Okay … so this was awkward. Lizzie’s luggage bumped lazily against the rough cobblestone of Stardew Valley, and she breathes in deep when the fresh breeze hits her face. She’s missed the town, missed the people, but she couldn’t say she was excited.
She’d kind of left things on a sour note. Moreso, she’d kind of been gone for multiple months. Without so much as a goodbye. Oops …
he was struggling lately, barely talked to anyone, often holing himself up in his farm. he couldn’t remember the last time he had talked to art, he tried to keep in contact and he did see him time to time when art needed help on his farm. it was hard not to notice what was missing, that’s what made it so hard to visit him. but they shared tractors and he knew that it was hard manning something by yourself when you’re so used to having someone else with you. he was just finishing a delivery at the general store when he spots a familiar face, when he sees who it is he almost doesn’t believe it. he gulps, looking around and when she gets closer to him he doesn’t know what to say. “you’re back.” he didn’t think that she would ever come back.
Though Jemma hisses slightly once Malia begins cleaning the wound, it’s a bare-bones reaction. She scratches absentmindedly at the faint scar that runs across her left cheek; she’s used to stuff like this. Malia settles into silence easily enough, but silence has never been Jemma’s strong suit. “– Y’know, this isn’t even the worst of the stuff I’ve dealt with in the mines. One time this skeleton threw a bone at me, and– I already had this nasty bite on my shoulder that I had just finished patching up, and it landed right on the wound, and– guess what? Dislocated my fucking shoulder.”
She smiles once Malia hands her a new shirt to put on, and because she’s barely modest as she begins taking off her bloody shirt, replacing it for the clean one. “No, I don’t think so. I– ow, ow, ow–” She winces as she lifts her injured arm to fit it through the arm hole, “I’ve got a few bruises and stuff but, y’know, par for the course.” She grabs the ziplock bag, nodding as she dumps into her bag. “’s no prob, I can change it on my own.” She says it a bit proudly; Jemma likes showing other people she can do stuff, even if it’s the most basic shit. With the wound still stinging but patched up, Jemma lets her eyes wander around, “You have a dope house.”
malia used to be a rough and tumble kind of kid, trying to prove to everyone that she was capable of doing anything that she put her mind to out of spite. it had always been like that, especially when it came to running, all the boys trying their best to outrun her but never being able to. she had pride in that. she had scraped her knees and fallen so many times, and when she and jillian were kids would sneak off into the mines, fully not prepared for what they’d find but malia had trusted and believed in jillian to lead them the way. though there had been times when they both got burned because of it. jemma, in a way, reminds her of the good parts of her childhood, the ones where exploration of the place that you grew up was new and exciting instead of what it was now which was painful memories and bitter nostalgia. she smiles slightly at her story about the skeletons, “sounds like they had a bone to pick with you.”
when she starts changing malia briefly looks at her before cleaning up the stuff around her. “okay, well, you know where to find me.” she says, knowing that she probably wouldn’t. malia understood where jemma came from. she was capable. but sometimes even the most capable people deserved to be taken care of. jemma deserved to be taken care of. she walks over to the tea that she’s making for both of them, and when jemma mentions the house she doesn’t really know what to say. “my mom decorated it. wanted to make it feel like a cozy cottage you’d find in some mythical land.” like fairies, her mother would say, picking up more stuff from antique stores in zuzu city.
it had been a whirlwind of a month for zola. she had been called away for a special tour for ana indiana, something about a nostalgia reunion with her and some other stars when they were on the same tv show back in the day (they were children and wore awful clothes, but they were also best friends – just busy best friends). media sources these days were really banking on nostalgia as a selling factor nowadays. anyway, she was back in stardew valley, a place she can’t exactly call home yet, but that’s where her stuff was stored for the time being. she came crashing into the saloon, having lost control of her luggage and knocking over one of the chairs. “oh, shit… that’s my bad… sorry!”
arden wouldn’t lie and say she didn’t miss hollywood sometimes. she had been good at one thing for so long she felt like a fish out of water being in the valley sometimes. it was too small, but she was convincing herself that’s why she liked it. she was picking up new skills along the way but there were times where she missed acting. she missed the red carpets and all the glamour. she just didn’t miss all the drama, all the news outlets up in her business, the paparazzi. she was working at the bar today, unsure of where jemma was or fry. she had just finished serving a man his drink when someone had come waltzing in. she had looked up at the woman and at all of her stuff. “well, that’s an entrance.” she said, walking over to grab the things that have fallen. “it’s fine,” she said with a small smile, suddenly glad that fry wasn’t here to witness the commotion. “you good?”
