OPEN | prompt three | PAIN

[wrens]

prompt three | P A I N dressing-room style. start your own thread. tag others. wash, rinse, repeat. open to all.

 

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kathleen jorgenson . cabal 66 | 9w

[deficits]

Sometimes it's all you've got left. [ Your pain. ] And sometimes, you don't want to share.

[salvare]

[He hesitates before he begins, picking at his own fingers. Eventually, carefully:]

You're not letting it upset you, are you?

[deficits]

[ She watches his hands for a moment and immediately feels bad. A lot of things she does give Kathleen the impression that she's just kicked a puppy. And not just any puppy but her puppy. She sounds tired. ]

I got over being upset a long time ago.

[ A lie, albeit well-meant. ]

[salvare]

Are you sure? You look kinda upset right now.

[He can't help but smile briefly, tentatively, like a soft nudge at someone who needs cheering up.]

[deficits]

[ Crane nudges at Kathleen with his smile and so she attempts one of her own. She may be selfish, but she's not as selfish as that. (Or maybe she is, maybe she's just looking for some kind of validation and she made Crane in the first place to give her that.)

Kathleen's smile doesn't reach her eyes; no, they remain sad and wet. ]

I'm smiling, aren't I?

[salvare]

Meh. [He shrugs after a moment, humor present in his tone. He reaches out to brush his thumb beneath her eye.] I think you can do better than that.

[deficits]

[ Her lashes flutter and her smile falters when he reaches to touch her face. Even though Crane is the only one allowed to (the only one whose body can tolerate being near hers), it still startles her and disarms her when he does. She wants to tell him you shouldn't do that but she's far too selfish to ever eke out the words.

Kathleen blinks, then asks quietly: ]

Know any good jokes?