answering machine

[rivalappeared]

"Hey, you've reached Green Oak. If this is League business, leave a message. If not, I've got caller ID. What are you, 70? Whatever.

BEEP."

[Feel free to leave Green a voice message or a text message here, with date and time.]

Comments

[rivalappeared]

"Probably not." They had simply known each other for too long.

But there would always be something different. And Green would always know that he had caused it.

"How are you feeling?" he checked in again.

[travelingbelle]

It was comforting at least that he seemed to realize the futility of trying Not to talk like they usually did as well. And that he was okay with it. (He was the one that said as much already anyway.)

"... Much better," she admitted. There was still a weird, fluttery feeling in her person, but it was nothing completely awful. The important part was that it was easier for her to breathe. Blue would take bizarrely fluttery over painfully tight any day.

[rivalappeared]

Green sighed.

"... Do you want me to stay on the phone some more? We don't even have to talk."

[travelingbelle]

"... You don't have to do that..."

[rivalappeared]

"I just want to make sure you fall asleep," Green admitted quietly.

[travelingbelle]

Blue bit her lip. If she were being honest, that was exactly what she wanted. She scolded herself, shutting her eyes.

"... All right."

[rivalappeared]

"All right," he repeated back, letting his breath settle into a slow, deep pattern.

[travelingbelle]

She listened to the sound of his breathing, the rhythm of her own falling into tempo with it the longer she did so.

If nothing else, she knew she could still talk to him. That was enough reason to not regret bothering him so late and for so long. She was still confused though about her own feelings and what she should do. That was still going to take some time, much to her own chagrin. But maybe it'd get easier.

For now she just kept breathing. In. Out. Slow and steady. His was there too. Out and in. A gentle lull. Eventually, finally, her own breathing fell out of sync with his as it slipped into the deeper breaths of sleep.