❀ ✿ Danielle ✿ ❀

Wash those dishes that were in the sink this morning, take out the trash, fold your laundry…

The list goes on and on, and you sigh, preparing yourself for a long night.

When you make it to your front door, you fish your keys out of your purse and push inside, closing and locking the door behind you.

You drop your bag on the entryway table and start moving down the hallway, but something stops you in your tracks. The smell of… cooking?

No, that can’t be right.

You’re sure that you didn’t make anything that could account for the smell, and Sevika had told you that she was working late at the bar again tonight. Could it be an intruder?

The thought alone was ridiculous. Any intruder that seemingly left everything in its place while also whipping up some deliciously smelling food would always be welcome in your home.

So, you decide to investigate the smell, mostly to prove that you weren’t going insane.

When you turn the corner into the kitchen, you stop in your tracks again.

Sevika stands in front of the stove, back turned to you and seemingly unaware of your presence. You watch her for a moment, starstruck.

Finally, you take a few steps forward, clearing your throat. In front of you, Sevika jumps a bit and whirls around. When she sees you, though, she relaxes.

“Shit, you scared me,” she says, her voice quiet. “How was work, baby?”

You don’t reply, instead moving closer to Sevika and falling into her arms. Closing your eyes, you melt into her, letting her hold you upright.

“Rough day?”

You nod into Sevika’s chest. “I’m so tired,” you whisper.

“Yeah, I thought you’d be,” Sevika replies, tightening her grip on your waist. Then, she starts guiding you out of the kitchen and down the hallway towards the bathroom.

There’s a moment where you just stare up at Sevika, confused, but you let her lead you anyways. When she pushes the door open, you find your answer.

The bathtub is filled with water, and you can still see the steam rising off of the surface. There’s a few bubbles lining the edge of the tub, and when you inhale, the scent of lavender fills your senses.

It’s enough for you to tear up.

You quickly wipe your face, turning and hugging Sevika close.

“You didn’t have to do this,” you mumble into her neck, hands tangled in her hair.

“Sure, but I knew you’d be tired,” Sevika responds gently, petting the top of your head with her flesh hand. “It’s the least I could do for you, love.”

Whether from emotions or sheer exhaustion, your lower lip starts to quiver, and you can feel tears start to prick at your eyes again. You pull away from Sevika and start to undress, leaving your discarded clothes in a neat pile on the tile floor.

Sevika watches you but doesn’t say anything. Once you step closer to the tub, though, she holds out a hand to help you down into the water. Of course, it’s the perfect temperature.

She always knew what you needed.

“I’ll be back in about twenty minutes, okay? The pasta is almost done,” Sevika says quietly, turning and leaving without another word.

You nod, closing your eyes and sinking lower into the hot water. It seems to soak into your bones, relieving days-old tension in seconds.

In the process, a few stray tears leak out of your eyes, mixing with the bathwater. You don’t move to wipe them, instead just leaving them to flow down your face.

After what feels like a few seconds, you jolt awake at the sound of the door opening. You look towards the noise, finding Sevika standing there with a small smile on her face.

“Did you fall asleep?”

“Uh, I guess so,” you reply, looking around. Sure enough, the water is cool to the touch, and when you check the time, twenty minutes have passed.

“Well, dinner is ready whenever you are,” Sevika eventually says. “Are you hungry?”

You nod, moving to pull yourself out of the water. “Yeah, I… I’ll be in there in a second,” you murmur, stepping out onto the bath mat.

Like before, Sevika doesn’t linger, somehow sensing your need for a bit of alone time. After thoroughly drying yourself with a towel, you wrap it around your body and pad down the hallway into yours and Sevika’s room.

When you emerge, you’re wearing a pair of loose shorts and one of Sevika’s old shirts. You make your way into the kitchen, finding Sevika spooning some sort of pasta into two bowls.

She glances over her shoulder and smiles at you warmly before speaking. “Go sit down. I’ll bring it to you.”

You don’t argue, turning and walking to the dining room table. You take your seat and watch as Sevika finishes her task. Once she does, Sevika carries the two bowls to the table and sets each in front of your respective chairs.

