#dancingthroughlcfe

The rain was coming down in cold, miserable sheets. Nine was crouched on the wet pavement, trying to pry open a battered payphone with a bent paperclip and a shard of glass. His fingers slipped every time, the metal scraping uselessly against the coin slot. Several people burled past him, one giving him dirty looks and the other soaking him further by splashing in a puddle. Nine's voice cracked, low and venomous at first, but then louder and frantic. "Fine! Fine! Nobody helps! Nobody EVER helps!" He slammed his fist against the payphone, gritting his teeth as he bit back tears of frustration. Noticing someone was staring at him, his head snapped up. "What? Come to laugh too? Everyone else just keeps walking. Like I don't even..." he cut himself off. "I don't have the right tools. I don't have ANYTHING anymore, and this stupid city won't even let me break a payphone right!"

Vanessa had been out jogging, earbuds in but no music playing, when she saw him. She hadn't seen him since...Well, since a lot of things. But, he looked the same. And it felt like someone had punched her straight through the sternum. She couldn't move. She knew she should, she knew he probably wanted her to keep jogging until she was out of sight, but, her legs had turned to concrete. She fumbled, pulling one earbud out. "Mike...?" Her voice came out small, knowing he probably wasn't wanting to hear it. She clenched her fists. "What are you doing here?"