for anyone who's inclined to help

[coordinated_n]

Near is in the kitchen, trying to go about his normal routine. Except his hands are shaking so hard that he can't get the tea to pour into the cup. There's hot water all over the counter.

Comments

[chilichoc]

Hey, let me.

*Letting her hands barely touch his.*

What's wrong?

[coordinated_n]

Have you spoken to Mello?

*Putting it down, stepping back.*

[chilichoc]

The... *No adjective she can come up with at the moment is one she can say aloud.*

Yours? Yeah, I tried to.

*She pours the tea and looks for a rag to clean the counter.*

[coordinated_n]

I tried, too.

[chilichoc]

Something made him forget.

*She wipes up the spilled water.*

Are you okay?

[coordinated_n]

Yes.

Sort of.

[chilichoc]

Your tea's right in front of you.

What happened?

[coordinated_n]

He got violent. Nothing bad, but- I'm done with that.

[chilichoc]

He might remember.

*She needs to believe this more than she might otherwise, at the moment.*

[coordinated_n]

I hope so.

I'm not going to try again.

[chilichoc]

Me neither. Not unless he comes up to me and calls me "Mellie."

Do you need anything other than tea?

[coordinated_n]

Some toast would be nice.

It was really pleasant, you know.

[chilichoc]

I can do that. Sit down and relax, okay?

What was? *Puzzled.*

[coordinated_n]

Before all this. We had settled down, stopped bickering. We would read, sit around together.

[chilichoc]

*She starts making the toast.*

Oh. I've got some shit on my mind, sorry. But yeah. We'd just gotten to a point where I didn't have to climb over all those defenses all over again every time we talked.

[coordinated_n]

*Near just nods.*