that vwould be me

fuckin hell come ovver i wwanna see

wwhat really

uh huh

riiiiight

yeah you do

wwell aint that a neww thin

You don’t dare open your eyes until he’s setting you down, your teeth gritted against the pain in your back but otherwise hiding it well. That, if nothing else, convinces you that this can’t be a dream. You’ve never felt pain so sharp and clear while asleep.

You’re more than a little confused by the fact that he’s laughing, that he seems entirely unconcerned, and you look up at him with wide eyes, shifting to lay on your side so you weren’t putting more painful pressure on your back. That means you have to tilt your neck at a somewhat painful angle to look up at him, but no matter.

"…wwh…howw…"

You lean in to give him a big fat kiss on the cheek, grinning wide at him. "I told you I'd come back, and look. Here I am!"

It’s not the first time you’ve followed him. Just the first time you’ve not given up half an hour in, the first time you’re more determined than you are tired. You’re not really old enough to make this kind of a walk, but you’re stubborn and all but desperate.

It used to be okay, that he would be gone every night, because you knew he would come back, and there was plenty in the forest to keep your young mind amused for the long hours of the night. But as you’ve grown older, fear has started to creep in, along with a terrible loneliness that ate at you every night he was away. You know he has to go, that if he doesn’t neither of you will have enough to survive for very long, but it hurts so badly.

And the only thing you can think of to do about it is to follow him. Surely, when you’re strong enough to make the walk, you’ll be strong enough to be with him, to help out?

There has to be something you can do.

By the time he notices you, you’re tired enough to be making mistakes in the lessons of silence you've taught yourself, growing up in the forest. You could sneak up on a deer unnoticed if you chose - but you’re too tired to step properly right now, to do much more than put one foot in front of the other with a halfhearted attempt at being quiet.

Your heart clenches painfully, and you walk back to him, and pick him up, holding him tight to your chest. It hurts, and you feel tears that threaten to fall, but you don't let them. You CAN'T let them.