#sophicus

"Sugar..."

His voice is low and warm. He crosses his arms and settles into an easier stance as he gathers his thougts. Then he shrugs, going still and looking at her.

"There are very few things in my life that are unchanging truths. One is that Aaron Masterson is an eternal pain in my ass. Can't get rid of 'im. but more important, Soph, the biggest truth of my life?"

"Sugar. I would love you in any form, in any life. Okay?"

@pantslessoptimism needs to light her candle

Rich strummed at his guitar, not really playing. Not really tuning it, either. Not doing anything but plucking at the strings and overthinking. it’s what he’s good at these days. He hasn’t really played in months. not since...

But he couldn’t bear to think of that. He tried not to think her name, tried not to think of her smiling and leaning in to him as she shivered in her coat. He’s getting better at shutting her out, but his fingers fall away from the guitar because he has to work at not thinking I miss you, Dana and wondering if or when or how. If they hadn’t. When had it. How would she. Useless questions with no answers, because she’d taken matters into her own hands and-

No. He should have gone out with Mark. A meal, at least, would be a distraction. Instead he’s here in the apartment, no power and no heat and no buffer between him and his memories and his regret.

He almost decides to go after Mark, or just go out and away. A change of place can inspire a change of thought or something. But before he can convince himself of that, there’s a knock on the door. He pretends to be annoyed that Mark’s back already.

Dream a Little Dream of Me Cass Elliot

Banana Pancakes Jack Johnson

Ain’t no Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye, Tammy Terrell

Sugar Maroon 5

At Last Etta James

Your Cheatin’ Heart Patsy Cline

Take it All Adele

Are You Lonesome Tonight? Elvis Presley

Just Give Me a Reason, P!nk, Nate Ruess

He gets exactly what he doesn’t deserve:

Her heart, wary now, scarred, but still warm

delivered into his destructive hands

Sometimes he gets a feeling. not of being watched, exactly; he's too well trained to be paranoid like that. no; it's just a feeling.  A kind of warmth, and a kind of sadness.

Rasoul, his new partner, watched him. Rasoul and Patrick had told him that he'd been injured, and it affected his memory. They told him he'd known that Carter was dead, Masterson defected, Jacob disappeared, and Dana was on indefinite leave. Simon was in seclusion because Mikey was gravely ill. He took their word because they were his Brothers in the Light; but it felt wrong. Or at least untruthful.

Still. They had no reason to lie to him, and doubting his Brothers was one step closer to doubting the Light. so he readjusted his ideas, tried to beleive them. But sometimes that feeling came right out of the blue, that warmth and sadness, and he had to close his eyes.

That feeling felt like the truth. And for some reason, every now and then, he thought of Mary Ellen Hallow's daughter, the girl he'd drowned because she would not come to the Light. He thought of her laughing, dark hair faling over her shoulder, and that frightened him: he'd never seen her before the day he killed her. But that had always been a problem for him, too much compassion for those that needed to be cleansed.