SWEET ((JOHNNY))

[marley]

[style=background: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #d8d7e4; text-align: left; letter-spacing: 2px; width: 390px; padding: 5px; margin-bottom: -3px; text-transform: uppercase;]ahhhh, you're my best friend

[/style][style=background-color: #262626; width: 390px; padding: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #565656;text-align: justify;]Standing on her tip toes, Marley peered over the shoulders of the people clustered around a fruit stand, trying to get a good look at the peaches beyond. With summer grinding to an end, she wanted to get her hands on some peaches to take home to her mother: the woman positively worshipped the fuzzy fruit. Unable to get them recently on the base, she often sent Marley on excursions to retrieve them, but this time Marley was acting on her own behalf. Since she was living on campus at the university, a chance to be on her own even though her parents lived just across town, she had the freedom to wander the streets and she'd lucked up with this fruit stand.

Sliding between two tourists, she ordered a bag of peaches and quickly evacuated as more indecisive shoppers piled in, threatening to trap her. Thankfully, her slender, athletic build allowed her to escape with her life. Happily biting into one of the juicy fruits, she ambled along through the outdoor trinket shops of the marketplace. At one relatively deserted booth, she spotted a remarkable little shining thing and purchased it straight away. The necklace was simple with nothing more than an exquisitely crafted silver sword wound tightly by a golden rose that bloomed at the top of the pendant. It was unique and probably a bit strange for a girl viewed by society as a 'cheerleader' type, but Marley had a unique taste. Perhaps that was how she'd managed to become best friends with a jock and a lone wolf when she was in high school.

She would marvel at the oddities of her life if they had ever felt odd to her. However, she felt her life was exactly as it should be, so she never questioned the people she'd been blessed to grow up with. Her father had been in the military since before she was born, and she'd grown up in military housing on the Coast Guard base on the coast. As a little girl, her hair had been markedly more blond, like her father's, but as she'd grown up it had taken on a darker, almost auburn at times, hue like her mother. As a child, she'd been a Goldilocks type that even the men on the base enjoyed dressing up and playing with. She had been a living doll baby, and her jovial personality drew people to her. However, she never managed to have female friends, and she'd always been more comfortable around boys. They intimidated her less than girls.

Swinging her legs forward and walking in a mildly duck-like fashion, she migrated toward one of the cafes on the line of outdoor vendors. Ordering a sweet tea, she straightened her short black skirt and sat at a picnic table with the sun shining on her feet. Her blond and brown streaked hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. With summer closing and fall on its way, the breeze was a bit chilly, and she was thankful for the layers she wore. Admittedly, she would miss her tan and the summer sun, but autumn meant her birthday was coming, and she loved her birthday with a childlike intensity many people teased her for. She could already see it: her parents and her father's colleagues (men and women she'd known since birth) gathering in a room on the base and leaping out to yell, "SURPRISE!" as she came in, pretending to be shocked by their sudden appearance. It was an annual tradition that she wouldn't surrender for the world.

When her food order arrived at her table, the people nearby eyed her strangely, but she ignored them. She always ordered her dessert first. It was much more fun that way. Taking a deep spoonful of her butter pecan ice cream, she licked the spoon and smiled amiably at the nearby guests who hastily looked away when they realized she'd noticed them.

Pulling her cellphone out of her purse, she pulled up her contacts and opened Johnny's information. She sent him a hasty text. SO BORED. MEET AT QUINCY MARKET STAT. Of course, he could ignore her and she wouldn't care - she'd just assume he was wooing one of the many blondes who seemed to gravitate toward him like he was a magnet - but she hoped he would come. She'd been lonely lately, and they hadn't properly caught up since he'd returned from California. She missed her best friend.