She sits down next to you, watching as you take your first bite of the food.

“This is really good, baby,” you say after swallowing.

“Yeah, is it really? I tried a new recipe.”

You nod, taking another bite. A comfortable silence covers the two of you as you eat, and after a couple of minutes, Sevika stands up and grabs both of your empty bowls. You follow her to the kitchen, leaning against the counter as she rinses them in the sink.

“I thought you were working late tonight,” you say quietly, reaching out and gently touching Sevika’s back.

“I got off early because one of the new guys wanted to switch shifts,” Sevika explains, turning off the water and turning her body to face you. “I didn’t really want to be there anyways.”

“And why’s that?”

“Well, I had better things to be doing,” Sevika whispers, stepping forward into your space. “Like coming home and getting things ready for you.”

You crack a small, exhausted smile. “You’re too sweet to me,” you murmur in response.

“No, I’d argue that I’m not sweet enough to you,” Sevika responds, pulling you into her.

You roll your eyes, but you wrap your arms around her neck nonetheless.

“Also, is that my shirt?”

Nodding, you rest your head against Sevika’s chest. “Yeah, all my good sleep shirts are in my laundry.”

“You mean the laundry that I folded earlier?”

You pull back slightly, looking Sevika in the eyes. “You folded my laundry?”

“If you’re talking about the stuff that was in the washer, yeah. I folded it.”

Apparently, clean laundry was the final straw.

Like before, tears start streaming down your face. However, this time they’re accompanied by exhausted sobs and noisy sniffles.

“Oh, baby,” Sevika whispers, picking you up into her arms. “You’re so tired, aren’t you?”

Through your cries, you nod, not even complaining about Sevika babying you like you normally would. She carries you to the bedroom and places you down on the bed, maneuvering your body under the covers.

“Please,” you beg, holding out the word for a few beats. A stupid smile splits open your face, and you push your last shot glass towards the man. “Just one more, then I swear I won’t ask again.”

“I said no,” the man replies, turning away from you and speaking to another customer.

You persist, following the man down the bar. Finally, he gets tired of your begging and turns to face you.

“Sevika, come get your girl,” he calls into the crowd.

Frowning, you stand up a bit straighter.

“Whatever, you’re no fun” you mumble, slurring your words as you stumble away.

You’ve almost made it across the bar when you feel a heavy, calloused hand land on your shoulder.

“Going somewhere, dollface?”

“Just waiting for you,” you reply, turning around to find Sevika standing behind you.

“Oh yeah? And why’s that?”

“Are you done with your cards?”

“Yeah, I’m done,” Sevika responds, pulling you closer to her. “Didn’t answer my question, though.”

“Let’s just go home, they won’t give me anything else,” you say after a moment, letting Sevika support your body.

Sevika chuckles in response, her flesh hand falling around your waist. “Alright,” she replies, her voice a bit mocking. “Let’s get you home.”

You roll your eyes, but you let Sevika pull you towards the exit. “Don’t say it like that,” you mumble, meaning to sound as sober as possible.

It doesn’t work, obviously.

“Yes ma’am,” Sevika says, still making fun of you slightly. Nevertheless, she guides you out of the crowded bar, gently pushing you out into the cool night air.

The walk home is quick, and before you know it, you’re watching Sevika unlock the door to your shared apartment. You follow her inside, dropping your purse on the couch.

Your body follows, curling up in the pile of pillows and blankets from last night’s movie. Sevika laughs again, sitting down by your legs.

“Sleepy?”

“No,” you groan, pushing up into a half-sitting position. “I’m so awake.”

“Sure, you are,” she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. You watch her flesh hand move closer to your face, and she softly tucks a stray hair behind your ear. “Let’s go take a shower, baby.”

You think of refusing for a moment, but you don’t. A nice, warm shower sounds pretty appealing.

Nodding, you stand up. Before you can move, though, you stumble slightly, grabbing onto Sevika for support.

She watches as you drunkenly giggle, and you can almost see the thoughts forming in her brain. Just as you realize what she’s going to do, Sevika scoops you up into her arms with ease.

