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 Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:50 am
“Don’t say s**t that’ll just go to my head, you’ll make me insufferable,” he muttered, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He didn’t hold her tightly enough that she couldn’t draw away but he didn’t want her to feel like her only option was to fall apart alone. He drew Talia’s face to his chest and tucked her head under his chin.
“We’ll worry about me another day, I’m not doing too badly right now.”
Just a little stressed.
Talia hadn’t known him when he was at his worst so of course she’d say these kind things. She knew Zac, not Zack. But if she knew the truth–
It didn’t matter, that wasn’t a today problem.
“...Julian knows this is a safe place. You’re not useless. I think you’re setting these really specific expectations and then getting disappointed when they don’t line up perfectly? Don’t get mad at me for saying that. I’m just trying to figure out what we can do to help. I don’t want you feeling this way. I wish you could see how much good you’re responsible for. I hate that you’re just beating yourself up. For things you couldn’t control–for things no one could control. I think you’re so fixated on those things that you’ve missed out on all the good you have done. Julian’s not even been with us for a year,” he reminded. “And s**t’s hit the fan every other month in Destiny City. Not a lot of downtime. Maybe he just needs a little while longer. It’s not like he’s going anywhere any time soon. If he’s lost, he’s not going to find the way back home if you’re chasing after him. What’s that saying about lighthouses? You can’t be the lighthouse if you’re trying to be the sails? I don’t know, don’t quote me.”
He probably read it in a bathroom stall at the bar.
“The point is, you’re here if he needs you, right? …So what do you need to be okay?”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:51 am
Talia hesitated for the briefest of seconds before she relaxed against him. If he wanted to hold her he was going to get the full weight of Talia. All of it. And there was nothing that Zac could do about it.
“I worry about all of us. Everyone in this house. Everyone I know every single day, and there’s nothing I can do about it…”
Shifting slightly, Talia moved so that she was positioned where she could hear Zac’s heartbeat, and she fell quiet for a few moments, just…enjoying the sound. The comfort it brought, the safety she felt.
“Do you think. Do you know anyone who’s like. A therapist? Maybe. If there’s someone who…is…you know. Involved in all of this nonsense. The powered nonsense…maybe I could at least…talk about that with someone outside of it all…I don’t know if I would be able to but…it would maybe be worth a try to look into?”
If anyone would know someone it would be Zac, and even though she honestly…hated the idea. It could be good. She held onto things so strongly. She knew that. But.
“And I do need you to know…when you sign the papers, please know that there will be a tiny voice in your head that just says very squeakily and Talia, for every time you write Zac. I love you. And thank you for listening. Again.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:51 am
Zac was neither stupid nor smart enough to think that this conversation had solved all of their problems, but it had opened a door and that was good enough. For now.
“...You think I’m the kinda guy who knows therapists?” he asked, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
Did he know any therapists? It’s not like he made a habit of asking people what they did for a living. Maybe he should start.
“I bet I can find someone,” he said after a minute. “Give me a little time. I’ll put some thought into it.”
He ran his hand up and down her back in soothing circles.
“That’s a good idea, Talia. I want you to have whatever support you need. It’d be good if you had someone outside of the house that you could unload on. Get some real advice from. They’d probably have better suggestions than any of us.” Zac, because he was too callous. Evan, because he was too emotional. Soleiyu, because he was too neurotic. “...You still want to head out for a little while tonight and just go scream?”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:52 am
“Oh please. Zac, I know for a fact…or at least I’ve always believed that you just have a secret rolodex with information about everyone in the city. It might not be true, but it’s something I will always believe. You always know where to go and where to start to find answers.”
Talia snickered slightly, enjoying her mental image of Zac, à la Clark Kent. Big, silly glasses included.
“I think screaming could be good for us both. I don’t feel like I need to do it as much as I wanted to a few minutes ago, I wouldn't mind just staying here. Your hand feels nice like that. Just so you know. But. Yeah. I’ll see if I can find anyone. I’m sure there’s some kind of information…maybe on the Connections app…”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:52 am
And who was he to deny Talia her fantasies? As if Zac were tolerable enough to make acquaintances so easily. He knew of people but he could not claim to know them. He didn’t get close enough for that.
Did he have secret information? Sure, he collected what he could.
You never knew what might be necessary to save someone’s life. Or destroy it.
His hand continued to smooth up and down her back, hoping just to keep her grounded. Breathing. Calm. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Zac felt tense, brittle in the way he always did when tears were on the horizon, but with a plan that meant there was a path forward. Having a goal in mind meant the journey wasn’t aimless. Maybe it would give her enough to focus on, to pour her energy into.
Better that than tearing herself apart.
He pressed his lips to her forehead, soft in a way he had a hard time manifesting, but he was getting better at tucking away his sharp edges.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:54 am
“The screaming or the reaching out on the connections app?” Talia wrinkled her nose as a yawn suddenly overtook her, the action of it making her jaw pop with how forceful it was. “Maybe we can save the screaming for some other day, I don’t really want to move right now, if that’s okay. But. Sign the papers. For real, I’m not. Upset anymore. A little but, not like I was. And you’re not wrong. Everyone in this house would rather kill than let anything happen to Evan, so it’s just a safety net. I get it.”
She pressed a little closer to Zac and gave a soft, pleased sound at the kiss on her forehead.
“I’m proud of you for this, you know. Even if I’m jealous. I’m still proud of you. You’re amazing.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:54 am
Zac held his breath until a long, weary sigh fell from him. “We’ll figure the rest out,” he promised her.
He felt tired. He had been already, but there was a bone-deep exhaustion that came with carrying secrets and emotions, and today had already been so long. Tomorrow felt like it was going to be long, too.
Riker might not even want the papers signed. Evan hadn’t even talked to him yet. This could all be for nothing. Riker was old enough to make his own decisions, and that might include being independent.
If that was the case, this conversion still wasn’t for nothing. The effort wasn’t for nothing. If it meant Talia could get something out of this–
If it meant she could unload whatever she was carrying, good. That was still something.
She’d been through so much. She carried so much.
Faustite needed to stop ******** things up.
Zac should have killed him back when he had him trapped at Mont Saint Michel.
Mercy had been wasted on him, and look at everyone who suffered for it.
If he ever had the chance again, Zac wouldn’t hesitate again.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:55 am
“Yeah, we will…and we’ll do it together or something like that.” Maybe Talia would be able to open up a bit more…or maybe she’d try…maybe. One day.
One step at a time, there wasn’t any need to rush things. It wasn’t like rushing was going to make any sort of a difference.
“You just wanna give up for right now and nap? I’m tired. You sound tired. I think we deserve it.”
That and she wanted to stay right where she was. Preferably forever.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 11:55 am
“Okay,” Zac agreed. Maybe not nap, not yet. He still had to brush his teeth. Her plate of brownies were still next to him, and he might not have had much of a sweet tooth but he wouldn’t complain to have something strong enough to combat the bitterness inside of him.
The one he’d had before was small, but this time he took a larger one, and shoved it in his mouth all at once, too. He caught her eye briefly and gave another approving nod as he chewed around it.
He moved the papers onto the bedside table and made space for her, even fluffing the pillows and drawing back the blanket.
It didn’t feel like giving up. It felt like getting comfortable.
It felt like choosing a good place to end today, and knowing they could just pick back up tomorrow, refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
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