Wildfire | Johanna Mason

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎 𝐹𝑜𝓊𝓇

It was only when the lights were beginning to shut off Daphne had to drag herself to her compartment. Ever since Johanna had left, she'd dreaded going back. For hours, she'd been thinking about what to say. Where there really right words? She'd fucked up so badly, had been focused on herself.

Except for the red emergency lights, it was dark when she made it to the compartment. Part of her hoped Johanna was asleep, for she didn't know how to handle the confrontation.

She wasn't. Despite not wanting to sleep without at least some sort of conversation, her heart still dropped when she saw the woman sitting in the room.

The door slid closed behind her, and Joanna's eyes stayed on her as Daphne looked at the floor, shuffling into the room. Should she apologize? It didn't feel like enough.

Knowing she had to do something, she pulled the one chair back from the little desk, only meeting Johanna's eyes after she sat down.

Her eyes were burning with challenge and determination. It was Daphne's time to make the first move, that much was obvious. She curled her hands into fists, nails digging into her palms.

"I'm-" she began, her eyes darting to the floor again. What was there even to say? She didn't want to lose Johanna, but it felt so close. Even if they managed to fix this, she'd be gone in a few days. "I'm sorry. I should've- I've been selfish. I should have... I care about you, I just... I don't know, I didn't mean to seem like I don't care."

Daring to meet Johanna's eyes again, her face seemed icy. "I'm sorry. I don't know- I don't know how to fix this. I've been a shitty person, I know. I just... I don't want to lose you. Not after everything."

They'd been through so much. Defied all the odds. If this was what drove them apart...

"I know," Johanna answered, voice less venomous than Daphne would ever be able to muster. It was more than she could ask for, but after that Johanna said nothing more.

What did she know? Daphne looked up again, leaning forward in her chair, running her hands over her face. "Please tell me how to fix this. I... I love you, I don't want you to leave like this."

For a long moment, Johanna remained silent. "Come here," she said then, her voice soft and gentle. Surprised, Daphne looked up again. "Just come here."

Getting up, Daphne moved to the small bed they spent their nights on. It had been a while since they'd slept separately, even if their bones hurt from the cramped space.

She sat down next to Johanna, who looked a lot less angry. "What's wrong?"

If she hadn't known her as well as she did, she would have missed the hints. The way her eyebrows were slightly knit together and the corners of her mouth stood a bit more downward than normally.