STARRING: JOHNNY | LOCATION: QUINCY MARKET | OUTFIT: YEP | NOTES: SHE TURNED OUT MORE QUIRKY THAN I INTENDED, AND I HAVE NO REGRETS |

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[JOHNNY MICHELANGELO GIANCOLA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, background-color: 6B9591; width: 420px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border: 10px solid #EDE290;] two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl marley kaine - 617 - wish you were here by pink floyd Yawning, Johnny stretched his arms above his head before turning slightly and eyeing the blond next to him. He wasn’t normally one to take someone home, but he couldn’t help it. Halloween brought out the half dress girls and he could barely resist himself when this blond threw himself at him. It had been forever since he had let himself act like a normal bachelor, but it had been a while since he had acted normal in general. His mind was haunted by the images of his sister and he tried so hard to act as though it didn’t bother him. That was what was best for him and his family, and that was the reality. He buried his feeling right next to the sense of abandonment that Vienna had caused after moving back to England. His life, over the last couple of weeks, sucked. The blond rolled over and began to nip at his neck, causing Johnny to become slightly annoyed. No, he wasn’t into this whole ‘another round’ thing. Last night was last night and gently, Johnny removed himself from her grip. The girl pouted before beginning to change, and Johnny mumbled something about making coffee and breakfast for the two. He wasn’t good at kicking people out of his house, so he simply began treating her like she was a normal guest. Sliding a pair of underwear and jeans over his legs, he made his way into the kitchen, running his fingers through his hair. His cell phone blinked, allowing him to know that he had a message. Making his way over, he took a quick glance and smiled at the notion that Marley had texted him. Ever since he moved back to Boston, she had been all over hanging out. Not that it was a bad thing, considering it was an awesome distraction. Within the hour, the blond was out the door, breakfast was finished and a grocery list was composed. He had typed back a response, saying he’d be there within the hour, and he was true to his word. Quincy Market wasn’t too far of a walk, and Johnny figured he could convince Marley to help him buy some healthy food. He defiantly needed to start being a little healthier, and stop chowing down on bad foods when he had the munchies. As Johnny walked, he made a mental reminded to call his dealer. His stash was getting low and he needed to get a little bit more before the weekend officially hit, because that was his wild time. Biting his cheek, Johnny also knew he could convince Marley to tell him what she wanted for her birthday, considering that he still remembered it. He remembered everything about her and it pleased him to know that they were still as close as they once were. She was the head cheerleader; he was the head quarterback and people used to tell him that they were meant to be. Neither believed it, but he still cherished their friendship. His eyes glanced over the restaurant that Marley had mentioned to him, and his eyes fell onto her brown hair. A small smirk appeared on his lips, and he sauntered his way over to her seat. Without saying a word, Johnny sat down across from her and grinned delightfully at her. ”Hey Marls! Long time no see!” he teased, ruffling his hair with his eyes. The waitress almost immediately came over and asked if he’d like anything, and he ordered a soda and some dessert as well. He always ordered the sweets when he was with Marley, purely because she made everything sweeter. ”I see you haven’t kicked the sweets since I’ve last seen you.” oh how we found the same old fears TEMPLATE BY BROOKE~

[marley]

[style=background: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #d8d7e4; text-align: left; letter-spacing: 2px; width: 390px; padding: 5px; margin-bottom: -3px; text-transform: uppercase;]ahhhh, you're my best friend

[/style][style=background-color: #262626; width: 390px; padding: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #565656;text-align: justify;]She was busy laughing at the awkward guests around her and didn't notice Johnny had arrived until she heard his familiar voice. Glancing up, she swallowed her latest spoonful of ice cream and leapt up from her chair to greet him. She squealed in delight and threw her arms around his neck, making the people nearby stare once again but she didn't care. Releasing him, she pranced back to her chair and smiled brightly at him as he settled across from her.

"It's been too long, Johnny," she admitted, pouting and slapping him playfully on the arm. "You're all tan and beautiful, as always." She winked and smiled, spooning herself some more ice cream as the waitress asked for his order. She enjoyed how relaxed she felt around Johnny. He was gorgeous - she wasn't blind - but she'd never felt pressured to impress him. He was easygoing and friendly, and she'd bonded to him instantly because they were similar in that fashion. Being in the popular crowd in school had also kept them close, but he'd never pressured her into dating him or doing anything she didn't want to do. She never assumed he was even attracted to her, and always figured he preferred blondes. It didn't hurt her feelings because very few things did. Johnny was her friend, just as Leo was her friend, and she cherished them both.

She ran her hand down her ponytail to straighten it and then smiled as he queried her about the ice cream. "Of course not!" she replied, aghast. "It's better than crack." It was a joke, and she didn't notice his discomfort as she swallowed the last spoonful of butter pecan.

