youth

thirty two ; real life

the clatter of train wheels against rusting metal echos in the underground. the girl with brown hair wrings her hands in a nervous stance, sitting in the same position for the hour she remains on the train. her back is sore. tears streak down her face, the mascara worn the previous day smudged. her hood is over her head to cover her gross looking face. a man coughs profusely, diagonal from her. there are only a few people seated on the train.

dan's legs shake against the metallic bench as he waits for the trains arrival. he is scared shitless but never leaves. he wants to be there for mabel, he loves her. bright lights flick down the tunnel and the clacking of rails increases in volume as the train nears. dan knew that she was real and his head made him believe so. he looks up at the rusting, silver train as he comes to a halt. the doors fly open and a girl with brown hair and sad, twinkling eyes walks towards him. dan is overcome with emotions and meets her halfway.

mabel's legs tremble with each step she takes. looking up to dan, he's a lot taller than she previously thought. his arms wrap around her torso as tears fly down her face. she smiles into his chest. dan smells of peaches and cream. sighing, she pulls away from his warn body and looks up into his soft brown eyes. "hey"

"hey" dan smiles with a kind expression and mabel collides her body into his once again. she feels safe wrapped up in his arms.

the cold, wispy air of london nips at mabel's fingertips. she bites nervously at her bottom lip, the taste of blood curdling in her mouth. her shivers are soft and quiet, but dan notices. he drapes his jacket over her shoulders and the sense of security becomes thick in the air. a sniffled thank you escapes mabel's dry mouth as they continue to walk. dan's hand brushes up against mabels and she took the change to grasp it, intertwining her fingers with his. a sigh escaped her lips fiddling with the hem of her cold shirt.

dan fumbles with the key to his apartment before it's twisted from the other side. mabel stands shorter than the bout of them now. he steps to one side, inviting the pair in. mabel slips off her flats and passes dan his jacket. slinging her backpack on the floor, she groans at dan. "bed, im tired"

dan smiles down to her, his eyes flicking momentarily at her lips. taking her had, he guides her into a monochrome room, the walls painted white with black and grey furnishing. "this room is very dan, i approve" she mumbles incoherently bit dan somehow hears her. a yawn escapes her swollen, parted lips. dan rummages through his closet to find a shirt and sweatpants she can wear. slipping into them with dan watching, she presses her lips against his cheeks. a hot flush surfaces on dan. a quick, comforting smile is exchanged before mabel slips under the satin sheets in dan's bedroom. the silk of the sheets are soft and warm smelling like dan's natural scent. balling a fist of sheets in her dainty hand, she pulls herself into the intoxication and shuts her eyes. shuffling of feet come closer and the bed dips, informing mabel of dan's presence. she nervously shuffles her body towards his and she knew that dan's chapped and perused lips are smiling. his arm snakes around her waist and a sigh of relief and anxiety falls from her mouth.

(: