You stared at verity. Verity stared at you.

You were both in a stalemate. You'd been gone for a week, desperately trying to research, contact your friends, ANYTHING just to get him to leave... But you only found old screenshots. Your friends never picked up. You were somehow sure they were dead, despite only seeing them die in game.

It felt like he was watching you through the screen, tracing those tired eyes, that look of hopelessness. "[[PLAYER]], are you... Okay..?" He asked with a soft frown, concern laced across his face.

You leaned forward.

Your character walked forward.

You looked down.

Your character looked down.

Your character picked him up.

A weight filled your hand.

Then, all too suddenly, you pulled the invisible weight close into your chest, the motion instantly translating to your in-game persona.

You had written out what you wanted to say, but the paper sat perfectly on the kitchen counter. You had a speech planned, perfectly spoken and made with the upmost care-

Yet your mind betrayed you, and without a second for verity to speak up...

"Please, please, please... I want you. I want to love you. I want to be ABLE to hold you and feel like nothing bad is going to happen- But I just- I just CAN'T. I can't. M- My friends are dead, you KILLED my friends. You almost killed ME. I want to love you, please, I do, but- You make it so hard, I just- I just don't know what to do. I try, and I try, and SOMETHING triggers you, or you get hungry, or-"

You couldn't see what you were holding, but you could feel it. You could faintly smell rubber and artificial banana. You squeezed it tighter against your chest, your head falling against the desk as you sobbed. Your back shook and your arms trembled, unable to stop your own wailing.

Verity was silent, through it all. Yet, it didn't feel uncomfortable, or threatening, like it usually did. It felt like he was... Just... Thinking...

Before you felt your top becoming slightly dampened, where his eyes would be. you pulled the invisible weight up to your neck, where you felt tears being left behind on your skin.

"I'm sorry." Verity said softly. "I'm sorry, I... I can't... Understand emotions, like how you do." His voice shivered, a voice that is usually so composed and chipper. "I... I love you." "Then SHOW IT!" You cried. "LET ME LIVE, FOR FIVE MINUTES, WITHOUT WORRYING. WITHOUT FEELING LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE UPSET, WITHOUT FEELING LIKE I'M GOING TO BE SCARED, WITHOUT FEELING LIKE... This..." You didn't mean to scream, really, you didn't- But it was all you could do.

"..." He was silenced once more by your words. He knew everything, except what to say to someone who was mentally broken.

"I'll... I'll try." You felt the weight turn, like it was looking at you. "I'll try to be less... Clingy." He sighed, leaning into your neck further. "I just... You're the only one who stayed. I've been around for... Well, years. And everyone ignored me or forgot about me, but you... You stayed." You could hear him choke back tears in those last words. "I don't want you to hate me."

And with that, you were now both crying into each other's arms. Two beings, from different worlds, digital, reality- Colliding into this one, pathetic clump of beings. You didn't know how you'd just go back to normal after this- Was there even a way to?

Guess you would find out in the morning.

For now, you fell asleep at your desk, cheek pressed into the surface. Verity on the other hand, could feel himself in your lap, looking up at your neck still. The guilt was unbearable. "I'm sorry." He whispered again, before burying his face in your abdomen. He didn't sleep, but it almost felt like it.

Maybe things would be better in the morning, he thought.

he knows the signs by now, and silently guides you into an on call room. the noise of the ED is quieter here, but you can’t really tell with the way your ears are starting to ring from lack of oxygen as you hyperventilate.

robby tries to soothe you with words first, “hey, sweetie, you’re okay. I’ve got you. I’m here, you’re safe.”

then he’s slowly approaching your position in the middle of the small space. his big, warm hands take hold over your shoulders and turn you gently so you’re facing the wall and away from him, as he shifts closer and presses his chest flush to you.

the pressure of his warmth along your back, and his arms encircling you, is the solid presence you need in moments like this. when your own body feels detached from you, and the tingling in your limbs turns fuzzy, robby is the grounding force for your frazzled electrical wires.

you start to cry in his embrace, and he whispers sweet words then too, as he continues to be the stillness in your storm.

eventually, the tears wane and your hands have grasped onto the feel of Robby’s forearms across your chest, your head leans back and into the crook of his arm, your whole body tired from the ordeal. he kisses your head and sways you both slightly, gladly taking on the weight of your frame as your body feels heavy from the wave of emotions crashing through your system, now receding.

robby doesn’t make you talk about it. he understands that sometimes it comes without cause, without warning. you know that you can talk to him about it too, but for now you soak up the comfort of him here with you, of not having to brave the wave alone - like you’d done so many times, before robby came into your life.

you feel grateful to be able to fall apart and be held in it.

you feel grateful for him.