Daybreak | IC Inbox.

[awooligan]

CLIFFORD NORMAN
UN: REDRIDINGHOODIE

STATUS: grade 11

ACCOLADES: n/a.

BIO: name's cliff. let me know if you'll buy cigarettes and shit for me, we can work something out.

© TESSISAMESS

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[awooligan]

He wishes he could be like other teenage boys, too, Coco. Alas. He shakes his head and raises an eyebrow at her, amused. "Yeah, something tells me that she wouldn't like it if I pulled her tail even to save myself. Don't worry, I won't be stupid about it."

And yet, when the time comes for him to take Imelda's hand, he visibly hesitates rather than do the smart thing of getting it over with as quickly as possible. Pepita had gotten a look of wonder and excitement on her arrival, so it definitely isn't the prospect of getting too close to her that gives him pause, to further corroborate his claim. After a couple seconds, though, he accepts the help as briefly as he safely can, then settles behind the other two. O-kay. Time to go.

[kept_his_letters]

Coco laughs, while Pepita makes a grumbling sort of growl to save that no, she would very much not like that, proving too that she's listening and understands perfectly.

Imelda is patient for this, waiting for Cliff's hand. Her expression seems to soften in the face of his hesitance. The tug, when he finally takes her hand, is steadying, not a sharp yank. Coco offers him an encouraging smile as he pauses by her.

"Prepare yourself," Imelda calls back, mostly to Cliff. There's the slightest hint of excitement in her voice, apparently well made for flight, as she ducks her head to match Pepita's crouch before the cat pushes off from the ground, great wings flapping hard. It's well into the air that Coco laughs again, free, and she spreads her own arms out to catch the wind rather than hang on. Papá didn't know what he was missing.

It'll be some time flying over Mexico before they reach Santa Cecilia proper, with the city fading away into rolling hills and stretching fields.

[awooligan]

Even if he prepares himself, only taking a moment to hug his arm to himself before getting properly settled, Cliff can't fully expect the swell of wind that sweeps through his hair and seems to fill his lungs with the feelings of taut anticipation and freedom in equal measure. Once he's processed the initial rush -- thankfully without squeezing Pepita with his knees or digging his fingers into her fur -- he turns to look over his shoulder behind them, disbelieving grin spread wide. It was the sort of surprise that reminded him of being a kid on Christmas, or when they'd brought Kevin home and it settled in that he was going to be an older brother. It filled him.

And then there's Coco, the wonderful, adventurous girl that can catch him off guard like no other. He doesn't have nearly the same confidence to copy her, not yet, but his attention returns to watch her and her joy rather than the world passing beneath them. Both were good sights. This is the one he'd come all this way to see, after all. Doesn't even mind getting smacked with her braids, which is probably inevitable because of his choice of seating. If anything, that just makes him laugh more.

The longer it goes on, the more relaxed Cliff finds himself, though it doesn't stop the constant onslaught of awe. It was beautiful, better than he could have imagined, enough so that he didn't even mind the brief mental visual of a dog with its head out the window, tongue flying behind. Oh, he could get used to this...

[kept_his_letters]

At some point in the flight at least, Coco's arms go down and she leans forward so there's slightly less braid in Cliff's face. But, the giddiness never leaves especially not when his is so obvious every time she spares a glance behind.

They fly and fly until it truly seems they're in the middle of nowhere, nothing but a string of road, of a river, and of very old train tracks long out of use but still lingering as a reminder of its history. A few more rundown homes settle in among the fields of green and then the full town appears

Pepita circles high above the town before swooping lower, giving Cliff a chance to spy the buildings below, modest in height and painted in sunbaked colors. The tallest building of the town is the church with one high stone belltower beside it and several old outcropping buildings to the church's other side. Coco points out the school with its gated entry and her old teacher, Señor Sena, the market with its vendors and overhanging papel picado, the fountain and the plaza and the cemetery. The whole place is busy with activity, as many going about business as there are those simply stopping to talk and greet people in town. Pigeons flee their roosts at the sight of Pepita only to settle again. And then, at last--

"Home," Coco says over the wind.

The building is sprawling, something old with newer buildings latched on around it like a series of growths around the courtyard. There's an old well boarded up and a garden full of blooms from which several monarchs flee. It's not the architectural splendor of Daybreak's castle or even anything typical mage-like, but from Coco's face alone, one might guess it was better.

Pepita lands and it's then that Coco slides down and off. Imelda stays where she is.

