Chapter Text
(SCENE OPENS IN THE GENERAL STORE)
JC:
The bell above the door gave its usual hollow jingle as it creaked open, its sound echoing faintly in the quiet dust hung air of the general store.
Jeremy stepped inside with his usual quiet presence, boots thudding gently against the floor, his dark layered clothing absorbing the light around him, and the tattered bandana around his neck that was tugged down lazily, revealing the slight curve of a smirk already forming on his lips as he greeted Joanne.
It seemed the more he would go to the general store, the less it became about actually needing supplies and the more it transformed into an excuse to see Joanne.
At the end of a leash in his hand, Buddy padded forward enthusiastically with his tail wagging back and forth as he trotted past the dusty counters and shelves.
“Miss me?” Jeremy asked, his voice slightly teasing as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe before stepping fully inside.
“He’s feeling much better,” he added, nodding toward Buddy, who had now seated himself proudly in front of Joanne.
JM:
When Joanne heard the bell jingle, she assumed it was a customer. She looked up, and upon realizing it was Jeremy her face lit up.
She laughed at his teasing “Mmmmm nooo I think I missed Buddy more.”
She knelt down, gently petting the top of Buddy’s head. She cooed at him for a little then stood.
“I’m kidding…” she stepped towards him, reaching her arms out for a hug.
“Of course I missed you.” She muttered, sinking into his arms.
JC:
He let out a low chuckle at her response, eyes tracking the way she immediately gave Buddy all the attention. “Tch. Figures,” he muttered with mock offense, but the edge of affection in his voice gave him away. Buddy leaned into Joanne’s touch, tail thumping against the floor as he practically melted under her hand.
Jeremy’s posture eased when she straightened and stepped toward him, arms outstretched. He met her halfway, wrapping his arms around her. He let out a quiet breath and tucked his chin slightly near her temple.
After a few seconds he pulled back just enough to glance down at her, one brow lifted slightly.
“So…” he said, voice casual, “anything… new happening in your life?..” He asked her before turning and making his way behind the counter like he belonged there, settling into his usual spot with the ease of someone who’d done it a billion times. Buddy followed after him faithfully and flopped down next to his feet with a satisfied sigh. The both of them just barely tucked out of sight.
JM:
Joanne shrugged and sat next to him behind the counter. “Not really. Not much to do in this town.” She said lightheartedly “You?”
The two talked for a few minutes, Joanne occasionally turning to pet Buddy or placing her hand on Jeremy’s arm. Eventually she stood.
“I think I had a shipment right now. Do you mind watching the counter for a few while I head to the back?” She asked him. Once he said sure, she smiled.
“Thanks, you’re the best.” She ruffled his hair then went to the back.
LH:
-*Not even Five Minutes later, the doors of the shop would swing open, the bell chiming as the customer, aka Lucien Han, would step himself up into the building. He needed some wood and other ingredients to restock for the tavern and his own home. He’d roam through the aisles and settle to focus purely on purchasing meats and other produce. It was when he was wrapping up his shopping that he realized that… there was no one in the front today- where could she be?*-
“Uhh, Sparkles? You can’t just leave your shop unattended- Hello?”
-*His voice would project out as he’d look around, he was confused, usually the girl would always be up front doing something, making a bracelet or something kumbaya like that.*-
-*He’d huff as he received no response, he’d take a step towards the counter, but not fully up front, and had decided to just wait there until she returned.*-
JC:
Jeremy had been sunk low against the counter wall, legs stretched out, arms crossed over his chest, and Joanne’s old Walkman crackling softly in his ears. The tape inside had been some scratchy old mixtape Joanne probably made years ago but it kept him entertained.
He hadn’t even registered the bell chime or the voice calling out until the cassette clicked and fell silent. The moment it did, reality trickled back in and he heard the footsteps of someone pacing just a few feet away.
Jeremy blinked and sat up slowly, pulling off the headphones with a quiet sigh. He rubbed at his eye with the heel of his hand, muttering something incoherent before pushing himself up to his feet. Dust clung to his jeans and the edge of his jacket as he brushed himself off lazily, then looked up and promptly found himself face to face with some guy standing halfway to the counter.
His brow furrowed slightly. Jeremy didn’t recognize him and the man looked like he wasn’t expecting him either.
Jeremy stared for a moment before giving the man a slow once-over, simply nodding once. No words. Just a stiff, awkward tilt of his chin in the man’s direction.
Then he leaned against the counter and silently hoped Joanne showed up before the guy tried to make conversation.
