AISHA
and now we're breeding a feeling of animosity
Aisha watched the pained tightness of every muscle, the tensity rippling under the skin on his arms and brow. If she could take back that little spark, that issuance of chaos that'd exposed her bare, she would. She would take from him the hurt and grief and fear, because she somehow felt responsible. If she hadn't followed the ghost, he wouldn't have been here. If she'd just held onto the wisp for a while longer, she could've burst alone, where the fire wouldn't spread to it's next host.
But that was just another feeling to deal with, another needle in her mind to pinch and prod with later. Not now; she couldn't wallow in the causation rather than deal with the effect. Usually a physical person, prone to hugs and pats shakes, she couldn't bare to touch him now, even calmed down the fear still growled and gnashed it's teeth. But she did finally catch his eye, and there she refused to let go.
Strength, that's what you are, she reassured herself, because that was what everyone saw, expected, and that was who she wanted to be. In this moment, strength was resolve. A steady gaze to hold his own aloft. He spoke, responded, sadness cutting through his words. I'm your friend, something in that made her want to break again, if only for a second. Because he was her friend, and had just tried so hard to send him away.
The only indication that what he said had hit a chord was a quiver at her lips. Strength still, she listened as he poured. And as he finished more tears had welled in her eyes, the words stinging the most because he believed them. "But they didn't," she started, firm and bold, "you're still here without him," I'm still here without any of them. "and that fucking sucks."
In an act entirely defiant of the cage that protected her heart, she reached out to gently place her hand against his cheek, "I'm here with you." Because if Aisha and Henry couldn't have those who they'd lost, they had each other.
But that was just another feeling to deal with, another needle in her mind to pinch and prod with later. Not now; she couldn't wallow in the causation rather than deal with the effect. Usually a physical person, prone to hugs and pats shakes, she couldn't bare to touch him now, even calmed down the fear still growled and gnashed it's teeth. But she did finally catch his eye, and there she refused to let go.
Strength, that's what you are, she reassured herself, because that was what everyone saw, expected, and that was who she wanted to be. In this moment, strength was resolve. A steady gaze to hold his own aloft. He spoke, responded, sadness cutting through his words. I'm your friend, something in that made her want to break again, if only for a second. Because he was her friend, and had just tried so hard to send him away.
The only indication that what he said had hit a chord was a quiver at her lips. Strength still, she listened as he poured. And as he finished more tears had welled in her eyes, the words stinging the most because he believed them. "But they didn't," she started, firm and bold, "you're still here without him," I'm still here without any of them. "and that fucking sucks."
In an act entirely defiant of the cage that protected her heart, she reached out to gently place her hand against his cheek, "I'm here with you." Because if Aisha and Henry couldn't have those who they'd lost, they had each other.
fear has the sharpest teeth, it eats and eats and eats