"I will return shortly. Do not go far. I am just making sure that your father and uncles are on course." And not in any trouble, goes unsaid but is there in the faintly exasperated note. Once Cliff has slipped down, she'll be off again. Coco turns to Cliff.

"Welcome to Santa Cecilia."

[awooligan]

He's not going to remember all of this, no matter how he tries to pay attention to what she's saying over the roaring wind. It's interesting, mostly because he's interested in her and her life, but also because despite them both coming from humble towns, the shapes, colors, and atmosphere was so different from Podunk. Their respective names were fitting, it seems, a fact that becomes even more obvious when he leans to see Coco's face a little better and some of her affectionate joy reflects onto his. Plus, he'd get to see all this with her again when they inevitably took the ground route.

Before he slides down to join her on the floor, he lightly pats Pepita's back in the space Coco had just been. "Gracias, Pepita, por el, uh...aventón?" He thinks so... But anyway, Imelda's got to be on her way, and now he'll get to talk to Coco without feeling like they're being projected onto a giant movie screen being watched through a microscope. He waves the woman off and steps back to Coco's side.

...He'll get to talk to her, but what does he say?

"Thanks. I can't wait to check it out. So, uh..." Great, he's doing great. No, he's being a huge loser, but it was fine. Maybe. Someday it will be. "I've missed you, but... You look good. Uh, like you're really happy to be home, I mean. ...And also good."

[kept_his_letters]

Pepita gives Cliff a sidelong look and a faint chuff of response before she's off and away with Imelda. Of course, Cliff's going to have to enjoy this time alone because in the Rivera house, that never lasts for very long.

She's patient in waiting for him to talk things out, though still a bit amused. Her head tilts and her braids swing for it. Then she laughs and covers her mouth, less to hide that than the red flush that creeps up her cheeks.

"I am happy," She says. "To be home. And because you're here." Her flush deepens. "It's good to see you. I've missed you too."

[awooligan]

He'll enjoy it. As soon as he can wrestle his idiot brain enough to let himself. Her blush makes his own heat up, and while he's kicking himself over how much more obvious his must be than hers, he's also thinking about how nice it is to see. It's oddly relieving, even though he's still some sort of embarrassed. Maybe it meant she was, too.

"Yeah. I'm happy I'm here, too."

With her. He crosses an arm across himself again to hold his other one, thinking how it would have been nice to be able to give her the rose now, given that he's pretty sure moments like this will be few and far between, even if she was basically the whole reason he was there.

"Okay, I know your mom said not to go too far, but do you want to walk around a little? Too much sitting around on the plane... You'll owe me a proper tour later, of course. Show me everything."

[kept_his_letters]

They're going to wind up in a very stupid competition of red-faced-ness. They will both lose.

"Y-Yes! Of course!" She bounces on her feet and glances around. Where to go? Around the house? Out-- "Wait."

She runs- dances- to the gate in the wall pushing it to peer up and out. No sign of flying cat or Mamá. She races back to Cliff, then right past him.

"Come on! Hurry up before they get back!"

She doesn't wait for him this time. It won't be entirely the walk around he's looking for, but it would be good all the same. Better to show it now too. She leads him right around the back, something of neglected area with things piled up for home repair and extension. There's a stack of bricks and old ply would and as precarious as they appear, she doesn't hesitate to climb both onto the branch of a tree and then onto the tin roof. She turns back just long enough to grin at him, then she presses on, pushing aside the loose boards of a connecting building before crawling into the attic space.

It's dark and full of junk with low ceilings. Still, she looks excited, even proud, with her hands clasped together.

[awooligan]

Oh -- there she goes. He finds himself smiling again, something easy when he sees her like this. Movement was her element, whether it was a celebration or mischief, or the rare retribution, and he can't be as graceful as her or anything, but at least he can follow her with the same confidence, trusting both her and his superhuman strength and agility to keep him from doing something dumb like falling and breaking his neck.

Cliff ducks into the space moments after her, curious even though he has to take a moment to make sure he's not going to smack his head due to being half a foot taller than her. The dim lighting doesn't bother him any, though his improved sense of smell means the attic smell leaves something to be desired.

"Secret base?"

[kept_his_letters]

"Secret base," she confirms with a nod.

She leads him deeper inside, past a drawn bit of curtain in an extension of the attic that's pretty much the same, but it's here she kneels and starts pulling things out. She pulls out old CDs, sets of headphones that are almost certainly from the nineties, a pair of dance shoes.

"I used to sneak up here to dance when I was smaller. It was the only place I could without being caught. And I found some of their old things up here too, stuff Mamá didn't know about and forgot, like her rancheras and Papá's casette player."

