"She- Hold on, what? What the fuck?" My emotions right now are a weird mix of confusion, anger and worry. I have my phone on speaker, Cheeto on the other end of the line. Jesse is sitting next to me, her lips pressed together to a thin line.

"Yeah, that about describes it." Ze responds dryly. "Anyway, I then ran away crying because I'm a dramatic bitch and now my brain just said 'Repression time!' so now I don't really feel anything strong and the event seems super distant, and uh... Yeah." The last word takes a weird high tone, almost as if ze was trying to lighten the mood for some reason.

"I love how my brain copes, you never know what you're gonna get. Is it repression? Is it extremely strong emotions? Is it something in between? I have no idea until it actually happens." Ze laughs sarcastically. "Uhm. So, Jayden and I kinda want to find out what the hell she was talking about with the thing with Gregor, but we're not really sure? I don't even know, dude."

"I-" I sigh and give Jesse a short look. She immediately understands and nods. "Okay, Jesse and I really can't tell you what to do or anything, but if you want us to be there, for like, emotional support or something, we will be."

"That... Would be great, yeah." I can hear an exhausted, relieved breath from zir. "Thank you."

~

Many long, warm hugs are exchanged after Jesse and I arrive. Everyone embraces everyone and we sit on the couch, either entirely quiet or talking about what's on our minds (surprise, all of it is somewhat related to the recent incident with Dahlia). Both Cheeto and Jayden aren't sure whether they really want to contact her and talk about anything or not, it's always either "I want to know why Gregor was that way and why Dahlia just randomly started showing up in our lives again" or "I don't ever want either of us to be near that woman again", a constant uncertainty and leaning towards one of the two, then changing opinions. All Jesse and I can really do is be there and listen.

"Okay, this is really not going anywhere." Jayden says after a while with an awkward laugh.

Cheeto shrugs. "I mean, we're talking about our feelings. And I think I'm starting to feel them again, which is pretty cool. Also hurts like fucking hell, but hey!"

Nobody really says anything for a while as the siblings are probably trying to decide what they want to do and I don't even get close to being able to imagine their dilemma. And Jesse? I can't tell what she's thinking. As she realizes I'm looking at her, she turns her head in my direction and gives me one of these short, automatic smiles she does whenever there's random, meaningless eye contact. I smile back, mouthing "You okay?", and she shrugs and tilts her head. I nod and whisper "Me, too".

Next to us, Cheeto leans zir head onto Jayden's shoulder. "What the actual fuck is going on here?" Ze sighs.

He chuckles. "Don't ask me, I have no idea."

i know this chapter is really short and has a weird ending, but that's because the scene goes on in the next one. hope you can forgive me lol <3