The television buffers again, the image frozen on the GDN logo for a few Seconds. Melissa reaches out and turns it off and the room falls in to silence. Its not the comfortable kind of silence, Its the absence of sound. A silence that pushes down on the soul. She exhales, her shoulders sinking under the weight of it. “Its enough” she says her voice shaking a tiny bit “i cant listen to another city burn” she leans back in to the cushion of the couch she lays on. Her gaze shifting to Alexander sitting on the floor, leaning against the opposite wall. Virelle beside him curled up like a leafy snake as he scratches her. His red eyes staring in to empty air. Looking like he fought a war. Then a second and now waits for the other shoe to drop.
She observes him for a moment, her black eyes, unsettling for most she met since they changed, don't bother him at all. Then the question she's been holding finally slips free “is youre family...” a short pause as she searches for the right word “are they safe?” he keeps staring for a moment his jaw working. Then he shrugs. Its a small, uncertain motion. As if he tries not to care to much. “not sure about my parents” he sighs, long and tired “we weren't close. Not since... well. Not for a long time.” then a smile creeps on his lips “but my sister is with the Berlin garrison, just got her essences when I'd gone to Australia for the Hurin program.” his eyes find hers, hopeful, vulnerable “and if Berlin is Blue zone” he shrugs again “than she is probably alive”
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Melissa nods, her eyes softening as she smiles reassuringly “if she is smarter than you... then she probably is” he snorts a chuckle and looks up, really looks and asks back “what about yours?” her face grows cold. there is no hesitation, no gief to hold back, just simmering anger. “they made it clear I'm not their daughter anymore” a brittle laugh escapes her. Not bitter, just tired “not that they ever treated me like family. So I dont really know where they are. if thy're alive... or if thy're dead” he looks at her for a long moment. Not with pity, not flinching. Just there, present. He finally speaks up. Soft and steady “You got me. That's something.”
Melissa blinks. One heartbeat, then another. Slowly she gets up and walks over and sliding down the wall to sit beside him. Not touching but close enough to feel the warmth he radiates. Close enough to feel like they are not alone
They stare at the blank television as if it owes them answers that will never come. “What do we do now?” She asks finally. He leans his head back against the wall, tired, batterd, but somehow smiling “i figure we sleep. We wake up. Andt then we hit the next monster real hard” She huffs, the ghost of a laugh and for a moment the weight that pushs them down lifts just an inch. “and after that?” she asks and he snorts. The sound is honest, blunt and faintly amused by the absurdity of survival “One step. One scream. One swing at a time.” he looks at her “we figure it out.” Melissa nods. Aimless, yes. Overwhelmed, yes. But not alone.
