[It takes an oddly long amount of time before there's any response. Given that You is the sort where there'd probably be a flurry of movement from inside at the knock, it's probably doubly suspicious.
But eventually there's the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door, then a lock being undone, and then finally the door opens.
You has a hoodie pulled up over her head, but even with that and the dim light, it's very easy to see the severe bruising, just starting to heal, on You's face. She manages a thin, wan-looking smile at Ana.]
...hey, Miss Ana. Sorry, I don't have any tea on or anything... but I can make some.
[ She almost doesn't think that You is going to let her in, but eventually there's a shuffle of footsteps from inside and You appears in the doorway. She hadn't expected much in the way of enthusiasm, but even so -
Ana feels her blood run cold. It's clear that You has been badly beaten, even at a glance. She doesn't understand it - You is just a teenager, a civilian. How could they possibly justify this to themselves? ]
That's alright. [ She puts her hand on You's head, just a gentle pat despite the hoodie. ] Let's go inside. I'll make the tea.
[Now that the door's open, Ana can probably also see that one of her hands is pretty badly bandaged, too. That might explain why it took so long to open.
You doesn't pull away from the hand patting her head, but she doesn't lean into it either.] Okay. ...thanks.
Um, come on in, then. [She steps back, letting Ana enter, and locks the door behind her.
It's a small house, and she apparently lives in it on her own. It's not dirty or cluttered per se, but it's not exactly clean, and there are dishes piled high in the sink.] Sorry it's a little messy.
I'll help you clean up later. [ What mess there is clearly comes from recent neglect, and that much is clear. Maybe if she helps it will make things a little easier for You so she doesn't have to go searching for clean dishes when she finds the energy to eat.
Ana gets the water boiling for tea and sets a vial of golden-yellow liquid on the counter. You might recognize it from way back, when Ana had poured it into her tea to help her sober up. ]
Oh no, you don't have to-- [But Ana is already moving to take care of things, and You just freezes there for a moment before slumping slightly.] ...okay, if you... if you really don't mind.
[It's almost worse to feel helpless than to need the help, in a way. But You awkwardly sits down at the small table she eats at, not looking up at Ana or even saying anything. Even when she's directly asked a question, she's silent for way too long, for such an exuberant, energetic girl.]
...I don't know. [It's raw, and honest.] I don't know what I want.
I don't mind. [ She comes to sit at the table with You while the water heats. She doesn't push. This isn't the kind of thing that's easy to talk through. Back home, she wouldn't have had a hard time finding someone professional, someone who dealt with this sort of thing primarily, but here they only have each other. ]
It's okay. [ She doesn't have to talk about it. ] What happened to you should never have happened.
[ I should have been there to protect you. She doesn't say it. She can't be there all of the time, for everyone, and her guilt isn't going to help either of them. ] I can't make that go away. I don't even know if I can help. But I promise you won't ever have to deal with it alone.
[Somehow, Ana's kind, understanding tones are making it worse.] I-- I don't know what I want to do. [She repeats, and her hands come to support her forehead, even though one is bandaged.]
I just-- I kinda want to-- I just want to stay here for a bit. Inside. [She takes a breath.]
Um, when I close my eyes, I-- you know, I-- one of the guys who was trying to keep us there, he had a gun, and-- and someone shot him when he was right next to me.
[ Ana stands so she can come over to where You is sitting. She puts her hand on the young woman's shoulder. Needing to stay inside and come apart for a while is something she understands better than most people.
She wishes that You didn't understand it. She's a young woman - she shouldn't know what it is to fear for her life, or to see someone die in front of her. ]
I know what you mean. Is that why you haven't been sleeping? [ It's pretty obvious from looking at her that she hasn't closed her eyes much at all. ]
[There's a quiet, pregnant pause before You nods, a short single nod of her head that speaks volumes.] ...yeah.
Every time I lie down I just start thinking about-- about, you know, stuff, so I get up and have a drink or make a snack or something and before I know it, hey, it's light out, and...!
[You sounds frustrated, and confused, and wears her heart on her sleeve.
She doesn't know how to deal with this.] And I don't get why it had to happen at all. --any of it!
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2018-03-31 07:03 pm (UTC)But eventually there's the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door, then a lock being undone, and then finally the door opens.
You has a hoodie pulled up over her head, but even with that and the dim light, it's very easy to see the severe bruising, just starting to heal, on You's face. She manages a thin, wan-looking smile at Ana.]
...hey, Miss Ana. Sorry, I don't have any tea on or anything... but I can make some.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-03 01:44 pm (UTC)Ana feels her blood run cold. It's clear that You has been badly beaten, even at a glance. She doesn't understand it - You is just a teenager, a civilian. How could they possibly justify this to themselves? ]
That's alright. [ She puts her hand on You's head, just a gentle pat despite the hoodie. ] Let's go inside. I'll make the tea.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-04 02:37 am (UTC)You doesn't pull away from the hand patting her head, but she doesn't lean into it either.] Okay. ...thanks.
Um, come on in, then. [She steps back, letting Ana enter, and locks the door behind her.
It's a small house, and she apparently lives in it on her own. It's not dirty or cluttered per se, but it's not exactly clean, and there are dishes piled high in the sink.] Sorry it's a little messy.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-07 02:48 pm (UTC)Ana gets the water boiling for tea and sets a vial of golden-yellow liquid on the counter. You might recognize it from way back, when Ana had poured it into her tea to help her sober up. ]
Do you want to talk about what happened?
no subject
Date: 2018-04-07 06:46 pm (UTC)[It's almost worse to feel helpless than to need the help, in a way. But You awkwardly sits down at the small table she eats at, not looking up at Ana or even saying anything. Even when she's directly asked a question, she's silent for way too long, for such an exuberant, energetic girl.]
...I don't know. [It's raw, and honest.] I don't know what I want.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-10 01:22 pm (UTC)It's okay. [ She doesn't have to talk about it. ] What happened to you should never have happened.
[ I should have been there to protect you. She doesn't say it. She can't be there all of the time, for everyone, and her guilt isn't going to help either of them. ] I can't make that go away. I don't even know if I can help. But I promise you won't ever have to deal with it alone.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-11 03:15 am (UTC)I just-- I kinda want to-- I just want to stay here for a bit. Inside. [She takes a breath.]
Um, when I close my eyes, I-- you know, I-- one of the guys who was trying to keep us there, he had a gun, and-- and someone shot him when he was right next to me.
[She'd never seen a person die before.]
I keep seeing that. H-how he looked, I mean.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-22 11:22 pm (UTC)She wishes that You didn't understand it. She's a young woman - she shouldn't know what it is to fear for her life, or to see someone die in front of her. ]
I know what you mean. Is that why you haven't been sleeping? [ It's pretty obvious from looking at her that she hasn't closed her eyes much at all. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-04-23 02:07 am (UTC)Every time I lie down I just start thinking about-- about, you know, stuff, so I get up and have a drink or make a snack or something and before I know it, hey, it's light out, and...!
[You sounds frustrated, and confused, and wears her heart on her sleeve.
She doesn't know how to deal with this.] And I don't get why it had to happen at all. --any of it!
[Yeah, she's coming apart at the seams.]