It’s all Matty needs to hear. He sits back up, hesitating for only a moment before he wraps his arms tightly around Kiran, resting the point of his chin on his shoulder. It’s such a simple gesture, but it’s the best he can think to do - and he is starting to learn that actions can mean just as much as words. How many times, when things were bad with him, had he just wanted a hug? That simple reassurance that somebody was there? It’s something Matty knows he can give. He wants Kiran to understand that no matter what’s going on with him, he’ll never be alone.
“I didn’t know about Lizzie,” he says softly, “Maybe she’ll come back?” Perhaps it’s naïve, but it wasn’t long ago that Matty himself had left the Valley suddenly, only to return after a few weeks - it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Lizzie’s just… taken a little break, right?
kiran wasn’t very good when it came to physical affection like this. he wasn’t one to hug people, or even hold hands. it was easy to be physical, it’s quick, and easy, but when it came to love and something more he didn’t really know how to do it. his parents never hugged them when they were kids. not really. anytime that amee and kiran were hurt they always just told each other that it was okay, and maybe they’d pat them on the shoulder but that was it. so when matty hugs him he freezes, tenses up. they’ve hugged before, but this was different. it was because matty wanted to, because kiran was hurting. he didn’t know what to do, how to act. it takes him a moment to feel comfortable in the embrace, but eventually, he allows himself to be held, giving matty a gentle squeeze.
“i don’t think so,” he says. “people normally don’t come back.” in kiran’s case, at least. he wasn’t naive to think so. if kiran didn’t have so many strings in the valley he too would leave. it hurt too much to be here sometimes. it was too much love, in the valley. too much love that kiran didn’t think he was allowed to have. he didn’t know if lizzie felt the same, but he understood it.
Zendaya attends the 93rd Annual Academy Awards at Union Station on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images)
malia, before work had prepared everything and placed it into chafing dishes and put them into a big cooler and placed it outside of the door among a few other presents that she had gotten henry. for a couple of weeks malia had been wondering what to do for henry’s birthday, especially because she hadn’t seen him as much as she liked to get a feel of what he would want. malia knew that it was a rough time for everyone she certainly was struggling and knew that henry still was too. the night before she had gone to the store and then kiran’s to get the last minute stuff that she needed to do this. she had finley test try all the food that she had made for henry to make sure that it was good enough. @qvietlight
in the chafing plates you will see vegan “beef” chili, vegan buttermilk biscuits, and vegan joloff rice. in another container there’s a set of a couple of red velvet cupcakes (also made vegan). in an envelope there’s cue cards with the recipes of the things she had made. next to the food chafing dishes and coolers, there’s another present it’s a custom frame of polaroids that malia had taken of everyone that was important to henry in the valley, there’s another photo of daisy and darshil holding a happy birthday sign. malia a couple of days before had gone over and asked if they could hold it for her so she could take the picture. in the middle, it says, “only people you want, need to be with; people who build their houses in you heart.” in another custom frame there’s a picture of the constellations the day that malia and henry met.
henry,
happy birthday. i know that birthdays can often be difficult, especially when it feels like there’s no one there to celebrate it with. i think the last birthday i genuinely loved was when i was eighteen. my mom’s memory was still good, we had gone to new york city, i remember how it felt to feel genuinely special for a day. she was always good at birthdays. and i wanted this to be a good birthday for you despite everything. i hope that you do end up having a good birthday, or at the very least that you’re able to smile about something today. you’re a pretty extraordinary person and i know that there are so many people in the valley that love you. i love you.