She pats a big box of a thing indeed meant to play casettes as well as CDs. Revolutionary.

"I thought about telling them, but, then I'd have to say where I found it and you never know when you need a secret hideout."

[awooligan]

Secret base. Amazing. He follows, half-blindly thanks to how he's busy looking around at the odds and ends along the way. He sits criss-cross-applesauce, relieved to feel like there's a little more space even if he knows it's all in his head, and reaches to pick up some of the RELICS OF OLD to turn over in his hands.

The hint of fascination comes more from imagining Coco's story in his mind, and then further back, to her parents being younger and looking through the same things. He wonders if these were tucked away out of sight by someone during the time after Héctor left and Imelda was throwing things out in order to keep them safe, or if this had been a haven long before that. Two teens like them, finding this space for themselves and having moments that were peaceful despite the love and laughter, the singing and dancing. Probably. It makes him smile softly, setting a pair of headphones gently to the side.

"Good call," he assures her, moving more directly to her side and leaning to inspect the cassette player by running his fingers across the different buttons. Maybe it's an excuse to be closer. "Sounds like I'm pretty great, with you letting me up here. Hey, does this still work...? Are these things batteries or a plug, I've never actually seen one."

[kept_his_letters]

It warms her, seeing that he can appreciate the things she does. Coming here, finding this stuff, it had been a point of wonder for her back then. None of it, not a bit, was simply junk. She laughs but doesn't deny that letting him up here is something special.

"Six C batteries or a plug. I don't have either though so..." She rummages around until she finds a bit of white chalk. Then, on top of the machine, she draws a rune. "That lasts about an hour, if I can power it up with some mist."

They don't have that a lot of time right now, but maybe with him knowing where this place is, he'll be able to sneak out later with fewer problems. She briefly imagines a secret dance, as she's imagined before with previously faceless figures, but she shuts the thought down. That's not Cliff.

"I haven't told Teto or Mili yet. Mili can go anywhere, you know? Fairy magic and stuff. And, I haven't really gotten to know, um, Teto yet. Besides through Papá. So, for now, it's just you and me that know about it."

[awooligan]

He doesn't know if he's ever even used a C battery... Maybe a really long time ago, in a flashlight when he was a kid? The rune really is the better way to go, not that he's sure finding mist should be any easier. Knowing they won't really get the chance now, thanks to the others getting back sometime soonish, he sits back with his hands behind him and watches her instead.

"He's cool, you know. Teto." Buuut as much as he wants the two to get along, being friends with both of them and also just thinking it's nicer when siblings have someone there for them... Cliff's eyes drift down to the space between them, trying to not give in to brooding due to his shyness. "I kind of like the idea of it being just ours. At least for a while."

...

"Speaking of, uh, telling people things..." No chickening out now, and he'd like to get this part sorted out sooner rather than later. "What do your parents know about...us?"

[kept_his_letters]

There's probably mist in a cupboard somewhere, but she's sure that will be with her Mamá's things or her Tíos'. It was easier to sneak things from the latter when the house was rife with chaos and almost impossible for sneak things from the former.

Her smile widens. She nods in agreement. That was her plan. If nothing else, she'd keep it their secret until Cliff had to return to France. Then once he was ready to come home, she'd bring in Teto. And Mili as soon as she found a way to keep them from blurting the truth out. They were all bad enough with secrets.

And then she's back to flushing and ducking her head. She shakes it.

"I-I don't know. I just told them you were my friend. But Papá keeps giving me looks."

[awooligan]

rip to Mili

rip to Cliff, too, because he was really hoping she would know something he doesn't, but apparently not...! Not that it's her fault. It wasn't like they'd had too firm a handle on things even without the complication of parents, thanks to this whole having their faces light on fire and stammering around stuff. It's...a little easier in this space, not that he can put his finger on why. Guessing was easy -- he was closer to her than he's been able to be in a long time, no more ocean or technology between them, and they'd decided this was just for them. No worrying about someone disturbing things while they worked it out... Not that they've got forever, or anything.

"Yeah, and that 'lovebirds' thing he said." This is probably mostly his fault? Being a fool, asking if he could visit her for Valentine's weekend like he wouldn't be figured out even if he didn't explicitly say it. "I guess we haven't really talked about it that much. Because we are still friends, just, uh... Coco? Did I ever officially ask you to be my girlfriend, or did I just imagine it a lot?"

It'd be dorky, if it was an attempt at being smooth, but unfortunately he's half-genuine. It's been so long and full of panic?

[kept_his_letters]

She laughs nervously as she says, "Y-yeah. That."

