honestly, he'd forgotten his name. it hadn't seemed that important at the time. so when he introduces himself - gunner - knox cracks a smile because oh, that's ironic. that's hilarious, actually. he blinks and sees summer's pretty face, glock cocked under their father's chin. does she see that, every time she says his name? every time her lips form the word gun?

knox's hands sparkle with glitter. some of it's on his neck, across his cheeks. not much, but enough that some of it lingers on gunner's hands after knox shakes it. 

"you're makin' it sound like it's business. relax, dude. sooooooo, we can cut straight to the point all official-like. what kinda asshole are ya? 'cause she only likes assholes."

he thinks back to casey. "and weirdos."

Gunner Graves

☉

"apology accepted," knox says with a wink. he narrows his eyes, gives him the once-over, and then his lips pop into an o. he nods sagely, leans back in his chair, and exhales. 

"nevermind. you're not an asshole, are you? you're a nice guy. oh, buddy."

summer's sacrificed a lot for you. 

knox snaps at the samuel carter in his head. at the sam on his shoulder. at the sam standing behind gunner and shaking his head and thinking, i'm gone and dealing with my dead mother's affairs; the least you can do is be nice. but that's not what sam would say at all so it's a moot point.

"fuck, okay. i'll hold my judgment. tell me about yourself."

Gunner Graves

☉

aw, just like me? knox thinks as he bats his pretty little eyelashes and tries his best to absorb gunner's story. but what he takes from it, he tosses into the dump bucket to join the sparkly nuances that accompany summer's other 'boyfriends.'

to see her claw so desperately for a good guy, if he really is one, is pitiful. it won't right all of her wrongs. it won't make her less of a twisted, fucked up person. and he could end it here, right now. this doll's house she's built for the two of them.

but he's getting ahead of himself. 

and he promised to play nice. 

"oh?" he says, interest piquing. so is he working for them? tidying up the business and steering them out of trouble, maybe?

"i like reading comic books. red says it's 'cause i'm an idiot. paralegal's cool though. how long's it been with her? like, a couple months?"

Gunner Graves

☉

only a couple months. 

the gates open. the light floods in. everything makes sense. summer's playing pretend again. summer has her little dolls and wants to play nice, happy family, but she can't hold that charade very long. 

he's seen her try, and fail, before. 

so he smirks.

"you poor schmuck." he blinks his pretty, sparkling lashes. props his elbows on the table and plops his chin in his hands. "you're a cutie. 'n i get it. she's hot, right? and you're looking at me thinkin' this guy's whack. shh, i see it on your face.

"but see, here's the thing. she is also whee-whoo." he taps his temples; the rest of his fingers curl on his cheeks, shifting with his smile. "she's just better at hiding the crazy."

Gunner Graves

☉

if he could be a fly on the wall and watch the two of them talk to each other, he would. he'd pop some popcorn and plop himself down and it would probably make him angry and sad and tired, but it would also bring him joy, knowing he's watching fiction. he's never really cared for true-to-life documentaries.

he doesn't owe gunner anything, but he scoots a little closer in his seat anyway, enamored to have the spotlight turned back on him. 

"hmm. i was born in mauville and absolutely do not fucking live there. i'm a younger brother, nothing like you. i also always come up short and gotta make the best of it." his smile quirks. "and i think you and i could be best friends."

Gunner Graves

☉