so, what’s with all the food you may ask.
well, when i was seven i wanted to go vegetarian, my mom had decided that if i was going to go vegetarian then she would too. of course that came with a lot of trial and error, her trying to replicate my grandmother’s sacred recipes and turning them vegetarian for me she eventually made her own on cue cards. and in turn i have modified some of the things to be made vegan because i know archie is vegan. i wanted you to have the recipes, because my mother made them with love, and i guess in a way, i’m doing the same thing.
i don’t think that i got a lot from my mother. she was always more kind and considerate than me. always thought of others first and did what she could to make sure that they were happy whereas i was very spiteful and mean if anyone took advantage of that kindness. but our door was always open to anyone that needed someplace warm to stay or just needed a home cooked meal. you throughout the year had made me so many lunches and leftovers and i feel like, especially now, it was my turn to do that for you.
(on top of one of the chafing dishes is just a sticky note that says: i want us both to eat well.)
everything should be warm, i bought a lot of stuff to make sure that it was still warm by the time you see it, if not it’s okay to put everything in the oven.
on to the other gifts, i had a little bit of help making the frames since i am not a woodworker, but i did paint them and even wrote the quote on it. i know that after my mom died i felt like i was utterly alone in this world and i shut myself off from everyone because i felt like the world was ending. i felt like no one needed to see my grief, but it made it worse. figuring out that i wasn’t happy in this solitude i put myself in was hard. but people dragged me out of it. people are all that we got. and i guess i’m lucky that i found you in the process. when we first met i was in a very rough place. i wasn’t very nice (still not super nice), and i was mad when people tried to care for me because it felt like weakness. i wanted to prove something to myself, to people, that i was capable of living like this and even convinced myself that i was happy with it. i wasn’t.
i didn’t know where to put all of it—all the love and the grief. but i found you. and maybe it’s true that in many ways you do remind me of my mother. her warmness. the way that you can just look at someone and feel the comfort and safety. all the care and love that you put into everything. for a very long time i didn’t like the valley, everything that i loved about it felt like it died with my mom, but you brought back some light to it. now i can appreciate my walk home because i know i’ll pass by your cottage and not feel like crying anymore. i admire the flowers in front of your cottage, i say hello to the chickens who are ever so lively. i can think about all the wonderful things you’re baking in your kitchen and remember what it feels like to come home to something warm. and at the very core of it all. it’s just love.
i know i need to end this, but i just wanted you to know that i’m always thinking of you. and if you ever need anything, well you know where to find me.
sofia arrives before heading to work at henry’s cottage, noticing that there are other gifts already by his door. she smiles setting the package down and a card. it had taken her a long time to figure out what she wanted to gift henry, though their partnership didn’t last very long she knew that henry was someone that deserved the world and she wanted him to know that. @qvietlight
the gift is long and wrapped up nicely in constellation wrapping paper. if you were to open the present you would be presented with a wooden sign that had “Valley Bakes” on it with henry’s original design that he had already created. underneath “Valley Bakes” it says “Established” with no date.
Dear Henry,
For a writer I feel as though I am very terrible with words at this current moment. But first let me start of by saying, happy birthday. They used to be such hard days for me, not entirely sure why, but I think that it’s a nice day to let people know that you care for them with gifts that are meant to mean something. I thought long and hard on what to gift you, and then it was just sort of obvious.
I know that we put our hearts into our project, and I know what a loss it was when we didn’t win. I had meant to come by after but I didn’t know if you wanted that, and I didn’t know if I was ready. I have a very hard time being vulnerable with people, and if I’m being honest I felt very guilty by somehow tagging my dreams along with yours. I had for a very long time, and I thought that’s maybe why we lost. I don’t know. It seems silly now typing it out but I just wanted to let you know that I’m sorry anyway.
I don’t think you should give up on your dreams. I think that the valley would be a better place if you one day opened your bakery here. I know that it would make so many people happy knowing that there was such a passionate man behind everything you make.
