Wet sand

With Alice’s face returning to rest in Kyle’s palm, he doesn’t withdraw. Strangely, his heart skips a beat.

A small grin quirks the corner of his mouth at her comment about the sand. His thumb gently strokes her cheek, feeling how soft and smooth her face really was. He swallows hard, not quite knowing what to do with the strange feeling that had settled over the moment.

His tone is so mellow and quiet, a stark contrast to his earlier boisterous teasing. “Yeah… it’s hard to get rid of once it gets to know you…”


Scott nods a little at Hope, unable to express that he really did appreciate her willingness to keep an eye on him while he was here. Though she was leaving, he believed her, that she would be back, and knowing that brought a small amount of comfort. There was a reassurance about her… a peace that Scott needed right now.

His eyes closed, he just lies still, listening to the various sounds around him. Rick had returned… Misty was working in the corner. Voices carried from down the hall. He was much more attentive to sounds than he used to be. Unfortunately, it just added to him being skittish.

Almost dozing off from pure exhaustion, a new presence is felt. He hadn’t heard her enter, but he knew someone was close and he tenses. Feeling Sapphire’s hand and hearing her voice though, he relaxes again. He shifts his hand to curl his thin fingers around her own, giving her hand a little squeeze. “I’m okay,” he responds softly.

Managing to get his good eye open, he looks up at his sister. Despite having failed at so many things… despite feeling so small and weak… he always wanted to be stronger for her. There were so many times when they’d been younger that he hadn’t been there for her. Both had had a tough time in school, neither popular, and both getting picked on. But Scott had never been strong enough to help defend her. He’d had too much trouble just trying to keep himself from getting locked in the bathroom or pushed around in the halls. And here at TJY… Sapphire didn’t need him. Their jobs didn’t often overlap and Scott really never got a chance to talk to her much, let alone be a brother to her.

Though after his supposed death, they’d made more of an effort to talk more, there was still a gap there. It was one that Scott didn’t like, but one that he just didn’t know how to fix.

“They were just doing their job,” he speaks again, remaining quiet. “I was a threat to TJY.”