No Mask Required

Alone With Her

She Jumps up and into Chatty's arms, Chatterbox pushes her hair out of her face, and as happy as he is to see her...and hold her and it be his Cups again he's terrified.

"Cups, are you sure it's really you!"

"What the fuck do you mean? Is it really me? Of course it is Chatty! Who else would it be?"

"I don't yuckin' know Cups, I have a weird yuckin' feeling!"

Something just didn't look right in her beautiful eyes. He just didn't know what it was, trying to pinpoint it at this particular moment wasn't something he wasn't going to do.

Instead he takes in the moment, of whatever version she is, returning to him. He gives her a kiss on the cheek, wrapping his arms around her and she nuzzles her head within the crook of his neck and chin. He's missed those arms around his waist. Why doesn't this feel right?

Ray Breaks the hug with, "I guess, I should go home. If I knew where home was." Chatterbox is now certain something isn't right! "What the yuck do you mean, if you knew where home was? You have like 4 sets of key Ray! Pick one!"

Ray Mond almost looks confused, "I do?" Chatterbox pulls her into a hug one last time, holding her tighter than he ever has. Rocking her back and forth. "This is nice, I could almost go to sleep." Ray says into his chest.

Chatterbox decides now is not the time to question things, instead he decides that getting her to a stable place to rest that he knows she's familiar with is best. "How about we go to the fun house. So you can rest. Is that alright?"

"Sure! That sounds nice, I'm sleepy."

Chatterbox and Ray get into the car, him of course keeping his eye on her the whole way. He motions to the glove box. "There's food in there for you, if you're hungry!" Ray Mond takes the food out of the glove box, and begins to eat. "Thanks Chatty." She says.

"Anything for you Cups."

"Yeah, You love me a lot right?"

"Well of course I yuckin' love you! Why are you asking me that question, Cups?"

"I mean, I'm just making sure Chatty because well I was mean!"

Sigh Toxic Chatterbox thought, as he smiled beneath his mask.

"It's okay Cups, You didn't know what was going on. You almost yuckin' died!"

"Really? What happened?"
"You don't remember? Cups?"

Ray shakes her head to acknowledge that she doesn't recollect what landed her in the ICU. Chatterbox keeps glancing over at his queen as they drive, paying close attention to her mannerisms and actions as they drive to the fun house.

Ray puts her head on the window, closing her eyes. Chatterbox continues his glance checks every so often just to make sure she's okay. Ray's hand drops to her side, her hand lays facing up on her thigh. Chatterbox couldn't help himself. He places his hand in hers as they drive.

"Chatty? What are you doing?"
"I just wanted to hold your hand Cups, is that okay?"
"That's wonderful." She squeezes Chatterbox's hand with a sigh of relief. Her thumb rubs his as they continue to drive. I can't shake the feeling that somethings going on, something she's hiding, something I feel like I don't want to find. Chatterbox thought.

"Are we home? Ray Mond asks as they pull up to the fun house. "Yes My love, we're home."
Ray gets out of the car and walks up the stairs to the front door. "This is where I stay?"

Chatterbox is still confused at the tone in her voice. "Cups, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine Chatty. I'm just so tired."

"I know Cups, and yes you live here!"

"Where can I lay down?"

Chatterbox leads her to their bedroom giving Ray a glass of water and helps her take her shoes off and make sure she gets into bed safely. He kisses her on her forehead "Have a good rest okay?"

"I will try...wait are you not going to lay with me? I really don't want to be alone with her!" Her? Pushing the thought out of his mind, and putting another worry in its place one in which chatterbox normally would have declined, but for some odd reason he can't. Chatterbox accepts the invite to be near her, while he can. He lays down beside her, and he admires her beauty. "Are you not going to hold me?" She looks at him so helpless. "Well of course I am, if you're okay with that!" She didn't answer, just scooted her body closer to his.

Chatterbox slid his left arm under her head and pillow and she wrapped her arms around the other, he pulled her into him as tight as he could. "Is that alright? Cups?" Ray moved around for a minute trying to position herself. "No!" She pouted, "But I don't know what's missing!"

"Um well Cups, do you want me to pull the weighted blanket over you?" Ray shook her head no. "Um do you think you need to take some of the medication we picked up to help you sleep?"
Again the head nod is No! "Ray I'm going to be honest with you love, I have no yucking Idea what your...." Ray interrupts his thoughts, "NO I need you to lie on your back. This arm goes underneath my shoulder and onto my back and my head goes right here." she sighs and instantly closes her eyes, as soon as she hears... the thumping of his heart.."Yep that's what you were yuckin' missing, Hearing my heartbeat wasn't it Cups?" She hums. "Is that something she likes to do?" Chatterbox hesitates, "Cups, who is she?" Ray giggles..."I mean me?" Clears Throat "Is that something I like to do."

Chatterbox is fighting to ask the questions he wants to ask, How she had never told him she loved him before because she was too scared but she told him in her letter and Why in the yuck she keeps referring to herself as she and her. For now he placates, "Yeah, You used to panic sometimes when you would think about losing me, when your feelings would get overwhelming and you needed to calm yourself you would put your ear against my chest and listen to my heart beat." Chatterbox strokes her cheek just like he had a million times before when she was stressed. "Would you hold me just like this?" Ray Mond questioned. "Well Ray to be yuckin' honest with you, we have only slept in the same bed one time, and I was holding you just like this." Ray Mond raises up to look at him shocked. "Like bff forreal one time?!" "I'm dead yuckin' serious. So I've only held you like this once. Except in the hospital, when I wasn't sure if you were going to be okay. Cause I really didn't know if I would get the opportunity again. So I had to make the most out of what I had. "You did hold me under the northern lights, before I left, right?" Chatterbox smiles under his mask. Reaching up, he takes his mask off. "I sure yuckin' did, and I kissed you too!"

Ray smiles, laying her head back down on his chest. "Do you remember what I say to you when you're listening to my heart, Ray?" Silence "Ray?" Silence "No Chatty, I don't, I'm trying though." "It's alright Ray. Do you hear my heart beating?" Yes I hear your heart beating chatty! "Do you feel us breathing in unison?" *yes* "As long as your breathing so am I and as long as your hearts beating mine will continue to beat, Your heart and my heart are one. My heart only beats for you. So whenever you feel anxious imagine what you're hearing right now. What you feel right now, is us breathing in unison and my arms wrapped around you."Ray looks up at Chatty pushing on his chest. "Uh, Chatty, I haven't told you I loved you yet have I?" Chatterbox smiled. "Well no Ray, you hadn't until today." Ray fidgets uncomfortable, "yeah I don't know where that came from. I just wrote that because...." Chatterbox rubs her back, "Ray it's alright, I'll be here when you're ready! I haven't yuckin' changed in the 8 yuckin' days that you've been gone. Well, except for coming to the realization what life might yuckin' be like without you which I never want to have to face!"

"I hope that that's never the case, Chatty."

Ray Mond sinks her head back down onto Chatty's chest, her breathing begins to slow as she yawns, "Hey Cups, No matter what happens, you're always coming back to me right?!" Always Chatty "you yuckin' promise Ray?" Ray holds up her pinky finger, "Pinky Promise" Chatterbox does the same, linking their pinky fingers together. Ray Mond smiles, "You know that's sacred"
"That's what they say." Chatterbox, kisses Cups head brushing the hair out of her face.I love you Cups." Chatterbox says as she starts to get more relaxed, she quickly raises up, "Cups are you okay?" She gives Chatterbox a sweet kiss. "Say it one more time Chatty." Chatterbox smiles, "I love you Cups." nestling her head back in she softly says. "I love you too, Chatty!"