She'd tried to brush it off as teasing. It was teasing. But she'd opted not to put much thought into how much truth was behind it. Only that, maybe, there was some. Because Cliff is right. They hadn't much talked about it. She almost felt afraid to talk about it, like something would come apart on her if they did, though what she doesn't know. She doesn't know if it's their friendship, even if she does feel relief when he says that's still firmly in place.

All the same, another nervous laugh breaks from her and her eyes stay down on the floor. Her face stays red.

"You, um, you didn't ask me. Imaginary me must be pretty happy for all the attention," She jokes. She swallows her nerves. "Did you want me to be?"

[awooligan]

Wow. She should probably punch him? He thinks she should punch him. This is a gross oversight on his part and, like, sure, he'd refrained from asking over text because it was more important than that, and he hadn't wanted to end a video call prematurely on an awkward note... Okay, looking at it from that angle, it makes sense to him, but now that he's right next to her, after flying across the world? What would an awkward note put an ending to now?

But she looks like she feels just as nervous as he does, and she said imaginary her must be happy. She looks really pretty when she laughs. He likes her a lot, and that thought hits him for maybe the twentieth time today after too many times for him to have kept track of since he met her. Cliff swallows hard.

"Yeah. I, uh, really want you to be. Do you? Want to be my girlfriend?"

[kept_his_letters]

She wouldn't very much like to punch him. It would probably hurt them both and make them both upset at that. Besides that, it's hardly his fault. She'd kissed his cheek. She'd... needed to thank him somehow, some way more than just saying thanks. It needed to be more and then... then she was going to go. She was going to run away and then go back home and, truth be told, she'd kind of assumed he'd forget her. Maybe not right away, but eventually. And it would be okay and they would have been friends and she'd treasure what was. Life would go on.

Thinking about it, it was kind of how things might have gone with her Papá. If music hadn't been banned, if she'd been allowed that quiet but fading memory, if he'd never come back for that brief time... Mamá had never wanted to be the mournful maiden of fairytales and though she didn't like what happened instead, Coco wouldn't have wanted to be like that either. She would've allowed the memory to be and go as new memories were lain over. She realizes it's how she expected to be thought of too, one day lost in the layers of memory, neither an act of malice nor completely out of mind. Just a very small piece of someone's big life.

But Papá had come home for her. Mamá had always held her tight, even when she disappointed her. Cliff didn't just let go. She wonders why, but, she doesn't want to ask. She wants to answer.

"Yes," She says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "That would be really nice."

[awooligan]

"Oh."

????? why did he say that

Cliff goes to clear his throat, but he's interrupted by a laugh that's both nerves and happiness as oh it settles in again that she's said yes. She wants to be his girlfriend, and being his girlfriend would even be nice, as unbelievable as that is to hear. He glances away from her, brushing his knuckle to his nose like maybe that will be enough to sweep his blush away or hide his embarrassing, giddy grin. It's not. He doesn't want to not look at her much longer, so...he decides it doesn't matter, and he turns his smile over to her again and lifts his other hand to touch the back of her arm in a sort of invitation. Not that he really knows what it is he's inviting.

"Okay. Good, that's...really good." That established, "So, uh, does what happens in secret base stay in secret base, or...? I mean, not that I'm say we would announce it or whatever. Unless you wanted to! I...guess."

Help.

[kept_his_letters]

He so very carefully avoids contact. It's not something she's ever seen anyone do, really. People in her town, complete strangers even, would be familiar as old friends. But she's tried to mind differences and mind him too, as much because she wants to be kind as that she wants to be kind to him.

Perhaps it's because of that that such a little touch could send her heart racing. It makes her breath catch and her eyes fix on him, wondering and wondering what's to come next, if anything at all. Maybe if will be more of the same as they've been. Maybe everything will be different. She leans in either way.

"We don't have to announce it. Or keep it secret. We can just... keep it. Say it if we feel like or not. Is that okay?"

[awooligan]

That's a relief, too. Just because things were a little different, it didn't mean things had to change. They'd comfortably do what they wanted at their own pace -- maybe a little longer, thanks to his introverted nature, but not too long, hopefully. "Yeah. Okay."

His eyes fall to her lips, but the thought makes him flush even harder. The flip-flop in his heart is oddly pleasant, but there's another, less comfortable one in his gut as the familiar voice inside reminds him that he isn't the same as she is. He had a mouth that was also fangs and blight. Not safe... Never mind everything he's been told about only being a risk while turned into a wolf. What if!!!

