marlowe was enraged, but didn’t want to say the wrong thing for eleanor to be mad at her, when they should both be mad together. this wasn’t the time to divide and conquer: together, they could handle this … or, at least, go nuclear and make it so that no one ever messed with braveheart again. marlowe figured that people did nothing but run their mouths, but when they brought her members into it, then they were going too far. when she heard that eleanor’s sister sent her a link, a rush of sympathy washed over her. she didn’t know exactly how to act on such a feeling, so she reached out and patted eleanor’s shoulder in a bit of an awkward act of solidarity. “nell, i’m so sorry. i tried to get to you as fast as i could, but i guess the internet is faster than i am.” she frowned. “how are you feeling about everything? has anyone around here said anything?”
the blonde didn’t hesitate to brush off the hate comments. “you know they’re just jealous, right? i know it’s a tired sentiment, but it’s true. they wish that they could be as captivating and powerful as you are when you’re on stage. if they were up there, you’d wipe the floor with them all.” marlowe spoke freely, all the truth coming out and making itself known. in the world according to marlowe, there were the haves and the have nots. eleanor belonged to the former, whereas the anonymous mouth breathers were decidedly the latter. “i don’t doubt that you can handle it, i just … i know how every mean comment can pile up and weigh on you. besides, look at this one.” she held out her phone and pointed to one she’d screenshotted – for no other reason other than to completely wreck the commenter. “do you see their icon? spongebob? is this person stuck in primary school? you shouldn’t let ten-year-olds who steal their moms’ phones get you down. especially when they cannot even form coherent sentences.”
“hey, don’t be sorry.” this time the smile was genuine, touched at how marlowe cared for her despite the more brusque front she usually put up. nell knew more than most how genuine her maknae was. it honestly made all the negative aspects more than worth it to have such wonderful members who were able to make up for her shortcomings and stand on stage with her. a bit sappy? a bit dramatic? perhaps, but being a bit dramatic was what got her into this situation in the first place. “y’know....i don’t know.” the answer may have seemed like a cheap copout but it was the truth. it wasn’t the first time nell had gotten those kind of comments from netizens and at this point she doubted it be the last. it was a constant internal struggle of wanting to change who she was to cater to the naysayers but wanting to stand firm in who she was for those who loved her as she was, unconditionally.
“no one’s said anything yet so i’m not sure if we’re gonna get any flack from our managers for it. i hope not.” she sighed, running a hand through her hair. this was the worst part of being an idol, in her opinion. they picked and they picked until they made you changed and then when you changed they found a way to twist it and make it a negative. lose weight, too skinny, lazy, too loud, fake, rude. it went on and on and it never seemed to end. at this point surely valentines and management knew who nell was.
nell’s nose crinkled and for the first time that day she let out a laugh. it was loud, from the belly, and surely drew attention but she didn’t care. “a spongebob icon? and not even a memeable moment? couldn’t even bother to use handsome squidward. how lame!” she chuckled, joining marlowe in ribbing the commenter. a moment of silence settled between the two and before she knew what she was doing, nell had her arms outstretched and encircling her maknae in a tight hug. she had been floundering all alone, trying to keep her head above water for others but the sudden realization that she didn’t need to hide her feelings or struggles made her feel weightless. marlowe had offered her a life raft in the storm and she couldn’t have been more thankful.
