1-4
1: Corona
Harrowhark and Gideon had always seemed a little strange. When they first met the two of them, everyone thought they were ex-girlfriends. If Coronabeth wasn’t so well-mannered, she would have laughed in Gideon’s face when she corrected her, “Um, Harrow and I have never dated, Corona, we just grew up in the same town.” Ianthe was not as well-mannered.
Still, she noticed the tension between them, every time Harrow shot Gideon a glare across the room, when they had rows about a seemingly unimportant topic. “So when me and Harrow were at high school-”
“Harrow and I.”
Gideon paused, “When Harrow and I were in high school we had this terrible math teacher, she sent me to detention every other week,”
“It might be, and this is just a guess, because you called her sugar every time you spoke to her?” Harrow looked at her with a look that many would judge as nonchalant, but Gideon recognized it as a ‘you’re such a fucking idiot, I want to kill you’ look. “Well, I didn’t remember her name!” Harrow could only roll her eyes at Gideon. “Yeah roll your eyes at me, baby, love it when you do that!” Corona giggled. The two of them were truly something.
2: Palamedes and Dulcinea
It wasn’t just Corona that noticed. Dulcinea and Palamedes spent quite a lot of time with Harrow during their classes, organic chemistry and such. Harrow was a remarkable student, always receiving high marks and would most likely be graduating at the top of their class. As brilliant as she was, she did sometimes neglect anything that might interfere with her studies. That included things like drinking water and eating food.
Harrow, Pal and Dulcie had been huddled up in their lab for hours every single day, working on their final project. It included extensive research, that alone had taken several weeks of preparation before they had actually started the project. Safe to say, their human needs were coming in second place. At least for Harrow. Palamedes and Dulcinea left at around six-thirty to get something to eat, Harrow having declined the offer to come with them. They knew better than to try to plead with her when she was knee-deep in research. So they left. They came back an hour later, to find Harrow in the same spot they’d left her in. The trio continued their work until someone knocked on their door. It was Gideon, holding a pizza box.
“I’m sorry to disturb you guys,” her smile was uneven, ever so charming, “well, actually I’m not.” She put the box down on the table in front of Harrow, “why are you here, Griddle?”
“Because, my sweet, I know for a fact that you are neglecting your need for sustenance right now! The pizza place is around the corner from my gym, no hassle at all,” she flashed Harrow a quick smile and laid her hand on her shoulder, “Eat up sugar, it’s a margarita.” Harrow rolled her eyes at the nickname and took a slice out of the box and ate it, then another. Gideon stayed for a bit to chat, then left. “If you’re not home by midnight I’ll come here and get you myself, Harrow!”
Pal and Dulcie exchanged knowing looks.
When Harrow had left, a few minutes before midnight, Palamedes finally voiced what they’d both been thinking since Gideon arrived.
“How long do you think, until they figure it out?”
Dulcinea laughed, “I think it’s sweet, how Gideon looks after her,” she blushed, “sometimes you love someone so much, without realising it, you know? It has to catch up with you.”
Palamedes nodded. He did know.
3: Camilla
Gideon tapped her pen against the front desk of the library. She worked there a couple of nights a week with Camilla. Gideon’s phone had died, the shitty battery had worn out months ago and Gideon still hadn’t kept the habit of keeping her charger with her. So here she was, phoneless, she’d probably have to walk home because her bus card was on her phone because she’d lose it if it was a physical card. This wasn’t the best shift she’d had. Normally she would get by just fine because she’d normally be stocking shelves and arranging their book displays, but not today. They were understaffed, so she was, unfortunately, manning the desk. She’d tried her best at The New Rho Times crossword puzzle, but she was always shit at them anyway. So she slumped down in her chair. Glancing over at the clock, she groaned. She was barely halfway through her shift. Camilla came over to pick up some books that Gideon had checked in earlier, when she still had her phone (she sighed sadly at the thought).
“What are you so down about? You look like that time Coronabeth forgot to ask for extra pickles on your burger.” Camilla remarked while she stacked the books on her cart. “My fucking phone died and I got a C on my physics exam, and you have an android so you can’t even lend me your charger and-”
“Gideon.”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up.”
Gideon groaned. “Just having a shit day, that’s all.” Camilla nodded and patted Gideon on the shoulder, “happens to the best of us.” Gideon felt a little better.
Time was moving so slowly, but at least Camilla had migrated to the front desk. Suddenly a dark blob appeared in the distance. Camilla recognized that dark blob anywhere,
“I thought Harrow left for break already?”
“Uh, no, we’re driving there together, figured it was easier since we’re both going home, why?”
Camilla nodded her head in Harrow’s direction, who was wearing all black, of course, but not her usual ensemble of sweatpants and a hoodie. She was wearing trousers, a button-up and a jacket, a tote bag adorned with skeletons hung from her shoulder and she had her regular studs in her ears. Gideon looked like her eyes could pop out of her skull at any point.
“Harrow! I’m surprised you’re even awake, thought you’d go into hibernation after those finals,” Harrow said nothing. She shoved her hand into her tote bag and pulled out a phone charger.
“You weren’t answering my messages, I figured that you didn’t have a charger, so here.”
Camilla raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Harrow wasn’t a person who often showed emotions towards other people, especially not feelings of affection. The only person who seemed to bring out this side of her was Gideon. Camilla didn’t like speculating about other people’s love lives but she wasn’t blind either. There was obviously something more than just a friendship there.
Harrow left after listening to Gideon’s ramblings about her terrible day and promising her that she’d help her go over what she’d missed on her physics test over break.
