The morning light filtered through the thin curtains of their small apartment, casting soft shadows across the living room. Ruin woke up to the familiar scent of cigarettes and the faint sound of the television humming in the background. It was a routine she had grown accustomed to, a fragile sense of normalcy that she clung to amidst the chaos of their lives.
But this morning felt different. A heaviness lingered in the air, a palpable tension that made Ruin's heart race with anxiety. She could sense it even before she turned to find Marceline at the kitchen counter, her dark cherry-red hair hanging limply around her shoulders, her back tense as she stared blankly at her coffee.
"Good morning, Marcy," Ruin said softly, trying to infuse her voice with warmth, but her heart sank as she noticed the distant look in Marceline's dull blue eyes.
"Morning," Marceline replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ruin watched her, a knot tightening in her stomach. It was clear something was off. "Are you okay?"
Marceline let out a slow breath, her shoulders slumping as she turned to face Ruin. "Not really," she admitted, her voice cracking. "I had a terrible day yesterday."
"What happened?" Ruin stepped closer, her concern deepening as she reached out to touch Marceline's arm.
Marceline's eyes flickered with a mix of anger and hurt. "Some guy at the bar... he wouldn't stop making sexual remarks. I told him off, and he just laughed it off like I was some kind of joke. It got so bad I ended up losing my job."
The words hit Ruin like a punch to the gut, her heart racing as she processed the gravity of what Marceline was saying. "You got fired? For standing up for yourself?" she asked incredulously.
Marceline nodded, tears pooling in her eyes. "They said I should have handled it better. That I was unprofessional. I just... I can't believe it."
Ruin felt a wave of anger surge through her, mixing with the overwhelming ache of helplessness. "That's not fair, Marcy! You did the right thing. You shouldn't have to tolerate that kind of behavior."
Marceline wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her lips trembling. "I thought standing up for myself would feel empowering, but all it did was make everything worse. Now I feel... I don't know, even more worthless."
Ruin stepped forward, pulling Marceline into her arms, holding her tightly against her chest. "You are not worthless. You're so strong for standing up to that jerk. I'm proud of you," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Marceline leaned into Ruin's embrace, her body shaking as she finally let the tears fall. "But now I don't have a job. I don't know how we're going to pay the rent. Everything just feels so heavy, and I'm so tired of fighting."
Ruin's heart broke at the despair in Marceline's voice. She knew that feeling all too well—the weight of depression settling over them like a shroud, making everything feel darker. "We'll figure it out. We always do," she said, trying to reassure both Marceline and herself. "You're not alone in this. We'll face it together."
"I don't want to be a burden," Marceline said, her voice muffled against Ruin's shoulder.
"You're not a burden. You're my partner. We're in this together, remember?" Ruin pulled back slightly, looking into Marceline's eyes. "You don't have to carry this alone."
Marceline nodded, but the pain in her gaze was unmistakable. "I just feel like I'm slipping further and further into this darkness. I don't know how to pull myself out."
"Then let me help you," Ruin said, her voice firm yet gentle. "You've always been there for me. Now it's my turn. We can take this one step at a time."
Marceline took a shaky breath, a flicker of hope sparking in her eyes. "I want to believe that," she admitted. "But some days, it just feels impossible."
Ruin squeezed her hands, feeling the warmth of their connection grounding them both. "Let's start small. Maybe we can look for another job together? Something that makes you feel safe, where you won't have to deal with that kind of crap again."
Marceline nodded slowly, wiping her tears as she took a step back. "Okay. I'd like that."
Ruin smiled softly, though her heart still felt heavy. They had to face this challenge together, but she couldn't shake the worry that their struggles were only just beginning.
As they sat together in the kitchen, discussing potential job leads, Ruin couldn't help but feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. But as they planned for the future, she knew they had each other to lean on, even in the darkest moments.
They might be battling their own demons, but together, they were stronger than the shadows that threatened to consume them.