Setting her spoon down on the napkin beside her bowl, she steepled her fingers and rested her chin on her fingertips as she examined him, her brows drawn together. "How was California? Was it awesome? And why didn't you take me with you? You know I love the beach, and I've wanted to see the Pacific Ocean my entire life, you jerk." Giggling lightly, she leaned out of the way as the waitress retrieved the dirty bowl and spoon. Although she took life easily, she knew it affected others much differently than it affected her. She could tell by the worry lines around his handsome blue eyes that life hadn't treated him well since she'd last seen him. Even though it had only been months since they'd seen one another, he had changed. When he'd been in town before leaving for several months, he'd been happily dating a British girl. They hadn't seen each other much then since he was a girlfriend kind of guy: he closed off the rest of his life whenever he dated someone. Marley didn't mind though, and she'd been thankful he was happy.

Then he'd disappeared to California, supposedly to move the rest of his belongings back to Boston after the years he'd spent there, and she hadn't heard any more from Vienna either. Since they'd been out of contact for a while, other than those childhood ties remaining between them, she didn't know the details of his personal life. Still, as she sat across from him - all bronzed and blond and beautiful - she felt as at ease around him as she always had. Marley was never known to be an awkward person, and she fell into her old routines easily. There was no sense in including awkward tension in one's life. That was her mantra.

STARRING: JOHNNY | LOCATION: QUINCY MARKET | OUTFIT: YEP | NOTES: I HOPE IT'S ALRIGHT |

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[JOHNNY MICHELANGELO GIANCOLA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, background-color: 6B9591; width: 420px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border: 10px solid #EDE290;] two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl marley kaine - 682 - wish you were here by pink floyd She wrapped her arms around him, and Johnny pretended to be tossed off balance. His arms wrapped around her waist and he hoisted her off her feet, almost as though they were lovers finally reunited. They weren’t, however, but her arrival brought tons of emotions. Johnny finally did not feel alone, finally believed that he could be ok and return to the normalcy he once had. A few people stared at the two, but he could care less. There was at least once person that actually gave a damn about him now. ”And you, m’lady, are just as dashing as always,” he teased, pressing a sloppy kiss onto her cheek. He sat down across from her and leaned into the chair. ”And you should have visited me in California. It was beautiful and you would have loved it.” Marley was beautiful, a natural beauty, and he wasn’t blind. But he grew up with her, remembered her awkward stage and helped kick any guy’s ass that messed with her. That was the reality of their relationship, and Johnny wouldn’t change it for the world. Marley was his best friend, and without her, he had no idea whom he would have become. Granted, she had no idea of the challenges he was facing, but that wasn’t her fault. He didn’t want to talk about his broken heart and his slight addiction with anyone. Besides, Marley knew about his sister…she had to. Their parents talked all the time and it would be surprising if they didn’t know. An awkward smile crossed his face, and he acted as though nothing bothered him. In reality, he was sure she was unaware of his problem. It wasn’t something he was going to mouth all over the place, but it was something he was planning on keeping a secret. She wouldn’t approve, and he was certain none of his other friends would either. His eyes drifted down to his bowl of ice cream that had appeared suddenly. Honestly, he hadn’t hated California…it was everything else that had followed. Everything since he had gotten back seemed to go down the shitter, and he hated it. Marley knew about Vienna, and he knew he had to mention exactly what had happened. ”Cali was amazing…loved everything about it. And you should’ve! You should’ve studied abroad in Cali with me and we could have done everything awesomely!” he did the ‘hang ten’ sign and pretended to flip his hair out of his face like the surfer boys did. ”But not nearly as awesome as Boston. I missed my girl,” he winked before getting quiet. The words were at the tip of his tongue, and Johnny suddenly had word vomit. ”Vienna had come back with me, but then she moved back to England without telling me. And you heard that Allison died, right? She got in a car accident a couple weeks after I moved back here…” his voice trailed off and he looked back at his ice cream. No, he didn’t necessarily want to tell her how much his life sucked, but Marley was his best friend. He had to tell her, because if he didn’t, then he would feel like he was hiding things from her. That was the worse feeing in the world. An awkward cough escaped his lips and he gave her a small smile. ”But enough about my depressing life, how are you? How’s your life goals and the line of suitors I have to kill because their douche bags?” he teased, running his fingers through his hair. Johnny hated how weak he was feeling, even around Marley, and he suddenly wanted to light up the joint that was in his pocket. He resisted though, believing that this wasn’t the moment to introduce Marley to his new habits. No, instead it was the moment to focus on reviving the friendship that he had lost. Marley was important to him, more important to him then Vienna had ever been…the difference was Vienna broke his heart, while he knew Marley would never do that to him. No, she couldn’t and wouldn’t. oh how we found the same old fears TEMPLATE BY BROOKE~

