not perfect [sync]

[Onzy]

Flier had lost all sense of time or space. He knew that he was in his flat, but that was about it. Time held no more meaning for him, and all he knew was the fact that it was getting dark outside. Past that realm he was lost. Lost in the world that he had forced himself into. Lost to all that he had decided to let enter his inside world. So far it had only been his boss, Jade, but there wasn't anybody else. He loved the one night stands, but it was never in his inner sanctum. He loved the drugs even more, their hold on him so tight that he was struggling to refuse. Either way, he was screwed over so many times.

In one of his clearer moments, Flier remembered that he had work, but had made no attempt to get dressed or phone Jade. It was at that point in time that he just lost every care in the world. He didn't care about the job, his boss (who had developed undeniable feelings for, much to his horror) or the next hour. All he wanted was the next fix. Flier had managed to get to Ethan when his supply had run out, but that had been his only movement for the day. He wondered why he had let his life come to this, but no answer had come. There was nothing.

A credit card, though unused, had come in very useful for Flier, not for buying things, but for lining his next snort. He was so far gone. Flier's eyes were red, distanced and spaced out. He was wrapped in a blanket, the cold sweats becoming more bearable as time passed. His hands shook as he blocked off one nasal passage and breathed up the white powder. Grinning like a maniac, he leaned back on the couch, allowing the fantasy world to take over his mind, but it wasn't much more than a nightmare towards the end. It was painful, the effects of years of use finally catching up to him.

[Sync]

Anger radiated from the Hispanic female, and for once she didn't hide it from her customers. They eyed her with concern as she stood in the doorway of the store room, noticing how her staff shrunk as far away as possible when they had to pass her. Her usually amber oracles had darkened to an almost black, her lips pulled into a snarl. It was 10pm. A certain employee had failed to turn up for his shift at all. Sure, he'd been late before, and Jade could handle that. Just about. But now Flier had taken it too far. Glancing at Kian, Caleb and Jace who were handling the flow of customers easily, she gestured for Kian to come forward. The boy did so hesitantly, and Jade forced herself to give a slight smile to assure him. "I'm going to find Flier. You're in charge, and I probably won't be back before closing time. Lock up, and put Stitch and Token upstairs before you leave." she murmurs to him softly, patting his shoulder at his pleased expression of being trusted and turning to grab a coat from the back room. "See you tomorrow boys!" calls as she leaves the pub, a blank expression falling across her features as she gets outside.

She decided to try his home, knowing that it would be the most logical guess. Wrapping her coat tighter around herself, she was silently grateful for the fact that Birch Row was the closest street to The White Horse. As she walked, her expression had grown to the fury she had been feeling initially, her fists clenched automatically. You'd have thought that Flier would have learnt from her last outburst. But apparently not. Glancing up as she came to the building she knew he lived in, her brow rose. She'd been here before. Her mind drifted back to the blonde haired Ethan White she'd been taken home by around a week ago. She knew that he was the local 'dealer', it was like one of the unwritten laws of being a pub owner to know the dealers around town, and also knew that he was attached. It didn't stop her though, mostly because she had wanted to get rid of certain feelings she'd stupidly developed for the said employee she was about to turn her wrath on. It had worked, to an extent, until she'd seen Flier a couple of days later. The results caused her to double the amount of people she 'saw' during the week from then on.

Sighing deeply, Jade pushed open the front door of the ugly building. As she ascended the first flight of steps, a familiar drawl made her hackles raise. "Jade.. Back for seconds?" the blonde haired male purred, causing her to look up at him with a disgusted snarl. "No thanks, it really wasn't satisfying the first time." she snapped back, causing his eyes to narrow and a triumphant grin to pull at her lips. "You can do me a favor though and tell me which flat Flier Graham lives in." Her brow lifted in challenge, and at his grin the other brow rose too in surprise. "Oh yes, he's becoming one of my best customers." Jade frowned, suddenly Flier's distant expression and twitchy nature gaining an explanation. A growl formed in her throat, causing Ethan's expression to grow in amusement. "He's in 4A, three down from mine. You remember where that is, right?" he winked as he passed her by, purposely brushing against her arm and reaching out to smack her on the behind. "Later sweet cheeks, you know where to find me if you need another booty call." he smirked before disappearing from the flat and left Jade shuddering in disgust. He was definitely one lay she regretted. Shaking her head, she continued up the stairs and up to 4A, her fury causing her to shake slightly at the acknowledgement that Flier was an addict.

