TXT -> Red ❤️: I love you
This...shouldn't send chills down Red's spine, but it does.
He has to read this message and sincerely wonder, why it's this and not something else. It's not like they wouldn't send each other messages just to remind them of how much they care for one another but... it didn't often happen so out of nowhere. Usually it was with pictures or a short conversation, there was more to say than simply this.
There's a sinking feeling in his chest that it sounds almost like a goodbye. But... surely that's being dramatic? Maybe he's just feeling shaken still from previous times she's ended up in the middle of things--
[To: Hilda 🤍] love you too. are you okay?
It loads for a long time, before red text shows up below.
He knows better, but he tries again.
[To: Hilda 🤍] i thought you were just out training. whats going on?
His chest is beginning to hurt, the way anxiety is building up in it. In his mind he feels frantic, but his movements feel so slow. His arms almost don't want to respond to his attempts, because he already knows what's going to happen as he continues.
[To: Hilda 🤍] pleaes tell me youre okay
His phone gets tossed to the other side of the room, thankfully landing on a chair despite his racing thoughts. Every time, every time he thinks it's nothing, it became something worse that he learned after the disaster was over. Maybe this is nothing worse, maybe it simply is exactly as it says and... connection became spotty where she was.
Often times the most rational answer is the right one, but he is filled with dread over how it could still be wrong. Something doesn't feel right, something is wrong and he is here across the world; not there with her as he wished he was now.
But even now as Red sits in his panic, there is a much heavier reality to this. By the simple fact this initial message, does not exist.
He sits at their home unaware, drinking coffee while going back through missed messages. He does think to text her and ask how things are going over there, even though he does still feel a bit off. He's not sure when he's ever going to completely get used to being on... relatively friendly terms, even secondhand, with a form of Giovanni. But if Hilda was sure about trusting him, he wasn't going to argue too much.
[To: Hilda 🤍] no rush to reply. just wanted to ask how your day was
He idly waits for it to load, but lifts an eyebrow a moment later.
Hm, must not be great signal where she is. Figures, connection can get pretty sporadic if you're far out into the forests or mountains.
Oh well, he'll just try it again later on.
