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 Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 4:45 pm
She knocked first. Or at least, Monika thought that she knocked. Her hand hit something three times before she found the doorknob and twisted.
Her vision was completely gone and she still couldn’t breathe, but she stumbled into the room. “...D-dylan?”
Monika’s voice sounded funny to her own ears. Like it was coming through a tunnel. Like she wasn’t real. Like nothing right now was real. What if it was the truth? What if she was still on Jishui. If she was still in stasis if…if she…
“D-dylan are you here…is…is this real?”
Was she real? Was he real? If…
Stumbling forward, she ran into something, and pain shot through her shin. Pain…was good. It meant that she was feeling something. That she…was feeling...that maybe this wasn’t all a figment of her mind…
“...Help…”
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 7:00 pm
Dylan was a lighter than light sleeper, so he initially woke at the sound of the front door opening and closing just outside. He was a little surprised despite being sleepy, but it was late and he figured Monika would just head straight to bed so he just sighed, closed his eyes, and let his head sink back into his pillow. He was just starting to fall back to sleep when he heard her knock. He fought it for just a second, because he was tired, but when she spoke she sounded…off. He tensed at the sound, worry slowly taking hold as he moved to get the light and sit up.
“I’m here,” he said, her sudden impact with the bed very effectively waking him the rest of the way. He got up in a single, smooth motion and rushed to her side, kneeling to inspect her leg for a second before she asked for his help. Looking up, actually seeing her in her current state when she asked, he felt the worry fully take hold.
He’d never seen her like this before, so shaken and vulnerable, and truth be told he wasn’t entirely sure what to do. So he took her hands and gently held her palms to his cheeks, pulling on a small, soft, and gentle smile.
“Of course I’m real,” he said. “See for yourself.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 7:15 pm
Monika sucked in a breath when she felt Dylan. Her hearing was…off. He sounded far away…but he was there. She was touching him. HIs face? She thought it was his face.
The fact that she was touching something. Warm, soft skin…it.
It was grounding. At least a little.
Her breaths were still ragged but she managed one that nearly filled her lungs. Filled them a little, at least…it was something.
It was almost enough.
“Dylan…I went for a walk…couldn’t sleep…I…time stopped...I thought…I..I thought…”
Her words weren’t making sense, but she was trying.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 7:43 pm
He hoped it would be enough… She still sounded a bit off, he thought, but she seemed to be getting better. Like the contact had done something to help ground her again. He noticed her breathing and furrowed his brows, wondering if that was why she sounded so different. She wasn’t taking full breaths. Was this some sort of Earth symptom? Being here for too long, maybe? Or being out in the cold for too long?
Or maybe it was that…time stopping.
Did that happen on Earth?
He tucked the question away and thought for a moment. While he didn’t know the details of her time before Earth, he imagined what was happening to her now could have something to do with that.
His smile flattened however slightly, and as he stood he very carefully scooped her up into a warm embrace. If his guess was right, he was more than certain that there was little that his words could do to comfort her. At least for him, it was, and likely would continue to be, a very quiet, very personal struggle. And so this was all he could think to do for her, to make it abundantly clear to her that he was very much real, and here for her for as long as she needed him.
A reminder, hopefully, that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“You’re still here, with me,” he said softly. “And I, with you.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 8:17 pm
Dylan was warm. She could feel that. He was holding her and he was warm…it felt nice.
“I…I…it…” Squeezing her eyes shut, Monika managed another breath, a firmer one this time, and she held it for a moment, and then let it out. She tried to do it slowly, but her mind was still racing, as well as her heart, but…
It was getting easier by the moment, thank goodness.
Finally, finally, she was able to relax, going almost limp in his arms.
“It…when I was back on Jishui…I was put in stasis but…it…wasn’t…it didn’t…keep me asleep…the way it was supposed to. There was something wrong…and I would wake from time to time…and I couldn’t move…I couldn’t do anything. I just…could see. Watch. As everything…as it all…”
Another stuttering breath and she pressed closer to Dylan. “...It felt…like that was happening again…and I just…what if this isn’t real…what if I’m still…”
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 7:57 am
There was some relief when he felt her finally relax against him, and he tightened his hold only slightly to make sure that he was properly supporting her. Dylan listened quietly as she started to explain, and what she said…sounded like more of a nightmare than anything he’d ever heard or experienced. It was one thing to be able to at least try and do something as everything around you fell away, but to be left in a state where you could literally only watch…
He didn’t want to even imagine it, never mind living through it for however long she did.
“You’re not.” His tone was gentle but firm, and he almost smiled as he said, “I’m very real, I assure you.” He ran his hand up and down her back in a comforting gesture, hoping it would help her relax again. “So is this home and this life that you’ve started to build here on Earth.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 6:08 pm
They were pretty words, and Monika wanted nothing more than to believe them she just…
Well. She just couldn’t. Not really. Not at all. If this was a fantasy she had made up, she would have her best, closest companion say things like that…it…made sense but.
She didn’t trust it. Not yet. Not now.
“...Yeah…I hope so…”
It was as honest as she could be, and though she was relaxing in Dylan’s arms, relaxing with the beat of his heart under her ear it…
It wasn’t really enough. Not yet. Not after what had happened. How stupid that everything she had thought, felt and believed was so easy to crumble…
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Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 1:47 pm
She didn’t sound convinced, and while he wasn’t going to give up trying he was at a bit of a loss. Still, Dylan kept her close and was willing to keep trying for however long it took for her to believe him.
Letting her go for just a second, he took a seat at the foot of his bed and gently pulled her onto his lap. “Is there anything I can say or do that might help you believe me?” he thought to ask, unsure if that might make this better or worse for her, as he slipped his arms around her once more.
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Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 2:06 pm
Monika gave a soft noise of surprise when they sat down, but…she was…she was feeling better. Maybe she…didn’t completely believe him…but it wasn’t…him...she didn’t believe herself. He wasn’t the problem…she wasn’t sure that he could ever be a problem…but.
“...This…this is nice, I…don’t mind this. At all.” In fact. She quite…enjoyed it.
His arms felt secure…she felt secure…
“...I’m still afraid that it’s…all in my head. That I’ve simply made you up but…this feels…better than anything I can think of, really…Thank you, Dylan.”
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Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 2:27 pm
He gave a little nod, his smile small and soft. “I do, too,” he said, sighing contentedly. It was a relief to know that they agreed on that. It had been a long time since he was this comfortable with anyone, granted that was…less because he refused to and more because he had no choice on the matter. Now that he did, despite his belief that he was inclined to attach to anyone, just in case, here they were.
“And if this is working to at least keep things from getting worse, I am glad to hear it. I’m happy to stay just like this, for as long as you need.”
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