"FLIER, YOU F*****G IDIOT!" she shouted as she stormed into the flat, which was unsurprisingly unlocked, and glared at his spaced out expression. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a terrier. Her eyes widened in disbelief before locking on Flier once more. Her anger caused her to gravitate closer to him, and without thinking her clenched fist pulled back and then slammed into his jaw. Pain shot through her own hand, but she ignored it blatantly. "I knew there was something up with you, and I had my suspicions about drugs. But I hoped to God that you weren't a user." she snarled in a dangerously low voice, her now black eyes boring into his bloodshot ones. A noise of frustration formed in the back of her throat. "I don't even know why i'm shouting at you. You probably won't even remember it when you come down from this. You're fired by the way," she ground out through gritted teeth, turning to leave the flat as quickly as she entered it. "Don't even know why I bother." she mumbled, already half way to the door.

[Onzy]

Flier looked up with a shocked expression when he heard the door slam open. It didn't even register that it was Jade and he just stared at her. The words sounded thick, his brain too fuzzy for comprehension. He knew the pattern, the end of his trip was coming, the same images replayed in his head. The day his father grabbed him and had taken everything from him. The day his father raped him for the sheer pleasure of it, and the worst was, his mother laughed. Laughed at the act, lit a cigarette and walked out. Snapping out of it pretty quickly, he heard the last few sentences that Jade spoke to him. Fired. Now he was without a job. Lace moaned at the commotion, lying down with her head between her paws.

It was as Flier watched Jade turn to leave that he realised that he needed help. Rehab was not an option, he couldn't afford it and he couldn't leave Lace. Or Jade he admitted silently to himself. He had known Jade for the months he had been living in Hertfordshire, but his feelings had developed deeper than he ever thought they would. Frankly it scared the hell out of him. Lace seemed to sense his need, but instead of coming towards him, she went to Jade, pulling her back on her coat.

Smart dog, he thought as he watched. Flier couldn't feel his limbs, but he could move enough to pull his legs to his chest. Jade. Help me, he said, loudly enough for her to hear him. He wanted to stop. He wanted to be free of the drugs and the hold they had to him. This was not the life he wanted any more. Now he wanted Jade. Flier looked helpless in his state, hoping that Jade would help him.

[Sync]

Just as she was about to step over the threshold of the flat and out into the corridor, a tugging on her coat made her pause. Eyes, which had now lightened slightly, landed on Lace. The woman's expression was one of surprise, and for a moment when Flier called out she didn't react. Her form was stiff, unwilling to move. And then slowly, her eyes lifted and landed on Flier. The sight broke her, the helplessness of the man she'd grown so fond of caused tears to well up in her eyes and sit impatiently on the bottom eyelid. "I.." she started, before closing her eyes tightly. Blinking rapidly as she tried to detach herself from the situation slightly, she walked closer to him and crouched on the floor in front of him. With a shuddering sigh, she reached out and took his hands in her own. "I'll try my best, but you have to really want it Flier. I can't see you get better but then relapse, not with how I fe-." she cut herself off abruptly, cursing herself quietly before meeting his eyes once more.

"Y'know, it's a pretty stupid idea to live next door to Ethan White if you're trying to quit." she told him, an amused tone to her words. She'd managed to grab a hold of her emotions once again, and now she had a slight grin on her lips and her oracles had lightened to their usual amber. On impulse, she found herself taking the seat beside him and urging him to place his head on her shoulder, her hands running soothingly through his hair, massaging his head gently. "I'll be here for you every step of the way though, you know that? But until you get clean, you're not working for me. I can't take that risk." she murmured softly, though her eyes had widened as it occurred to her how natural the way they were interacting. "And you really need to get clean for Lace, Flier. She adores you, and if you carry on this way you won't be able to keep her. But you know that, already, don't you?" she asked carefully, in the same soft tone as before. Nothing about the way she spoke was condescending or harsh, she'd been around enough addicts to know that accusing them wasn't the way to help them. Understanding was much more effective. "Why?" she asked, hoping he'd get that she was asking why he did it.