[marley]

[style=background: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #d8d7e4; text-align: left; letter-spacing: 2px; width: 390px; padding: 5px; margin-bottom: -3px; text-transform: uppercase;]ahhhh, you're my best friend

[/style][style=background-color: #262626; width: 390px; padding: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #565656;text-align: justify;]"Pffft," she mumbled as he called her dashing. "You, on the other hand, have turned into a very handsome man in these past few months. What is it with guys disappearing and then reappearing beautiful? What is your secret?" she demanded playfully, winking back at him. Although she was more immune to his natural good looks than most women, she wasn't completely clueless. She'd always teased him about how he looked - the classic golden boy with his dirty blond hair, dirty blond hair, and athletic build - but she didn't ignore how beautiful he was. That was really the only way to describe Johnny. He was prettier than Leo, and attractive in an entirely different way. They'd grown up in the same social circles in school, and she related to him in that way much better than she related to Leo.

She saw a shadow pass over his face, and she bit her bottom lip as he looked away from her. One thing she couldn't handle was her friends being upset. She considered it her job to brighten up the lives of those around her, especially her closest friends. She hoped she was a bright spot in the lives of the people she spent time around, and seeing Johnny upset even just a little bit made her feel as if she'd failed in some way.

When he mimicked a surfer dude, however, she giggled uncontrollably. His looks made him look like someone who had just walked out of a tourist magazine, but his personality was nothing like a surfer bum. "I wish I could have," she replied smoothly, "But life was crazy here." Her life hadn't been as complicated as his, but she'd been driven crazy by school. Becoming a doctor was just as hard as everyone imagined it would be, probably even more so.

Hearing his voice drop, she glanced up at him and saw him wink. There was a sadness behind that look, and she smiled sadly over at him. "I missed you too, and I'm glad you're back," she answered honestly. She watched him worriedly as words suddenly poured out of his mouth. She'd known most of what he confessed to her, but she didn't know the details, and her heart broke as his words washed over her. Her face fell and she sucked in a sharp breath.

Impulsively, she rose from her chair and rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck and stumbling into his lap as she hugged him tightly. Tears welled in her caramel brown eyes as she felt his pain. "I'm so sorry, Johnny," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Being an only child, she could only imagine how hard it would be to lose a sibling. She imagined it would hurt as badly as losing him or Leo, and she didn't want to think about such horrible things. She would lose a piece of herself if she ever lost either of them.

As she pulled away from him, she was suddenly aware of how close they were, and she realized her impetuousness had carried her too far yet again. Rising swiftly, she straightened her black skirt and glided back to her chair. She stared down at her empty half of the table as he cleared his throat awkwardly. Her cheeks turned a hint of red, but she looked up at him as he began speaking once again. What was wrong with her? She was losing her mind lately. First, she'd gotten those funny feelings with Leo, and now she was getting all flushed because she'd sat in Johnny's lap. Ugh, she needed to get out more and stop studying all the time.

Marley rolled her eyes as he mentioned suitors. "Oh, there are just tons. You're gonna have to claim back what's yours," she winked playfully, crossing her legs at the knee and settling comfortably into her chair. Shrugging her shoulders, she addressed his other question. "School has been crazy. I think I'm losing my mind. My roommate isn't as good at taking me out to get fresh air like you are."

Sighing audibly, she shifted her weight, leaning onto the table and resting her chin in her upturned hand. "I have two major tests this upcoming week, and I'm so unprepared." Realizing she'd been rambling about herself, she smiled slightly. "I'm really boring. Just the same old Marley from before you left. Maybe if you'd taken me with you, I wouldn't be so boring." She chuckled to herself and then grew sober, reaching across the table to gently grab his hand.

