☤

Rebecca: Well, that's good. Right?

       she’s reaching over to wipe away tears as if muscles reacted on their own accord , leaning forward with one arm in her lap gripping styrofoam &. the other draping itself around chamber’s shoulders. this life they live ? they SURVIVED ? it wasn’t an easy one ; &. it sure as hell took a lot of strength out of one of them to not break down as often as most people thought they would               ————         thought they SHOULD ( you learn to hold it in. hide it until you’re all alone &. can let it out ) crown rises &. lips press against her forehead before pulling back , arm draped around her shoulders allowing hand to rub at shoulder gently while she let out a sigh of her own. THERE COMES A TIME WHEN EVEN OUR BODIES GIVE UP ON US.     ❛    hey , hey. look at me. you’re doing fine , okay ? your heart’s not broken , its        …    you’re tired. WE’RE tired.    ❜    she gives a nod , leaning back in her own seat once more while letting arm fall from around rebecca’s shoulders to find hand closest to her own ; letting digits interlace &. SQUEEZE while other hand raises coffee up to lips.     ❛    i know i’m the last person to be saying anything , but you know you can talk to me , right ? its why i’m here. you’re my ROCK , `becca. i want to try &. be yours too at least                      …               but yeah , yeah. you uh        ———     you should come. it does some good to air certain things out , as much as i fight it myself. it much better than obsessing. trust me.    ❜ 

those    hands    have    become    a    comfort    blanket,    so    desperately    yearned    for    every    waking    moment    of    their    unpredictable    lives.    without    that    familiar    touch    of    reassurance,    a    physical    reminder    that    they’re    still    alive    despite    the    odds,    she    crumbles.    who    knew    a    person    could    be    the    foundation    of    security,    that    when    eyes    meet    deep    blues    an    overwhelming    sense    of    calm    takes    over.    if    only    jill    knew    the    half    of    it.    three    whole    years    can    transform    a    person    when    their    world    is    presumed    dead.    sometimes,    she’s    even    left    questioning    if    valentine    ever    made    it    back,    and    if    this    is    just    a    pleasant    dream    in    which    she    hopes    to    never    awake    from.    

    ❛    my day goes perfectly fine without sprinkles                  —-               what are you trying to say over there !    ❜

     ❛    chocolate      ….    who puts sprinkles in coffee ? what is this , a folgers commercial ??    ❜

❛   yes,     and     it    was    awful!    no     wonder    you’re    so      grouchy    in    the    morning.   ❜

❛     ...     that’s     me.     ❜          she     regards     him     with     a     warm     smile,     returning     his     formality     with     a     firm     handshake.     his     voice     is     timeless,     and     charm     extends     well     beyond     the     years     that     have     made     their     physical     mark .     she     wonders     what     his     story     is,     and     the     paranoia     that’s     plagued     her     for     two     decades     begins     to     rear     its     ugly     head.     nightmares     lived     can     never     be     escaped.          ❛     i’m     sorry     but     -     i     never     caught     your     name...     my     hearing     isn’t     as     sharp     as     it     used     to     be.     ❜

       she knows that look all too well          ——–       where HELL itself did its damnedest to drag you down into its clutches no matter how HARD you fought it off ; no matter how LONG it seemed like you survived the torment , it just kept plaguing you until you eventually decided to just SUBMIT &. give in. sleepless nights. hollow days. cold sweats in the middle of the night &. consistently looking over your shoulder for faces that WEREN’T THERE. crown nods slowly as valentine listens to rebecca speak truths that literally SPOKE to her , lips pressing into a thinned line before frame leaned back in her seat.     ❛     you’re starting to sound like me.     ❜      a sigh , lids beginning to shut &. legs once propped up along tabletop now gracing the ground once more.        ❛    hey. you’re not the only one running , alright ? i still sleep with a gun under my pillow because most nights i can’t tell if i ACTUALLY woke up or if i’m still stuck in a nightmare                  ———-           you’re not alone in this.       ❜    not anymore. there’s a long pause the minute cerulean orbs trail off towards the styrofoam nestled between digits ; right side set beginning to drum along it &. coming to an abrupt halt.      ❛    ….    QUINZEL. i uh        …      i actually have one of those mandatory meetings today. you                              ——                            you should come.    ❜