Sensibilities | Deetranada AU

intuition

Later That Week

(Dee POV)

A buzzing on her phone distracts Dee from her computer. She picks it up and answers, not bothering to check the contact. 'Hello,' she says, clicking on the mousepad. 'Hey Dee,' Donovan says, his voice strained. The fuck? 'Hey, you good?' He says nothing for a moment and she pulls back the phone, checking to see if he's still on the line. 'Yeah, I just uh, you mind if I come over? I wanna talk to you about something.'

'I mean, if you want. You could just tell me right now,' she says, moving the phone to the other side. 'I'd rather do it in person, if that's okay.' She shrugs, forgetting that he can't see her. 'Yeah, that's fine.' 'Cool, I'll be over there in like twenty minutes.' They say their goodbyes and she tosses the phone to the side. This should be interesting.

****

Dee stands on the porch watching Donovan park his car, getting out with a sullen expression. 'Hey,' she says when he reaches her, giving him a quick hug. He nods, not offering a hello in return. 'You good?' she questions. 'You uh, you mind walking with me?' Wait, what's happening right now. She takes in his expression again, his hands in his pockets, his normally put together appearance traded for basketball shorts and a t-shirt.

'If you tell me you good, I will.' 'Just walk with me please,' he pleads. 'I promise I'll tell you what's going on.' She hesitates, still unsure. She catches his eyes, a strange feeling growing in her stomach. 'Aight, but around the block. And if you don't speak, I'm comin' back.' He nods, waiting for her to at the bottom of the stairs before walking away.

They say nothing as they pass her mailbox and start through the neighborhood. She clears her throat, a warning for him to begin. 'I needed to get away,' he starts. 'From what?' she asks. He pauses, looking around at the children playing in the house next to hers. She follows his gaze, seeing a middle-aged father playing with his toddlers, smiles all around. He looks away, stuffing his hands further into his pockets.

'My parents are separating,' he confesses. She's shocked but stays silent, unsure of what to say. 'I knew it was gonna happen, they're never home at the same time anymore.' He looks up, looking nowhere in particular. 'I guess I just hoped they'd wait until I left.' He chuckles to himself, turning to look at her. 'It's selfish but I'm not trying to leave my friends, Anna. You.' Did he just say me? Hold the fu-- 'N-not like that,' he says quickly, trying to recover.

'I meant I don't wanna leave my friends. And me and you, we just started getting to know each other.' This not...I'm not finna do this. She turns, starting to walk back home. 'Dee, I didn't mean it li--Dee, wait, please,' he pleads. She stops, the urgency in his voice making her worried. She turns back and sees him standing helpless, his hands up. 'I just meant that I feel like I can talk to you. You're the only one I felt comfortable talking to about this.' 

'You got a girl that actually knows ya people, talk to her,' she retorts, folding her arms. 'I know and I will. I ju--I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I don't want you to think anything else about me.' She stares stoically but internally, a battle is raging. He legit said me, like I was something separate, like his girl or something. He knows I'm with Juli, he wouldn't do that. Then why'd he say it?

'I just need to get it out, please?' he asks. Say no, Dee. Don't put yourself in this situation. But another voice speaks louder than the rest. Are you really gonna let a mistake keep you from helpin' somebody that's callin' for it? Yes. No.  She sighs and walks back to him, not stopping. He falls in stride and they continue. 'Why they separating?'