Normally, Jason might shrug, accept the jacket back; he’d offered twice already and she’d turned it down. If she was insisting, who has he to reject it? Yet he was distracted by the red rim around her eyes — despite the rain, despite the smile, it’s unmistakable.
The dishevelled clothing, too thin for the current temperature. The dejected slant of her eyebrows. Once he began noticing, it was difficult to stop.
“Are you…”
— the words escaped Jason before he could quash them. Damn it. So much for none of your business.
“…okay?”
what a joke she had become, not even able to lie to a complete stranger. she had, of course, noticed her strength dissipating. it had become more difficult to convince Gray she was doing well, and even more so to convince herself. and there she was, crying at the smallest act of kindness. it was years ago, she had managed to forget, she hated it, but she could hear Jose’s voice in her mind - telling her how strong she could be.
hands shook as they rose to wipe away the tears that were never meant to fall; a futile effort, she knew, but she had to find some way to recover from whatever was happening to her. she remembered her thoughts, all those months ago, watching her former ‘gang’ being taken away in police cars - thinking that she would never sink so low again. that nothing could hurt her if she never strayed from the rightful path. was this the rightful path, trying to find a night’s rest in a bus station that didn’t even provide shelter?
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