who: helena and others! what: variety catchall for the month. when: end of july/ all of august. where: across the boat. warnings: likely discussions of death.
He's assured her that when she feels ready to, he would love to hear her poetry, or read it himself if she showed it to him. They could trade the things that they cared about, that represented their hearts in a tangible form. He trusts her enough to do that, and to accept what she offers in kind.
A long, thoughtful silence stretches between them, Wayne watching the unreal blue of the sky for some time, before he speaks up quietly.
"I love you. Whatever comes next, having you as a friend means everything."
For another long moment, there's nothing, only the sound of the water, the faint hum of the boat in the far distance, anything else that drifts from people living their lives. She breathes, steady, not betraying the way her heart latches onto that statement, holding onto it tight enough to leave marks from her nails. Whatever happens, that can't be taken from her. Whatever happens, this is still true.
Finally, it's soft. For his ears only, not for anyone else on this ship, to be pressed into the metaphorical flesh of his own heart and kept, meant with all of herself. Gratitude, promise, and honesty all in one. Words that are just big enough to hold all she feels without being too much.
The silence that spins out is warm, comfortable, full of the gentler feelings that she inspires in him even when it feels as if everything is coming down around them. She is to him what a lighthouse is to sailors trapped in a squall. She helps him navigate those terrible dark waters, and lets him know that in spite of everything, he still has something tangible and real where he can set his feet down and be able to take a moment to breathe and figure out where he's going. He can only hope that he can do something even half as much for her. He would happily bear the marks that she presses into his heart as she holds on by the ends of her nails.
When she replies, his head merely tips forward until his cheek comes to rest against her head, arms looped loose around her middle and resting easy there.
"D'you wanna go get something to drink? I'unno about you but that sucked and I need some juice and a soak."
The word comes out as a relieved breath, all the more meant for the informality of it. When she pulls back, it's not to really let him go, but to get off Wayne and stand, offering her hand to help pull himself up by.
"I think both of those would do us both some good."
She's not leaving his side, not right now. This is a transparent excuse for it, to stay in the comfort of his presence, and to let him know that even when the moment has passed, the support is still there. Like his skeleton under his flesh, so is is constantly near.
And now that the worst has calmed, self-care can handle the rest.
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A long, thoughtful silence stretches between them, Wayne watching the unreal blue of the sky for some time, before he speaks up quietly.
"I love you. Whatever comes next, having you as a friend means everything."
no subject
Finally, it's soft. For his ears only, not for anyone else on this ship, to be pressed into the metaphorical flesh of his own heart and kept, meant with all of herself. Gratitude, promise, and honesty all in one. Words that are just big enough to hold all she feels without being too much.
"...love you too."
no subject
When she replies, his head merely tips forward until his cheek comes to rest against her head, arms looped loose around her middle and resting easy there.
"D'you wanna go get something to drink? I'unno about you but that sucked and I need some juice and a soak."
no subject
The word comes out as a relieved breath, all the more meant for the informality of it. When she pulls back, it's not to really let him go, but to get off Wayne and stand, offering her hand to help pull himself up by.
"I think both of those would do us both some good."
She's not leaving his side, not right now. This is a transparent excuse for it, to stay in the comfort of his presence, and to let him know that even when the moment has passed, the support is still there. Like his skeleton under his flesh, so is is constantly near.
And now that the worst has calmed, self-care can handle the rest.