She thinks about hours spent stretched across a rooftop. Heat radiating off the concrete, sweat sticking her bangs to her face, the weight of a long-barreled rifle in her hands. Still but for her breathing, for as long as it took for her target to appear. This is - not easier, but more comfortable, and it feels more important, too. So. She waits, for as long as it takes. For Riley's breathing to even out, for the tears to stop, for her shaking to still as she relaxes.]
It's okay. You don't need to - apologize to me.
[Her low voice comes in response only a beat after Riley speaks.]
You helped me, remember...? I want to be here. I chose to.
[She repeats Riley's wisdom back to her, soft and sure. After a moment, she allows herself to move, just to rub idle circles along Riley's back. Her next sentence is slightly more stilted, a phrase she almost never used:]
no subject
She thinks about hours spent stretched across a rooftop. Heat radiating off the concrete, sweat sticking her bangs to her face, the weight of a long-barreled rifle in her hands. Still but for her breathing, for as long as it took for her target to appear. This is - not easier, but more comfortable, and it feels more important, too. So. She waits, for as long as it takes. For Riley's breathing to even out, for the tears to stop, for her shaking to still as she relaxes.]
It's okay. You don't need to - apologize to me.
[Her low voice comes in response only a beat after Riley speaks.]
You helped me, remember...?
I want to be here. I chose to.
[She repeats Riley's wisdom back to her, soft and sure. After a moment, she allows herself to move, just to rub idle circles along Riley's back. Her next sentence is slightly more stilted, a phrase she almost never used:]
...Do you want to - talk about it?