FOUR, bridge over troubled water

italics — rues narration

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"yo, wake up." fez shook athena gently, but hard enough to wake the girl from her slumber. she groaned as she turned over, only to realize fez moved her from the couch to his bed. she sighed, turning her head to look at him. "there she is!" fez teased, his voice low and scratchy.

he stood at the side of the bed, looking down at her with a small smile on his face.  "hi," athena spoke softly, which made his face soften up even more. "hey, kid." he sat down next to her on his bed, "you feeling alright?" he asked. she nodded, her hand rubbing one of her eyes. "yeah, what time is it?" she asked.

he chuckled, "like five in the morning. figured i should wake you up, don't want your mom to flip." he placed his hand on her knee as he chuckled.

she smiled, "she wont. i don't wanna go yet," she admitted, looking over at the empty side of the bed next to her. "come lay with me," she begged. fez didn't need any extra convincing to make his way to lay down next to her, athena extending her arm out to rest against his. he did the same, both of them sharing an intimate moment without even thinking about it.

"you scared me, for real. i thought that shit was gonna be bad." he admitted, now feeling vulnerable under her touch. she nodded, "i know, i'm sorry. i don't know what i was doing. i should've left when you told me to, i'm sorry." she apologized.

"you're good. i'm just glad you're okay." he looked over at her. she was looking at the ceiling, counting all of the glow in the dark stars. fez started to remember how they both put them up together before she left for the summer, because she said that's what his room was missing. he went out and bought them just for her, just so they could put them up together and then lay in bed and stare at them.

he grinned, since it was dark and she couldn't see that well. "man, i don't know. i just don't want you fucking with that shit. it's not for you," athenas brows furrowed. "but it's for rue?" she joked.

he shook his head and chuckled, "nah, nah. she's just in way too deep. you're different. i can't see you like that," athena didn't say anything, still staring at the ceiling. "rue is like, nature. you always see her that way." he said.

she nodded, "i didn't like it, but i had a good sleep," she giggled, and fez smiled again. "are you doing anything friday afternoon? i wanna go shopping, maybe buy you and ash some clothes or something." she asked, looking over at fez.

he nodded, making her frown. "yeah, we're working the carnival friday night." she gave a confused face, "there's a carnival?" she asked excitedly. he nodded, "yeah, you wanna go?" he asked, looking from the ceiling to her as she looked at him with a big grin.

"yes, i'll blow off shopping for a carnival. i like ferris wheels," she admitted, already planning her outfit in her head. her hand stroked his arm gently, fez was getting goosebumps and was more than grateful that he decided to wear a jacket that day.

"i can leave ash at the truck for like, ten minutes to ride the ferris wheel with you. but if you start rocking that shit i swear to god—" he didnt even get to finish his sentence before ash burst through the door, looking at the two in bed. "first of all, ew."

"second of all, rue's here." he pointed to athena, who sat up quickly and looked as fez. "you called rue?" she asked. he put his hands up in defense, "she asked where you were!" he defended himself.

athena didn't freak out as he expected, instead she stood up and walked to fez's closet. ash and fez watched as she opened it and pulled out the first sweatshirt she saw, slipping it on and turning to fez.

he fought the urge to grin, the sweatshirt being too big for her and stopping right above her knees. "i'll see you later," she pointed to him, and made her way to the doorway where ash was. fez stood up, following right behind her.

she put her hand on ash's head as she walked by him, fez chuckled as ash tried to hit her hand but she moved it away too fast. the two boys followed athena as she made her way to the front door, as they got closer bangs were heard more prominently. she rolled her eyes as she cursed under her breath at her impatient sister. she opened the door, the gate before it shielding athena from rue.

rue raised a brow, "we have to go before mom wakes up, i snuck out to come get you." she pointed her head in the direction of outside, and athena opened the gate to step out. she closed the gate behind her, rue already started walking back down the steps as athena turned around to look at the two boys.

"so, carnival?" she asked, looking at them both. they nodded, "see you later, athena." ash spoke quickly, closing the door in her face before fez could say bye too. athena had an offended look on her face as she turned away from the door and looked at rue who laughed. athena shook her head as she made her way down the steps to meet rue, "i think he likes you," she said.

"who fez?" athena asked. rue shook her head, "no, ash."

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