You giggle at the sudden weightlessness, placing your arms around Sevika’s neck. She carries you to the bathroom and gently places you down on the edge of the tub, turning on the water.

“I can take a shower, Vika,” you mumble.

“You couldn’t even walk to the bathroom, doll” Sevika says, her voice soft. “I don’t mind doing this.”

Going quiet, you listen to the water fill the tub. Sevika helps you stand up, being overly cautious.

“Vika, I can undress myself,” you say, but your words are in vain. Sevika expertly turns you around, unzipping your dress and letting it fall to the ground.

You step out of the dress, watching as Sevika picks it up and folds it. She sets it on the bathroom counter before kneeling down on the ground in front of you.

“Sit down,” she says quietly. You obey, taking a seat on the edge of the tub again.

In front of you, Sevika takes your shoes off of your feet, setting them down to the side. “I don’t know how you walk in these every night,” she chuckles, poking at the heel.

“Practice,” you smile, staring down at her. “You look cute down there,” you add quietly, smirking slightly as you run your fingers through Sevika’s hair.

Sevika catches the shift in your tone, and she raises her eyebrow slightly. “No, you’re drunk.”

You sigh, pulling your hand back. “Whatever.”

She doesn’t respond, instead picking you up and setting you down into the warm water. Then, Sevika grabs the soap and starts lathering it over your body.

“I can wash myself,” you say, but again, Sevika doesn’t pay your words any mind.

You finally just lean back, letting the other woman wash you.

She does this every time you’re drunk or injured in some way. The truth was, Sevika just really enjoys taking care of you, even when you could technically do it yourself.

“Makes me feel stronger,” she’d told you when you’d asked her why a couple of years ago. “Like I can protect you.”

So, you let her do it.

You let her carry you around, wash your body, then tuck you into bed next to her. It was the least you could do for her, anyways.

Tonight, she finishes washing you and pulls you out of the tub. She dries your body with a soft towel, paying soft attention to the most delicate parts of you.

Then, she takes you to bed, setting you down on the edge while she pulls back the covers for you.

You’re quickly tucked in, and Sevika steps back, admiring her work.

“Can I get you anything before I shower? I’ll make it quick, of course.”

You shake your head, waving her off. “You’ve already done plenty, Vika,” you reply.

Nodding, Sevika turns and pads down the hallway back into the bathroom. You hear the water turn on, then the sound of Sevika quietly singing to herself.

It makes you smile, hearing her, but you never tell her. She’d stop doing it out of embarrassment if she thought you could hear her.

True to her promise, Sevika is in and out of the shower in a record three minutes. She returns to the bedroom wrapped in a towel as she rifles through her drawers.

Once she picks something to wear, she changes, letting the towel fall to the ground.

Sevika walks over to the bed, sitting down.

You roll towards her as she pulls the covers over her body, waiting for her to get comfortable. Once she does, she wraps her flesh arm around your shoulders, pulling you flush against her body.

Sighing, you relax into her, closing your eyes.

“You’re going to be so hungover tomorrow,” Sevika whispers into your ear.

“No, I’m not,” you shoot back, but your words don’t have any bite to them.

“Oh yeah? And you aren’t even tired, are you?”

Before you can even muster a response, your eyes start to droop. You settle for a quiet groan, and it gets your message across all the same.

Sevika chuckles, and you can feel the vibrations under your head.

The house was situated on a hill, nestled between the slender trees of the great Piney Woods. Prime real estate for someone who wanted to be left alone.

Looking in from the outside, someone unfamiliar with your lifestyle would be confused to say the least. The building looked as though it was pulled from a land far away from where it sat in East Texas.

From above, the building had a distinct U shape to it, curving around a small courtyard in the heart of the yard. It was all one level, resembling more of a compound than a normal residence.

In fact, if someone was unlucky enough to make it inside the doors, they likely wouldn’t think anyone lived there at all.

Sure, in the main areas of the house, there were a few decorations. A kitchen table in the middle of what was supposed to be the living room, a couple paintings lining the dim hallway walls.

