Have to admit, at first I found the abrupt shift between present & past confusing (mostly for someone who hasn't actually read "I'll Be That Girl" first), but I swiftly forgot that as Charlene took the upper hand in the newly imagine confrontation with "Stephen".
Switching back... I love the detail of Stephen taking pleasure in Jon's hand protectively at the small of his back, even while it raises alarm bells. D: Poor Jon, worrying about drunk Stephen after he mentions "Sweetness"!
The whole scene with Stephen and Charlene sitting on opposite sides of the tree is beautiful (heart-wrenching too).
Aaaaaand speaking of beautiful and heartwrenching <3 ;__; (did you post this bit as a teaser earlier? I seem to remember the bit about Charlene practicing his swagger)
I think it goes without saying that this whole passage, starting with They drive for a good hour and a half under the overbright full moon before pulling over onto a narrow strip of grass and clambering out of the pickup. is my absolute favorite, especially "It's my job to protect you now," adds Charlene gruffly ::chokes up a bit::
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Switching back... I love the detail of Stephen taking pleasure in Jon's hand protectively at the small of his back, even while it raises alarm bells. D: Poor Jon, worrying about drunk Stephen after he mentions "Sweetness"!
The whole scene with Stephen and Charlene sitting on opposite sides of the tree is beautiful (heart-wrenching too).
Aaaaaand speaking of beautiful and heartwrenching <3 ;__; (did you post this bit as a teaser earlier? I seem to remember the bit about Charlene practicing his swagger)
I think it goes without saying that this whole passage, starting with They drive for a good hour and a half under the overbright full moon before pulling over onto a narrow strip of grass and clambering out of the pickup. is my absolute favorite, especially "It's my job to protect you now," adds Charlene gruffly ::chokes up a bit::
DDDDDD: