[004] a new toy

Iris quickly takes Gwen under her wing, instantly deciding that she was her new favorite person. Gwen went from being utterly alone to having someone actually care about her and want to get to know her. Of course, Gwen knew that she couldn't reveal too much. But she could reveal just enough to satiate Iris's curiosity. Being around Iris felt a lot like traveling too close to the sun and despite the risks of burning alive, Gwen was willing to go through such agony if it meant being around Iris constantly.

Now, Gwen thinks, she understands why Icarus flew too close to the sun.

Iris didn't think it possible, but she was already growing incredibly fond of Gwen, keeping her close. With the exception of their classes, Iris and Gwen were practically inseparable. You'd see them together around campus, Gwen always smiling at something Iris said or Iris holding onto Gwen's hand. It was as though Dana, Buffy, and Virginia no longer existed and they were feeling very left out. But it wasn't as though Iris cared about them - Gwen certainly didn't.

All that mattered was the two of them as they got closer and closer, quickly growing to be the talk of the entire campus. Just who was Gwen Hollow and how had she managed to get so close to it girl, Iris Catton, so quickly?

"You're not nervous, are you? If anything happens, you can tell me and I'll rescue you," Iris assured her.

"I know. I've just... I've never done anything like this before," Gwen confessed.

"Go to a party or talk to a cute guy?" Iris raised a brow.

"Both," she answered.

"You'll be fine. Just remember what I taught you," Iris pats Gwen on the shoulder.

Gwen nods, although it does little to ease her nerves. She really didn't want to be hanging out with anyone else except for Iris. She felt more comfortable around her. But Gwen figured that she could do this real quick and then she'd go back to Iris afterwards. Yeah, she could do that.

After that, the both of them walk inside of the party hand in hand and all eyes instantly fall onto them. Gwen wasn't used to this much attention before and honestly, all she wanted to do was hide. But as she snuck glances over at Iris, she saw that the blonde was basking in all of the attention. This was something she was used to, something she fed on happily.

"Oh, before I let you go to Scott, I want to introduce you to my cousin, Farleigh. He's practically my favorite family member," Iris replied.

A distance away, Gwen could spot Farleigh at the corner of the room - looking effortlessly cool while smoking a cigarette underneath the neon lights. He intimidated her greatly but then again, every member of the Catton family could manage to do that to her.

"Farleigh!" Iris cheers, briefly pulling her cousin in for a hug before pulling away from him. Gwen wishes that Iris didn't let go of her, comforted by the warmth that the blonde provided her. "Farleigh, this is my best friend, Gwen. Gwen, this is Farleigh."

"It's nice to meet you," Gwen holds out her hand with a small smile.

He chuckles at Gwen's formality but ultimately shakes her hand. "I'm glad you both could make it. Iris has told me a little about you."

"Has she?" Gwen tries her best to act nonchalant but her heart skips a beat regardless.

"Yeah, she wasn't kidding when she said you were adorable," Farleigh replies with a spark in his eyes, causing Gwen's cheeks to turn red.

Iris gasps, grabbing Gwen's hand. "Scott's over there, by the table with the drinks. Now's your chance to go and impress him."

Gwen looks over at the tall boy standing by himself, fiddling with the collar of his shirt. She isn't feeling very hopeful about her chances but for the sake of not looking like a total pussy, Gwen decides to bite the bullet and go for it.

"I'll see you in a little bit," is all Gwen says before walking away.

Iris smiles over at Gwen, watching as she approached Scott. She doesn't know why she gets a feeling of dread all of a sudden, but she just does. Iris wants to grab Gwen's hand and drag her away from Scott but she keeps her feet firmly rooted to the ground. More than anything, she wants things between Gwen and Scott to go horribly.

"Are you having fun with your newest toy?" Farleigh immediately asks once it's just him and Iris.

"She's definitely proving to be more interesting than I thought. There's something about her though," Iris confessed.

"What?" Farleigh questioned.

"I can't quite put my finger on it but I like her. I like watching over her and protecting her. She's awkward and completely socially unaware but it's cute, you know," Iris furrowed her brows.

"Oh my God," Farleigh chuckles.

Iris turns to look at him with a frown. "What?"

"You have a crush on her," Farleigh teased.

"It's not like that," Iris quickly denied.

"Sure. I've seen the way you look at her. If you are going to pop your lesbian cherry with her, try not to completely destroy her afterwards. Gwen isn't cold blooded like the rest of us, I wouldn't want that to change," Farleigh responds.

And with that, he walks away to go and talk to his other friends. Or fuck buddies. You could never tell with Farleigh since he had a habit of flirting with everyone.

Biting her lower lip, Iris turns to look over at Gwen again. She looked so nervous and awkward as she talked to Scott. But Gwen wasn't that way with her. She seemed to blossom around Iris, happy to do whatever Iris asked unlike her other friends. Iris knew that she would never find anyone like Gwen and that was one of the reasons why she had quickly grown so possessive over Gwen. However, it seemed... as though Gwen liked it. While most would push away from Iris the minute she tried to exert some form of control, Gwen allowed her. Maybe she was desperate to be liked and be accepted by Iris. Maybe there was something more to it than that.

Regardless of the reason, Iris was determined to keep Gwen on a pretty tight leash.

Meanwhile, Gwen was doing her best to act somewhat cute in front of Scott. But it was impossible when all she wanted to do was leave. If she was with Iris, maybe Gwen would be more willing to stay at this party. But the longer she talked to Scott, the more she just wanted to hide away in her dorm room.