In the bedroom especially, everything was always pristine. The comforter was always neatly tucked into the sides of the bed as if some army general was about to inspect it at any time, and the only other furniture was a single bedside table.

It was like a perfectly stated dollhouse, almost.

There wasn’t really a reason for it. You never had anyone over, so the furnishings only seemed to fulfill some misguided fantasy of normalcy.

It was all in vain, of course. Just from the way you spoke, walked, and stood, the people who had the misfortune of meeting you could tell you were a bit… off.

“Quiet,” some would say. “Fucking creepy,” others chose.

You didn’t see people very often, thankfully. It was only on a rare supply run to the local markets that you were forced to interact with anyone.

Everything else you needed, you already had. Chances were, it was in the bunker.

The bunker was a personal project of yours. At least, that’s what you called it, ignoring what it really was.

An escape. An obsession. A delusion.

The entrance was in the woods just behind the house, hidden between two shrubs. It just seemed like a storm shelter from the outside, something that was already fairly uncommon in the area.

Below the earth, however, the bunker was nothing short of spectacular.

When you first descend into the earth, you’re met with steel walls covered in supplies. Guns, bows, bullets, grenades, and knives hang like a silver collage, each piece perfectly fitting into the larger group.

There’s a small hallway, and on the right, there’s a small bedroom. It’s filled with a twin-sized mattress, a bookshelf, and a small desk. Moving past the door, there’s a bathroom, equipped with a functioning shower and sink.

Finally, there’s the food storage room on the left.

Today had been supply day, so earlier that morning, you drove into town and stocked up on some canned goods, bottled water, and other random non perishables.

Methotically, you bring each case of supplies down into the bunker. Once you finish loading the last of the canned corn you bought, you climb the ladder up and out of the bunker.

You make your way down the hill to your driveway, stopping next to the back of your truck. There’s only one thing left, a case of plastic water bottles. Sighing, you pull it out, setting it down on the ground and closing the trunk.

“Rough day, sweetheart?”

Rolling your eyes, you turn towards the voice on your left. “Can I help you?”

Sevika, your rancher neighbor, stands about a hundred feet down the hill, loitering behind her fence. She shrugs, a stupid smirk plastered across her face. “What, I can’t admire the view?”

“Fuck off,” you call back, lifting the case of water into your arms with a grunt.

“Going to hide in your hole again? Doesn’t that get a bit lonely?”

You come to a stop, dropping the water back down. Then, you turn around, glaring at the other woman. “Last I checked, you don’t seem to be a social butterfly either.”

Sevika grabs her chest, mocking offense. “You wound me,” she snaps back sarcastically. “How come you still don’t offer me some neighborly kindness, huh? Must hurt to be so damn uptight all the time.”

“I’m not uptight,” you retort. “I’m just tired of you bothering me.”

“Fine, fine,” Sevika replies, holding her hands up in surrender. She goes back to fixing her fence, sneaking a few more eyefuls of you in the process.

You return to your task, dragging the water into the woods and down the stairs of the bunker. Pushing open the storage door, you set the water down, shoving it under the shelves.

Stepping back, you admire the scene before you. Rows upon rows of perfectly stacked supplies, no gaps in sight.

Feeling accomplished, you smile, deciding to return to the surface. By now, it’s late afternoon, and the autumn heat has started to cool off.

You make your way into your home, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. Opting to spend the evening outside, you push your front door open and sit down in your small courtyard.

From where you are, you can clearly see into Sevika’s land. The other woman was a rancher, a quite skilled one from what you could tell. She’d been there long before you, and she would likely stay until she died.

She was one of the few people on the planet that knew of your bunker, besides the contractors you’d hired to build it.

Around five years ago, one of Sevika’s young calves had escaped her fence, wandering into the woods around your house. The bunker had just started construction at that time, so it was basically just a giant hole in the ground.

Of course, the calf had fallen in, and Sevika had to come over and haul it out. It had ruined the secrecy you’d been aiming for, but as time passed, you realized that Sevika was probably the best type of person to share your secret.

