He wanted to let out a laugh of relief, but he didn’t dare to. He was just so happy (not that she was crying, by the way. What do you take him for?) She was still the same Natalie he always knew. For a second, when he was reunited with her, he was genuinely afraid that she had changed. People don’t always change for the better, he knew.
Trying to calm her down, he shushed her and ran his hands through her hair. He’s always seen people do that before, so he should at least give it a shot. It seemed to be working; she was calming down. That was good.
As he thought of what words to say, words that would bring his friend a smile and great comfort, he looked around at the Void. It hadn’t changed either, just like her. It was as empty as her life had been for so long. The turmoil that shone in her eyes was an identical twin of the one reflected in there. His grip on her tightened slightly. How long do you have to be in a single place, without any external influence, to become a physical manifestation of a place? It stings him, knowing that she was alone for so long. His time as a shut-in was nothing compared to the eons (he assumed it had been eons; he’s never actually asked her. How would he? ‘Hey, how long were you stuck in here?’ Smooth.) she had spent in his hell.
The boy recalled how happy she was when they had left the Void, and went over to his house, even if it wasn’t as nice as hers. She was just happy to be out and free! Freedom is such a crucial thing. Without freedom, we become homeless, because home doesn’t feel like home if you’re trapped in it.
"Hey, hey, it’s alright," he hushed her. "It happens."
He could let it slide, just this once. Honestly, he’d let it slide hundreds of times; he isn’t one to think of the past anymore. And, in her defense, she must have so much on her mind, it doesn’t surprise him that memories of him would retreat to the farthest corners of her mind.
He doesn’t mind. Really. He wants her to just forget about it.
{ Nausea quickly sweeps throughout your form-- how long had it been since you'd experienced emotions this strong? It seems that, within the many eternities that you've spent pent up within this darkness, you've forgotten; who could blame you? Hands running through long, disheveled locks cause orbs of stormy azure seas to peer toward him, and hands fervently grasp at whatever bits and pieces of him you can find in that moment; clothing, hair, hands-- anything. }
"...I-it happens too much, I get too worried, and I... I'm sorry..."
{ Soon, arms are flung haphazardly around him, pulling him closer, inhaling his scent and feeling his warmth-- oh, god how you've missed this. No one was here anymore. No one except the whispers and the shadows, but you don't like talking to them, all they do is hurt you. The Void isn't a great conversationalist either, all it does is mention how you're alone, and how it's only trying to protect you; that's what a person in denial of loneliness says, right? You take a moment to pause, letting his heat seep into you, your frail figure holding onto his as if he were a snowflake, bound to melt if heated too much, and fragile enough to dissolve in seconds if touched by the wrong hand. }
"I missed you. I missed you a lot."
{ None of the words you knew, none of the languages you spoke, and no amount of poetry or gorgeous fiddling and intertwinings of syllables and stutters could ever amount to something good enough to compare to how strongly you missed him. Inhale, exhale; one, two, one, two. You can feel your heartbeats overlapping, and it's only a matter of time before you're wrapped within him, holding your shivering, petite figure against his torso. Yes, you may be alone, but at least you can be alone with him. }