"You're pretty hot," Scott compliments with a smirk, looking her up and down in a way that makes her deeply uncomfortable.

"Thanks. Iris picked this out for me. I don't usually wear stuff like this," Gwen admits, wrapping her arms around her body. But it obviously did very little to hide all of the exposed skin.

Gwen wasn't exactly blessed with a voluptuous body, but Iris made sure to show off what Gwen was working with in a slinky cowl halter top and denim skirt. She felt as though if she moved the wrong way, it would unravel in the back and Gwen would expose herself. But Iris had tied the back tight enough to where Gwen didn't have to worry too much. But her whole back was exposed anyway and Gwen wasn't allowed to hide this time.

"You and Iris seem pretty close," Scott noted.

"She's pretty much the first real friend I've made since I've been here. I don't know what I'd do without her," Gwen shrugged.

"Surely you'd do just fine," Scott chuckles.

"I don't think I would," Gwen admitted, briefly looking over her shoulder to look at Iris. But the girl was talking to Dana now, causing jealousy to quickly swell up inside of Gwen.

She knew that Dana was her friend and she had been there long before Gwen showed up. But whenever Iris paid anyone else attention, it made Gwen feel so unimportant. Plus, Gwen just hated Dana in general because she was a major bitch.

"Well, uh, I'm thinking about becoming a movie director. I've always been a pretty big fan of films. I love the classic stuff like... The Godfather, for instance. Oh, and American Psycho too. It's just so iconic. Sometimes I feel like I can relate to Patrick Bateman," Scott remarked, causing Gwen to turn back around and look at him.

"Right," is all Gwen says. She hadn't seen either movie, so she was clueless as to what he was talking about.

"Hey, maybe we could go out to the movies sometime. I know a nice theatre that we could go to," Scott suggested.

"Um, I'll have to take a raincheck on that one. I'm just so busy with classes and everything," Gwen lies. She was busy with classes but she had more than enough time between that.

"Of course. Well, in the mean time, I have some movies in my room. I just bought this DVD player and -." Scott tried again.

"I'm really not interested in going anywhere with you, especially to your dorm. That's the last place I'd want to go," Gwen snaps. Usually, she wasn't so blunt but Iris was truly beginning to rub off on her.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Scott frowned.

"No. I'm sorry but I don't think that this is going to go any further," Gwen shook her head.

"Well, this was a fucking waste of time. You know, a girl like you shouldn't be so picky about guys. If it wasn't for Iris, no one would look at you," Scott remarked, his ego bruised. If he was going to be rejected, he was going to make sure Gwen felt like shit in the very process.

"Fuck you," Gwen spat.

Scott just grabs a beer bottle before he leaves, roughly bumping into Gwen's shoulder as he left. Gwen feels nothing but regret for even engaging in conversation with Scott and going to this party in the first place. So she leaves the party in a hurry, not caring who she bumped into in the process. Iris saw Gwen as she was leaving, suddenly realizing that she needed to follow her and see what was wrong.

"Hey, where are you going?" Buffy questioned.

"I need to see what's wrong with Gwen," Iris answered.

"She's not five, Iris. She's perfectly capable of handling herself," Dana rolls her eyes.

"If I wanted your fucking opinion, Dana, I would've asked for it," Iris glares at her.

Dana frowns, folding her arms across her chest. "What is your problem, Iris? You barely know Gwen and yet you're always hanging out with her. You're always doing everything for her. It's like we're all beneath you and Gwen now."

"I'm glad you're finally realizing your place," Iris snapped.

And with that, Iris leaves the party to go and chase after Gwen. She finds the girl standing outside of her dorm room, leaned against her door. Iris slows her steps, her features softening into that of sympathy.

"What are you doing here?" Iris asks, her tone soft and comforting.

"I was going to wait here until you came back. I couldn't stay there another moment," Gwen shakes her head. "You didn't have to chase after me."

But Gwen appreciates the fact that Iris did anyway. The fact that Iris abandoned the party just for her made Gwen feel special all over again.

"Yes, I did," Iris insisted.

"I'm sorry," Gwen apologized.

Iris sighs, unlocking her door so she and Gwen could walk inside. "What did I tell you about those two words? I hate them. Girls shouldn't have to apologize for anything."

Gwen sits down on the edge of Iris's bed, resisting the urge to apologize once again. She looks around Iris's room, seeing how pristine it was. There wasn't a single thing out of place. Iris barely spent much time inside of her dorm anyway. She was always out, busy with her friends or some new guy.

"So... should I bother asking how things went with Scott?" Iris asks, causing Gwen to flop down onto the bed with a huff.

"Awful. He wouldn't stop talking about himself and how much of a genius he is. And then he tried to get me into his room," Gwen answered as she continued staring up at the ceiling.

"What a jerk," Iris frowns, lying next to Gwen on her bed.

"I'm just glad it's over," Gwen replied.

"Can I confess something to you?" Iris remarked, causing Gwen to turn and look directly at her. "I'm glad that things didn't go well between you and Scott."

"Why?" Gwen asks softly.

"Because now I get to have you all to myself," Iris confessed.

Gwen looks over at Iris who smiles at her before pressing a soft kiss onto her shoulder. She then rests her head on Gwen's shoulder, her soft blonde hair tickling Gwen's cheek. There's nowhere else Gwen would rather be in that exact moment than right here with the girl she adored so close to her.

( 🍇🖤🔪 )

word count: 2296
notes: i want you by summer camp is so gwen and iris coded holy shit