He hadn’t heard her get so close and if he wasn’t feeling so blank—he had no other word for it—he might have jumped. Henry shifted on the couch, lethargically forcing himself to rise and give her a place to sit. His shoulders sagged a little, head bowed slightly. Where Eileen had been thinking, Henry’s mind was painfully blank, incapable of focusing on anything but a fog. He didn’t know if that was comforting or not, or if he preferred the monotonous rampage of his thoughts.
“I don’t mind.”
He could never mind her presence. It was soothing, even when he thought it shouldn’t be. Henry leaned back into the couch, dropping his head against the back. With his eyes closed the sound of the movie seemed enhanced. A hand rose up to rub at the bridge of his nose in futile effort to rid his head of the ache.
“…Hope you don’t mind Bond.”
Eileen sighed with relief, opting not to hide it. She’d made a mess of hiding things, lately, so maybe it’d be better to not hold herself in so much. Spending time with Henry was always a comfort to her. Even when it was scary, even when they were talking about things she’d rather not, there was a safety here that she lacked at all times when alone.
She settled down next to him, noting the headache plain in his face. She decided not to comment on it, for the moment. It was probably one of the ones they couldn’t do anything about.
“I don’t mind Bond,” she replied. “It’s good late-night viewing.”
Somehow, the couch felt more comfortable than the bed, as she settled into it. It felt like some of the buzzing thoughts around her head decided to go elsewhere for the time being. “
Thanks, Henry,” slipped out before she realized it. She smiled tiredly to herself and added, “It’s just- this is a lot nicer than staring at the ceiling.”