[Onzy]

Flier couldn't help but pick up on the abrupt change in her tone. There was a vulnerability that he was showing that he hated. He hated having to need someone to help him, but without Jade, he doubted he would be able to survive. He needed her, but wasn't about to admit it just yet. I need this Jade. I need the help, he confessed, his voice so hoarse from the day's use that it didn't sound like him. He did manage a laugh though at her next comment, but he didn't know what to answer. He wouldn't go near Ethan, he would have enough will power to refuse, but he knew one thing and that was he needed Jade.

Flier felt like a lost child when Jade sat next to him and took his head in her hands. He relaxed into the touch and his eyes drooping slightly. I have enough savings for maybe three months of survival, he said, not being able to think ahead for longer than that. He couldn't even think ahead until the next day or the next hour. Lace came up to him and pushed her nose into his hand. Flier stroked her, happy to have at least the one form of animal that didn't judge him at all.

Then came that dreaded question. Why. Why did he take the drugs. He stood up suddenly, darkness flashing in eyes as he regarded her. You want to know? he asked harshly, the question being more rhetorical than anything else. Usually he would have ignored it. Left his past in the past, but with Jade it was different. She didn't judge him at all it seemed. She wanted to understand him. He pulled off his shirt, not only revealing his tattoos but various scars. I was termed the mistake. My parents just wanted my sister, but not me. My daddy was a bastard. I was six when I was hit the first time, he said, pointing to a scar on his arm. I was in the hospital every week. Broken bones, bruises, stitches. It became the norm for two years. I was eight when... When he got to me the first time. He touched me. He hurt me. He did things to my body that were despicable and you know what my mother did? She laughed. She laughed at me. Called me pathetic and useless, he carried on, his tone so harsh and bitter it would make a lemon seem sweet.

I had just turned ten when my father was in a drunken rage and dragged me out from under my bed. He threw me against the wall, kicked me and touched me. My young body was destroyed, my soul smashed in. I escaped then, he said, sinking to the ground, his body starting to shake. Just in his jeans, he appeared pathetic, but he didn't stop talking. He needed to get it out. Foster care was better, but those ghosts of ten years of abuse haunt me even now. I guess the crack was a way to help me cope and for a while it did. Then it became my worst nightmare.

[Sync]

Instead of cowering away from his harsh tone and dangerous glare as anyone else would have, Jade met his look head on through narrowed eyes. Making sure that he knew she wasn't going to take any crap off him. She only wanted to help, not judge. Her expression softened as he revealed his marred torso, though she refused for it to become too sympathetic as he started his story. Again, from experience, nobody wanted sympathy. They wanted help, not just someone to feel sorry for them. Finally, when he sunk to the floor, she stood. Letting him get out what he had to say, Jade lowered herself carefully beside him. "You haven't been able to share this with many people, have you?" she asked quietly, "Nobody can blame you for turning to drugs as a lifeline. Heck, if I hadn't kicked myself into shape I would probably be in the same position as you are now." she shared easily, neither ashamed or proud of her past. "But the past is the past Flier. As hard as it may be for you, with everything you've been through, you have to leave it there. You seem to have realised that the drugs have done nothing to help you, and if anything that they are hindering your chances of forgetting."

"I was an orphan," she told him almost conversationally. "My birth parents were apparently fourteen and fifteen when I was born. They gave me up immediately. Lived there for two years until I was adopted. Eventually moved from Spain to Liverpool with my new parents." She wasn't really sure why she was telling him this, and decided to tell him so. "I have no idea why I just told you that. Suppose it's payment for you opening up to me." Her lips had pulled up into an amused grin now, deciding to try and lighten the mood. She really wasn't good at staying depressed. Angry, yes. Depressed? No. Biting down on her bottom lip, she appeared thoughtful. "Move into the pub." she eventually blurted out, her expression still thoughtful. "You can stay with me. At least until you get clean. You won't have to worry about paying rent then, and as soon as I see fit you can take up your job again. It would clear up any financial problems." her lips had pulled into a small, almost hesitant, grin.

