IC Inbox

[crossmyheartandhope]

Hey, what's up? It's me, do the message thing.

[BEEEP]

Comments

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

...Feels like it's been a long time, huh.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah.

[His voice breaks on the word, a little.]

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

...

[Puts her drink down so she can lean in further, give him a hug proper]

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Holds on hard with one hand - then sets the drink down and holds on with the other hand, too, like he's afraid to let go.]

[It takes him a couple of minutes to say anything else, and when he does, the words are muffled by her shoulder:]

...it was like that one game.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

[Her hold isn't particularly tight, but is steady, and she strokes over his mid-back, gentle. Silence stretches as she wonders if he'll follow up, and eventually, she gives the gentlest prompt]

...Oh?

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

...not at first. At first it was like this bar? With like. Wires, and monsters in the furniture. And Lilith was hanging out.

It was creepy, but it was like - it was okay?

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

[Keeps up the slow rhythm, voice even and soft]

...So, she didn't try anything.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

Not till it was time for me to pay up.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

[Moves to sift through his hair instead]

...Didn't like your first offer?

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

There was only the one.

[Closes his eyes. He's shivering a little, probably not from the cold.]

She asked if I could afford not to pay.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

[Pulls him in closer, a little; hesitates]

...What'd happen if you'd tried?

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Even quieter:]

...pretty sure I'd've just had to stay. She asked if -

[Hesitates, then hesitates longer.]

- if I wanted to see you again.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

[Her hands go still]





Oh.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

So - so I wasn't gonna stay. No matter what, I -

I was gonna make it back here.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

...Even if--even if you'd got stuck-- I would've gone get you. I would've brought you back. So--so don't worry.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He takes in a breath, like he wants to say something - but instead he's just. Tearing up, jfc, please hold.]

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

[Does so, more tightly. Bows her head, voice thick]

Sorry--sorry. Sorry.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

No, don't - d-don't be. I -

[His voice breaks, and he has to take a second before he can keep going.]

S'just... good to know, is all.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

--I--I'll do better, okay? Promise, I c-can do better.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

Dude, you're - you're good.

This is good, it's. [He takes a breath in, and it hitches a little.] I missed this so much, you don't gotta do anything but what you're doing right now.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

I gotta make sure you don't die again. Then--

[She starts again, voice more sure]

Then maybe we can talk about being good.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

Hey. It was my dumb wish, right? This one's on me.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

If--

[Swallows, like she doesn't want to have this conversation--she doesn't--but it's not like she can think about much else, so may as well.]

...I rushed in, like an idiot. I just-- I shouldn't've left you alone. It's just 'cause I...

[Bites her lip, swallows again, harder]

...Just saying...wouldn't've been any problems if we'd had each others backs, is all.

Re: Day 79, late

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah, well. Least you didn't show up too late to do anything.

Re: Day 79, late

[unbr8kable]

This time.