So, here’s the start of your bakery, it’s custom made, painted by Kiran. Whenever you feel ready, let me know, I’ll be right over to fill in the empty blanks.
She can’t help but smile softly at that. Gabe has always shown to be a selfless and dedicated person– he deserves a break, and she’s happy to see he’s finally getting the help he needs around the shop. “Hm, that’s good to see.” She tilts her head, glancing around the shop and taking in a deep breath. The sweet aroma fills her senses, calms her, and she thinks it must be pretty nice to work in a place like this. It would explain why Gabe always seemed so calm. When his hand reaches hers, her lips curl faintly and she squeezes it back lightly. “Me too… I’m, um, I’m sorry I didn’t come by earlier.” And she means it. He’s probably one of her closest friends in the valley, and though she knows he’s ever understanding, she doesn’t want him to think that she undervalues their friendship. Her gaze surveys the different flowers, lips pressed together in thought. “Hm… Um, do you have any purple flowers in, uh, in season?”
it was hard to think that he had a life before all of this. all his dreams of becoming a professional dancer had taken the back burner even before thalia was born. but the flower shop had been here for years, and there were days when gabe wasn’t sure if it all could last but he remembers all the small things that they do for the community, all of the people that have passed away that came before to ensure that their loved one’s still got flowers every year. all the birthdays, festivals, celebrations. he felt lucky to be part of such a warm community. there was no doubt that a lot of people were suffering or going through something but if they could bring a little peace then it would have been worth it. when she apologises for not coming by he shakes his head. “i get it.” he says, “life is complicated. but i’m always here.” he says with a smile. when she asks about purple flowers he has to think for a moment. “no forget me nots?” he says with a teasing smile, nodding his head over for the purple flowers that were currently in bloom. “we have the bellflowers, the balloon flowers which are a favourite, and some cosmos and iris. we have quite the selection.”
Elaine’s skin warms once Sofia’s hand finds her cheek. She still can’t get used to the sensation, to the fact that she’s let herself get this close to someone. There’s a part of her that feels guilty about it, like she shouldn’t allow herself to bask in this. She doesn’t know when that goes away– if that ever goes away. She shouldn’t feel this happy, even if it’s a fleeting thing. But then Sofia kisses her and the thoughts momentarily subside.
A smile teases at her lips once she feels Sofia’s weight against her, and she adjusts herself to make the position a bit more comfortable for both of them. She lets them settle into silence for a moment, munching on her sandwich and staring up at the sky as it darkens and the stars come out in all their splendor. Elaine’s free hand eventually wraps around Sofia, fingers absentmindedly brushing against her arm. She ponders on Sofia’s words. Does this mean she’s Sofia’s first… whatever they are? The moment the question appears in her head, it doesn’t leave. She glances down at Sofia, lips pursed, “– And, um, what have your books told you?”
when elaine asks sofia doesn’t know what to really tell her without feeling like it’s too much to say. that was always sofia’s problem. she was quiet but she had so much going on her mind at once, and living with the person that she does has kept her quiet in fear of speaking out what she’s feeling. she thinks a lot about her mom and died. who they were before sofia, if at one point they had ever felt this way about someone or if it had always been hard for both of them. sofia’s perception of love was so warped, fuelled on paranoia lack of trust. eventually her mom left both her and her father, who’s to say that it can’t happen again with someone else? she used to think as a child that if her mom couldn’t stay then who ever would for sofia? it had taken her a long time to get out of that spiral but sometimes she slipped back into it.
“that it’s magical.” she says with a small smile shaking her head, “that it’s hard sometimes, especially if it feels like you’re too much or. carry a lot of weight. but finding someone is all about trust and knowing that regardless of what you feel about yourself that the other person accepts all of that and helps carry the weight with you.” she looks at elaine now with another small smile, as if she’s trying to say that i can do that for you. “it’s an all consuming thing.” she focuses on elaine’s gentle touch along her arm and feels goosebumps raise on her arm. “my um. my mom left my dad and i when i was young. i don’t really remember much of her, but my dad says i look a lot like her. so i’ve never really known a healthy perception of love, or just even liking someone. i used to think that maybe all anyone got was this just one moment of whatever my mom and dad had before i was born but.... i’m starting to think a little differently about it. maybe i’m just a little optimistic.” she squeezes elaine’s hand, looking up for shooting stars.
