𝙔𝙀𝙇𝙀𝙉𝘼 .

Boo, @splittragedy .

( Yelena’s hold tightens slowly, arms folding up to lock around Nat’s and squeeze her shoulders. Sometimes it’s as though she withdraws into her younger self around her sister, small and vulnerable. Only because she feels safe. ) Sometimes I feel I cannot do this anymore.

Thank you, Bob. I don’t think I want to talk about it, but can we sit together for a while?

( a man’s. )

<— covered in blood. * 😁

Maybe everything? ( Arms extend to wrap around her sister, face hiding in her shoulder. )

I don’t know, Bob. Sometimes I get sad.

Too busy, yes. My life isn’t fitting for a dog. I was away all the time and it wouldn’t be fair. Fanny’s with 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 people now. ( She’s sad about that, though. Maybe one day, she can still have a quieter life. ) What about you, you’ve had pets?

“Have you broken ribs? You wouldn’t be in this much pain with a few bruises.” Before Nat’s resurrection, Yelena might have brushed this off. They’ve both taken more beatings than they could count. But nowadays, the younger sibling is far more protective than she was.

Fanny. ( Delivered casually, as though this is a normal name for a dog. ) She was an Akita. I got her after my sister died. But I had to give her up when I met 𝘩𝘦𝘳. ( Resentment dripping from tone when referencing Valentina. )

I know you’re not, Bob. ( * 🙂‍↔️ )

The cat has leaped off Nat’s lap now and scurried out of the room. Yelena gets to her feet and puts her hands on her hips, looking down at her sister with an irritated scrunch of features. “You are a terrible liar. I only want to help you, and you are being stubborn.”

If I make you go in the time out corner!

A frown draws Yelena’s brows inward, reaching over to try and pull the blanket away. “You are, you’re hurt. Show me!”

Not a puppy. ( Her shoulders droop a little once she’s sat up on one of the stools. There’s a pause as she takes a sip of her coffee from her own silly straw. ) I adopted a dog. She was very cute— you’d have liked her.

I can’t be mean to you.

“Then you shouldn’t make it so easy to break in.” Yelena slumps down on the other side of the couch to her sister, eyes widening suddenly when she notices Nat’s injuries. “You’re hurt.”