In the eye of a hurricane, there is quiet, for just a moment, a yellow sky...

[wolfishflame]

Characters: Aly Haskell and Devin Parker
Date: April 7
Location: The roof of the Dreaming Bridge
Situation: Aly's absolutely losing it. Continued from here.
Warnings/Rating: PTSD, maybe?

The words are unclear at first, because she's mumbling into Devin's shoulder. She doesn't deserve this, because she's screwed up so badly that it's all going to fall to pieces around her. It's all going to collapse, and it's her fault. She could have done so much to prevent it, but looking back won't change anything.

Nothing will change anything.

Ever.

"It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault. I screwed up. It's my fault, I didn't...it's my fault."

Comments

[annihilist]

If Devin could hear what Aly's thinking, it would strike him how similarly they react to comfort. How many times has he rejected the idea that he deserved care from anyone? And how many times have people told him he's an idiot for it? A lot. He stopped counting years ago. 

Devin wants to tell her that she's safe, but she's probably not in her own world. Things are definitely not okay, except perhaps in the narrow frame of this moment where she is safe and he does believe she'll be alright. Perhaps it's foolish of him, since he doesn't understand the circumstances that led to holding her sobbing in his arms. Realistically, he doesn't think he's going to get a coherent explanation out of her right now, either.

"Stop that," he says, gentle but firm, and squeezes her more tightly before drawing back only far enough to look her in the eyes. His hands rest on her shoulders still, steadying as much as a reminder of the present. "Whatever it is, it's done now. You're here. You have time." It sounds a little nonsensical to his own ears, but he's trying. "Focus on what you can see and hear and smell around you - be where you are. We can deal with the rest later."