LH:
-*Remaining standing, he'd stand there practically tapping
his foot as he awaited for the brunette girl to return so he can pay for his shit and go, and at this rate he was close to just leaving the shop and going in at a different time to pay for all he took- but he wouldn’t hear the end of it from Joanne if he actually went through with that.*-
-*He’d give a groan and mutter a few incoherent phrases to himself before a tuft of brown hair would be seen from the corner of his eyes, Lucien would cock his head towards the counter to see that there was a new face at the counter, like he had spawned there out of nowhere.*-
-*Lucien's eyebrow would raise upon the male’s nod towards him, he was so confused and had… several questions- he’d shake his head before walking himself up to this strange face.*-
“Uhmm, hello? Who are you and where can I find Joanne…”
-*He’d say a bit awkwardly, he wasn’t even sure what this dude’s deal was, but if he’s at the counter, that must mean he’s got some control around here?”
“Didn’t know she was taking hires now- and I don’t think I’ve seen you in town before either.”
-*He’d continue to pry, giving the Man a conspicuous look up and down- nothing.*-
JC:
Jeremy's nod had been meant as a polite non invitation, a quiet acknowledgment that showed his disinterest in further interaction. But the guy either couldn't read social cues or deliberately chose to ignore them. The second he opened his mouth Jeremy let out the faintest sigh through his nose, “Don’t worry about me, Joanne will be back soon..” he said.
He tried to avoid his gaze, shifting slightly behind the counter and pretending to dust something off just to look occupied. But once the stranger kept speaking and showed no signs of leaving, he realized he couldn't just ignore him any longer.
He didn’t bother calling out to Joanne. If she was in the back she’d show up when she was ready, and frankly, Jeremy didn’t owe this guy any updates.
The stranger was still staring at him like he couldn’t place him, and Jeremy met the look for just a second, enough to confirm that he didn’t recognize him either. Not that it surprised him.
“I’m not a new hire,” Jeremy added, scratching at the side of his head.
He ignored the rest of what the guy said, the comment about not seeing him around before. He didn’t feel the need to explain that he just didn’t go out much..
He glanced down briefly, absently brushing his hand across Buddy’s head as the dog nosed his way into his space for comfort.
“You buying anything,” he asked, “or just curious who’s behind the counter today?”
LH:
-*Lucien’s suspicion was written all over his face, and the other males’ shallow responses towards his queries made the feeling grow even stronger.*-
-*His eyes would narrow and his eyebrows would furrow; he was already starting to get annoyed by this dude’s presence. Who the hell does he think he is.*-
-*Lucien would huff, his stubborn nature leading him to walk closer up to the counter, he’d place the stuff he had in hand down, and crossed his arms.*-
“Oh well, if you can see right here, wise guy, I do have some things I need to purchase, but I’m not letting you do anything about it- after all, you don’t work here.”
-*The only thing dividing the two would be the counter; Lucien would plant himself in this very position, his head would turn away to show less of an interest in the Man’s presence.*-
“So if you don’t mind, I’m waiting right here til Joanne gets back, you said she was coming back, yeah? So I’ll wait.”
-*he’d remarked.*-
JC:
Jeremy wasn’t trying to start anything—really, he wasn’t, but the man clearly had a strong preference on who rung up his stuff and it *wasn’t* him. Not like Jeremy cared..
The whole interaction already felt like more energy than Jeremy wanted to spend. He stood still behind the counter, posture lazy but alert, eyes drifting down briefly as the man dropped his items in front of him with a little too much force.
He raised a brow and then scoffed under his breath when the guy said he wouldn’t “let” him ring anything up. He didn’t realize it mattered so much to him.
Jeremy looked back up with an expression that suggested he was already over this…
“You wanna wait for Joanne? Fine, not a problem,” he sighed, his voice flat. Then the man turned his head away with that subtle show of disinterest.
“Yep, more than welcome to wait,” he added, sort of dragging it now. “Just try not to pass out from how hard you’re posturing.” He didn’t look away this time—just stayed exactly as he was, not breaking the eye contact as he let the silence stretch.
LH:
-*Lucien would give a glare briefly after the stranger had finished speaking, his hands were consciously forming into a fist, he was getting agitated by the pure nonchalance and unbotheredness from the dude- but he couldn’t show that to him.*-
“Oh, I’ll try so hard…”
“prick…”
-*He’d mutter under his breath, his eyes trying hard to focus on something else in the store, though his eyes would always pass a side glance at the male to check if he was still looking at him or not…*-
-*The uncomfortable feeling of silence had flooded the entire facility, Lucien would brood, remaining locked, not trying to give any further reaction to the other, though seconds away from practically bursting his own blood vessel.*-
JM:
Joanne was in the back, unloading a shipment out of a truck. It took her a while, as this was a larger shipment than usual.
