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"For the last time, I am not going to a party. Tonight?? I- we!- have an exam in two days! I have to study! You can't spend every night partying, that's- it's ill spent time!"
Jennifer groaned at the familiar response. It was easily predictable, and honestly she felt like she only asked Ari to go out for the routine of it, but come on! Not once, this entire semester, had Ari gone out to a party with Jennifer!! This truly couldn't stand, not when the semester was almost over.
"Okay," Jennifer began, taking a proud stance. "Here. Why don't we test what a 'well spent' night is? Show me how you'd spend tonight— not studying, we both know you've studied enough and need to relax— and if you get me to agree it is a better use of time than partying, I'll lay off you." ...for about two weeks, Jennifer didn't add.
"..." Ariadne eyed the other woman for a moment before relenting, closing her eyes with a reluctant look. "Fine. Deal. Evidence helps arguments a lot, anyways.."
"Great!" Jennifer clasped her hands, twirling victoriously. "Let's start!!! What were you planning to do!
"..Nap, actually," Ari shrugged, fidgeting with her scarf. "Haven't gotten that much sleep."
Jennifer stared at her with an expression that could be best described as 'disappointedly pitying.'
"Okay, it's not that bad! Sleep is as good for the brain as studying! Yes I know that's hyperbole it's for dramatic effect." Ari cut off Jennifer with the taller woman's mouth already opening, and Jennifer signed.
"But that's boring! You need to do fun things! For your mental health! At least, like... Oh! Let's watch a movie!" Jennifer leaned forward, grabbing Ari's hands from where they were clutching Ari's shirt. "It'll be fun!! You can pick but if you choose a bad movie I'm changing it."
Ari stared at Jennifer for half a second before sighing, taking her hands back and nodding. There was no use trying to argue this.. as far as the night could go, watching a simple movie was really not bad at all. After all, it's not like the movie would be a standout.. Ari didn't even like movies all that much.
---
"Oh, Ari... It's okay to cry, aaaw.. let it out," Jennifer soothed, laughter at the edge of her voice as she tried to get Ariadne to show her face from under her blue cap. "C'mon, the first five times I watched Big Hero 6, I cried too!"
"...snf." Ariadne just pulled her hat lower onto her face, trying to hide the tear tracks. "It was just a good movie. Not that serious."
"Uh huh... Okay, here, how about.. you stay here, put on something you'd like — what about that YouTuber you like? Jacksepticeye? — and I'll make.. have you eaten today? Do you want dinner? I'm gonna make dinner. You like lasagna, yes? Great." Ariadne just sat and watched Jennifer blow through the kitchen like a hurricane, pots and pans banging inexplicably when she should only have been using, like, two total.
"Oookay, Ari, you want beef or vegetarian lasagna?" Jennifer called.
"Beef, please," Ariadne answered. "..wait, we have beef? I thought we were out of meat."
"I was hiding some so you wouldn't eat it," Jennifer explained easily, happily bouncing around the kitchen. "And it worked!
"......" Okay, whatever. Ari was just going to let that slide. For now.
-
After a bit, Jennifer came back to the couch and flopped down beside Ariadne.
"Lasagnas in the oven!" She informed Ariadne, as if the young philosopher hadn't been watching. (Well, she hadn't.. but still, assumptions!)
"Nice. How long till it’s ready?" Ariadne asked, slumping down to match Jennifer.
"Like, twenty minutes. Wanna do something while we wait? Ooh, like... A game! Wanna start a game?" Jennifer grinned over at Ariadne, throwing her arms up in the air.
"I mean, I dunno.. I'm still thinking about just napping after dinner." Ariadne yawned to emphasize her statement, jaw cracking with the force.
"Aaww, c'mon! It won't even take that long!" Jennifer pleaded, widening her eyes and staring directly at Ariadne. "Pleaaaaaase, Ari?"
