šŸ“šIt’s raining somewhere else

AP TOTAL:

Unconfirmed for Laine

With the rain comes a wave of emotions for Laine, whether she likes it or not.

Characters:Ā Laine, Chel

Warnings:Ā Explicit mentions of an implied suicide and grieving.

Wordcount: 954

Vibe:Ā šŸ™

thinly veiled vent oneshot that i don’t even remember writing because of how low i was feeling when it was written.. it’s been a while since there’s been one of these, huh? i’m feeling better now thankfully.

keep in mind that though the grief is very much real to chel and laine, this is at the point where wasundari faked her own death and she’s very much alive still


And so, it started to rain.

And for once, Laine found herself inside and staring out at it.

ā€œOh! Laine! Youā€™re back early, didā€¦ you find out anything notable?ā€

Chel seemed to have snuck into the room without Laine noticing. Her voice expectant, as Chel was the type to know Laine didnā€™t usually cease her work early unless she had a good reason.

Butā€¦

ā€œIā€™m giving up.ā€

Laineā€™s voice was apathetic.

ā€œYouā€™reā€¦ huh?ā€ Chel replied, her voice suddenly confused.

ā€œWhat do you mean?ā€

ā€œThe weather is starting to turn. Thereā€™s no point in searching now.ā€

ā€œI thought you loved the rain, thoughā€¦ I wouldnā€™t think itā€™d be a ā€˜turnā€™ for you.ā€

And then, silence between the two.

Itā€™s been 48 hours since Chel had discovered the note.

72 hours since sheā€™d last seen Wasundari alive.

And though Chel had initially been very reactive and thorough, the fact that Laine was throwing in the towel now, tooā€¦

ā€œIf nobody could pick up a scent before, thereā€™s no way anybody is going to find anything after this storm comes in and washes it all away.ā€ Laine sighed.

ā€œItā€™s no use. Sheā€™s gone, Chel.ā€

Laine slumped over at her seat on the sofa. Even without it being completely overcast, the staff room at Borderbeachā€™s city relations center seemed to be dimmer in general since the discovery.

Quietly, Chel padded over to take the seat next to Laine.

ā€œI should have said something.ā€ she sighed.

ā€œI had a feeling she was acting off a few days prior, but I didnā€™t think too much of it. Butā€¦ but nowā€¦ā€

Laine groaned and buried her head in her hands.

ā€œItā€™s not your fucking fault. Itā€™s none of our faults, Chel.ā€

ā€œIā€¦ itā€™s just hard to shake that gnawing feeling. That if I had done this or hadnā€™t done thisā€¦ā€

ā€œCHEL.ā€ Laine said, her words sharp and firm.

ā€œNobody can change whatā€™s already happened, and thereā€™s no use stewing in it. We need to focus on what to do going forwards, now.ā€

The unusual sharpness of Laineā€™s words seemed to sting as they hit Chel, who gave a quiet whimper.

ā€œButā€¦ but how?ā€ she replied ā€“ her voice was starting to break up.

ā€œWhen things are already so bad here that Wasun couldnā€™t take it, how are we supposed to move forwards?! Do we just have to accept that weā€™re doomed to the same fate after overwork breaks us down?!ā€

Laine was silent.

She wasnā€™tā€¦ quite sure how to respond. Because sheā€™d be lying if she said she wasnā€™t feeling the effects of the workload too ever since the casino opened.

Butā€¦ even if she was at her own limit after the recent chain of eventsā€¦ it was unbearable to see Chel in so much pain.

ā€œIā€™ll take care of it.ā€ Laine said, after an undefined period of silence.

ā€œHuh?ā€ Chel mumbled, as tears were slowly streaming down her face at this point.

ā€œYou need time to grieve ā€“ you were always closer to Wasundari than I was. I can take care of your workload until you feel you can return to it.ā€

ā€œButā€¦ that feels like too much, Laine. I have my work already, plus everything Wasundari left behindā€¦ā€

ā€œWell, Iā€™ll treat it as a test to my skill, or something. Because ultimatelyā€¦ it hurts to see you like this, Chel.ā€ Laine sighed.

ā€œ…And I donā€™t think Wasundari would enjoy seeing you force yourself to work while like this.ā€

Those last wordsā€¦ didnā€™t hit Chel quite how Laine had intended. As Chel processed them, she broke down completely into tears and incoherent mumbling.

There was too much noise. Everything was unbearable and Laine felt like she was going to snap and lose her own mind any second.

But she had to bear it and continue. If not for the people of Borderbeach that now depended on her, butā€¦ for Chel.

While she was in no place to act as a shoulder to cry on in her state, Laine grabbed a box of tissues off the nearby coffee table and placed them on the couch near Chel ā€“ before leaning in to physically comfort her.

Chelā€™s words were mostly mumbly and incomprehensible, so all Laine could really do was sit idly by and offer her silent support until Chel had no more tears left.

The moment continued on for the better part of an hour, during which Laine remained in a mental state of relative numbness in order to block out her own pain for Chelā€™s sake ā€“ at least, for the moment.

Some time after the last tears were shed, Chel let out a deep huff and turned to Laine.

ā€œ…Thank you for being here.ā€ she sighed.

ā€œOf courseā€¦ thatā€™s what a good friend does, isnā€™t it?ā€

Chel leaned into Laineā€™s side a bit more.

ā€œYeahā€¦ I guess I justā€¦ really needed it right now.ā€ Chel replied softly.

ā€œI just know weā€™ve always had that weird competitive streak where neither of us would want to ā€˜burdenā€™ anyone else by asking for helpā€¦ā€

Laine was kind of loathing the thought that Chel would bring that up so directly.

ā€œLaineyā€¦ you donā€™t have to go through this alone, eitherā€¦ ok?ā€ Chel said, giving Laine a weakly determined look.

ā€œI know you just said youā€™d be willing to do a lot on my behalf, butā€¦ please donā€™t think you have to try and power through it all alone.ā€

ā€œI donā€™t, I promise.ā€

What a lie.

ā€œI have you and the entirety of Borderbeach by my side, after all.ā€

Chel gave a weak smile.

ā€œThenā€¦ letā€™s keep moving forwards, together. Iā€™m sure itā€™s what Wasun would have wanted.ā€

And so, with the northeast winds, the rain cleared and went to storm over in the dark marshes of Waterfall.

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