Even if the silence wasn’t a dead giveaway, they’ve known each other for long enough now that Matty can tell when there’s something up with Kiran - it’s getting him to actually talk about it that so often proves difficult… Yes, he’d opened up a little the night he’d stayed over at Matty’s apartment, but it feels like they’ve hardly seen each other since then. Things are still so weird between them, and he hates it.
When he’s given the all-clear, Matty flops down on the blanket, getting out the cheetos and setting them down between them so he can use his (mostly) empty backpack as a pillow. He stares up at the sky, trying to decide what to do - if he should acknowledge the obvious or let it slide.
After a moment of quiet, Matty finds his gaze drifting back to Kiran, as it so often does. He looks… sad. Lost. And the blank pages of his sketchbook have not gone unnoticed. “Hey,” he begins in a soft voice, giving Kiran’s knee a gentle prod. “What’s wrong?”
kiran had a lot on his mind. he didn’t know how to say, i’ve been staying in my house all day and barely made an effort this season’s crops. he didn’t know how to say that he misses his friend because it was so hard for kiran to make friends. he didn’t know how to say, my dad died in may and it’s always the hardest month for him because it feels like it’s just too much to bear. the only person that he had seen was really malia, and that’s because she brought him food that she made for her and her roommate. he just felt like a husk of a person, trapped in his mind thinking that everything was sort of pointless because what was the person of anything lately? he had gotten like this before, after his dad died, after he ruined the funeral, but it felt different this year. everything did.
so when matty asks what’s wrong. he doesn’t know what to say. he looks down at his empty sketchbook, the impulse to tear out all the pages is still strong but the anger is slowly starting to subside. “i’m having a rough time.” he eventually says, looking down at his pencils. it was his fifth year without his dad, also the fifth year that he and his mom stopped talking, sometimes, he misses her voice even though she’s still alive. they just don’t know how to talk to each other anymore. “lizzie’s gone,” he starts off, thinking of art and knowing that he wasn’t handling it well. my mom won’t talk or look at me, “and i’m just tired.”
Despite the pain, Jemma plasters on a sheepish smile the moment the door opens– one she’s probably worn many a time when visiting Dr. Park’s clinic. “… It’s never a bad time for a house visit?” She tries, going for a shrug that’s cut short by a wince. She looks worse for wear, which is expected after a few hours down in the mines: stains on her shirt from the rubble and dirt, pieces of hair poking out of her ponytail disjointedly, and her clothes all rumpled.
“Um, so I was at the mines, you know, doing my thing, and– Well, honestly, I kinda didn’t realize I was bleeding until, like, halfway to my house? So I don’t really know what happened.” She steps further into the house, glancing around curiously before trying to stay still as Malia lifts up her sleeve. “It was probably one of those fucking bats– they have of sneaking up on you! Anyway, I would’ve taken care of this myself… but I ran out of bandages. Whoops.” Another sheepish grin– she’s probably not making the best impression.
malia doesn’t know what to say to that but she directs her to a chair as she looks over at the wound grabbing her antiseptic putting it on a microfiber towel. “this is going to sting.” she warns, looking at her in the eyes as she starts to clean off the blood. you could say a lot about malia and how she acts, but when it came to her work she was very gentle. malia often went into a trance when it came to her work, after she had successfully cleared the wound she made sure to grab another bandage and place it on the wound. “okay.” she says in a small voice. “any other wounds?” she asks.
while she waits for an answer she quickly grabs some clothes for her to change into considering hers were now all bloody. she turns the tea kettle on and is tempted to grab an ice pack out in case it’s needed to. she stands in front of jemma now and takes some of her own bandages putting them into a ziplock and handing them to her. “i would change your bandage tomorrow. if you don’t want to do it yourself i’ll be at the clinic tomorrow.”
