You're Too Young To Be So Broken

Everything Fell Apart

Clem collapsed on her couch the minute she walked through the door. It felt nice to be on comforting furniture again and she was more than welcome on enjoying the moment to her full advantage. Cocoa, now free to roam a place she knew all to well took comfort on Clem's belly purring as she curled into a ball to get a few winks of sleep.

"Really? On top of me?"

Mariana chuckled, sitting on one of the chairs across from Clem. Clearly she was in a tough position, the cat had deemed her comfortable enough to sleep on, she now had a legal obligation not to move a wink.

"I'm stuck here now."  If anything she wished now more than ever she had gone to her room, but she was sure Mariana wouldn't mind taking the bed tonight if Cocoa bound her to the couch.

Cocoa meowed grooming her paw as if to solidify her place on Clem's tummy. 

"Can I at least get up for food?" Clem signed huffing.

"Does she understand you?" 

"I don't know, sometimes I think maybe." She softly ran her fingers through her pets fur smiling softly.

Mariana felt the slight tingle of the injury to her head, remembering Clem's ankle as well. "You should go get your ankle checked out with me." She suggested a friendly invitation that Clem had no intention of excepting.

"I wouldn't get medical help from here if I had internal bleeding and a busted brain cell, I'll gladly pass, but you can go."

She couldn't act like Clem's answer didn't surprise her a bit but she decided to bite her tongue. There was no reason for her to push the girl for answers she clearly didn't want to provide. Her trust for the place was already down the drain, no need in trying to repair it, so she chose to change the subject. "Place is pretty coozy, how long have you been here for?"

The girl was curious, she couldn't hide it even if she wanted to. She had never seen such a thing, a functioning community that lived in the ways of the past or as close to it as they could. Plus she noticed how Tripp talked to Clem it was clear she was here a lot, or frequently enough to have her own space.

"Not long, couple months. Tripp got tired of me coming in and out and just marked me down as a member." She turned to Mariana with a smirk, almost chuckling. "I come and go as I please." It was nice, having a safe place to go to should things get too hairy but Clem always made sure not to stay too long. A long lengthy stay meant getting close to people which was not something she was keen to anymore, there was only so much hurt the girl could take. So she chose to leave before she could get too attached to the place, always a couple days, a week max or two.

"It sucks, but it works for me."

Sometimes.

"Why leave when this place is clearly built to last?" Mariana didn't understand, it didn't make sense why Clem would go out into danger when it was so much safety inside these walls. Hell as soon as she got Gabe and Javier back she was sure to be back here if Tripp would take them in.

Clem frowned, looking away from the brunette across from her. Nothing lasts. It was a reminder that even good things come to an end eventually. It was complicated, she didn't expect Mariana to understand and she was not about to elaborate to get her too either.

"Reasons."

She kept it simple, a clear sign that she did not want to continue the conversation anymore. Instead she turned her attention to the little kitty on her stomach. Her finger gently grazed the top of her fuzzy head, her heart soaring as her little furry belly rose up and down with each breath she took.