𝕮𝖔𝖇𝖎𝖊 𝕾𝖒𝖚𝖑𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖘

Your Neighbour | D.P.

[Angst/Fluff]

You were sipping your evening beer, enjoying the rare moment of quiet in your own home, when the noise started. At first, it was just a few crashes, muffled by the walls between your place and Dex Parios' house.

You frowned, setting your beer down, and listened more intently. The crashing grew louder, more frantic, punctuated by the unmistakable sound of glass shattering.

Concerned, you rose from your seat and moved toward the front door, your heart pounding with worry. You had seen Dex around the neighborhood, always keeping to herself, a haunted look in her eyes that you recognized all too well. Something was very wrong.

The crashing continued, and you couldn't ignore it any longer. You rushed to Dex's front door and knocked firmly, your knuckles rapping against the wood. "Dex, it's Y/N. Are you okay? I heard a lot of noise."

There was a pause, and then Dex's voice, strained and shaky, came through the door. "I'm fine. Just go away."

You hesitated, sensing the desperation in her voice. "Please, let me help. It sounded like something broke. Are you hurt?"

After another pause, the door cracked open just enough for Dex to peer out. Her face was pale, eyes red-rimmed. She tried to block your view inside with her body. "I said I'm fine. Really, you should go."

You caught a glimpse of the chaos behind her—overturned furniture, shattered glass. Your concern deepened. "Dex, I can't just leave. Let me in, please."

Dex shook her head, but her resistance seemed more about shielding her vulnerability than anything else. "You don't understand. I don't need help."

Ignoring her protests, you gently but firmly pushed the door open wider, slipping inside before she could stop you. The full extent of the destruction was clear now. Furniture was overturned, picture frames were shattered, and books lay scattered across the floor. In the midst of it all stood Dex, her hands bloodied, her face a mask of pain and exhaustion.

"Oh my god, Dex, what happened?" you asked, moving quickly towards her. "You're bleeding!"

Dex looked down at her hands, almost as if she hadn't noticed the injuries before. "It's nothing," she muttered, but her voice wavered.

"Sit down," you ordered gently, guiding her to the couch, one of the few pieces of furniture still upright. You didn't have a first aid kit with you, but you grabbed a clean towel from the kitchen to wrap around her hands. As you tended to her wounds, you could feel the tension in her body, the way she held herself rigid, like she might shatter again at any moment.

"It's okay," you said softly, looking up into Dex's tear-filled eyes. "You're not alone."

That was all it took. Dex's tough exterior crumbled, and she began to sob, her body shaking with the force of her tears. Almost immediately, she tried to pull away, a look of deep shame and embarrassment crossing her face. "I'm sorry," she muttered, trying to stand. "I can't—"

You moved beside her on the couch, wrapping your arms around her tightly. She tried to push you away, her hands weakly pressing against your shoulders, but you held her closer, refusing to let go. "It's okay," you whispered again, your voice firm and comforting. "It's okay to let it out."

Dex resisted for a few more moments, her sobs growing louder, more desperate. But gradually, the fight left her. Her hands fell away from your shoulders, and she collapsed against you, her body shaking with the force of her cries. You whispered soothing words, letting Dex cry it all out, the pain, the anger, the sorrow.

You didn't know how long you sat there, Dex's sobs eventually quieting into soft, exhausted breaths. You just held her, offering what comfort you could. You thought about the times you had been in a similar state, how much it had meant to have someone there, someone who cared.

When Dex finally pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she looked at you, her face a mix of gratitude and lingering shame. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice raw.

"It's okay," you replied, brushing a tear from Dex's cheek. "And I mean that. It's really okay."

<3