[She’s trying so hard. He can feel the way she struggles behind her eyes in the magical current between them, her shifting gaze the only outward sign of the fight to articulate herself through all of these missing pieces.]
[Nobody ever smiled at her the way he did, she says. Not back home. But something about her home was wrong, wasn’t it? He thinks he knows that, although what kind of wrong is a strange half-opaque constantly-moving mystery, a messy beast that keeps slithering out of his grasp. Regardless, it shouldn’t be that way. She should always be loved, always be smiled at — when she’s dark and drawn more than ever. Someone has to be the sunshine when she can’t be, or at the very least an umbrella.]
[Even now, his smile’s lingering. A little sad, but very real, and all for her.]
I saw something awful, yeah. I don’t remember all the bits and pieces, but I remember how it made me feel. Sad and angry and . . . I dunno. It was one of those things where I knew I couldn’t stop it or really even make it better, which is hard. I hate when that kind of thing happens, ‘cause I feel so helpless.
But I do believe in you. All the things I learned about you before then, like how you were brave and strong and funny and cute, how you were kind and always made me smile even if I felt like shit . . . you know, every time I look at you I feel like everything’s gonna be okay. Just like you said. When I look at you I know whatever storm’s passing over is gonna pass by. No matter what bad happens, it’s not stronger than you. Even if you don’t believe that, I know.
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[Nobody ever smiled at her the way he did, she says. Not back home. But something about her home was wrong, wasn’t it? He thinks he knows that, although what kind of wrong is a strange half-opaque constantly-moving mystery, a messy beast that keeps slithering out of his grasp. Regardless, it shouldn’t be that way. She should always be loved, always be smiled at — when she’s dark and drawn more than ever. Someone has to be the sunshine when she can’t be, or at the very least an umbrella.]
[Even now, his smile’s lingering. A little sad, but very real, and all for her.]
I saw something awful, yeah. I don’t remember all the bits and pieces, but I remember how it made me feel. Sad and angry and . . . I dunno. It was one of those things where I knew I couldn’t stop it or really even make it better, which is hard. I hate when that kind of thing happens, ‘cause I feel so helpless.
But I do believe in you. All the things I learned about you before then, like how you were brave and strong and funny and cute, how you were kind and always made me smile even if I felt like shit . . . you know, every time I look at you I feel like everything’s gonna be okay. Just like you said. When I look at you I know whatever storm’s passing over is gonna pass by. No matter what bad happens, it’s not stronger than you. Even if you don’t believe that, I know.