Marathon!

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya had trained faithfully, just like she promised (and despite her period starting a few months after that promise. Really? She didn't need that!). The weights had been added by about the second month of training and she was really, really proud of her stamina!

And the marathon they'd chosen as their first was coming up this weekend, with fund raising as done by Elcy...and yeah. "Don't tell me you have to cancel!" she said into the phone, pulling one foot up to stretch out her thighs. "Don't! I can't go and do this alone!"

Comments

[sliceitwithwind]

"Probably." Dilan said, shrugging, "I know he'd try?"

[mitochondriaaya]

"Good enough! Maybe I'll figure it out this summer then!" Maybe indeed! Oooo, chicken pie was coming out! With smaller plate to dish onto!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Wait, what?" said Braig, "What? I missed something."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Dilan thinks I should date Haran since I'll be fourteen this summer." That about summed it up right? "So I can learn how to date where it doesn't matter that I don't have breasts yet and everyone's not afraid of you." Okay, now he was entirely caught up!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Oh." Braig said, "Okay." Don't mind him. He was just going to devote himself to eating pretty much everything on the table. And. Not imagine her kissing someone else because then he'd have to pre-emptively kill Haran which would be bad because Haran was a good kid.

"I like Haran, and Haran likes Aya." Dilan pointed out, oblivious.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Yeah, Dilan says it's more fun to date instead of try to study and figure things out?" Aya sighed, a little annoyed at that dead end. "What if I piss him off?!"

Also? Still weird to be liked like that! "I said I'd think about it."

[sliceitwithwind]

"It is." Braig agreed because he had to let her figure things out on her own. He had to. He just wanted her to ask him about kissing. "You won't piss him off, monkey. Any guy'd be lucky to be your first kiss."

"Yeah!" Dilan agreed, enthusiastically, "You're awesome."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Still gonna worry." She mumbled into her drink. Still going to worry so much because dating guys! "I'll write and ask him. And I know I don't talk like girls normally do! Am I suppose to talk differently?!!" FLAIL!

This was why she wanted to research!

"Being a girl is hard."

[sliceitwithwind]

"Aya," Braig said seriously, because she trusted him and he was not going to screw her up. He wasn't. "If anyone, ever, tries to change how you talk, how you look, how you think, how you dress, anything about you...they. Are. Wrong. You're a perfect Aya."

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya looked at him when he said her name, then immediately fell into the 'I am listening intently' expression. Aya didn't hang on words so much as she absorbed them when they came from someone who mattered! "What if they don't like me?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Then you shouldn't be kissing them." Braig said, simply, "Only kiss people who like you, that you like. Don't kiss people who don't like you, and don't kiss people you don't like."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Okay." Simple as that? Was it? "How do you know if they like really or just like the fact you're a girl, or guy in your case."

[sliceitwithwind]

"It can be hard to tell." Braig admitted, "A little of it is guesswork. If you're not sure..." yeah, giving in just a little, "if you're not sure, don't kiss them."

"Yeah." Dilan agreed, "You should only kiss people if you're sure."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Okay. And you're not suppose to be a good kisser when you start right? Because that's a skill?" Like running, it took practice right? She could accept that if no one laughed at her!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Right." Dilan said, Braig settling back into silently stewing with jealousy. "You'll start out kinda bad, but you'll get better."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Okay, I can work with that." She could! She was used to learning to be good at things! And forewarned was forearmed! "It'll be hard to get Haran over here for Fourth of July." Because that was what one did! Dated and then invited the datee to fourth of July forever!

[sliceitwithwind]

"But he might like it!" Dilan pointed out, "He's talked about coming up here for college, and even though he's a couple years behind you he's wicked smart."

[mitochondriaaya]

"If he's here he can come then, if I date him." She grinned and dished up more of the pie for herself. "Even if I don't want to date! He's fun and should come."

[sliceitwithwind]

"We'll talk to him when we're down there, then." Dilan said cheerfully, pushing Braig's plate a little closer to him, since the older boy seemed so deep in thought.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Okay!" Aya grinned and then caught the movement of Braig's plate. Huh. "Are you sciencing at the dinner table?" What else could make him think that hard?!

[sliceitwithwind]

"...Yes." Braig said, "Yes, I am." Sexual chemistry -> chemistry -> science. Not a lie. Exactly.

"What about?" Dilan asked, curiously.

"Not ready to talk about it, dude. Later?"

"Later."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Not at the dinner table," Aya chuckled softly and tapped Braig's knuckles. She wasn't one of the adults but she knew the rules! "I forgive you though! I like when you guys have ideas...just don't tell Elcy I said that."

[sliceitwithwind]

"I know, Aya." Braig said, dragging a smile out for her. It was...actually pretty easy. She made him want to smile. Both of them made him want to smile. In the long run, their happiness was more important than his jealousy. "Thanks."

[mitochondriaaya]

"You're easy to forgive," Aya smiled and held out a forkful of chicken pie for him as well. He had to catch up with the eating! "You're welcome!" And besides, what would they do if she didn't forgive him?

What Elcy didn't know wouldn't hurt them! "If the idea you had works can you tell me about it too?" Because, yes, she wasn't a scientist like Dilan but she liked to hear what they were trying out or refining!

[sliceitwithwind]

He took the bite, then went back to his own food. "Yeah, babe. If I figure it out, you'll be first to know. Promise."

"What about me?!" Dilan asked, wounded.

"Dude, you usually get to know things first. Aya's turn."