[Onzy]

Flier reached for his shirt again, not wanting to expose himself any longer. He pulled it on, his movements slow as if he was in great pain. Maybe he was. He had literally taken his carefully pieced together soul and just given it to Jade on a silver platter. You are the first person outside of the law that I've told, he said, averting his eyes to the floor. He gave a harsh laugh, his vocal chords raw and even the action seemed to hurt him. Lace forced herself into his lap, and appreciated the dog even more. Why should I forget? I want to kill that rat for what he did to me. Alice never went through that. Never, he said in reply to Jade.

Flier glanced at her when she mentioned her past. He sensed that she was also holding back a lot, but he wasn't going to push anything. It was not his place, because Jade had given him a chance. A chance that very few people would have given him. The offer to move into the pub was surprising. It left him speechless and he didn't exactly know what to say to the offer. Thank you, he said, glancing about his small apartment. There was not much to pack, his few things that he held dear were still packed in boxes, but it had become a home, a safeguard for him in the last six months.

I don't get it. Why help me? All I am is a barman that sleeps around and snorts cocaine. I am nothing in this world, he blurted out, not wishing to lighten the mood. It was surprising how fast the withdrawal kicked in, and the shivering was picking up pace. He knew the drill, and he needed a fix. In the top drawer in my bedroom, in the bread tin, and what's in front of me. Get rid of it, he hissed, his grey eyes pleading with Jade. His stash needed to be gone, and he disappeared inside the bathroom, splashing cold water onto his suddenly pale features.

[Sync]

"Because the longer you stay in the past, the harder it will be to give up." she retorted, just as quickly. Her grin widened at his expression in response to her offer. A shrug lifted at her shoulders at his thanks, waving it away as if it was no big deal. "Because you're my.. friend." The word sounded weird coming from her mouth, it didn't describe their relationship really. But it was the best she could come up with. "And friends help friends." Her eyes instantly noticed the shivering, and stood even before he asked her to get rid of his stash. She bristled at his tone though, but thankfully kept silent at the look in his eyes. Nodding, she turned scraped up the remainder of the powder into her hand and picked up the small bag. Carrying it out into the kitchen, her nose scrunched up in distaste as she looked at the offending substance.

Having collected the stash from the bread tin, Jade made her way to Flier's bedroom to collect the rest. Her eyes were somewhat distant as she did so, feeling particularly reserved. She hated how easy it was for drugs to ruin a persons' life, it made her feel physically sick. Grabbing the last bag, she looked at the three in her hand contemplatively. "I'll be back in a second." she called to Flier, before slipping through the front door of the flat. Her feet carried her to Ethan's flat, a scowl lighting her expression as she saw him returning from wherever he'd gone when she'd arrived at Flier's. "You really can't leave me alone, can you?" he chuckled, expression one of amusement.

She glowered at him, before tossing the three bags at him. "F**k off Ethan," she growled. "And Flier won't be needing your resources anymore either, so you can have that back." Her eyes narrowed at his condescending laughter. "Oh darling, you don't really believe he'll give up, do you? Once an addict, always an addict. Just as Deanna. She's been hooked for years." he smirked as he referred to his 'girlfriend', stalking forward slowly and backing her into the wall. "It's a shame you're so infatuated with him. Such a pretty little thing like you." he purred, face inches from hers. "Once he's finished playing with you, I'll be glad to have you back Jade." he smirked, placing a brief kiss on her cheek and dodging her attempt at punching him. "It's been a pleasure, as always, sweet cheeks!" he called, letting himself into his own flat without a backwards glance.

Jade returned to Flier's flat, her expression completely blank. Though she'd never admit it aloud, Ethan really freaked her out. And his words had also had unlocked concerns about Flier she'd managed to push down. While all these thoughts swirled around in her mind, her expression still remained blank. "Flier? Can we leave?" she called out, glad her voice sounded relatively normal. There was a slight tremor to her hands, but she held them behind her back so not to be noticed. Standing almost completely still, she waited for a reply from Flier so they could leave.

