Bury a Friend | Hemlock Grove |

Chapter 35 | Love Song |

"Roman," she whispers. "Please get out of bed." She stands leaning against the door but he never speaks. "Please." He ignores her again. Walking forward, he looks over at her then back to the wall.

He'd been like this for days. Since she had to drag him back from the mill, smelling like cigarettes and whiskey. Nothing had really been said between the two of them. It took a while to get him to even tell her that Peter was gone. That's it. No explanation, nothing. Just that he was gone. When she tried to call Peter his phone was disconnected. A dead end.

Emma had left him alone for the most part, that's what he wanted. She had all but given him her bedroom, only coming into to get clean clothes and try and get him to eat. He looked pitiful laying there in bed with his hair greasy and eyes bloodshot.

Emma sits at the foot of her bed, placing a hand on his leg. What do you to say to someone in this moment? At some point, the pain has to dull out, right? Looking at him now, Emma's not so sure. So much loss.

"Do you want something to eat?" She asks not expecting a response. It startles her when he gives a small nod. She has to do a double-take to make sure he's not just moving around but is, in fact, nodding yes. She get's to work making him some lunch and running it back upstairs.

He just nibbles a little bit and puts it aside. It's better than nothing. "Why don't you come hang out with me in the living room?" She asks taking a seat on the bed again.

"I'm okay," he mumbles.

"We can watch a movie or something." He doesn't seem interested. "Do you want to be left alone?" Emma watches in awe as he slowly, very slowly shakes his head no. Roman's not one to accept help.

She crawls up the bed and lays down flat on him, like some sort of a weighted blanket. "I can't breathe," he grumbles and fights with her.

"Sh," she puts a finger to his mouth. "Accept my comfort."

"I'm not playing!"

"Hi, "Not Playing," she starts to giggle. "I'm dad."

"That was a really bad joke," he sounds a little lighter. "You can't make dad jokes if you don't have a dad."

"Wow," she keeps trying to joke.

"You aren't even a little funny. You know that, right?" Roman's body seems to have loosened up a little bit. His muscles are slightly relaxed. "You're lucky you're good looking or you really would be fucked."

"That's better," she rolls off of him. "Nothing like some good old fashion suffocating to make you feel better. The lack of oxygen really does a number on you."

"I'm super into erotic asphyxiation," he smiles a bit.

"I don't think that's a joke." He shrugs before his face falls. He's guilty for feeling okay. He shouldn't feel okay, he should be sad. "It's okay, y'know?" Emma sits up on an elbow. "To have good moments. You can smile and still miss someone."

"I know," he sighs, looking sad again.

"Don't make me choke you out again," she puts a hand to his throat jokingly.

"Okay, go for it, but it's your fault if I nut," he stops fighting back.

"Please come do something," she pleads. "We can go get ice cream, or go to the park, or I don't- fuck what do people do for fun?"

"That all sounds pretty lame."

"What would you like to do? What does Roman want?"

"I want to lay here and just- just relax."