a long road ahead

Alex struggled to find the right words to convey the profound gratitude that welled up within him. His heart swelled with a mix of emotions, a potent blend of appreciation, surprise, and a touch of disbelief. The idea that someone would willingly extend a helping hand, offering their presence and support, felt foreign and overwhelming to him.

In the depths of his being, Alex yearned to express his gratitude, to convey the weight of what this meant to him. Yet, he found himself at a loss, lacking the knowledge or understanding of how to navigate and articulate his emotions. It was as if a floodgate had opened, inundating him with feelings that he struggled to process.

He looked at Lily, his eyes shimmering with unspoken sincerity. Though he couldn't fully articulate the depths of his appreciation, the faintest hint of a heartfelt "thank you" escaped his lips. While those two words felt inadequate to convey the magnitude of his gratitude, they were a small beginning—a fragile bridge connecting his overwhelming emotions with the gesture of kindness bestowed upon him.

Life was lonely enough.

It was an understanding she’d had from a young age, despite the closeness of her family. She believed that loneliness was a necessary state to the human condition, perhaps one of the strongest indicators of humanity and sentience. There was something so extraordinarily human about being lonely when you shouldn’t be.

But what had made her feel less alone as a kid was her brothers trying to bridge the gap. There was something powerful to admitting it, to saying ‘I see your solitude, I feel your sadness, and I have my own. Let me bring you something that might make you feel seen, that might let you feel okay in it.’

She’d wanted to offer sooner. But she hadn’t wanted to pressure him. Honestly, she wished she’d allowed herself to be vulnerable enough after her attack to allow someone to take her in, to do it the right way.

Lily nodded, and let out a sigh, sleep once again knocking at her psyche. Teddy noticed and said, “Rest up.” He glanced to Alex, and said, “You both should.”

Lily scooted deeper into her covers and rolled up, finding sleep came easy at the relief that she could be of help to the person she could no longer deny was becoming her friend.