About 15 minutes later Joanne started walking back into the main part of the shop, holding a box. She started unpacking it onto one of the shelves “Jeremy? Can you help me unpack these boxes?” She called out to him.
She glanced over to where he was sitting, then saw Lucien. She let out a small breath “Oh.”
She saw the expression on Lucien’s face and noticed his hands forming fists. “What did you say to- nope nevermind… don’t want to know.” She looked between the two, deciding to not acknowledge the tension any further.
“Jeremy, I see you’ve met my friend Lucien.” She she said this while coming to stand next to Jeremy.
“And Lucien this is my …boyfriend, Jeremy.” She said the word boyfriend hesitantly while looking at Jeremy, not quite sure if she could call him that yet.
LH:
-*His posture would straighten itself out upon hearing the familiar bubbly voice calling out to someone, he’d raise his eyes would look at the back, where her voice would be calling from, and then back at the other male, Jeremy, that’s his name.*-
-*As soon as Joanne showed her face Lucien would exhale, finally being able to breathe.*-
“Took you long enough-“
—*He’d say clearly irritated. He’d stand there and allow the girl to introduce him to this strange man.*-
“Once again, I don’t think we count as friends-“
-*His worlds would stop and his jaw would hang open come the reaction of the next information he received.*-
“What?”
-*Slowly turning his head to look at the man and then back at Joanne, he was shocked. He then closed his eyes to gather himself before.*-
“There is no way.”
-*A laugh from his chest would escape his lips, his body folding over to bang lightly on the counter because of how unreal this news was.*-
“There is nooo way you’re playing games with me now, are you, boyfriend? BOYFRIEND? Ohhh this is too good when even, how even- really this guy? ohhhhhh”
-*He’d be too consumed by the humor of this whole situation to even take anything seriously.*-
TC:
The door banged open with a gust of air, and Taylor stumbled in like she owned the place, the sound of her boots louder than necessary against the old flooring. Her laces were undone, her jacket half on, half off, and her cheeks had the faintest pink tint from whatever she’d been drinking at home..
She initially noticed Lucien laughing, something she'd never witnessed in all their time together.
"Well, I'll be damned," she muttered under her breath.
Lucien wasn't ever this giddy; the sight of him genuinely enjoying himself was so rare and unexpected that Taylor felt compelled to stop and stare.
"Giggle shits over here... What's got you so amused?" She barked a laugh, somewhat nervous but playing it cool, her eyes darting across the room to where Lucien was practically doubled over in tears against the counter,
"God, what did you—" She began to speak before her words caught in her throat at the sight of her brother Jeremy standing there.
Behind the counter.
*Right next* to her friends..
She stopped dead in her tracks as if she'd slammed into an invisible wall. Her entire body tensed up and her breath suspended in her lungs.
“Wait.”
She blinked once. Then again. Her hand gripped the edge of a nearby shelf, knuckles going white. For a second she thought she wasn't seeing things clearly, so she rubbed her eyes.
“Wait… I’m fucking—no. Nope. I am not—”
She pointed a shaking hand toward Jeremy like her finger might confirm he was real.“What the fuck is that? Why is he—” She staggered a step backward like his presence physically slapped her.
“Jeremy?.. You've got to be kidding me.”
JM:
Joanne stood there, puzzled by Lucien’s reaction. She stared, eyes wide, as he was laughing “Why is him being my boyfriend so funny? I-“
Taylor bursting through the door cut her off. Her head snapped to look at Taylor, taking in her disheveled appearance. Joanne watched as she first noticed Lucien, then Jeremy.
“Taylor… are you Okay?” She asked softly, moving over to her as she gripped the shelf.
She looked over at Jeremy, who was still in the same spot, her eyes switching focus between the two “Do- do you guys know each other?”
JC:
Jeremy’s heart plummeted to somewhere near his stomach the second he heard her voice. He didn’t even move at first, like staying still might somehow make her vanish. But when she said his name that was when the illusion cracked.
He forced his eyes to shift, his jaw tense as he looked directly at her, barely breathing. She looked wild, like she’d just stumbled out of a storm. He took a second just taking in how she looked now, he hadn't seen her in a *very* long time after all. He thought she was dead.
“…Nicole,” he said, almost like he didn’t believe it himself.
He didn’t look at Joanne. Not yet. He couldn’t. Not with her staring at him like.
