As much as she didn’t like to admit it, Erica needed someone like Leroy in her life. Someone to check her when she was ignoring her needs, somewhere to come for some peace, some familiarity. She cleared her throat and passed her hand over her top lip to ensure she wasn’t still… well, leaking was the kindest way to put it. But as distressed as she may have seemed as she entered the flat, it didn’t escape her notice that Leroy had a gun on his person– and a very nice looking one at that. Erica was sure it was very not sane of her to feel safer with such a weapon in her general vicinity but it was a comforting thing, knowing that they both knew how to use a gun properly should trouble come looking for them. And it seemed it might, if Leroy was carrying a weapon like that just to answer his front door. “Are you– expecting someone?”
Of course, she couldn’t ignore his question in favour of hers. And what he asked wasn’t something she heard a lot, if at all. Generally people didn’t ever have the chance to consider whether there was something the matter with her, the façade she presented making her seem very well put together at all times. And she wanted to tell the truth about what was going on– really, she did. But it was hard to match Leroy’s gaze and still have the nerve to tell him anything about Damien, the fact that she was planning on killing him, or the fact that she was upset because she’d had a bad dream for the first time in years. Revealing those things, telling him about some of her darkest times, would cause the barricades that she had built up so solidly from such a young age to crumble, and every brick she had laid with the forceful intention of never letting someone that close again would be knocked down, her effort to protect herself for nought. And the last part, while not so important was really just an embarrassment. Erica Wright was supposed to be the woman people had nightmares about, not the other way around.
“I’ve… been having a weird few weeks,” Erica finally decided to say, finding the floor to be oh-so fascinating. “I wouldn’t even know where to start, it’s so…” Trailing off, she could feel her chest begin to tighten at the thought of all that had transpired. The familiar sensation of dirtiness washed over her and, in an effort to shake it, she rubbed the side of her shoulder rather hard for a few seconds while inhaling a sharp breath. “I guess Olivia hasn’t said anything to you, has she?” At that thought, she let out a nervous chuckle. That would have made things so much easier. Then again, Erica had never done easy.
Somehow gathering the guts to look back up at Leroy, Erica gave him a tired, sheepish look. “… I had a nightmare. Tonight, I mean. I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever had one. Definitely can’t remember the last time I woke up screaming. I know it sounds stupid, I just… haven’t had to deal with this in a while. And, um. You’re so close to my apartment, so I thought– you might be awake too. And you are. I mean– obviously.” As if she couldn’t feel worse, now she had to deal with the fact that she was making a fool of herself, the way she always seemed to do around the Scotsman. At the rate Erica was going, she would be here for days explaining herself.
He shook his head at her question. It was the fact that he wasn’t expecting someone that made him on edge. In his mind, anyone could’ve been behind his door, and it was the sheer not knowing that made him on edge. That was why he had taken out his gun, just in case it was someone he did not want in his home at this time of night. But it was Erica, and his door would always be open for her. She didn’t look great. She seemed tense, on edge, and her eyes kept shifting from one place to the other. He didn’t think he had ever seen her so not-put together in his life.
“She didnae.” Olivia was not one to tell other people’s secrets for them. Neither was Leroy. That’s why they worked so well together. They didn’t gossip, they looked at the facts and made decisions. “What happened, lass?” he asked, taking her hand and leading her over to the couch. He shoo’d Mira off and sat down with Erica. “Erica, talk to me. Ye know ye can.” Mira lay down at their feet and he looked Erica in the eye. “What was the nightmare about?” His thumb was tracing absent-mindedly over the back of her hand. He didn’t even realise he was doing it.
areudirty
gummygunk
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
pixelskylines
stormborns
vaporwave
turnnoffyourmind
germansingergirl
