Madness: DxD

Incident: Direction is a Weapon

I didn't knock. I rarely do. Doors are suggestions, and sadness leaks through cracks anyway.

Charlie is sitting on her bed, knees pulled to her chest. Mascara has done that thing where it gives up on hope. The room is quiet in the way only someone crying for a while can make it.

I lean against the wall. Cross my arms. Wait.

Y/N: You know, staring at the floor won't make the problems go away.

She flinches. Looks up. Forces a smile that collapses halfway through.

Charlie: Oh. Hi. I didn't hear you come in.

Y/N: That's no surprise.

I pause. Scan the room. Posters. Plushies.

Y/N: So. Crying alone in your room. You either watched a drama or something actually wrong happened.

Charlie sniffles. Wipes her eyes with her sleeve. She tries to sit up straighter, like posture can fix existential dread.

Charlie: I'm just... thinking. About the future. About my parents. About how no matter what I do, it never feels like enough.

Y/N: Let me guess. You want to make things better. They want you to stop trying to change anything. And somehow you're the problem.

Her eyes widen a little. Guess I was right.

Charlie: Yeah. Exactly. They don't really believe in what I'm doing. Sometimes I don't either.

I push off the wall and sit on a chair backward, resting my arms on the back trying not to look threatening.

Y/N: Here's the thing about belief. It's overrated. You don't need it every day. You need stubbornness. You've got that in bulk.

She lets out a small, shaky laugh.

Charlie: I don't feel stubborn. I feel... tired.

Y/N: Good. That means you're doing it right.

She looks confused. That's normal.

Y/N: The people who quit usually feel relieved. The people who matter feel tired and keep moving anyway. You're not broken. You're just carrying more than most.

I stand. Walk a slow circle around the room.

Y/N: And parents are just people who had kids before fixing themselves. Authority doesn't equal wisdom.

That gets a real smile. Brief, but real.

Charlie: So what if I fail?

I stop. Look at her.

Y/N: Then you fail. Then you learn where it hurt. Then you try again with better aim. The universe doesn't end because you missed once. It barely notices.

Silence. Not heavy this time.

She's breathing easier. Shoulders lower. Eyes clearer. Progress.

Y/N: Come on, cheer up. Say, you people have interesting television over here.

Charlie looks over. Tilts her head.

Charlie: Oh. Yeah. Most of it is porn unfortunately.

Y/N: Saw an ad where a group of demons are hiring other demons to go topside and kill humans. Think they called themselves IMP.

Charlie: Well... yeah. It's technically legal.

Y/N: Of course it is.

I caress my knuckles.