His throat was dry. He tried again slower this time, turning his head just enough to glance at Joanne without meeting her eyes.
“You… know Nicole?”
It sounded more like a realization than a question, like the puzzle pieces were finally clicking into place in the worst way.
“Joanne, this is my.. sister.”
He said it like it hurt. Like it tore open something old and unfinished in his chest. His gaze landed back on Taylor, heavy and conflicted.
“…Nicole.”
A beat passed. Then another. You could almost hear his heart cracking under the weight of whatever the hell this was.
“I didn’t know you were still alive.”
TC:
Taylor’s breath hitched when he said her name. Not Taylor, Nicole. Her childhood name, the one she hadn’t heard in what felt like lifetimes. It slammed into her like a bullet. Her entire body went still and for a moment she felt like a kid again.
“…No.”
Her voice came low, shaken, like it’d been buried in her chest for years.
“Don’t call me that.”
She took a shaky step back, one hand gripping the edge of the shelf behind her again like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
“You don’t get to say that name, you lost the right the second you walked out that door and never looked back.”
She glanced at Joanne, frantic and wide-eyed, like the walls were closing in.
“Joanne, this isn’t just some guy. He’s—he’s my brother.. He’s the one they kicked out.. The one who was forced to leave but then just never came back.”
Her voice cracked, the heat behind her words melting into something more fragile and hurt.
“How do you know Jeremy.” She asked.
JM:
Joanne’s eyes frantically looked between the two. Then she looked at Jeremy “You- you told me her name was Nicole I didn’t know your sister was Taylor!”
She stayed near Taylor. “Taylor… Jeremy-“ she stopped, scared of her reaction.
She took a deep breath. “I- I can’t do this.” She took a step away from the both of them.
She was torn between telling Taylor the truth and keeping her and Jeremy’s relationship(?) a secret for now.
She took a second to breathe, glancing at Jeremy then back at Taylor. “Taylor… Jeremy’s my boyfriend.” She said hesitantly, almost as if she still wasn’t sure if it shoukd be been told.
LH:
-*Caught in the moment, he was still laughing though it tuned down come the time Taylor had entered, and then one thing had led to another, and suddenly a whole new atmosphere was created from the thick foggy tension that was formed between the two… siblings.*-
-*This was even more information than would catch him off guard. He’d stand up now and back up, from the counter, creating a clear divide between both sides, Lucien and Taylor on one, and Jeremy and Joanne on the opposite side.*-
-*As he spectated through the conversation, his eyes would fall to Taylor, who was clearly in a state of distress and shock, she could hardly keep her balance, due to this, Lucien would keep a watch on her, ultimately deciding to link his arm with her’s just so she wouldn’t faint and fall to the ground…*-
-*His eyes were now locked onto the two from the other side, not saying anything, but his expression showed concern. What was gonna go down here?*-
“Taylor… you don’t look too good, let’s take a breath outside before saying anything, yeah?”
-*he’d suggest quietly, trying to de-escalate the situation or at least calm the storm that was probably going on in Taylor’s head.*-
TC:
Taylor’s brows knit together, her eyes darting from Joanne to Jeremy and back again. Her breathing was shallow like her body couldn’t decide whether it needed air or wanted to scream.
When Lucien’s arm linked with hers she barely registered it. She wasn’t really there, her head was somewhere between five years ago and this very second. But when Lucien spoke quietly and kindly it brought her back.
She didn’t say anything, just shook her head no and firmly pried his arm away. She took her hand off the shelf where she’d been bracing herself and finally stood upright, steadying her shoulders..
"…you're dating my brother," she said to herself, her voice just confirming what her mind was struggling to process. She shifted her eyes to Jeremy again, softer this time.
“I’ve been looking for you for months, Jeremy.” Her voice cracked, but she realized being mad at him was useless. The alcohol in her system couldn't decide whether to dull her emotions or ignite them into an outburst.
JC:
Jeremy didn’t move or blink as her words hit him. He looked like someone who had just heard his name in a dream and couldn’t tell if he was still asleep or waking up into a nightmare. His jaw clenched but his eyes were filled with guilt.
“I.. didn’t know you were still looking,” he said finally, voice rough. “I thought—I thought you’d moved on. Like everyone else had to.”
He glanced at Joanne briefly, but not in a defensive way. More like he was silently apologizing for the situation she’d been pulled into. Then he looked back at Taylor.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I wasn’t hiding from you. I just…” He exhaled sharply, “I didn’t know how to come back after everything. I didn’t know if you’d even want me to come back.”
