of all people?"

It was a genuine question. I know for a fact that I do not give off a welcoming or nice vibe at all. It's like Julie did the eeny meeny miny moe with the first people saw and I ended up being chosen.

I mean, it's not like I mind now.

She shrugged and smiled a little sheepishly. "You seemed kinda cool."

I thought of the first words I said to her and almost laughed. "Cool?"

She nodded. "And my dad, he used to tell me that if I wanted something, to just go and get it."

Well that's kind of sweet... Her dad sounded like he was a cool guy.

"You wanted my friendship that bad?"

"I guess." Julie gave me an earnest smile. "I'm glad my annoying persistence paid off."

I felt my heart jump by the sincerity she had in both her tone and words themselves.

Julie was truly something special.

Julie went into a happy silence once again for a while until she had already eaten all the ice cream and was down to the cone.

She placed her free hand on mine and found it necessary to also intertwine our fingers.

I didn't expect it but I didn't yank my hand away. It felt right at the moment.

"This is okay right?" She asked after a while.

I gave an awkward smile, knowing my ears were probably a nice shade of red. "Yeah."

_____

A/N: Hello! And sorry for such a long wait, again. I got done with midterms and decided sleeping in for a few days while doing nothing but eat was my reward.

Anyways, y'all want to know what songs I listened to in the making of this short chapter?

If you said 'no,' well too bad because I'm telling you anyway.

Threads by Izzard & Blankts and Begin by Shallou featuring Whales

The first song inspired me to make an attempt at writing somethin' cute and the latter just sounded really nice so I listened to it.

Congrats! You now know my usual writing process now which is listening to music, become inspired for a bit, then let my mind vomit some words onto the screen - and bam, I've got a chapter... or at least a partial one.

By the way, expect another wait and yet another apology for the next chapter.

Bye!