[Onzy]

Flier leaned over the basin, knowing what he was in for was a lot worse than it had been the last time he had tried giving up. Then he had lasted three days, three days of pure torture, but then he didn't have Jade. He thought about the words. Friends. They were friends. Without her realising it, Flier had felt his hopes of being more crash around him. There was a difference however. This time he had hope, something he didn't have before. Hearing Jade leave the apartment, he went to his room and took out a few bags. Flier just stuffed things in, not caring, knowing that this was going to be the one choice he wasn't going to regret.

Lace watched intently, intelligence in her eyes. The front door opened, and Flier looked up. Yeah, he answered, slinging a bag over his shoulder and picking up another. Whistling to Lace, he walked to the living room, looking at Jade. If he needed anything, he would get someone to fetch it, as he had a feeling that he would be unable to resist the temptation of Ethan White. That was what actually scared him, the fact that there was always the possibility of him relapsing into his old ways. Do you want to take the truck back? he asked, wondering why all the rush.

He knew the stages of his withdrawal. First came the shivering and cold sweats. Then the dehydration and vomiting. Finally came the hallucinations and his demons. It was usually at that point that he gave in and reverted to his habits. The anger was the worst. So far, he had destroyed most of the valuables, so there really was nothing for him in the apartment. He would keep it, but if he was lucky, then maybe Jade would have fallen for him already.

[Sync]

She couldn't help the relief that flooded her expression as he answered her, and was unable to hide it when he appeared in the room. Eventually she managed to smooth it over, and averted her gaze until she had done so. She could tell he was curious as to why she suddenly wanted to leave, his expression told her so as he asked the question. "Umm, yeah sure." she answered quickly. She was already edging outside the flat, standing in the corridor with a slightly nervous expression on her face. She hated feeling unsettled, especially now that she could feel eyes on her. A familiar pair. Glancing up to Ethan's flat, she met his amused blue orbs and a shudder ran along her spine.

Ethan beamed as Flier also came into view, and the blonde haired male leaned against the door frame lazily. "Hear you're quitting, Flier." he drawled in amusement. He ignored Jade's glare. "I'll see you when you relapse then." Jade tugged on Flier's arm, urging him to follow her down the stairs. "Oh, and enjoy her while you can. She'll be in someone else's pants by the end of the week." He smirked. Jade shot a disgusted look at Ethan, before turning her attention to Flier once more. "C'mon, ignore him and lets go." she murmured softly, casting a glance over her shoulder at a still smirking Ethan.

Catching her gaze, he winked and blew her a kiss. Another shudder ran along her spine and she snapped her head forward, her frame becoming ridged. She decided then and there that Ethan White was the one person she hated in this town. But the one that she also feared. Nobody had unsettled Jade as much as he had in years. And she for one just couldn't wait to get away from him. She also found herself feeling extremely sorry for the poor girl that lived with him. It must be some sort of hell.

[Onzy]

Flier watched Jade's actions with curiosity. This was something that intrigued him, his social interactions usually limited to his workplace, and serious relationships had eluded him. Her nervous actions was something he chose to ignore, and whistling to Lace he followed her out of the apartment. One last, long look inside the place he called home was his goodbye and he closed the door, locking it along with the security gate. He checked for car keys and handed them to Jade. He was in no condition to drive and it was proven when he heard a familiar drawl from down the passage. Side effects of the drugs were still in his system, his anger more so. Not even Jade could force him to pay attention to what he was supposed to be doing.

Dropping his bags, his grey orbs were flashing in anger as he made his way to Ethan. He grabbed the male by the throat and slammed him against the wall. You are a piece of low life piece of s**t White, he snarled dangerously, flexing his grip on the blonde's throat, knowing that if he went even tighter that there wouldn't be any air left. Leaning in next to the male's ear, he whispered just so that Ethan could hear. If you ever come near Jade again, phone her, threaten her or even as much as look at her, I will kill you. Stay away from her. Stay away from me. he whispered menacingly before dropping the male to the floor.