-*And the Room had fell silence after the final words of the man, everyone would shift there eyes back and fourth to each other before ultimately Taylor couldn’t take it anymore, it was all too overwhelming, she’d leave without getting a last word in, and Lucien out of influence was already making his way out to get her, forgetting about his original purpose for coming into the store, he’d give the couple a passing glance before leaving to check on his friend.*-
JM:
Joanne watched as the two left. She was torn between following Taylor out or staying with Jeremy.
She was so confused about the whole situation. If only she had known that Jeremy was Taylor’s brother then maybe the situation might’ve turned out better.
She eventually sighed and went over to Jeremy. “You okay?” She asked softly, reaching for his hand
JC:
Jeremy didn’t answer right away. He stood there staring at the door Taylor had just walked out of, sucking his teeth with an audible click before his eyes slowly dropped to the ground. He didn't want Taylor to be mad at him or anything; what he desperately wanted was to rebuild the bond between them now that he knew she was alive. He had no idea how to start, though.
Joanne came over and gently reached for his hand; he let her take it.
“Yeah…” he said quietly, his voice a little hoarse. “She can just… be like that.”
He ran his free hand over his face, dragging it down like he was trying to reset himself. “She’s been through a lot. We both have.. But I just didn’t expect any of this. I’m sorry.
JM:
Joanne sighed, her eyebrows knit together.
“No, no it’s okay. It’s not your fault. Don’t apologize okay?” She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles soothingly.
She didn’t know what else to say, she was still disoriented about the whole situation.
The two of them stood in silence for a little bit. Eventually, she spoke up “Is there anything I can do?” She asked this softly, not really knowing what else to say.
JC:
Jeremy’s mind continued to race, the heat of the situation slightly dying down now. “I’m okay, but thank you,” he said quietly, sinking back down next to Buddy who was still miraculously asleep despite everything that had happened. Joanne sat down beside him, not wanting to let go of his hand.
He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair before glancing over at Joanne with a small, crooked smile. “Also… I’m your boyfriend?” he asked, eyes narrowing slightly in amusement. “That part just kinda slipped out back there, huh?”
He gave a soft laugh, shaking his head. “I think I like the sound of that.” He looked down at their still intertwined hands, thumb brushing over hers gently now. “Just making sure I didn’t imagine that in all the chaos.”
JM:
Joanne could feel the heat rising in her face. She looked away from Jeremy, trying to hide her embarrassment about the situation.
“Shit- sorry. I didn’t-“ she quickly said, the swearing very very out of character for her.
“It- just slipped out I didn’t think. I’m sorry. I should’ve talked to you about it before calling you that I just-“ she kept rambling on, her brain going a thousand miles an hour.
When she started overthinking, sometimes it was very hard for her to snap out of it. She kept apologizing to him, feeling like she had overstepped.
She felt the familiar knot forming in her stomach and she let go of his hand, which was one of the things that was anchoring her.
JC:
Jeremy gently cut her off mid spiral, his voice steady and calming. “It’s okay, really” he reassured, a tired smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I like it..”
He would’ve said more, would’ve reassured her the way she deserved, but his chest was still heavy with everything that had just happened. The moment between them was warm, but the air hadn’t fully cleared yet.
When she pulled her hand away he wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a loose, grounding side hug, pulling her in gently.
His voice dropped again, softer this time. “Do you think she’ll ever come around?” he asked, eyes fixed on some distant spot on the wall. “She’s stubborn, and she.. got that from me, y’know?” He let out a dry laugh. “I taught her to never need anyone and now she doesn’t. even me.”
He blinked slowly. “But… she’s still my sister.”
JM:
Joanne sighed and leaned on him. Her mind was still overrun with thoughts.
“I hope she will.” She said softly. “I hope she’s not actually mad. I think it’s shocking mostly.”
She paused and looked at him. “I mean, she thought you were dead or just abandoned her, so I don’t think she thought she was going to be seeing you anytime soon.”
“I think she just needs some time.” She eventually said
JC:
Jeremy nodded slowly, his jaw tightening a bit as he stared ahead. Her words made sense—of course they did, but that didn’t make the knot in his chest loosen any faster.
“Yeah…” he murmured, voice a little hoarse. “Time.”
He wasn’t sure how much of it he had to give, or if Taylor would ever want to talk to him again. Still, having Joanne there beside him, leaning into him like she believed everything could still be okay, helped him.
“She’s got every right to hate me,” he admitted quietly. “I didn’t come back for her.”
(END SCENE)