Chapter Text
The late afternoon sun spills down Jackson’s main street, warm and golden, catching on the glass windows of the little general store. The bell above the door jingles as Dina steps out, a paper bag tucked in the crook of her arm and her purse over her shoulder. She looks back into the general store laughing softly as she waves back inside to talia, her sister.
“Bye, Talia! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Dina calls, her voice floating through the open door.
“See you, Dee! Have a sweet time!” Talia smiles from inside waving back to Dina.
When she turns, the hem of her sundress sways around her knees. white with an adorable floral print, lace at the bottom, and cinched at the waist.
Ellie watches as Dina walks out saying goodbye to talia. She’s leaning against the truck across the street, one hand in her pocket, the other resting on the open driver’s door. Her flannel sleeves are rolled to her elbows, and her hair’s a little messy.
“Hey, pretty girl.” Ellie softly calls
“Hey, you” Dina smiles, She walks toward her, careful with the little paper bag she has in her hands. “Did Joel actually let you take this again?”
Ellie grins, rubbing the back of her neck. “Define ‘let’”
Dina rolls her eyes but can’t help the little laugh that slips out as she climbs inside the truck. The seat’s warm from the sun, and the truck smells like Ellie. sandalwood and coffee, (from Joel), mixed with the faintest hint of motor oil and smoke. It’s comforting, familiar.
She places her bag between them. “Got you something” she says, nudging it toward Ellie. “Made those those peanut butter bars you like.” Ellie looks over, eyes softening. “You’re spoilin’ me. Thanks babe”
Dina shrugs, smiling as she buckles in. “Someone has to.”
When Dina settles in, Ellie reaches into her jacket pocket, a little fidgety, and pulls something out. “Got you somethin’ too” She pulls out a honey covered apple, perfectly glossy and golden, wrapped clumsily in a piece of wax paper.
Ellie holds out the honey covered apple, golden and glistening in the light. “Saw these at the market. Thought of you. I know how much you like them”
Dina blinks. “Ellie, what did you—“ she stops once she see what Ellie pulled out. “You bought me a candy apple?” Dina’s face softens immediately, her eyes going wide and warm. “You remembered.”
Ellie shrugs, suddenly shy. “Yeah. I dunno. You like sweet stuff. And you’ve been talkin’ about wantin’ one all week.”
Dina smiled softly, her heart doing that fluttery thing it always does when shes with Ellie. She takes the apple carefully, fingers softly brushing Ellie’s. “You’re adorable. Thank you” she murmurs.
—
As they drive off, Dina takes a careful bite of her caramel apple. the glossy shell cracks and the caramel sticks to her lips, glinting in the light. Her vanilla cherry lipgloss, the one Ellie bought her at the tiny shop downtown shines faintly under the caramel, catching the afternoon glow.
Ellie sneaks a glance. The way the light plays on Dina’s lips, the soft pink of the gloss, the golden sheen of caramel it’s all too much to ignore.
She catches Ellie sneaking a glance, her eyes soft, and grins. “You want a bite?”
Ellie’s eyes flickered between the apple and Dina’s sweet caramel covered lips. Ellie leans closer, pretending to go for the apple but instead presses a sweet and quick kiss to the corner of Dina’s mouth, tasting caramel and lipgloss.
“Nah” she murmurs, settling back into the seat with a small smile. “Already got somethin’ sweeter.”
The truck rumbles to life again as Ellie eases it out of town. The windows are rolled halfway down, letting in the wind that smells faintly like cut grass and sun warmed dirt. Dina takes another small bite of the honey coated apple, the caramel cracking softly under her teeth.
She glances sideways at Ellie. “You really didn’t have to, you know.”
Ellie’s hand tightens slightly on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift. “Yeah, I did. You looked like you needed somethin’ sweet today.”
For a moment, Dina just looks at her. the faint smudge of grease still on Ellie’s forearm, the curve of her mouth trying not to smile too wide. Then Dina leans over the bench seat and presses a gentle kiss to Ellie’s cheek, leaving a faint trace of honey.
Ellie freezes for half a second, a quiet breath catching in her throat. “You got me all sticky now,” she teases, voice low.
“Good,” Dina murmurs.
Ellie laughs under her breath, turns her head slightly and before she can overthink it, Dina meets her halfway. Their lips brush once, light and clumsy, then again, slower, deeper. The truck keeps rolling down the dirt road, the sky burning soft orange around them.
When they part, Dina’s still smiling. “You taste like apples” Ellie whispers against Dina’s lips
“And you taste like beef jerky,” Dina replies with a smile, tracing a thumb along Ellie’s jaw before leaning back in her seat.
She reaches for the glove compartment, pulls out an old aux cord, and plugs in her little music player.
Dina hums along to the song, soft enough that Ellie can barely hear over the engine. Ellie keeps one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the seat between them. Every now and then, Dina’s pinky brushes hers
—
Ellie tries and fails to keep her eyes on the road as her gaze drifts towards Dina. The warm summer air breezes through the cracked windows, ruffling Dina’s hair and making her dress billow just barely around her thighs, and Ellie can’t help the stupid smile that makes its way onto her face. Dina look so soft, so pretty, so utterly goddamn beautiful.
She slows down at a yellow light and stops once it’s red. Ellie turns her head just enough to watch Dina. REALLY watch Dina. the way her hair dances in the breeze, how she’s smudging the caramel on her lips with her thumb instead of actually fixing it.
With a soft eye roll and an even softer smile. “C’mere.” She reaches over, catches Dina’s chin between her fingers gentle but firm and uses her thumb to wipe that sticky sweetness from her lips. “Still got it right..there.”
Dina’s lips part just slightly, her eyes flickering up to meet Ellie’s. For a heartbeat, neither of them move. The traffic light glows green, unimportant.
“Y’know” Dina whispers, her voice soft. “you could’ve just told me.”
Ellie smirks, thumb still hovering at the corner of Dina’s mouth. “Wasn’t as fun.”
The car rolls forward when she presses the gas, and Dina’s hand slips over Ellie’s on the gear shift, with their fingers lacing.