Only after realising his actions did he regret them. Flier was usually calm and collected, but he had lost it with Ethan. It was going to be the last time he was ever going to be near the man, the last time he would waste even more money on the white powder that destroyed his life. Now we can go, he said to Jade, not even attempting to hide his previous actions with an attempt to lighten the mood.

[Sync]

Ethan's smirk widened as Flier advanced on him, already bracing himself for the man's reaction. Ethan wasn't stupid. Quite the contrary, he's fairly intelligent. He knew how angry addicts got, he'd been on the receiving end of it on many occasions. He did not flinch as his head hit the wall, nor did he react to the hold on his neck. He merely smirked, locking eyes with Jade as Flier leaned in to whispered in his ear. Jade looked horrified, though not for the well fare of Ethan. More to do with the reaction from Flier. When the blonde male was finally released, and Flier returned to her side, Jade stepped back and placed distance between herself and the male. Once again, she found herself glancing back at Ethan. The man was leaning against his doorframe as if nothing happened, the hand marks around his neck the only thing giving it away. The smirk was still there and Jade narrowed her eyes, then looked forward and continued down the stairs.

She remained silent as they made their way from the building, her thoughts demanding all of her attention. She knew that Flier would get angrier than he had just now, and she also knew all the other side effects of quitting. She’d seen it happen to friends. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Giving an almost inaudible sigh, she climbed into the passenger seat of the truck and waited for Flier to start it up. She just wanted to get back to the pub. Her sanctuary. Once they’d started up, she found herself relaxing. If only slightly. Her fingers drummed the handle on the door as they went, and finally they arrived. Jade, once again, wordlessly slipped from the cab and rounded the front of the pub just in time to see Kian locking up, while Caleb stood beside him bouncing on the heels of his feet impatiently as he waited for his colleague. ”Thank you boys. You‘re life savers. And take the day of tomorrow, we‘re never busy on Thursdays.” she offered thankfully, taking the keys from Kian. Both boys smiled at her thankfully, but eyed Flier with a slight look of distaste. Obviously he wasn’t the only one protective of Jade, the boys had become very fond of their boss.

Slipping through the front door of the pub, holding it open for Flier, she was immediately greeted by the territorial barking from Stitch at the top of the stairs. Grinning slightly, she relocked the door and headed up to the flat above the pub. ”Stitch will be fine with Lace, it‘s Token you‘re going to want to keep an eye on. He‘s a sneaky bugger.” Jade said softly as she opened the front door, her two pets peering at her as she did so. Stitch raced past to greet Lace, her tail wagging furiously as she did so, and Jade leaned down to pick up her feline companion so that he couldn’t get to Lace. ”Bathroom, Kitchen, Living Room, My Bedroom,” she offered as a quick tour, pointing out the various rooms. ”You can stay in there.” She pointed at the room across from her own. ”Hope it‘s satisfactory.” she offered tiredly, exhaustion creeping into her bones. ”Any questions? Because I really just want to get to bed.” she said with a slight grin, before leaning her chin on Token’s head, the pretty feline pressing into her lovingly.

[Onzy]

Flier fished the keys from his pocket, unlocking the truck and opening the door for Jade. Once she was inside, he slammed the door and made his way to the driver side of the truck and got in. The familiar soft rumble of the engine was a welcoming noise, and already the anger he felt when he confronted Ethan had left his system. He hated that side of him, but he knew from the various experiences that it was going to become a lot worse. Lace was in the bed, her head in the wind and tongue lolling out. The dog was sure a special one, and Flier didn't know what he was going to do without her. The drive was a short one, and as they arrived in front of the pub, the teenage boys who worked there were already locking up. They also gave him a distasteful stare which he returned with his own cold one. Just because he was already craving another hit, didn't mean that he was going to take nonsense from guys still in Pampers.

Lace gave a bark as they entered the pub, Flier carrying his stuff, and observing the quiet interior. It seemed so much better empty than full, and the quiet was fantastic. Up the stairs, and Lace heard the bark from Stitch, her own excited form ready to play. Once the door was unlocked and the occupants revealed, Lace was in like a bullet, inviting the other dog to play. He was exhausted, and his mind felt like mush. Flier nodded at each room, taking note of which ones he was allowed in (Living room, bathroom etc) and the one that he made himself to be off limits from (Jade's room).