"..fine." Ariadne sighed, taking off her cap and running her fingers through her hair. "Just something quick though, okay?"
"Of course! It won't take more than half an hour!" Jennifer promised, hopping off the coach and running to grab a certain game off the bookshelf.
Monopoly.
---
(2 hours later)
"Jennifer." Ariadne stared into the cold, cold eyes of her enemy. The enemy who had torn her empire town, building by building, and laughed as Ariadne crumbled.
"Ariadne." Jennifer smiled sweetly, fanning herself with several hundred monopoly bills. "Got something you want to say? Maybe a plea for mercy? An offer to give me everything you own in return for a swift death? Maybe just a compliment on my lasagna? You finished the whole pan."
"..the lasagna was good," Ariadne allowed. "But if you think good food will get me at your feet begging for scraps.. you're far past wrong."
"For after all, Jennifer..." Ariadne rolled the dice. A perfect six. "Even when faced with dire circumstances.." She moved her silver car piece down the boardwalk slowly, passing Jennifer's buildings one by one. "A true warrior against capitalism.." Her piece landed on a newly bought building, the most valuable piece of land on the board. And most importantly...
Ariadne slapped five ten dollar bills down, sneering at Jennifer. "...will never back down."
Jennifer stared back with an unimpressed expression. "No, I'm not selling that building to you. Pay up."
"JENN PLEASE." Ariadne threw herself on the carpet, fingers curling in her hair. "I'M IN BANKRUPTCY."
"I know. I think that means I win, right?" Jennifer plucked the money from Ariadne's side, grinning. "Great roleplaying though. We should start a D&D group." She mused as Ariadne shook on the floor beside her.
---
"Alright, it's... Sheesh, Jenn, it's almost 12. I really gotta sleep..." Ariadne yawned, almost tearing up from the force. Jennifer laid on the carpet beside her, sprawled out and similarly sleepy.
"Right... Yeah. Okay-dokay.." Jennifer mumbled. Ariadne turned her head to face Jennifer, eyes struggling to focus on her form.
"You okay?" Ariadne asked, shifting closer to her. She was basically permanently sleep-deprived, so this exhaustion didn't affect her too badly, but it seemed to be hitting Jennifer hard. Weird, she normally stayed out and partied longer than this had gone on.
"..fine. Just need to rest my eyes.." Jennifer's voice was faint and fuzzy around the edges, dulled by sleepiness.
"Nope, that means you're gonna fall asleep on the floor. I've done it and I can tell you, not comfortable, Jenn." Ariadne laughed softly, pushing herself upright and gently grabbing Jennifer's arm to tug her up. "Gotta get to your bed."
"Uuuurrgghhhh Ari c'mooooon..." Jennifer sighed, even as she stumbled along with Ariadne to her room.
Ariadne pushed open the door, revealing pastel pink walls and a yellow bedspread looking far too comfortable so late at night. The shorter woman guided Jennifer to the bed, trying not to laugh too loudly at the way Jennifer splatted on it and seemed to immediately fall asleep.
"Alrighty, goodnight, Jenn. Sleep well." Ariadne patted Jennifer's back and stretched, moving to stand up.
"..where y'going?" Jennifer spoke into the pillow, barely turning her head to face Ariadne. "Wasn't it a slee'o'er..?"
"...Uh, not- not really? We were just hanging out-?" Ariadne started, before Jennifer reached out and yanked Ariadne back down.
"Mm-mm. Sleepover." Jennifer, even when half-asleep, was startlingly authoritative. Ariadne quite helplessly let herself be dragged down to the bed.
....I mean, it is comfortable, Ari thought. More comfortable than her cheap mattress, at least.
Ah, whatever. Not like Jennifer was letting go anytime soon.. the vice grip that woman had on Ariadne was almost scary, so Ariadne just sighed and settled in to sleep.
With any luck, she'll stop bugging me to go to parties. Maybe we can just hang out here more, Ari thought before finally drifting off.