She keeps to herself, and she doesn’t pry into your business. Sure, Sevika did have a flirting problem, but it was harmless. It was even kind of fun, sometimes.

It was nice to have someone to talk to on occasion. Someone who more or less treated you like a normal person.

Not that you would ever let her know that, of course.

Lost in thought, you slowly drift off, falling asleep to memories of the other woman. The next time you open your eyes, it's pitch black outside. The woods are silent around you, putting you even more on edge than normal.

You quickly stand up, almost losing your balance in the process.

“Damn legs falling asleep,” you mutter to yourself, massaging the tops of your thighs. Once you’re sure that you can put one foot in front of the other without falling over, you walk back inside, not bothering to turn on any lights.

Instead, you make a round of your house, locking each door on the way. Finally, you make it to your bedroom and grab some sleeping clothes from the closet.

You take a quick shower in your connecting bathroom, and after you’ve dried off and changed, you brush your teeth. Making your way back to your room, you check your nightstand.

Between your bed and the nightstand is a small handgun, its holster hidden from sight. Like you do every night, you silently unload the bullets from the gun, counting them as you go. Then, you expertly reload them, counting again.

Once you’re satisfied, you return the gun to its holter and turn towards your bed.

You methodically peel back the covers of your bed and slide in, not leaving a single wrinkle. Laying on your back, you stare up at the ceiling for a few moments before closing your eyes.

When you wake, you look around, confused. It’s still dark outside, from what you can tell, but something feels off.

You stand up out of bed, grabbing your weapon and silently padding out of your room and down the hallway. As you walk, nothing seems explicitly out of the ordinary, but the pit in your stomach keeps growing.

It’s only when you make it outside that you see it.

A car is lodged into Sevika’s fence just next to the road. In the darkness, it’s hard to make out the specifics, but you spot someone scrambling out of the car.

Whoever it is doesn’t seem concerned about the vehicle, though. They shake their heads back and forth, seemingly looking for something.

Just as you’re debating on whether or not to move closer, the person goes rigid. At the same time, your blood goes cold.

They’re staring right at you, from what you can tell. Instinctively, you take a small step back. A twig snaps under your foot and you flinch.

hallway before you get the chance. This had been the routine for years. Sevika would show up at your door, she would rail you into the mattress, then she would leave. There was no staying the night, no sweet words of affirmation, no aftercare.

That’s just how it was, though.

The two of you could be considered friends according to some, but truly, you were just someone who Sevika had chosen to allow into her space, even if it was just for hookups. At work, Silco often assigned you and Sevika to the same missions, so you spent a significant amount of time with the older woman.

That was the extent of your relationship with Sevika - sex and work.

Or, that’s what you thought until a few weeks later.

You were at work, carrying out your usual duties - filing payments, receiving shipments, that kind of thing. That is, until your assistant entered your office.

“Sevika asked me to give this to you,” the woman stated plainly, holding out a small envelope in her right hand. “Said something about needing you for something, but didn’t say what.”

You chuckle a bit, accepting the letter. “Certainly sounds like her. I’ll be leaving for the day soon anyways. Thanks, Celia”

She nods and leaves the room, not lingering for longer than needed.

You sit down at your desk, carefully opening the letter in your hands. Inside, there’s a single scrap of paper, and on it, there's an address. The wording is undoubtedly Sevika’s handwriting, but you don’t recognize the street name.

“Hey, Celia,” you call out. “Do you have a map of Zaun handy?”

Your assistant returns to the room a minute later, holding a map in her hand. “Here you go, Miss.”

“Thank you,” you reply, unfolding the map on your desk. As Celia turns to leave again, you stop her. “Wait, do you know if Silco has added a new address to our rotation?”

“I don’t think so,” she replies after a moment of thinking. “I feel like you would have been notified if he did.”

“You’re right,” you admit. “Thank you, Celia. I’ll be headed out now.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

You find yourself in the oldest part of Zaun, staring up at a tall apartment building. According to the address in your hands, you’re headed to the fourth floor.

After a second of hesitation, you pull open the door to the landing and step inside.