Cliff swallows and looks away again, instead trailing his fingers down her arm to rest his hand next to hers. Maybe when he had a little more confidence. It wasn't like he was in a rush -- it was just the first day!

"So...we'll meet back here again later, when there's more time? I don't know what getting the mist is going to be like, but if I can help... You know. I want to hang out with you more up here, and..."

[kept_his_letters]

Her breath is held. She waits, her gaze fixed on him. But, ultimately, nothing comes of it. His gaze falls away and his hand doesn't even clasp hers. She feels disappointed for a moment, but only that. It would have been too much, too fast for him. She can understand. She smiles in a way she hopes is reassuring.

"Yes," She says with a nod. "Hopefully. You never know how crazy things are going to be."

But, if nothing else, she would find a way to make some time. A little lie for her family never hurt anything. Much.

"We should probably head out in case they've come back though. So it stays a secret."

[awooligan]

His own nod is small, gaze trailing the different piles in the attic to give himself something to focus on and keep him from kicking himself for both considering kissing her and not just going for it. Both things were terrible, obviously, and he's not allowed to win.

She was absolutely right, though -- there was no telling how crazy things were going to be. Something that might help is making sure they're where they're supposed to be, not doing anything they're not supposed to be doing.

"Yeah. Probably." As unwilling as he is to end their time alone together, he's more unwilling to lose out on future opportunities to do so, so he pushes himself onto his feet and holds his hand out to her. He can manage this much with her, shyness and fears be damned. He'd chickened out a lot, outside of the flying cat. "Come on. You can show me other places, for now."

[kept_his_letters]

She's a little surprised when he offers his hand, but in a moment, she beams. There's no hesitation in taking it and she rises to her feet with him.

"Happily."


They don't get too far before the chaos returns. She shows her garden and she shows him her room-- another humble little thing, simple pictures on the walls, embroidered pillows, a bedside table, an old doll on a shelf where a tiara of paper flowers also sits, and the closet in which she hides her Tíos' funnier inventions, not to mention a makeshift superhero costume of spider theme which she laughingly says she made when that other boy was staying with her, before they'd moved to a city someplace else.

She shoves the costume away when she hears Pepita land outside the window, then she's running to the gate. Even now, even with company, she races to the front door and when her Papá steps through the gate, she runs to him with arms wide and he catches her. They hug, he kisses her, and neither let go, as if it were more than a mere hour apart.

Teto looks around the place. There's a little redness in his eyes, but it's fading, proof that whatever got into his system has at least settled for the moment. He takes the place in with awe.

Then Imelda steps forward. She places a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder, but speaks to him sternly.

"Now rest."

"Ay, mi amor, but you must know the pain I feel to leave you now. To part from you--"

There's a hint of red to Imelda's cheeks as she counters, "And it will be for much longer if you do not go."

He grins, then reaches for her hands, kisses her, and steps to the house.

"¡Buenos días, mi familial!" He calls back. "And you too, Cliff. Have fun!"

Imelda, exasperated, shoos her husband through the door before turning back to help her brothers with the luggage.

[awooligan]

Being in a girl's room is weird, even when he reminds himself that they used to stay in the same room. Her stories take his mind off that fact, bringing him to the present, which is the perfect time to be teasing her over being a nerd. At least she's a really cute nerd.

He'd looked up a second before her, hearing Pepita's wings, but he still trails along behind her at a more casual pace, leaning in the doorway to watch with an amused, fond smile. He shakes his head at Héctor's ridiculousness, passing by him with a wave on his way over to Teto to gently nudge him with an elbow. You good, kiddo...

Mili's great, at least, running to quickly catch up to their dad so they can coax him down and kiss him on the cheek before padding over and lightly tugging at Imelda's skirt. "Mamá! I can help, too! Can I help?" Because they will absolutely load themself up with everything and march it into the house, if given the opportunity. Them strong.

Once reunited with his luggage, Cliff carefully unzips it just enough that he can peer inside and feel assured that it all survived the trip just fine. Without removing anything else, he pulls something wrapped up in brown packing paper and awkwardly tilts it in Imelda's direction. It's a jar with a small sprig rooted inside.

"Uh, since he's gone to rest... Mr. Rivera was convinced these would have some kind of magical property, because they're kind of weird. I've only ever seen them in Podunk." Also it's Valentine's, sort of, and she's hosting him, so??? "They're blue roses. Or will be, I guess, when they grow -- uh, can I help you?"

Because Mili's back and trying to sniff at the jar, but the way they're leaning in only makes Cliff lean away, as uncomfortable as they are curious.