Seasons: IC Contact/Continuations

[abnormalizes]

This is Evangeline! Sorry, I'm a little busy right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Comments

[abnormalizes]

...I grew up in the Backstreets. The poor parts of the City, where government presence is minimal and gangs battle for control of each area. Every day you had a chance of being killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that was just how it was. You could never let your guard down even for a second.

When I started work at L Corp, I saw coworkers die every day, because it was cheaper for the company to replace them than to try to make things safer for its employees. I can't count how many times I've had to step over corpses while working. You don't get a chance to mourn, and you don't get to be at less than a hundred percent at your best or you risk being the next one to be killed.

I don't know how to convince myself that I'm safe, and I'm not going to be killed if I let my guard down just a little.

[shatteredprison]

I'm sorry. [He isn't sure what else to say. Like with her before.]

Feeling safe would be hard for you. I understand how trust is also hard for you. For both of us.

[abnormalizes]

I want to trust. I want to trust you. I don't have a single reason to believe you'd ever hurt me.

[She knows why it's so difficult, but why does it have to be so difficult?]

[shatteredprison]

You can believe it in your mind but it is hard to know with complete certainty. Perhaps I could hurt you one day. Perhaps you could hurt me.

Or we can be hurt at the loss of one another.

Pain is a part of life. One we cannot avoid.

[abnormalizes]

...If I lost you... It'd hurt badly.

But - I guess, here - it's okay to be hurt. Because you don't always have to be at your best to survive.

[shatteredprison]

I think you're right. Here we can risk the pain. Risk the hurt. Because we can heal. This world will let us have that time.

[abnormalizes]

Yeah. I'd never be able to trust like that at home.

If - if you do figure out that way of giving someone control. Could you let me know?

[shatteredprison]

I will. I will tell you.

[Shadow nods.] And if you find it first, you can tell me.

[abnormalizes]

I will. We can try it ourselves, see if it helps or not before you bring it up to Sonic.

[shatteredprison]

Thank you. I just...I don't know what I'm doing and I hate this. I hate not knowing what I'm doing.

[abnormalizes]

Me too! It sucks! Why can't these things just have simple instructions we could follow or something?

[shatteredprison]

I wish there were. But emotions seem to have never been figured out. In all the years humans and other creatures have existed and studied one another.

It's irritating.

[abnormalizes]

Why do people have to be so complicated.

[Sighs and smooshes her face into the top of his head. Fluffy. Comforting.]

[shatteredprison]

I don't know. They just are.

[He sighs and leans back on the couch.]

You can put your face in my chest fur if that will help more.

[abnormalizes]

Thank you, that sounds perfect.

[Face immediately smooshed in chest instead.]

[shatteredprison]

[Shadow pets her head and just lets her smoosh her face in his chest.]

I have a feeling this will happen to me more in the future, between you and Sonic.

[abnormalizes]

Sorry. It's really soft and warm and feels nice.

[shatteredprison]

Don't be. I'm not angry or against it. It is just...new. Being so willing to let people this close.

[abnormalizes]

Yeah, I can imagine you're not used to a lot of touch like this. But I'm glad it's not bad.

[shatteredprison]

I wasn't. Before I got here. Before you. [He looks down at her.]

You helped me be able to do this. Thank you.

[abnormalizes]

[!!!]

I'm happy I could help! You deserve it.

[shatteredprison]

And you deserve someone you can trust completely. You deserve it.

[abnormalizes]

It makes me happy that you think so.

[Even if she thinks she's nothing special.]

[shatteredprison]

You earned it.

[abnormalizes]

You really think I did something special to earn it?