The interior of the building is surprisingly modern given the state of the outside walls, and to your surprise, there’s even an elevator. You step forward and press the elevator’s button.

There’s a ding, and the doors slide open. When you enter the elevator, you press the button for level four.

When the elevator comes to a stop, the doors open to a dimly lit hallway. Strangely enough, there’s only one entry in the entire hallway. With nowhere else to go, you come to a stop in front of the slightly ajar door, nervous for what may be inside.

Finally, you push forward and find yourself in a nearly empty apartment.

Looking around, there’s almost no sign that the apartment has ever been lived in. The walls are bare, the kitchen is basically empty, and there’s not a single piece of decoration anywhere your eyes can see. That is, until you see Sevika’s jacket lazily strewn over the back of the couch.

It all makes sense now. This is Sevika’s apartment, her home.

In all the times you and Sevika had seen each other after work, the two of you were either at a bar or your house. She had never once allowed you - or anyone else for that matter - to see where she spent her time outside of her job.

The apartment was eerily silent, almost like no one was home. For a few seconds, you debated on just turning around and leaving, but something in your gut told you to stay. Then, you heard it.

Quiet, almost inaudible sniffles coming from somewhere down the hall.

You take a few steps forward, and you easily find the source of the sounds. In the hallway, there’s a single door straight ahead. It’s in the same state as the front door was, slightly cracked open.

When you push open the door, you’re met with a strange sight. Sevika, the most widely feared woman in the undercity, was sitting on the edge of her bed, crying softly.

She doesn’t even look up when you enter, instead choosing to stare at the floor in front of her. “Close the door, doll.”

You follow her order silently, and you step further into the room. You come to a stop right next to her, and you sit down on the bed about a foot away from her body.

“You needed me?” You glance over at Sevika as you speak, and you catch a glimpse of her mechanical arm. It appears to be damaged, and the more you look at Sevika’s body, the more worried you get.

From head to toe, Sevika is covered in a dark red liquid, her clothes stained by the mystery liquid.

“I…” Sevika’s voice is uncharacteristically small and hesitant. “There’s no one else I could trust,” she finally admits.

You nod in understanding, realizing the nature of your visit. Sevika needed comfort.

“May I?” Your hands rest on Sevika’s mechanical arm, your intention clear.

She hesitates, then nods.

You work quickly, unlatching her mangled arm from her body. Finally, once you have detached the hunk of metal, you set it down on her bedside table.

“Go take a shower,” you say with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. “You stink, hun.”

Sevika lets out a low chuckle, wiping her face. “Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

After a moment, she stands and walks over to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. You wait for the lock to click, but it never does.

This side of Sevika is something you’ve never seen before. Actually, now that you think about it, it's probably something that no one has ever seen before.

As far as you know, you’re the only one that Sevika allows to touch her arm, let alone remove it for her. The Sevika you know methodically locked doors behind her, forever paranoid. The fact that you’re in her apartment at all is surprising enough.

You sit back down on her bed, wondering what you could do to help her. Then, you get an idea.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

When Sevika steps out of the bathroom, she doesn’t know what to expect.

She half thinks she’ll find you still sitting on her bed, waiting for her, but you aren’t. In fact, you’re nowhere to be found in the entire apartment.

You left.

Sevika doesn’t know what she thought you would do. I mean, it's not your responsibility. She isn’t your responsibility.

This whole thing was stupid, she should have never-

Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the front door swinging open. She snaps her head around, and there you are, holding a large brown bag.

You freeze, the door half open behind you. “Hi?”

Sevika hesitates before she speaks. “I thought you left.”

“Oh, I was just picking up some food,” you reply with a nervous laugh. “I wanted to get back by the time your shower was over, but it took longer than I thought.”

“I see,” Sevika says slowly. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“I don’t mind, honestly. I mean, I was going to cook something but you don’t have any food in your kitchen.”

“Yeah, I usually just… I’m not a very good cook, that’s all.” Sevika’s voice has a hint of insecurity in it, something you don’t miss.

“That’s ok,” you reply quietly. “Come on, the food’s getting cold.”