“Thank you for bringing the charger, my bone princess!” Gideon called after Harrow as she left, earning a fake-annoyed smile from the bone princess. Camilla suppressed a laugh.
4: Magnus and Abigail
Gideon had lived with Abigail and Magnus since she was nine. She’d been in the foster care system since she was a baby, moving from family to family until she finally settled with them. They’d adopted her two years later. They still lived in Dominicus, where Gideon had grown up. Now, they were always aware of Harrowhark’s presence in their daughter’s life but they were always unsure as to what their relationship was exactly. Were they friends? Did they hate each other? They weren’t quite sure. When Gideon called them to let them know that Harrowhark was going to join them for Thanksgiving dinner they were surprised, to say the least.
Gideon and Harrow drove home together. Well, Gideon drove, and Harrow slept. Harrow’s parents were out of the country, working, over Thanksgiving, so Gideon invited Harrow to spend the holiday with her family, and if she felt her stomach turn when she accepted, that wasn’t anything that she needed to tell anyone. She and Harrow were friends, she didn’t want her to be alone during the holidays. Simple as that. When they arrived at Harrow’s house she helped her take her bags inside. She’d actually never been inside the house. It stood at the edge of their town, a forest stretching out from the garden. The house itself was a Victorian mansion with black wood panelling on the outside. It was beautiful and elegant. It was very Harrow-y.
“So just call me tomorrow and I’ll pick you up,” Gideon stood on Harrow’s front porch with her hands in her pockets, “You sure you don’t want to come over for dinner tonight? Abigail is making lasagna and pie…” Harrow nodded.
“You really don’t have to worry about me, Gideon, I’m glad to be home for a few days.” Gideon sighed, “All right, but you know you can always come over ok?”
“I know.”
Gideon’s parents were ecstatic to see her, nearly tackling her when she walked in the door. “We missed you so much, dear,” Abigail was tearing up. It made Gideon tear up. “I missed you guys too,” she said, “when’s dinner?”
They had dinner a few hours later. Gideon could’ve eaten a whole pan of lasagna and still wanted more. Abigail’s cooking was second to none. She texted Harrow, just to make sure she knew that she was allowed to come over for dinner. She didn’t respond, which didn’t surprise Gideon, she was probably asleep. She sat down on the couch to watch Groundhog day with Magnus, a tradition of theirs. As the credits rolled Gideon picked up her phone
Marchioness of bones
hey.
Can you come over?
Griddle
Sure thing
Is everything good?
Gideon frowned at her phone. “Who are you texting?” Magnus asked her when he noticed the sour look on her face. “Oh, um… it’s just Harrow, I’m sure it’s nothing but I’m gonna go check just in case. I’ll be back,” she stood up and grabbed her car keys. “Tell Harrowhark that we said hi!” Gideon was already out the door.
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest when she pulled over in front of Harrow’s house. It didn’t take long for her to walk up to the door. She rang the doorbell and waited for a couple of seconds, before she picked up her phone and typed in Harrow’s number (since when did she know it by heart?). The line rang out. Gideon was about to start looking for a hidden key when the door opened. It was Harrow, wearing shorts and a hoodie and looking absolutely knocked out.
“Hey.”
It wasn’t long until Gideon was pulling Harrow into an embrace, “God, Harrow, don’t scare me like that, I thought something happened.” When they pulled away from the hug, Harrow looked up at Gideon apologetically.
“I’m sorry, I fell asleep. I just didn’t want to be alone.” Gideon nodded. She’d always come running if Harrow called.
Thanksgiving at Gideon’s house was different from what Harrow had experienced before. There were a lot of people there. Harrow didn’t have any extended family, so Thanksgiving to her was just her and her parents, if they were home at all. Harrow stood in the kitchen, taking a break from all the people. She’d never greeted as many people in one evening before. As she sipped her drink Gideon’s cousins entered the kitchen. Harrow didn’t notice them at first, until she heard one of them clear their voice, quite loudly, to get her attention.
“Um, Harrowhark, that's your name, right?” Harrow nodded.
“So are you Gideon’s girlfriend?” They both stared at her expectantly.
“I’m not. She’s my friend,” the kids sighed in disappointment. “She’s my best friend, actually.”
Magnus came in, “Are you two bothering Harrowhark? Sorry about them, they’re nosy these days!” The awful teens looked at Magnus with a shocked looks, “Noooo Magnus we’re just asking her a question!” Harrow laughed.
Gideon stood in the living room, catching up with her aunt Aiglamene when she saw Harrow standing in her kitchen, talking to her cousins. Harrow laughed at something they said and Gideon felt warm all over. She was happy that she’d agreed to come. She was happy that she could provide Harrow with something normal. If her heart skipped a beat when she looked at her, so what?
Later that night, when Harrow had left, a bag of leftovers in hand after receiving hugs from both Abigail and Magnus, Abigail and Gideon stood in the kitchen, cleaning up after the evening.
“You know, I’ve always liked Harrow,” Abigail said, “she’s a little strange, but lovely nevertheless,” Gideon said nothing, only nodding.
“Isaac and Jeannemary quite liked her too you know,” Abigail continued. “She’s really come into her own, she always seemed so down when you guys were younger.”
“She was just going through a lot back then, you know?”
“Oh, of course,” Abigail closed the fridge and sat down at their kitchen table, across from Gideon, “I hope to see her here more often, we really like her.”
“I really like her too!” Magnus called from the couch. Gideon grinned.
Griddle
I’m really glad you came tonight :)
Marchioness of bones
Me too.
Harrow clutched her phone to her chest.