"I'll understand if you need some time," she commented quietly, squeezing his fingers with her smaller hand, "I can't imagine what you're going through, but what Vienna did to you is especially horrible. Without even a warning? Ugh, and to think I liked her." She rolled her eyes, acting the role of supportive best friend with a coy smile on her face.

STARRING: JOHNNY | LOCATION: QUINCY MARKET | OUTFIT: YEP | NOTES: SHE'S FEELING VERY PLAYFUL TODAY XD |

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[JOHNNY MICHELANGELO GIANCOLA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, background-color: 6B9591; width: 420px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border: 10px solid #EDE290;] two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl marley kaine - 682 - wish you were here by pink floyd Johnny crinkled his nose. Honestly, he didn’t find himself all that attractive. Yes, he looked and acted like the all American boy, but he never understood the appeal that it had on girls. He just thought he was an average guy doing what average guys should be doing. That was about it. ”Aw shucks, Mar. I don’t think I’m that cute and adorable. I think it’s the drinking water in California, but I’m not quite sure.” he teased ”But there has to be something in the Boston water if you’ve grown up. I bet you’re going to be one of those hot doctors that everyone wants to have” and it would probably be the truth. People loved attractive people, and Marley was far from ugly. She was attractive on the inside and the outside and he was glad to call her his friend. He knew that she knew he was struggling and upset. It wasn’t hard for Marley to know what he was feeling at all times because she knew him. Hell, she knew him better then he knew himself sometimes and he knew that he could trust her with anything that was bothering him. That being said, there were some things that he never wanted to tell her because she was Marley. She wouldn’t judge, but he never wanted to feel the pity from her. Pity from Marley was like getting pity from a dog; it was never ending. There had been so many moments that Johnny wished she had been with him. But he understood better than anyone else that becoming a doctor was everything she hoped and wanted in life. He would never drag her away from her school work. ”Oh yes, Doctor Marley. You’re the smarty pants out of us and I always forget you have more homework…do you ever have fun?” he mentioned, having another bite of his desert. Marley did, but he liked teasing her. His feelings of life overtook the conversation and he felt her wrap her arms around him. Honestly, he wasn’t emotional and knew that he had to tell Marley about what was going on. She had to have known already, but it felt better knowing that he had told her what he knew…not that he knew much. His life had been so happy not too long ago, and now Johnny could see himself being miserable for the rest of his life. Things like that happened and he knew that there was nothing anyone could do about it. He had never been able to deal with pain, normally pushing it aside and pretending as though nothing ever mattered. Now that there were so many things happening at once, he was on overload and could feel himself slowly drowning. The drugs just made him numb and he could relax and act as though everything was alright just for a little while. Marley was so close, and he buried his face into his hair for the moments they were together. But she pulled away, and in a way, he understood. They had never been more than friends but sometimes acted as though they were more than friends. Honestly, there would be nothing wrong with dating her, but it would be like kissing his sister. Marley was too important and when Johnny and she got into the awkward stage of always looking like a couple, an awkward pause would normally follow. His blue eyes glanced at her and noticed the flushed look that she was sporting. He wondered what had created that, and wondered if she was feeling something more. God, he hoped that they could just be friends…that was what he needed. Johnny just wanted a friend he could trust and rely on. Johnny put a tough look on his face. ”I can kill anyone with my bare hands. Arg! Or I could always threaten them with the police force behind my back” he winked, feeling the awkwardness subside. One of the things Johnny was glad to have left behind in California and in college was the roommate and he understood Marley. ”Can’t say I’m glad to be living on my room and not sharing a house. People are dirty and I like my own apartment.” ”Screw the tests. You’re one of the smartest people I know and I know you’ll kick ass. Just remember; if you fail, I can kill the professor. That way you automatically pass.” he teased, and he shrugged. ”You could ramble all day and I wouldn’t have a problem. I love hearing about your day to day struggles in college, even though it isn’t the real world just yet. And you should have come with me. We would have been wreaking havoc.” ”She broke my heart.” He simply stated, feeling how heavy the words felt on his tongue. She had, and he knew it. There was the biggest and darkest spot in his heart right now. ”Aw thank, Mar, defending my honor. But she’s gone and I can’t change that. There’s nothing I can do.” oh how we found the same old fears TEMPLATE BY BROOKE~

[marley]