You set the bag down on Sevika’s small kitchen table, and you sit down. Sevika makes her way over and sits down right next to you.

As she sits, you pull the assortment of food out of the bag.

Earlier, you had looked at your map of the area, and you had noticed a name you recognized. Sevika’s favorite restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall Indian joint she frequented.

You had stepped up to order, unsure of what Sevika’s usual order was.

“Hey, this might be a weird question,” you’d started. “But do you remember what Sevika usually gets here?”

The old man behind the counter just smiled and nodded before he retreated into the kitchen. Maybe ten minutes later, he reemerged carrying the large bag of food that was now on Sevika’s table.

“I didn’t know what you’d want, so this is what the man behind the counter gave me,” you tell Sevika with a laugh. “I hope you like it.”

“Yeah, I order there enough for him to know what I get,” she responds with a smirk. Her tone softens. “Thank you,” she adds.

“It’s no problem,” you reply honestly. “I don’t mind.”

“Still, I’m sure there’s other things you could be doing.”

“Like what? We’re the same, hun. I don’t have any friends or family either.” You pause. “That is, except for…”

Your eyes meet hers, the weight of what you left unsaid settling over the room.

Finally, Sevika nods, her eyes full of understanding and something else - trust.

The two of you eat in silence, not speaking a word.

After a few minutes, the two of you finish eating, and you look around, trying to find something to talk about.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Your voice practically cuts through the tension in the air, and Sevika just stares at you.

“A… movie?”

“Yeah, I figured it might help you relax,” you say nervously. “If you don’t want to we can just-”

“No, I’d like that,” Sevika interrupts.

You nod, and you stand up from your chair and lead the way to the living room. “You can pick what we watch,” you state simply.

While Sevika chooses the movie, you return to her room and pick up her arm. You rummage through her side table, grabbing a couple of the tools you need, and then you return to the living room.

You sit down on the floor next to Sevika’s legs, and you place her arm on the coffee table in front of you.

“What are you doing with my arm?”

You glance up at her. “The damage is minimal from what I can tell, so I was going to fix it for you. Is that… ok?”

Sevika stares at you in silence for a few moments, then she nods. “Yeah, yeah, that’s ok, doll. Thank you.”

As you tinker with your project, you speak quietly. “What movie are you going to pick?”

“I don’t know, something scary probably,” she replies with a smirk.

You glare at her, but don’t say anything to stop her, so Sevika picks some random thriller for the two of you to watch.

As you work, the random jump scares make you jump or yelp, and every time, Sevika chuckles slightly. “You’re such a scaredy-cat,” she says, no malice in her voice.

“Oh, shut up,” you reply with a smile. “It’s not my fault that you picked the scariest movie you could find.”

“I knew you would love it,” Sevika replies, resting her large hand on the top of your head.

You yawn, setting down your tools. “I’m tired,” you mumble.

After a second of hesitation, Sevika pats the couch next to her. “Come sit up here, doll,” she says quietly.

“Yeah, okay,” you reply. You slowly climb onto the couch, settling in next to her body.

Sevika wraps her arm around your waist and pulls you closer to her side. At first, you stiffen a bit, but after a few seconds, you relax into her hold and allow your head to rest against her shoulder.

The movie continues playing, but neither of you are paying attention to it anymore, instead choosing to enjoy each other’s company.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

You open your eyes to an unfamiliar sight. The wall in front of you is bare and foreign, and the bed you’re currently laying in is definitely not yours.

Strangest of all, the strong arm wrapped around your waist is definitely not yours.

After you’ve fully woken up, you remember the events of last night. Dinner, a movie, falling asleep against Sevika’s shoulder.

The only thing you don’t remember, however, is how you made it into Sevika’s bed.

You try to wriggle your way out of her grasp, but it’s no use. If anything, her arm just tightens around you, and you feel her mumble something into the back of your neck.

“What was that, hun?” Your voice is quiet, and you wait for Sevika to respond.

Her arms tighten even more, and she whispers a bit louder, “Go back to sleep, doll.”