Pretty Little Lies
J is for "Just say it again and mean it..."-Alex/Lexie-PG
For waltzmatilda, who loves me even though I hate Izzie and love Owen, which is saying a lot.
With a shout out to Clo, who helped me reword.
Her name had been on his lips when he woke up again, once they got him off the vent. She was still trying to forget that terrifying moment, but she was failing. There had been way too many of those moments lately.
He’d whispered it uncertainly, eyes a little unfocused as she hovered over him, squeezing his hand. Clutching it. Finally feeling like she was breathing again when he was able to squeeze back.
“Lexie,” he repeated, and his voice was still weak, and his eyes still weren’t exactly focusing on her.
“Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m here.” She kissed the hand that was fisted around hers.
“Hey,” he said, drawing the word out, and she laughed and cried at the same time, wiping at her eyes.
“Hey,” she whispered.
He blinked. “Bastard shot me.”
She nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry about that.”
It was stupid to say, but she’d always kind of been an expert in saying stupid things. At least he knew it was her this time.
888888888
She didn’t tell him she loved him again as soon he woke up.
She’d whispered it, like a mantra, like a prayer, the entire he was out, but now that he was awake, blinking and speaking and lucid, she couldn’t.
Like she’d suddenly developed a filter, or an ability to control her brain or emotions or something.
Which seemed kind of unlikely, since she felt like she was more of a mess than she’d ever been before.
If she said it now, it would be a thing, and he’d feel like he had to respond in some way. Or not respond, which would probably be worse.
She waited. Until he was ready. Until she was ready. Until it meant something. Until the memory of that, and the first time, and everything that followed felt almost like it might some day be some kind of distant memory.
And this time, when she whispered it into the darkness, it wasn’t out of guilt, or fear, or motivated by her life flashing before her eyes.
This time it was just for them.
For waltzmatilda, who loves me even though I hate Izzie and love Owen, which is saying a lot.
With a shout out to Clo, who helped me reword.
Her name had been on his lips when he woke up again, once they got him off the vent. She was still trying to forget that terrifying moment, but she was failing. There had been way too many of those moments lately.
He’d whispered it uncertainly, eyes a little unfocused as she hovered over him, squeezing his hand. Clutching it. Finally feeling like she was breathing again when he was able to squeeze back.
“Lexie,” he repeated, and his voice was still weak, and his eyes still weren’t exactly focusing on her.
“Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m here.” She kissed the hand that was fisted around hers.
“Hey,” he said, drawing the word out, and she laughed and cried at the same time, wiping at her eyes.
“Hey,” she whispered.
He blinked. “Bastard shot me.”
She nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry about that.”
It was stupid to say, but she’d always kind of been an expert in saying stupid things. At least he knew it was her this time.
888888888
She didn’t tell him she loved him again as soon he woke up.
She’d whispered it, like a mantra, like a prayer, the entire he was out, but now that he was awake, blinking and speaking and lucid, she couldn’t.
Like she’d suddenly developed a filter, or an ability to control her brain or emotions or something.
Which seemed kind of unlikely, since she felt like she was more of a mess than she’d ever been before.
If she said it now, it would be a thing, and he’d feel like he had to respond in some way. Or not respond, which would probably be worse.
She waited. Until he was ready. Until she was ready. Until it meant something. Until the memory of that, and the first time, and everything that followed felt almost like it might some day be some kind of distant memory.
And this time, when she whispered it into the darkness, it wasn’t out of guilt, or fear, or motivated by her life flashing before her eyes.
This time it was just for them.