Treasure [h.s]

| 51 - Brush |

***
Can I lay by your side?
Next to you, you
And make sure you're alright
I'll take care of you
I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight

Sam Smith - Lay Me Down
***

"What the fuck were you doing with Apollo?"

"Don't freak out," I murmur, holding my hands out to reach him. His face scrunches up in confusion.

"How did you meet him, Brin?" His voice is sad and distant.

"It wasn't on purpose, I swear, I just kind of–" He cuts me off with a disbelieving scoff.

"Are you serious? Do you... do you love him?" His shaky hands run over his face, wiping at the frown lines and sweat.

"What?" I scrunch my nose. "Why would I need to love him to–" He cuts me off again with a loud groan.

"Please, I don't need the details, Brin. I don't think I can handle the details. How long has this been going on?"

I stand up straighter, thinking over my answer. "Um... I mean, I met him today, but I've been doing this for a few days?"

"Since our wedding?! You've been cheating on me since we got married?!" He explodes, throwing his hands up in the air.

"What?!" I yell back, completely dumbfounded. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You... I'm dying. You need someone else, someone better, more alive. I understand, Brinna, I do, just please wait until I'm dead, at least!" He rubs the heels of his hands over his eyes. "I understand if I'm not enough, but I can't watch you love another man."

My shoulders drop as a long sigh leaves my lips. I throw my head back, silently pleading to the gods to knock some sense into him. "Harry, I'm not cheating on you," I say in one quick breath. "Why would I wear my wedding ring, which you track, if I was going to go cheat on you?"

"Explain to me why you've been so weird lately then! Why do you keep leaving me?"

Guilt travels up my throat and claws at my tongue, begging me to spill the reason I've been gone. I have to, but I can't make him worry about me more than he already is. It's killing him inside and he can't do anything to stop it physically.

"I'm working," I answer blankly as distant memories rush to the front of my mind and threaten to spill out of my eyes.

"Where were you?!" Colette screams, meeting Michael at the front door.

"I told you already Coco, I was at work. We have bills to pay, mouths to feed." The man was tired, worn out, and on the verge of his own breakdown.

"I needed you! You keep leaving me when I need you!" She beats his chest, driving all of her anger through two fists. "What is this?" She tugs on his crisp, white collar; there's a single red splotch. "What the fuck is this, Michael?!"