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No means NOOOO

It just proves that you insisted for them to do something that they didn’t wanna do, not only it’s disrespectful and absolutely disgusting. You didn’t respect their boundaries.

she showed up at your door one night—bloody, shoulders heavy with a kind of exhaustion you’d never seen on her before. said she had nothing left. said she’d taken down a few visitors herself.

you hesitated.

times were hard, and trust was a currency you couldn’t afford, so you’d spent yours wisely.

but she was a face you’d known for four years now—the helpful hand that always showed up when something heavy needed carrying, the generous neighbor who patched up your house without ever asking for anything in return.

having her around felt safe. just the two of you. you cooked, she cleaned. sometimes she’d hum under her breath for you, and for a while, it almost felt like normal.

until it didn’t.

restlessness gave her away fast. she stopped sleeping. stopped laughing at the dumb jokes that used to make her freckles wrinkle and her nose scrunch up like a kid.

the news kept listing off symptoms

red eyes

delayed reactions

inability to dream

but she was also human. tired, grieving. missing her hometown, missing a dad she couldn’t return to—the only family she had left.

but in times like these, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

she didn’t take it well when you brought it up. didn’t argue, didn’t fight, just fell silent. but you could tell she was hurt.

you told her it was just so you’d sleep easier if you ran a few tests.

her eyes were a little red, maybe from the smoke or the sleepless nights.

but that didn’t necessarily mean she was a visitor… right?