[style=background: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #d8d7e4; text-align: left; letter-spacing: 2px; width: 390px; padding: 5px; margin-bottom: -3px; text-transform: uppercase;]ahhhh, you're my best friend

[/style][style=background-color: #262626; width: 390px; padding: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #565656;text-align: justify;]As she recovered her dignity from her impulsive hug attack, she was relieved to see Johnny had maintained his friendly banter with her. The last thing she wanted was awkwardness between them, and she honestly knew her reaction to him hadn't been his fault. It was Leo's fault. She couldn't stop thinking about him kissing her, and she wished she could just focus. She supposed a part of her was worried the same thing would happen with Johnny, but he was so smoothly calm as he teased about taking our her 'suitors' with his brute force.

She giggled at the imagery and inwardly thanked the heavens that she had him as her friend. She couldn't handle more weird feelings than the ones she already felt after Leo had returned home the other day. And that was when she realized her real reason for wanting to see her golden haired best friend. They'd play-acted as if they were dating in the past, always entertained by people thinking they were dating although they never were. An idea sprang to her mind, one that had been lingering beneath the surface of her consciousness since the morning she'd woken up to find Leo sleeping soundly beside her. Nothing more had happened after the kiss, and she'd told him she'd rather just forget it, but she couldn't. He had probably long since erased it from his mind, but she couldn't.

Pushing her spiraling thoughts about Leo out of her mind, she wrinkled her nose and shook her head as Johnny vowed she would pass all of her tests (and if she didn't then he would just take care of her professors so she'd pass anyway). "You would turn into a vigilante for me?" she asked with an amused smile, "How romantic." She was kidding, and she knew now he would understand that. Their familiar relationship had returned, and she was grateful she could joke around about romance without it being true. If only it had stayed that simple and light with Leo.

"Maybe I should have," she admitted, wishing for a moment that she had taken him up on his offer to go to California. Then maybe she would be feeling differently than she did now. She needed to get away from her life. She was getting too comfortable, and that made things like the other night happen.

"I need your help, Johnny," she bleated the moment he confirmed there was nothing she could do to help him heal from Vienna's damage. Her big brown eyes turned to look up at him, and she smiled apologetically, biting her bottom lip. "You can say no, but I could really use your assistance."

"Remember how we used to pretend we were dating, in high school, so unfavorable suitors would leave us alone?" she asked. Leo's not an unfavorable suitor, and you know it. That's why you're running from him, her subconscious chided her, but she ignored it. "I kinda need you to help me do that again. But I totally understand if you don't want to after what happened with Vienna and all that."

STARRING: JOHNNY | LOCATION: QUINCY MARKET | OUTFIT: YEP | NOTES: POOR CONFLICTED LITTLE MARLS |

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[JOHNNY MICHELANGELO GIANCOLA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, background-color: 6B9591; width: 420px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border: 10px solid #EDE290;] two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl marley kaine - 682 - wish you were here by pink floyd Not that he would ever admit it, but when they were in high school, Johnny had briefly imagined what it would be like to make his friendship with Marley something more. They had grown up together and it almost seemed as though people thought they were destined to be together, when really, they weren’t. She was simply his best friend, and every once in a while, he wondered what it would be like to kiss her. Johnny wasn’t ready for anything serious, whether with Marley or without, but it was a thought. He was sure that a similar thought crossed her mind every once in a while, because honestly, two people that were as close as they were could not help wondering the what ifs. At the same time, he would never want to lose her as a friend; at this point, Marley was all that he had left in his life and he wanted to keep what was normal around for as long as possible. Marley represented normalcy in his life, and Johnny was determined to keep that as close as possible. One of the only other people Johnny could picture Marley with was a boy he had met when he was younger named Leo. While he wasn’t necessarily Leo’s biggest fan, he could see that Marley trusted the boy with every fiber of her being, and that was good enough for him. He was willing to protect her from whatever he could, but at the same time, he knew that he couldn’t protect her from everything. Some things were to develop out of his control, and he could only sit back and watch as things unfolded. That, he supposed, was what Marley did when he jumped from relationship to relationship, hoping to find the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Laughing, he nodded. ”Guuuuuurl, I would do anything for you,” he said, trying to make his voice flamboyant but failing. He would do anything for her. ”And I know, I’m just a cheesy and hopeless romantic when it comes to the women in my life,” he teased, giving her a sly smile. But, as Johnny looked at her, there was something that was deeply bothering his best friend. It was not something he would push, but he knew that she would mention it eventually. That was how their friendship worked; complete honesty. ”Well, I may be heading back to Cali for a week for business, and you’re more than welcome to tag along. I should be heading back during December before Christmas, but if you wanna come, I can swing a free ticket you way,” Johnny offered, knowing that the stress school gave her was probably part of the reason why she never looked relaxed and always looked worried. He wanted her to relax and realize that it was possible to have fun in life. Putting on his listening ears, Johnny listened to Marley. Ah, there was someone trying to win over her heart and she was having none of it. Obviously the boy after her affection was not worthy of it, and Johnny would help in any way possible. There was only one thing that bothered him; that he wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind to date. His heart still ached at the thought of Vienna, and he had had a couple of women spend the night in his apartment over the last couple of weeks…well, two women, if that counted as a lot. He didn’t like seducing women, but knew that if he was any sort of friend, he would help Marley. ”You have an unfavorable suitor? Well, as your husband and best friend, I must get unworthy suitor away. What’s the idiot’s name?” oh how we found the same old fears TEMPLATE BY BROOKE~

