A stare's blankly into the distance, avoiding whatever accusations B's eyes can make.
B stares holes into the side of A's face. He feels as if he's being abandoned. He's not wrong, but A can't save him anymore while she's drowning.
She's saying she's tired, and he doesn't understand how. He takes care of her. She barely has to lift a finger outside of housework. How in the world could she be tired? For fucks sake, he should be the one complaining.
“, I just can't handle it anymore, B,” She yearns for his understanding now more than ever.
Standing up for herself has never been A's strong suit. Suffering in silence to protect the peace was. So long standing in denial of her emotions has left A a shaking wreck. She can't sleep anymore. Can't hide in her mind anymore. She's hit a brick wall and has nowhere left to run.
“, I thought we were happy. Everyone thinks we're happy, A,” He retaliates.
B's anger spikes. She strikes with words, sinking her fangs into the jugular of B's feelings.
The insinuation that he wasn't good enough painted B's world red. He would never be good enough for anybody. He had told A this before, early in their relationship. Everyone always leaves.
“, I don't think I ever have been,” she admits, sinking the blade deeper.
It was a cruel thing of her to tell him, but she had made a career of soothing B's feelings. There was a time where he did the same for her. Maybe at some point he got tired of it, maybe A was too much for him to handle. Everyone eventually stops caring.
“, When do you leave?” He asks, after steadying his breath.
“, Soon,” she says. This day had been too much already. This conversation had drained her of whatever strength she had left. Now she only wanted to cry herself to a restless sleep.
She got up to leave, weakened legs shaking as she rose.
A didn't need to look back to know B's face was now streaked with red hot tears. This was his way. When the going got tough, B got to crying.
A bitter part of her mocked him for being able to be so weak in front of her. He was lucky she was so kind. The people of her upbringing would have eaten him alive for crying like such a little bitch in front of everyone. Especially over a girl.
The other part, the one that still loved him, forced her to turn back and take him into her arms like she always did. Stoking his hair as his arms came up around her, locking her in so she couldn't get away.
While his breath calmed, her mind buzzed so loud A could have sworn she had a cicada in her ear. Her pulse throbbed so loudly A wouldn't have been surprised if B could hear her blood sloshing in her arteries.
He sat there and cried in her arms for as long as she allowed. That was how long he had always known their relationship would last. However long she allowed.
In B's mind, he wasn't worthy of A's love to begin with. She was always the light he followed like a moth. The sun that shined despite all the clouds in her mind. He would always love her. But he couldn't follow her. His roots were buried too deep.
“, I'll never forget you,” she said into his hair.
With shaking breath and trembling arms, he whispered “, Ditto.”
