[ He doesn't expect it, a little stiff when his hands lift searching for what to do, but it's nowhere near a rejection. Instead his expression falls, his arms complete the embrace, and he doesn't let go until she's ready. He lost a precious friend in Iggy, but those girls... they seemed like they were family. He's envied that before. Now it's devastating to think about. ]
[ She releases him after what feels like forever, standing there with tears still streaking her face, looking lost. Misty took charge in the first round but Natalie has always been their true leader, and the last thing she wants to do is delve back into the group chat full of arguing, angry girls and try to keep them in line. ]
I'm... really tired, Dom. [ Not just physically. ]
[ He sees how much she's been crying and fights back the urge to join her, tension in his face, brows knitted before he clears his throat. He'd just told someone that no one needed him right now, that all the people he needed were busy and had others to go to. Here she is, though. One of his best friends in this horrible place, if not one of the best friends he's ever had. ]
Come in. You wanna sit down?
[ What would his moms do? Make some tea, maybe? Some water first. ]
[ She finds a place to sit and slouches in the chair, pulling her knees up to her chest and crossing her arms over top. She used to sit like this in the cabin all the time, back when the snow was too heavy to go outside. With her hat on, it makes her feel almost completely defended, too small to be a target. ]
Have you been staying with anyone? [ She assumes he'd been with Iggy before, but obviously now... ]
[ He gets her a glass of water, quietly letting her take it. Dom shakes his head, embarrassed, sad. He doesn't know what to do and thinks that makes him a bad friend. ]
No. I've just been on my own ever since they stopped telling us to do everything together.
[ Dom wishes he could say he's better off this way, but. Is he? He fidgets, rubs the back of his nape, hair still dark, then sits next to her. ]
[ The water is nice. Everything's been so hectic that she hasn't even thought about eating, and she's been crying a lot, so she's gotta be dehydrated. ]
You could have come stayed with me. [ But then she scoffs darkly. ] Maybe not, actually, we pissed a bunch of people off. [ And now Natalie's gone. And it wasn't her fault at all. Another couple tears leak out and roll down her cheeks. ]
[ He wasn't really... around for that day, probably, and if he was I forgor. Not the topic to bring up when Melissa is already feeling down, anyway. He doesn't know about the poisoning, either. ]
I mean... you can stay here, if you want. It's not like I get visitors, so nobody would bother you.
[ She cuts her eyes to him at the mention of Ren's name. As far as Melissa's concerned all of this is happening because of her, so they probably shouldn't get into it, but now she's worried the rumors have gotten to Dom too. If he's sitting there thinking that she's a hair-stealing psycho. ]
Okay. Maybe I will. Everybody's being so intense, you know?
I don't get why everyone was so weird about that. People go out of their way to say anyone can be a wolf, but then if it's someone like Koby, you must be wrong?
[ Like, obviously he wasn't one... because he's dead... but still. ]
I just didn't want you to put yourself on people's radar like that.
[ A tiny shrug. Truth is he feels pretty damn ashamed that he did that. He thought he had something useful to say for about five seconds, then folded immediately. ]
I thought I could help, but everything I do only makes things worse. I'm just gonna shut up from now on.
[ Let the smart people and the grown ups solve this before he fucks it up again. He looks down at his hands, a little softer. ]
[ Mel doesn't even know if they can blame whoever did it. Oh, people will, but if the wolves are seriously being hypnotized or whatever... Ugh, this just sucks. ]
[ To help her, and hopefully protect her. He doesn't want to think that there's absolutely nothing people can do about preventing deaths. Maybe if he could be like that lady Ani... ]
[ After a few seconds she leans over to rest her head against his shoulder. This whole thing is awful and scary and stressful, but it would be even worse without her friends. ]
[ Mel has her head on his shoulder, and Dom stays as still as possible not to disrupt that. Looking around, re-remembering how useless he's felt throughout this whole thing - he gathers that it'd be worse without his friends, either. At least there's something he can do for one of them. ]
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Mel, I'm sorry.
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[ She releases him after what feels like forever, standing there with tears still streaking her face, looking lost. Misty took charge in the first round but Natalie has always been their true leader, and the last thing she wants to do is delve back into the group chat full of arguing, angry girls and try to keep them in line. ]
I'm... really tired, Dom. [ Not just physically. ]
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Come in. You wanna sit down?
[ What would his moms do? Make some tea, maybe? Some water first. ]
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[ She finds a place to sit and slouches in the chair, pulling her knees up to her chest and crossing her arms over top. She used to sit like this in the cabin all the time, back when the snow was too heavy to go outside. With her hat on, it makes her feel almost completely defended, too small to be a target. ]
Have you been staying with anyone? [ She assumes he'd been with Iggy before, but obviously now... ]
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No. I've just been on my own ever since they stopped telling us to do everything together.
[ Dom wishes he could say he's better off this way, but. Is he? He fidgets, rubs the back of his nape, hair still dark, then sits next to her. ]
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You could have come stayed with me. [ But then she scoffs darkly. ] Maybe not, actually, we pissed a bunch of people off. [ And now Natalie's gone. And it wasn't her fault at all. Another couple tears leak out and roll down her cheeks. ]
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[ He wasn't really... around for that day, probably, and if he was I forgor. Not the topic to bring up when Melissa is already feeling down, anyway. He doesn't know about the poisoning, either. ]
I mean... you can stay here, if you want. It's not like I get visitors, so nobody would bother you.
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Okay. Maybe I will. Everybody's being so intense, you know?
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[ He sits down too, elbows on his knees, fingers intertwined. ]
I brought up Koby's name when everybody was accusing everybody. Pretty sure every guy said they were gonna beat my ass.
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[ Like, obviously he wasn't one... because he's dead... but still. ]
I just didn't want you to put yourself on people's radar like that.
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I thought I could help, but everything I do only makes things worse. I'm just gonna shut up from now on.
[ Let the smart people and the grown ups solve this before he fucks it up again. He looks down at his hands, a little softer. ]
... You know he wasn't even mad at me? Koby.
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[ Mel doesn't even know if they can blame whoever did it. Oh, people will, but if the wolves are seriously being hypnotized or whatever... Ugh, this just sucks. ]
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I'm sorry I couldn't get you out. You and your friends.
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[ She's always gonna feel bad about that. But selfishly, she's glad he's here with her. ]
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[ To help her, and hopefully protect her. He doesn't want to think that there's absolutely nothing people can do about preventing deaths. Maybe if he could be like that lady Ani... ]
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[ After a few seconds she leans over to rest her head against his shoulder. This whole thing is awful and scary and stressful, but it would be even worse without her friends. ]
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