mercy is a lie they tell you

Soh had experienced so little trauma and even less of its aftermath, so this was all new territory for the young woman. Her expectations had been for everyone to treat her as though it was all her fault (it was) and shun her for her crimes, and yet each of her friends had chosen to treat her with kindness and grace. Harper was no different, for all that he didn't know what had happened yet.

She dropped her bag gracelessly on the ground and collapsed against his chest, burying her face in his shirt as she wept.It's not okay, she wanted to shout. It felt as though it would never be okay again. The person she had been no longer existed, and she couldn't get that Sohalia back, no matter how hard she tried. But whatever her thoughts, she was unable to speak through her sobs and unwilling to try, so she let Harper hold her and stroke her hair until, after a while, her tears began to slow and her shuddering breaths began to calm.

"I'm s-sorry," she said in a watery voice, hiccuping slightly as she calmed. "I wasn't - I don't - I just needed to get away from Stormbreak for a while. Can I - can I stay here for a few days?" she asked, her lower lip trembling. "It's fine if I can't, I just - it was the first place I thought of and I - " She couldn't seem to stop herself from rambling. "I just don't want to be alone."