[marley]

[style=background: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #d8d7e4; text-align: left; letter-spacing: 2px; width: 390px; padding: 5px; margin-bottom: -3px; text-transform: uppercase;]ahhhh, you're my best friend

[/style][style=background-color: #262626; width: 390px; padding: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #565656;text-align: justify;]She knew her thoughts about Leo and the kiss were getting out of control as she noticed Johnny's slight frown. He was too polite to bring it up to her, but he noticed her uneasiness. Then he mentioned taking her to California with him, and she felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect. That was exactly what she needed: some time away with someone she felt perfectly comfortable with. She needed to avoid these awkward feelings she had for Leo, and what better way to do that than across the country? Besides, she definitely needed to get out more. She blamed her indiscretion in kissing Leo back on being cooped up far too much. It certainly couldn't be anything more.

"I'd like that, actually," she confirmed, shrugging her shoulders slightly in appreciation for his offer. She also wanted to make sure her friend was okay, and she knew Johnny was hurting far more than he let on. She'd known him far too long not to read his signs. His words were light and bouncy, but his body language told her otherwise.

So as she proposed her idea to him, she instantly wished she could take it back. He was dealing with enough already with the loss of his sister and then Vienna. He didn't need to be in the middle of her drama in addition to all of that. But he'd done this sort of thing before, and he willing obliged her, joking about being her husband and best friend. She giggled at his joke, and then she heard him ask what the name of the guy was. Her breath caught in her throat and she almost choked, coughing and trying to play it off as no big deal.

"Oh, it's just some guy," she fed him, knowing he wouldn't just let it hang at that. So she decided to stick with a grain of truth without admitting she was beginning to feel weird things when she thought about Leo. "Elias is his name, I think," she commented offhandedly, knowing Johnny didn't know Leo well enough to know that was his middle name. She blushed slightly and averted her gaze before forcing herself to look confidently up at him with a small smile. "Thank you for this, Johnny. I owe you big time."

Shifting her weight, she crossed to his side of the table and took his hand, pulling him up from his chair and looping her arm through his elbow as they stepped out into the sunlight. "So where should we go on our honeymoon?" she joked, elbowing him in the ribs. "I was thinking somewhere nice and obvious like... the mall. Not very romantic, I know, but alas, a girl has to shop to ease her mind!" she stated dramatically, acting faint before giggling.

