[PRP] Doesn't Really Matter (Hattie + Dylon)

[Enoh Love]

"…Brilliant!" She gasped, as if she hadn't thought about it - and really, Rhonda the Roomba 1.0 wasn't welded together at all. Duct tape wasn't all it was cracked up to be. "What would I do without you, Casanova?" A small giggle, and then a tiny cheer as he agreed to let her stay.

"Good. Thank you." His hand slid up to grasp hers, and Hattie gave it a squeeze, holding onto it even as she began to slide off of him. This time, she slid to face him, settling between him and his wall, their clasped hands between their chests.

"Not now, but maybe in a few hours, did you want me to go rent a laptop and some movies from Dwight? I could probably steal some snacks from Ollie too. We could have a little party! Just the two of us. Maybe I could even get some ice cream?" She offered, whispering as though she were discussing conspiracies with a partner in crime. Which, really, she was.
 

[Bittiface]

And now he could see her. Pretty, happy Hattie. Her bouncy hair cascading over her shoulders. That hand clasped within his own. Her voice was even happy and light, and everything she said screamed of a great time. But it just made it worse. It was as if everything in the world was covered in pins.

"Maybe. Sure." He said with a weak smile, his eyes lowering down to their hands again. "Maybe.."

Maybe everything would lift in a few hours. Maybe he'd be magically better. Sometimes episodes like this only lasted one night. Sometimes a couple days. Sometimes longer. For Hattie's sake, he hoped for less than a few hours.

But the longer it went, the heavier it felt. No magic spell, no magic potion. Even when he mentally forced himself to try and sit up tall, he sank even lower. The hand he was using to hold hers; it was funny how no one knew what laid under the ever present wrist band he wore. It wasn't a fashion statement. It was camouflage. And it worked well.

He looked at it and he tried to use it as a means of pushing himself back up. Remind himself why he was here. A life saved was not to be wasted.

"Sure.. let's rent that laptop."

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

Hattie squeezed the hand that was between them. She could see him now, what he meant by not feeling well. His eyes weren't focused, they were far away. The light that was there, was crushed by the weight of problems real, imagined, and both. She knew what it meant, and how bad it could be, and all she wanted to do was lean in and smother him with kisses, to let him know that it would be okay, and that unless work called, she wasn't about to leave him alone with the dark cloud around his brain.

Instead, he caved about the movie. Kisses and promises of her presence could wait just a little longer, perhaps. In the end, all she could offer him was a small smile.

"Okay. Any preferences on movies?"
 

[Bittiface]

"No." He murmured. "It doesn't matter." Because not much did matter.

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

"Do you have a favourite movie?" She pressed, seemingly unfazed.

Meanwhile, internally, she was screaming in panic.
 

[Bittiface]

"Um..." He huffed a sigh, as his brain tried to pick through soaking wet memories dripping in heavy sadness. "Space Jam?"

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

"GREAT movie!" Hattie couldn't help but giggle, though she did wonder if it was one of his favourites. At the very least, if it was one that still managed to surface after all this, then…it must have been up there, at the very least.

"I'm going to go get that laptop now." She gave his hand a squeeze, hoping it was reassuring. "And some snacks. Promise not to leave or lock the door on me?"
 

[Bittiface]

"I promise." He murmured. After all, moving required too much effort. "I'll be here." His face remained the same, with no indication he felt any better.

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

She probably wasn't helping, but…well, she wasn't done trying yet.

"Okay." She said again, leaning in to press a small kiss against his forehead, even if it meant smoothing back his mass of raven hair. "I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise." Then, as carefully as she could, she untangled herself from him…but then quite literally rolled back over him anyway, negating any real attempt at being careful. She snuck out of his room as quickly and efficiently as she could.

Which would have worked if she hadn't tripped on his chair and stumbled a bit first.

Oh well.
 

[Bittiface]

A warm kiss on the forehead from his friend should have stirred something. Her obnoxious rolling over him should have made him smile or tug her back. Her adorable clumsiness should have made him laugh and poke fun at her. But she left, and the emptiness not only remained, it grew more vast.

Hattie's absence left a hole. As if he'd realized having her there had held some small semblance of comfort. Now she was gone, even if only for a moment. He felt worse. Worse for not being up to entertaining her. Not even smiling for her. Not being able to do anything but sit there like an empty husk.

He wished to feel something. Anything. He wished his usual vigor for life and people would simply come back, even just a little bit. But he still felt nothing. He still saw nothing. No point. Living in the moment wouldn't cut it, if ultimately, there was no point. No meaning. All he could hear beyond Vahn's calls were 'why bother?'. Maybe all this time, his personality, his soul, had only been skin deep. Maybe he really was nothing more than an empty canister.

His symptoms began to feel physical. He felt heavier, like he was sinking into his bed. His muscles felt stiff. I can't do this, he kept repeating in his head. I can't keep this up.

He hoped for Hattie's sake she didn't come back. She had no use of a Dylon who didn't smile. She was wasting her time.

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

By the time Hattie ran to her room to grab an obnoxiously pink and bright green backpack, then ran around to hunt down Dwight to get the laptop in her hands, followed by running around for anyone who could provide both herself and Dylon with appropriate snacks, she had been done about an hour. Just over an hour, if truth be told. She felt awful for the time it took…but there was nothing she could have done to make it any less than that.

Once more, the door flew open and the redhead appeared in his room.

"Cover your eyes, Casanova!" Was all the warning she gave before she turned his lights on. "Sorry it took so long. Did you know there are only five people on this whole island that even know what a banana pepper is? I'm counting you in that five, by the way. Just thought you should know. Anyway I found you one." She prattled on as she closed the door to his room and locked it on them both. "Wanna scooch over for me?"
 

[Bittiface]

He'd had ample warning. Ample. Why did he have to close his eyes? He was in no mood for surpris------OW!!! The young man winced, his eyes squeezing shut as blinding light filled the room. He groaned, rubbing his eyes with his hands. How long had she been gone? He'd not really kept track. He wasn't even sure what time it was.

She was babbling about something. Peppers? "What..?" He murmured, finally willing himself to actually sit up in bed, freeing up a considerable amount of space. Sitting up was dizzying. He'd been lying down so long it made his head woozy. He winced as he tried to open his eyes in the harsh light.

She found... one pepper? Oh Hattie...

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

"Banana Peppers." She repeated. "I found one." Because that was important. She knew next to nothing about banana peppers, but at least the attempt was there. With bag in tow she flopped onto the bed, and proceeded to use as little of the space he had given her as she could. She opened the bag on her lap to produce the laptop, setting it on a book between them, then pulled free the banana pepper - the single, lonely banana pepper - and offered it out to him.

"I don't even know if these things are suitable for raw eating."
 

[Bittiface]

Dylon stared blankly, slowing taking the offered pepper. He'd never eaten them as is. Always sliced and pickled in jars. Without much thought or care, he took a crunchy bite out of it. Seeds and all.

All in all, it still tasted like a normal banana pepper. Still hot, just fresher than he was used to.

Enoh Love

 

[Enoh Love]

Hattie stared at him as he bit into the pepper, seeds and all, and finally she laughed. Loudly, suddenly, all and all very Hattie-like. Then, giggling, she nudged him lightly with her elbow. "So? How is it? Should I have asked for it cooked somehow?"