#post-quarry

            BENEATH   THE   SHARP   STING   OF   BETRAYAL,            there   is   an   understanding   that   𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚   𝙖   𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢   𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙢,      attempts   to   soothe.               soothe   where   otherwise   he   might   just   blister   and   burn,      though   not   quite   with   betrayal   so   much   as   he   would   with   guilt.         a   guilt   that   hides   itself   cleverly   but   does   not   fail   to   make   itself   known   as   a   knife’s   wound   in   the   gut.            it   churns   every   time   he   pictures   𝙝𝙞𝙨   𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧’𝙨   𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚.            ultimately   the   fault   lies   with   caleb,      and   caleb   knows   it.               the   question   now   is,      does   ryan?            frowning   softly   at   the   other’s   visible   agony,      caleb   reaches   out   to   take   ryan’s   shoulder   in   his   hand—      𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩,      his   mind   says,      even   when   all   you   do   otherwise   is   cause   harm.