Jude
and I'm sick of waiting patiently
Making her cry makes him feel sick, and seeing them on her cheeks is like trying to swallow mouthfuls of ash, but the fire in his stomach that keeps generating it won't die down. It's the only fuel source he has left, and even though he's sure it'll burn him from the inside out, it's better than the cold nothingness he'd had before.
Her begging is a knife to his sternum, weakening his resolve - until Noe steps around the corner, fierce and unrelenting, and it nearly bowls Jude over. Nobody has ever stepped up to take his place and shield him like this, holding the weight just as his strength is about to fail. It leaves him staring stupidly at her as she comes to his side, defending him even with all the terrible things he'd said. So maybe...?
And just like that Sohalia is leaving. Jude takes in a breath, and it shakes so hard in his lungs that he wonders if he forgot how to, or if maybe Sohalia took all the oxygen in her wake. He feels lightheaded.
Noe's words come to him as if from underwater, and now the tears come. They gather silently, at the very least, sparing Jude the embarrassment of the way he always hiccups when he sobs. "Please don't go," comes out in a rush, strained and quiet because he still can't breathe. He pulls on her until they're both past the doorway and closes it gracelessly by leaning his shoulder into it, and feels just a touch better when the world and all the people in it are shut away behind it. It doesn't make it any easier to breathe - is he hyperventilating? - but at least the outside world is quiet now even if his head isn't.
Her begging is a knife to his sternum, weakening his resolve - until Noe steps around the corner, fierce and unrelenting, and it nearly bowls Jude over. Nobody has ever stepped up to take his place and shield him like this, holding the weight just as his strength is about to fail. It leaves him staring stupidly at her as she comes to his side, defending him even with all the terrible things he'd said. So maybe...?
And just like that Sohalia is leaving. Jude takes in a breath, and it shakes so hard in his lungs that he wonders if he forgot how to, or if maybe Sohalia took all the oxygen in her wake. He feels lightheaded.
Noe's words come to him as if from underwater, and now the tears come. They gather silently, at the very least, sparing Jude the embarrassment of the way he always hiccups when he sobs. "Please don't go," comes out in a rush, strained and quiet because he still can't breathe. He pulls on her until they're both past the doorway and closes it gracelessly by leaning his shoulder into it, and feels just a touch better when the world and all the people in it are shut away behind it. It doesn't make it any easier to breathe - is he hyperventilating? - but at least the outside world is quiet now even if his head isn't.
for someone that won't ever arrive