Art’s smile tightened slightly when Malia brought up Lizzie. Most people did, but it still hurt to hear. He felt like no one in this town without her, and even though nobody meant that, the feeling was hard to shake.
“She’s not coming back,” he said with a shrug, trying to minimize what he felt. “What’s got you so tired? Working hard?” He would much rather talk about Malia’s life than his.
malia noticed the way that his smile tightened. understood the feeling of loving someone that was gone. she missed henry, even though he didn’t go anywhere it sometimes felt like it. she rubbed her thumb with her other finger, her other hand still holding onto the cigarette watching the smoke slowly start to rise. she’s not coming back. she sighs. “maybe she will. find it hard to believe anyone would want to leave you behind without taking you with them.” it was probably one of the nicest things malia has said in a while. she meant it.
“i guess.” she says. not necessarily believing that she was working hard, just overworking to keep her thoughts from spiralling like they always do. she found it hard just being able to breathe lately. she needed light and happiness but didn’t even know where to find it.
The only thing that makes her smile stutter slightly is when Gabe mentions Archie, though it’s a bit of a relief to here that she’s delivering an order. “– Oh, Archie works here now?” She asks with a tilt of her head. That was good, at least; she knew Gabe had needed the extra hand and, even though she and Archie still didn’t get along very well, it was nice that he had someone to help around now. At his question, she shrugs, turning to glance at some of the flowers on display. “Um… I don’t know. I’m on my break too, so I thought I’d, uh, come look at some flowers.” She glances back at him, flashes another small smile. “Plus, it’s been a while since I visited.” There’s a tinge of guilt in her voice.
“yeah, she does. it’s been really nice. i can actually have a break now.” he says with a small smile, looking down at his lunch and book that he was reading. when she starts to explain why she was hear, it didn’t really matter to him, he was always happy to see elaine despite whatever it was that she had seemed to be going through, she looked happier today and that was all that he could really ask for when it came to his friends. “well, we got plenty of them.” he says, another smile walking over towards one of their flowers that were now in bloom. “the daffodils are at their peak right now.” he says, looking over at them and all their beauty. “they have such a short lifespan but when they’re in bloom...” his voice fades, his fingers touching a petal. “i’m glad you came by.” he reaches out to squeeze her hand. “can i interest you in some flowers?”
Jemma narrowly misses falling into the water as she stumbles off the boat once it knocks against the pier. She takes off running down the deck, only turning to give one final wave to Willy as he ties the boat against the pier. “See you tomorrow!” She yells before she’s skipping through the beach to her cabin, quickly switching clothes and leaving once again, this time into Pelican Town. Jem still smells faintly of salt and sea as she bundles into the Saloon, taking a moment to pet Scout before heading towards the bar. Though she means to greet Arden once she spots her, she becomes temporarily distracted by the new menus, catching the tail-end of Arden’s mumbled words. “Did you make these?” She asks as she grabs one, examining it, “They look so much better.”
if arden was being honest, she was pretty proud of herself. she had only ever done one thing her whole life and was never really able to expand her other creative abilities but she was finding that she wasn’t too bad at it. she looks down at the menus and smiles at herself. she hears jemma coming through the door and she smiles at her, seeing her distracted by the menus and feels that little bit of happiness she felt whenever someone had told her that she did a good job. she lived off of that, and sure there was a lot to unpack there, but she didn’t need to go through all of that now. “i did.” she says, her voice is quiet, but she’s happy. “bought a laminating machine just for it.” she says, and then points out the four new burgers, hoping that she sees the one that she had named after jemma and fry. that was the one that she was most proud of. arden takes a small whiff of jemma, the smell not overpowering but her mother used to tell her that she had a bionic nose. “you kind of smell like a seaside candle.” she laughs now, shaking her head grabbing one of the treats that she kept up at the bar and handing it to scout.