STARRING: JOHNNY | LOCATION: QUINCY MARKET | OUTFIT: YEP | NOTES: XD |

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0

[JOHNNY MICHELANGELO GIANCOLA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, background-color: 6B9591; width: 420px; padding: 5 5 5 5px; border: 10px solid #EDE290;] two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl marley kaine - 682 - wish you were here by pink floyd Grinning, the idea that he was able to take his best friend to the place he had been living for quite some time excited him. He knew all the exciting tourist-filled places, and knew that she would love California almost as much as he had during his short stay there. The only notion was that the state was filled with the memories of his sister, and Johnny knew that he would have to accept what had happened and move on in order to truly have an enjoyable time in the state. Marley would make it worth it, and she was the best distraction he had ever met. Just the way she was able to change the subject so swiftly and not obvious was a talent in which he wished he possessed. ”Then it’s settled! We’ll do a week getaway during your winter break and have fun. I can show you all the snazzy places I used to hang out at all the time,” he said, his voice rising with excitement. It would be a nice distraction from the pressures of all the cases that he was being forced to deal with. Becoming a lawyer was defiantly not as easy as he once assumed, that was for sure. His eyebrows propelled upwards and he looked at Marley closely. The little twit was lying to him and thought he wouldn’t know. Of course she thought that, but he knew her well enough to know the little twitch that showed she was lying. Hell, he was sure she didn’t even know she twitched sometimes. And Elias was a stupid name; there was no way she would even be around someone with that name. Obviously he knew the poor bloke and Marley didn’t want him to kill him. Faces and names came to mind, but none of them were worthy enough to even beg for help, until a specific brunette male did. Leo was the only person that knew her as well as he did, and he was sure something was developing between the two. ”Liar liar pants on fire,” he teased, rolling his eyes. ”You paused. Liar. I know this person and I’ll find out who it is…my first guess is Leo.” he mentioned, taking a sip of water and eyeing Marley closely. All he needed was one sigh to show that she was lying and all would be well in the world. He would be able to get on his merry way. ”And you owe me big time, it’s just a matter of when I’ll come and collect my debt, missy,” he teased, sticking his tongue out at her. Gently drawn out of his chair, he rolled his eyes. ”I was thinking Paris, because I’ve never seen the Eiffel Tower, but I suppose the mall would do,” Johnny answered, giving a huff at the end of the statement. ”I’m not buying you any clothes, either. That does not fall under fake boyfriend duty.” oh how we found the same old fears TEMPLATE BY BROOKE~

[marley]

[style=background: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #d8d7e4; text-align: left; letter-spacing: 2px; width: 390px; padding: 5px; margin-bottom: -3px; text-transform: uppercase;]ahhhh, you're my best friend

[/style][style=background-color: #262626; width: 390px; padding: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #565656;text-align: justify;]She tried to allow her anticipation about going to California during winter break push her conflicted thoughts about Leo away, but it didn't work. She couldn't fully forget it, and she was beginning to imagine she never would. She had to find a way to distract herself and fast.

So when Johnny accused her of lying, her chest grew hot and her cheeks warmed. No, he couldn't figure this out. She didn't want him to know. But she'd underestimated the fact that he'd known her basically her entire life, and she was a horrible liar. When he claimed he knew the person, she shook her head, still in denial and trying to lead him away from the truth. "No, you don't. I already told you, it's just some guy," she drawled, smiling nonchalantly and waving him off.

Then he said Leo's name, and she knew her composure was failing miserably. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and she shook her head so hard it almost gave her a headache. "Leo! No! I mean... no," she repeated more calmly, rearranging her hands in her lap before forcing herself to look up at him. "Leo's just a friend like you. Nothing would ever happen between you and me, right? So why would you assume anything would happen with Leo?" She rolled her eyes, hoping she was successfully playing it off, but knowing she wasn't. She hated how Johnny could tell when she was lying. She had always been an honest person, but couldn't she just live in her shame of having felt something when Leo kissed her, alone? She needed to talk about it, but she didn't want to, and she felt uncomfortable talking about it with Johnny even if he agreed to be her fake boyfriend for that precise purpose.

She managed to laugh when he stuck his tongue out at her, promising to collect on her debt to him. She didn't mind, of course, and she was glad they'd gotten off of the topic of who her mystery suitor was. She took his arm with hers and laughed as he mentioned Paris, denying to buy her any clothing during their fake relationship. "That's not fair! If we go to Paris instead, can I have clothes there?!" she asked excitedly, imaginary hope in her tone. She released him and spread her arms wide as if painting a picture for him. "The Champs Elysee has great shopping all year-round, and it's sooo much more expensive than Boston. I change my mind, I wanna go there," she teased, ribbing him playfully.

STARRING: JOHNNY | LOCATION: QUINCY MARKET | OUTFIT: YEP | NOTES: YEAH SO MY POSTS SUCK XD |

TABLE BY AMETHYST @ DECIMATED DREAMS
PURPLESTRIPE93 @ CAUTION 2.0