Thank you, he said, looking at her intently, before entering his own room. There weren't many possessions that he could wreck by accident, so he wasn't too worried. Putting down his bags, he whistled to Lace and started undressing in the dark. Pulling on a pair of pyjama pants, he fell onto the bed, looking at the ceiling. Now that he was faced with the opportunity of sleep he couldn't, so he lay on the bed, stroking Lace's head and looking towards Jade's room.

[Sync]

A shiver ran along her spine at his intent look, but she refused to acknowledge it further. Entering her room briefly to collect her pyjamas, Jade placed Token onto her bed before making her way to the bathroom. She felt in desperate need of a shower to relax herself, to allow the soothing heat release the tension she currently held in her muscles. Glancing at the room that Flier had disappeared into, Jade sighed deeply. What she’d found out today made her realise how deep her feelings were for the dark haired male. Scrubbing her eyes tiredly, she dragged herself into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. A snort of amusement left her suddenly. ”No more wandering around naked.” she chuckled, turning on the shower and quickly shedding herself of her clothes.

Ten minutes later, she emerged feeling a lot more refreshed. Drying herself, she pulled on her pyjamas and began to towel dry her hair in a lazy manner. She was in no rush, and the fact that she no longer felt very sleepy due to the shower made her take her time. Eventually, she gave up, knowing she wouldn’t get any further and placed the towel and her clothes from the day into the hamper. As soon as she vacated the bathroom, an obviously still wired Stitch appeared around the corner from the Kitchen. She darted toward the front door and whined quietly, obviously signalling that she wanted to get out. Jade huffed. ”Of course you‘d want to go out when I‘m about to get into bed.” she mumbled, picking up her coat she discarded earlier and also grabbed a packet of cigarettes. ”Definitely need one of these.”

Jade let Stitch out into their small back garden and watched as the lively canine bounded around excitedly. The woman stood in the doorway, pulling out a cigarette and her lighter. Balancing the cigarette between her lips as she lit it, she took a greedy pull of it. Her body relaxed further as the smoke filled her lungs, noticing how Stitch didn’t seem to be at all ready to return inside. A shudder rocked her form as the wind picked up suddenly, but she still remained in the door way. As well as the smoke, her breath hung heavy in the air due to the temperature. ”You‘re a pain Stitch, y‘know that.” Jade told the canine seriously, though her mind had strayed to Flier. Yet again. She had no idea what them living together would turn into. That fact had began to unsettle her.

[Onzy]

Flier couldn't take being on the bed any more and started pacing the room like a caged lion. He growled in complete frustration, knowing that it was the cravings talking to him, forcing him to find a hit from somewhere. A sweat had broken out on his forehead, and he wanted nothing more than to leave the apartment and find Ethan. He wasn't thinking clearly at all, and moved to find his phone. Pulling it from his pants pocket, he scrolled down the contact screen, finding his supplier's number. His grip tightened on the offending item, and with a shout he hurled it into a wall. Lace barked at him, and Flier looked at the pieces of plastic on the floor.

His body shivered, his mind and soul detached. Flier looked for something to hit, the closest thing being a wall, and he planted a neat fist into it. The pain didn't register immediately, but as soon as it did, Flier groaned deeply. In the dark room, he didn't think of turning on the lights, preferring the dark. It was like the solitude of his mind, the world not being able enter that part of the dark abyss that he had visited every time he took a hit. His body was removing the toxins from his system, each pore now sweating out the remnants of cocaine and heroin. Flier hadn't shot up in more than a week, the need for the stronger drug not as needed as it was now.

Flier's emotions were on a whirlwind. The anger that he had felt before turned into extreme sadness and he fell onto the floor, body shaking with sobs. The exhaustion was partly to blame and then there was his lack of numbing effects. He was going to get clean without getting addicted to something else. He refused to walk this path again. Lace whined at his distress, forcing her large form onto his lap. For Flier, the dog was a lifeline, keeping him grounded as he fell into a dreamless sleep on the carpeted floor, his body shivering from the sweat drying on his body.