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5. woman of truth
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The word 'no' stays firmly rooted in the very back of Laena's throat, in the crevices and cracks, where it lingers like bad breath. She can't seem to swallow it away, instead it seems to have etched a permanent residence, hidden behind where her yellowing teeth reside, and Laena's skeletal fingers are not long enough to reach in and pull it out. Like cellophane, it wraps around her tongue.
It rots away in her mouth, caught in her throat, and strangling her like a silk glove.
Laena secretly finds pleasure in saying yes - she relishes in the strange, tingly feeling that washes over her when she accepts a request. Maybe it is how she ended up living a life like the one she leads, trapped in a world full of dark and light; oaths and obligations. Maybe it is the very reason why she sits huddled on a small sofa, animated in conversation with an equally small girl with only the neon buzz of the television set to illuminate up the small space.
"How long have you known my uncs?" Pebbles asks, interest sparking up her already bright eyes - they seem to shine like constellations, much like Sully's.
Bile fills her throat at the thought, she should not be thinking about Sully, not now, not after he has so violently uprooted her life, bringing his mess to her front door. Her grip on the coffee cup tightens.
"You good, yeah?" A hand is waving in front of her face now.
Laena half-smiles, nodding slowly, "A couple months now," it's not exactly a lie, if you add several years into the equation. Several years of on and off talking, several years of miscommunication and missed opportunities at a better life; together or alone, Laena does not seem to know the answer.
"How did you get involved in this business," Pebbles inquires, leaning forward now, there's a similar curiosity in her that Laena has seen countless times flare up in Sully.
Laena raises a brow, "You're nosy, ain't you," they laugh then.
It's nice, the silence that ensues as they huddle closer together, for warmth or comfort, they do not know.
Then the bell rings and Laena begins to cower under the moth-bitten blanket covering her lower half, the drumming in her head and the pounding in her heart beginning again.
She grits her teeth, "Don't answer the door, Pebbles."
But it's too late, and Pebbles is already sprinting halfway across the room, a couple more steps and the keys in her hand, turning in the rusty lock, and then the door is thrust open.
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author's note: LLLLLLL, looks like u guys hav been left on a cliffhanger xxxx also i must apologise for how short this chapter is omgomg i was planning on having more bonding time between laena and pebbles buttttttt oh welllll, we shall see xxx but i've roughly planned out how this fic is gonna go so yay! also ignore how strange the start is idek why i tried to make it sound smart oops
also omg yes surprise!!! there has always been a lil smt smt between sully & laena in the past ;))) ig we'll never kno what 4 now but yas idk why i added that, this is gonna complicate things sm BUT yolo it's okayyy! i might scrap this chapter but idkidkdkdksiakdjhsjql
ANYWAY thoughts as always!! (sorry 4 the short chapter btw xxx)
