theo.
theo smiled at her, his eyes crinkling with warmth; he was grateful for her good-spirited ribbing and her reassurance. when she lowered her voice, he scooted a little closer, granting her his full attention. “ sure thing, ” he encouraged gently, before settling in to offer an attentive ear. aside from nodding occasionally to demonstrate that he was listening, he didn’t react visibly or audibly until she was finished speaking. “ honestly, that’s understandable. it’s weird, but being around this many people in this way can be isolating. if the experience doesn’t feel like all it’s meant to be, or like things are going right, it can feel like being always on the outside looking in. ” deep in contemplation, theo traced a pattern on his own thigh, lips pursed. although he did claim some of the counselors as family, his circumstances that summer had felt more powerful than any force and imposed a sense of powerlessness and isolation. he directed his gaze back toward her. “ i’m really, really sorry that you’re experiencing such shitty feelings, though. that sucks, and you don’t deserve that. as someone who cares… way, way too much about what people think, having enemies – ” he blew out a breath, shaking his head. “ – is painful. ” pausing for a moment, he frowned. it was important to him that he ensured he understood what she meant. “ what do you mean, ‘ as you might make it seem ?? ’”
for once, tabby was glad to have someone sit and listen to her. even if they both needed some sense of consolation at the moment, she really needed to get the weight off her chest, the weight that had been baring down on her all summer. her eyes traced the lines of theo’s face, listening as he offered his own thoughts on her issues. she felt a bit relieved that he hadn’t judged her, made fun of her, or turned down her sense of emotion. all of those things had happened to her before, and she wasn’t sure she could handle them again. “i came here in the first place because i thought i was... i don’t know... trying to pursue my own destiny, or whatever. but you’re right, it has felt a little isolating,” she brushes back a strand of hair that’s been separated from the rest by a soft summer breeze. “what would you know about having enemies, kid?” she tries to muster up a familiar smile, but it’s somewhat sad and not quite warm in the way that she wants it to be. “what i mean is...” she struggles to find the words to explain was she’s feeling, because what it feels unreal. “i still play ‘counselor,’ i do my job, i smile and laugh with some of the other workers, but i’m just not feeling it...” what she wants to say is that behind every smile is unease, behind every laugh is resistance. she clears her throat, laying her head back down on her knees. “it sounds stupid, i know, but i’ve done everything i was supposed to do and it still doesn’t feel right...”