( @jupiterdrcps ) Jemma has a tendency to let herself drown in adrenaline, especially when she’s down in the mines. When she’s surrounded by monsters and slashing away at them like some swash-buckling hero, or when she uncovers the ladder to the next level, or when she stumbles upon an especially rare gem– it’s easy for her to get carried away. It’s only when she’s halfway down the hill on her way back home, sword tucked away in its hilt and midnight descending on her, that the adrenaline rush finally wears off and she becomes acutely aware of a sharp pain in her bicep.
“Shit.” When she looks down at the source, the blood from the injury has already begun seeping through her shirt. She drops her backpack to the ground and takes out her first-aid kit, rummaging through it only to find out that she has barely any supplies left. She should have really restocked. Okay, okay, this is fine, this is fine! She surveys the wound. It’s nothing too serious, at least– it was probably one of those damn bats– but it’s probably not the best idea to just leave it as is. Picking her bag, she hurries her pace as she reaches the farms. She had heard that a nurse or something lived around here; they surely had to have some supplies, right? She picks the house that looks the… nurse-iest… and jogs up to the front door, lips pressed together to bite back the pain as she knocks.
malia was juggling too much. she was only one person but it seemed like it wasn’t enough. she was downstairs at her kitchen table with her laptop open and tablet right next to it trying to do two sets of patient reports since she didn’t have time to do them earlier. she has a cup of coffee in hand as she stares at the screen. it hurts her eyes. she was tired, and she was trying to keep herself awake so she could get it done while knowing that at some point tonight she had to sleep. she feels that if she can finish before at least two a.m then she’ll be fine. halfway into the paperwork she starts to feel fatigue in her neck, she gets up and stretches trying hard not to wake up finley upstairs, sometimes forgetting that she had to be considerate now. she had been alone in this house for far too long.
so it’s surprising to her when she hears a knock at the door. it feels like it’s so loud that it shakes the house. she feels her heart beating fast in her chest and she raises an eyebrow thinking briefly of october and of the man that she had fought. she grabbed her taser and walked over towards the front door looking out the peephole before realizing that it was jemma. she sighed, resting her head against the door very briefly before opening the door even more confused. “do you know what time it is?” she whispers before realizing the bright red spot through her shirt. “oh shit.” she says with a sigh, widening her door for jemma to come in. malia switches from being mad to nurse mode, she runs across the house to grab her medical bag and then back. “what happened?” she says, turning on the light and rolling up jemma’s sleeve.
Finley and Malia seemed to be riding similar wavelengths: both miserable for different reasons. They let out a sigh as they take a seat down next to her, slouching against the back of the bench and accepting the wine with a nod of thanks. A small snort at her words. “Horrible as ever, honey.” They answer back in the same tone, taking a swig of the wine. To be quite honest, it felt kind of nice to be staying with Malia during all of this. Though there was the whole situation with Jillian, and they still had fuck all clue what they were going to do about their house– and though they had no idea what had Malia down in the dumps… well, at least they could wallow in their pity together. They lean their head back, tilting it to glance at their temporary roommate, “What about you?”
in a way it was like malia was getting the small college experience of having a roommate. when her mom was sick she commuted from zuzu city to get her nursing degree and she never really got to leave home. it was nice having another person there, she wouldn’t ever tell them about how it made her feel to be needed again in some weird way. sometimes malia felt like this was the only thing that she was good for. she almost smiles at finley at them doing it back. “well, tomorrow is a new day.” her voice is quiet, snorting at her own words. “my mom used to tell me that and i would always roll my eyes at her.” she shakes her head now, tapping the ash into the ashtray. “well, i’m still wearing my scrubs, i just came home and grabbed the bottle of wine and i’ve been out here since.” she continues to stare up at the sky, she was so tired. it wasn’t the kind of tired that sleep could fix. she felt waxed and waned from life. she missed henry, but she was too scared to go see him. she didn’t like that she was scared to see him. “i lost three patients today.” she eventually says, “i don’t like bringing work home with me but it was just the cherry on top of an already shitty cake. or however the fuck that saying goes.” she holds her hand out for the wine to take a sip, slumping in the bench more.
