The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?"

When Elle had joined Hospital Volunteer Group, she had figured it’d just be a nice thing to do once a week - bringing some joy, or even some normalcy, to people who maybe needed something like that. It was always nice to be able to spend some time with the kids in the children’s ward, and she had been looking forward to it that day.

Until she’d arrived and had seen who else was going to be helping out. It had taken everything in her (and the reminder that she had promised a child the previous week that she’d be back to read them their favorite book and that wasn’t a promise she wanted to break) not to turn right back around as soon as she had spotted the familiar male. But she was going to be the bigger person. She was going to get through things, even if they emotionally killed her.

Stupid Zachariah. Had no one else in Hospital Volunteer Group been free that day?

Looking anywhere but at him, Elle focused on the nearby vending machine as he spoke, zeroing in on the M&M’s halfway down as she internally debated whether or not to dignify him with a response. In the end, she decided to keep it simple, still not acknowledging him as she let out a curt “Yep.”

“That’s cool.” Was it though? It certainly didn’t feel like it when all he got in response was a one word answer and a cold shoulder. Which was fair, Cane reminded himself. He had hurt her, hurt both of them, even if it had been on accident. But that was never his intention. Why couldn’t she see that? Why couldn’t she just forgive him?

He took a deep breath and muttered a prayer under his breath before pulling out the M&Ms. Hopefully they were still her favorite. And if they weren’t, then he might as well except how shitty this entire day was going to be and throw himself down the stairs. That would probably be much less embarrassing.

“These are for you. I, um, got them out of the vending machine. Figured you could use a snack. You liked them, right?”

Lots of things had changed. It was entirely possible that she had managed to curb her sweet tooth and was instead far happier to drop them on the floor. She had a friend now, the last child of the DeVils. Maybe she was better for Elle than he could ever have been. But he couldn’t deny that sometimes when they walked by together, laughing and giggling, the intense bile of jealousy would rise up in his throat. Leave it to him to get the nicest person on the Isle to hate his guts. Lucky him. Apparently bad social form ran in the family.

“If you don’t it’s cool.” He said it more for himself than for her.

And so of course they had now been asked to work in the same ward for volunteer work. Lovely. He was going to make himself look like a fool in front of Elle and the children. He should have just feigned sickness, pretended he couldn’t have gone in, but a small part of his brain nagged that maybe this was a chance to right a wrong that had weighed down heavy on his heart.

Cane stopped by the vending machine as he walked towards her. At least he’d have a peace offering. 

“So,” he swallowed hard, voice cracking. “I guess it’s us today.”

@ellegothel​