Private The Past Has Passed Away

[Amea Virou]

Kelsie Sylvan

“You’re really something, you know that?”

Words that Amea had heard before albeit in a different setting from a very different set of people. It wasn’t easy to build something stable when all you knew was built upon a foundation of instability. Amnesia and a haphazardly dangerous way to go about life, Amea sticking her nose in places it did not belong, and a great many other things spelled nothing but trouble for her no matter what came after all of this. Because if there was one thing Amea had come to realize she lacked it was the stability to shoulder more problems than the big one that was herself. It didn’t mean she wouldn’t try to amend her own faults by taking on the weight for others and their issues, but the concept of letting someone else take on part of what she deemed to be her issues was a far more daunting if not outright terrifying idea to her than it had any right to be.

“I get that a lot.” Amea laughed and rubbed at her neck. Kelsie continued to talk about her plans, about the farm and settling down. At first she had raised an eyebrow at it, but as it seemed to grow more and more real and the offer to come stay with her was extended it all but disappeared. The expression on Amea’s face turned from one of curiosity to one of sincerity as she considered the offer.

“Kelsie…” She began and seemed genuinely taken aback. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” The worry was evident in her face. The way her brows twitched, how her lips pulled to the side to expose her teeth as if one moment she wanted to laugh and in the next she wanted to cry. “In some parts of the galaxy I am a wanted criminal, my presence could be a danger to you and undermine everything you would try to get away from.”

“Most people I end up close with either keep me at a distance or end up getting hurt. You mean a lot to me, a great deal, but… I don’t want to lose you. I only have so many people around.”

 

[Kelsie Sylvan]

T E R M I N U S

Tag: Amea Virou ​

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If she'd known it was going to hurt when she lost everything she'd known, would Kelsie have kept those close to her at a distance? Try to shield them and herself from the pain? Kelsie laughed. Not mockingly, but with a sort of warmth, kindness, and understanding that had so often been missing from her life. As it was, nothing else mattered to her. All she wanted to do was support Amea in that moment. That wouldn't stop her from calling out the other woman, though.

"Amea, that's... the stupidest shit I've ever heard." Kelsie brought one of her hands up to cup Amea's cheek, before it moved up to mess up her hair. It seemed silly that Amea wanted to protect Kelsie like that. Then again, maybe not. They'd both saved each other before. She brought Amea back into a tight hug. "Even if I'm not right beside you, I'll always be with you. No matter what. When you need me, I'll be there, and when you're ready... you can sit back and work a farm with me." That was her promise. Whenever the time came, she'd be ready to help.

She pulled back out of the hug, another laugh escaping her lips. "If all it took was an emotional breakdown to get a hug or two from you, I probably should've tried it sooner," she joked. Her trauma and past were real and painful, but she had a sense that everything would work out. Because they were still with her, when she needed strength, just as she'd be there for Amea.

Kelsie's eyes wandered back to the neon skyline, and she nudged the other woman. "Isn't it beautiful?" It was fulfilling to be able to just appreciate that much. And Amea, well...

Kelsie saved what she'd say about Amea for later.

 

[Amea Virou]

Kelsie Sylvan

There was no denying it hurt to be called out on an obvious excuse. Amea turned away for a second in defeat before her attention was pulled back towards Kelsie again with a brush against her cheek that moved up to ruffle her hair. The feeling of the hand against her cheek lingered as Amea stared into Kelsie’s eyes with an uncertainty that she had not experienced before. They were locked in a hug and there were more that could have been said, but now was not the time. Little more than a few minutes ago Amea had seen glimpses of Kelsie’s past. With that fresh in memory, the truth could wait.

“If all you wanted was a hug, you could have just — you know, asked.” Amea tried to joke but the delivery just wasn’t there. Her shoulders rose with a deep breath and sunk with a deep sigh as she turned back towards the skyline again. The shifting lights of speeders in the air, the sound and bustle of the living city. It was a very different soundscape than the one she had been used to for the last few months, and yet.

“Yeah, it is.” Amea said and looked back at Kelsie. Her eyes shifted away for little more than a second before she pushed against the hesitation. With a quick scoot Amea placed herself right next to the other woman to wrap her arm around her waist.

“Thank you for being here, and for the offer.” Amea whispered under her breath, the words being all too hard to shape. “I… Would love to help you set up, after I see to this.”

And when it came down to it, they both had each other for that. There was strength in that. Always.