𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐔𝐌𝐁 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄|𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘅:𝗶 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗱

Esmeralda blankly stared ahead at the wall ahead of her, her mind racing with all of the events that had just taken place mere hours ago. Pope had attempted to kill Rafe, a man that has caused her and her friends an unreasonable amount of pain. Part of Esme wanted to let him do it, just so they can win for once in their lives. It would serve Rafe right anyway, for at least he would finally be able to get a taste of his own medicine. But something had snapped in Esme at that moment, some sort of moral code that it seemed she had forgotten about until Heyward had informed them that his gun was missing. Esme couldn't let rage consume Pope just as it had consumed her when she had lost her father. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if that was the case.

Esme hadn't felt her heart physically shatter in her chest for quite some time, however there was something about the way that Pope just broke down in her arms after holding in such horrible pain for a long time that caused the somewhat tough facade she had put up around her to crack down within seconds. For he didn't deserve that pain. He never deserved that pain. Esme would walk through fire to take it away from him and transfer it over to herself. It was simply in her nature to absorb everyone else's pain and forget about her own that was slowly killing her on the inside, as unhealthy as that had sounded.

Esme stared down at Pope who was laid on his side, fast asleep with no care in the world any longer. She had attempted to smile in that moment, but nothing would happen. For what was there to smile about? Everything in her life was slowly coming crashing down, as much as she hated to admit it. Between the entire mystery she still had no sort of lead on, Rafe running rampant and destroying everything, Esmeralda just wanted everything to just go quiet, even if it was for ten seconds, ten minutes, or even ten years. It was the least she deserved anyway, after all of the agony she had been forced to endure at the hands of people who so called loved and cared about her.

"Have you been awake this entire time?" Pope whispered, making his presence known as he turned to face Esme who stared down at him with a soft smile. "You should probably get some sleep."

"Yeah, hard pass," Esme replied, softly laughing before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "I got some sleep, don't worry about me. What about you? Sleep well, you know, given everything that happened?"

Pope shrugged his shoulders, his mood seeming to have deflated. In that moment Esme felt guilty about bringing up the topic that had already done so much damage, but it was done now and there really wasn't anything she could do to take it back. "I guess so. Thank you for being there. Well, you're always there, but thanks."

You're always there. It was the honest truth, one that had Esme's heart fluttering in proclivity. She would always be there for Pope, even if the world came crashing down on both of them, which has happened before on numerous occasions (more times to Esme of course). Esme nodded her head in silent agreement, not even able to articulate just how she felt. and perhaps that was the better option, for silence consuming the room created a sense of tranquility that they both needed in that moment.

"I don't wanna keep you here forever," Pope spoke up once more, sitting up from his spot in bed and wrapping an arm around Esme's waist. "You shouldn't have to stay here all day and take care of me."

"It's not taking care of you," Esme argued, shooting her boyfriend a bewildered look. She didn't know where this mindset was coming from, and she truly didn't have the energy to even begin an argument about said mindset. "It's just me....being here. Like you said. And I'm not leaving, so don't go trying to convince me to go."

But that was the thing. Pope did want Esme to go. He wanted her to put herself first for once in her life and not hang back worrying about others and the pain that they might've been going through. His lips parted, the words just on the verge of escaping from them. However the moment his eyes locked with Esme's which were full of determination and stubbornness, he remained silent. For there was no way Esme was going down without some sort of argument.