He was only mildly surprised when she came to join him, and yet at the same time he was not at all surprised. She should be out there enjoying herself, and yet his depression had forced here with him. She never could stand it when he was unhappy. He used to be so happy.
"Hi, baby," she greeted him softly as if she wasn't sure how she should act around him anymore. He still didn't look at her, staring out at all those happy faces, all those smiles, all the joy he couldn't even imagine anymore. "Wanna tell me what's going on?" She hugged him in to her, and after holding it for a moment, he lowered himself back to the ground to watch everyone and wait until they could leave.
"I love you, Merry boy."
"I love you too," he returned quietly. He didn't know how to answer her question. He didn't really know what was going on. He just.. He was here but he was missing. He was here but he also wasn't. There was so much of him missing, lost. He didn't really know why or how to fix it, how to find it again. It was just gone.
"I'm okay," he told her instead, as much reassurance as he could manage. He really was okay. He just wasn't amazing or anything, if that was possible. "I don't mind watching them," he promised softly. "Go have fun. I'll watch them. I won't leave."
He used to always leave.
The night used to call him.
[ Cimmerian ]
try to make a fire burn again