the sharing

[instar]

Trouble is not back at school on Monday. At lunch, Bella sits with Andi who sits with Robin who sits with Ethan.

Comments

[aeskhyne]

"...What?" says Trouble.

[instar]

"What part of what I said was confusing?"

[aeskhyne]

"Uh... most of it?" He latches on to the part that seems most important. "It's not that I think you'd be bad at it, it's that I think it's impossible. And not even impossible to get anywhere on - I mean, I'm pretty sure there actually is a law of physics that says the universe has a sell-by date, the best we're ever gonna get is to stick it out that long and then go down with the ship, right? But I don't think even that is coming anytime soon. Thing is, though, just because you can't get the whole thing done yourself in the next hundred years doesn't make you useless."

He takes a breath.

"It's part of the same reason I was scared of you. I wouldn't be so scared if I thought you were just talking big. But you're not, are you? When you wanna get something done, you don't just sit on it. So fine, yeah, when I say 'good luck with that', it means I don't think you've got a hope in hell of finishing the job. I don't think anyone does. I think it's an impossible fucking job. But shit, can't I still hope I'm wrong? Can't I still be glad you're trying? I mean you, like specifically you, because you are the kind of person who could start a job like this and get somewhere. You're the kind of person who could start the job. I wouldn't give most people even that much."

[instar]

"Laws of physics have been disconfirmed before." She sighs. "All right, apparently I was misreading when I heard something along the lines of 'affectionate contempt'."

[aeskhyne]

"Affectionate yes, contempt no," he says, shaking his head and smiling.

[instar]

"Good to know."

[aeskhyne]

"Yeah."

[instar]

"I'm going to go meet Andi now. See you tomorrow."

[aeskhyne]

"See ya."

[instar]

And off she goes, waving.

[aeskhyne]

The next day comes and goes, with Oreo cheesecake. A day later he wants to bring her pie again, and manages it somehow despite his left arm still being mostly nonfunctional.

He doesn't seem noticeably afraid of her, but then, he never has.

[instar]

"Been a week since you've been back in school," remarks Bella, when this statement comes true and he's at her door with blueberry cobbler.

[aeskhyne]

"Yep," he says. "You wanna grab this?"

[instar]

She touches the side of the pan to see if she will need oven mitts.

[aeskhyne]

Oven mitts are not strictly necessary, but might be advisable.

He laughs. "Sorry."

[instar]

She collects oven mitts and takes the cobbler. "It's fine. When you were still in the hospital you guessed it'd take you a week of being back in school, or so, to stop finding me scary."

[aeskhyne]

"Or so," he agrees. "I'm getting there."

[instar]

"Is there anything I can do that would help?"

[aeskhyne]

"Sure," he says. "Talk to me. Let me bake you things. Just - be around, be you, like you have been."

[instar]

"So nothing I'm not already doing."

[aeskhyne]

"Yeah."

[instar]

"Okay. That's easy," she shrugs. "Dinner is macaroni and sausage and cheese. And green beans instead of salad. Mom was in a cooking mood." (The oven is on; there are dishes in it.)

[aeskhyne]

"Sounds tasty."

[instar]

"Should be!"

[aeskhyne]

"Here's hoping. Hey, can I hug you?"