Forever

NOOSE

Bree sits on the couch in the common room in her black hoodie and sweats and keeps her eyes focused directly on Pietro, who stands in the kitchen alone. She sighs as her bottom lip begins to quiver and she picks at her lip.

She turns away for a moment, just as he turns to check up on her. He sees the struggle she's dealing with and she looks back as he furrows his brows. He motions her over and she gets up to hurry to him before he lifts her up onto the island counter and stands between her legs.

"What's wrong?" He pushes her hair behind her ear.

She hangs her head as the tears slowly break free and she can't even speak. He cups her cheeks with furrowed brows and wipes the tears from under her eyes. She shakes and squeezes the sleeves on her lap as he pulls her hood over her head. He pulls her closer to lay her head on his chest, close to his shoulder with her arms folded between them.

He hugs her neck and waist and places his hand on the back of her head with her face turned in, hiding her from everything around her.

"You'll be okay soon." He whispers and lays his cheek on the top of her head. "You're not faking taking your medication, right?" He asks and she shakes her head a bit. "Are you sure?"

She nods and he sighs while closing his eyes to hold her a little bit closer and a little bit tighter.

-

Later on, Bree is lying on her front on her couch with her arms folded beneath her and a pink nose from the tears fighting to pour and the slow ones that escape. Pietro watches her stare at the wall from the other end of the couch, leaned forward on his knees.

She nuzzles her head a bit into the pillow with a deep breath and he hangs his head while playing with the string of his sweats. He adjusts in his seat before slowly crawling on top of her to lay flat and hold her with his face in her neck.

She closes her eyes, causing a tear to slip out as she buries herself in the pillow and her shoulder, which he pulls closer to him, just wanting to hold her.

"Are you wanting to die, right now?" He worries in a whisper tone and she hesitates before nodding. "Are you going to?"

"No." She breathes with a shaky sniffle.

"You love me too much to die, right?" He tries to joke and she slowly pouts a tiny grin, the first in a good and long minute.

"Yeah." She cries and he smiles with tears in his eyes.

"I knew it." He nods and hears a break in her cries and breathing, meant to be a slight chuckle. "Oh, God, that's so beautiful." He pulls her nearer, pushing his hand under her.

She does it again with another sniffle and he squeezes his eyes shut as she closes hers with a deep exhale.

He places his hand on her chest, he can feel her heartbeat. It's calm, not like what he's felt from her in days. She's relaxed around him again. It's been so long.