week 6, sunday

[vigilantics]

[ well, at least she doesn't have to find him considering she dragged him away with her. she's not entirely sure where she's going here since she mostly just wanted to get out of there as fast as she can. ]

Sorry. There were probably people there you wanted to talk to.

[ it's said after several minutes of silence. ]

Comments

[axilium]

Not really.

[he sorted out what he needed to last night.]

[vigilantics]

Good. I wasn't going to let you go back anyway.

[ again, slightly selfish. but she was genuinely concerned about what she might do if she ran off on her own. ]

[axilium]

[...]

Is there anything you want to do?

[vigilantics]

Can we go to the woods?

[ ... ]

Not into them. Just... right outside.

[axilium]

... Sure, no problem.

[vigilantics]

[ she'll turn them around to head in that direction then. ]

How are you doing?

[ her voice is back to being even, at least. ]

[axilium]

Fine.

[was she really expecting a different answer?]

You don't have to worry about me, Steph.

[worry more about yourself.]

[vigilantics]

I always worry about you.

[ she's not sure what he expected either. ]

[axilium]

Yeah, and it's a waste of energy.

[vigilantics]

No it's not.

Just like how you're not fine.

[axilium]

I mean, all things considered, I'm probably doing better than most right now.

[vigilantics]

[ she opens her mouth

and then closes it. her eyes are welling up with tears. ]

[axilium]

[...

his grip on her tightens, just a tad.]

[vigilantics]

[ it's... fine? it's not fine. all of the deaths had been pretty bad but she was expecting something less cannibalistic for varian.

she rubs at her eyes. ]

Um.

[axilium]

... You can cry if you want to.

[vigilantics]

You don't think I've been dramatic enough this weekend?

[axilium]

For that kind of thing? I don't think there's really a limit.

[vigilantics]

[ she shakes her head. ]

I-- let's get to the woods first.

[axilium]

... Sure.

[if that's what she needs.]

[vigilantics]

[ she's going to be quiet for the rest of the walk there. ]

[axilium]

[he isn't quite sure of why she wants to go to the woods, so once they reach the outskirts, he stops and waits.

... honestly, this place makes him uncomfortable—he doesn't exactly have good memories of forests, when they've generally been where his life fell apart—but he assumes steph has her reasons.]

[vigilantics]

[ once there, she lets go of him and just walks forward. she still doesn't say anything, and just stares ahead.



before punching a tree as hard as she can. and again. and again. ]

[axilium]

[...

he really should stop her, but he feels like she needs this, and—well, he's in no place to criticize unhealthy coping methods. so, as long as it doesn't seem like she's seriously injuring her hand, he just watches instead.]

[vigilantics]

[ he will

probably have to step in at some point. ]

[axilium]

[PLEASE...

but fine, at some point, he'll reach out to grab her.]

Steph, that's enough.