exeggutorhead | IC Inbox

_{[It's... reassuring, to hear that coming from him.]

[It's only now that she fully realizes it, but she'd honestly been a little bit scared that he didn't want to go back to the way things were. Because hell, he'd have been fully within his rights to want space after what happened.]

[Learning that he'd been feeling as forlorn and touch-starved as she had is a small and selfish comfort, but it is a comfort.]

[His last remark gets a half-laugh, too.]}

I... guess you have a point there, heh.

[The breath he lets out through his nose isn't quite a snort, not in the middle of THIS conversation, but it means the same thing.]

Of course I have a point. If I'm going to get all this advice all the time then I get to turn it back around on other people.

[His voice goes quieter, more considering.]

Why don't we...try just going back to normal. For now.

I'm not about to forget anything. But we don't need to be in a big hurry, do we?

[He's not scared of her hurting him. As far as he's concerned, two seconds of choking barely counted as being hurt.]

[No, what he's scared of is putting her in anywhere near the kinds of places she's just told him about. And he's not in a hurry to toe that line again.]

_{[GOD the suggestion is so tempting. For all her worrying... if it's what he wants, would it really do any good to hold out on him? He knows what he's getting into now, after all...]

[She considers for a long moment... but right now, her will just isn't strong enough to make this period of anxious dancing-around-each-other last any longer than it has.]}

... Yeah, okay.

As long as that's what you want, too.

I... was a little worried that you'd... you know... want space, after that. Which would be totally justified, obviously, but-- I mean...

_{[She sounds a little sheepish with her next words.]}

... I miss you.

[His own agreement with her catches in his throat, as genuinely emotional remarks frequently still do, but he nods emphatically, decisively.]

[He's missed her, too.]

...there's been too much space already, for me. I don't want anymore if it doesn't need to be there.

[He pauses, struggling with the words a moment and muttering them when they do come out. It's his turn to not look in her direction.]

I wasn't sure you'd want much to do with me, after that.

So...good to hear you do.

[He manages to crack something of a grin at her, even if it's sort of a strained one.]

_{[... Oh, Envy.]

[With a tight smile of her own, Heather twists around a little bit to face him.]}

Hey.

_{[She spreads her arms.]}

C'mere.

['Touch-starved' had been a good way to put it, because not even Envy can completely hide the way he sort of jolts to attention as soon as she makes the offer. And there's also the part where he's spent this whole conversation wanting to comfort her physically without being able to.]

[He does try not to scoot over to her overly fast--the conversation they just had is still on his mind. But he does go to her.]

Yeah, okay. I'm here.

_{[Once he's close enough, she wastes no time in wrapping her arms around him and giving him a long, hard squeeze.]

[For a minute, she just holds him like that.]

[Then, not bothering to pull out of the hug, she murmurs]}

Like I could stay away from you for long.

[He makes no moves to pull out of the hug, and in fact wraps an arm around her in return, gripping the back of her jacket.]

[It's more of a relief than he'd even thought it would be, and a lot of the strain has left his voice when he responds, just as quietly.]

Good, because I don't intend to stay away from you now either.

[After another pause, he lifts his one free hand.]

[And, at last, lightly, pats down the worst of her wayward hair.]

_{[She'd been so worried she wouldn't be ABLE to laugh after this conversation... but she does, when he reaches up to smooth out her hair.]}

How long were you waiting to do that?

[When she laughs, a chuckle comes out of his own mouth in response. It's both a reaction and something he'd been almost waiting for permission before he'd do.]

Ages. It was sticking straight up in five directions.

I'm surprised it wasn't fifty.

_{[Still with a low laugh in her throat, she knocks her head against his slightly and lets her eyes slip shut for a moment.]

[She'd already been teetering on whether or not to tell Envy the rest (to tell him what she'd told Lust)... but her resolve is obliterated by the relief.]

[It was so hard to talk about Stanley and BOB to begin with and she doesn't want to taint what she's feeling right now by wading out into even deeper, darker waters.]

[No, that... that can wait until some other day.]}

Hey, hey, let me be generous.

[He presses his own forehead back up against hers, content for the moment to just sit here with her, holding each other and breathing.]

[At some point, it would be good for him to learn what happened.]

[But no, not right now.]

Let's stay out here a little longer.

[He doesn't...really want to move away. At least not for a few more minutes.]

I'd like that.

I don't... feel like talking about the rest.

_{[And she wouldn't even bring that much up, except that it feels important to let Envy know that there is a "the rest".]

[But she squeezes him closer, letting her face press into his hoodie. For the past few weeks, his characteristic lingering scent of fruity shampoos had just made her feel guilty. It's nice to be comforted by it again.]}

Just sitting would be... great.

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