a reason for waking {lynn gunn au}

m e e t i n g

A figure catches her eye, and her gaze flits back over to the window, where someone is walking past the shop. They're garbed in black, almost camouflaged into their surroundings, and walking slowly with their head down. They're on the taller side, and they have their hands shoved in their pockets, shoulders drooping.

Then the most surprising thing of all: the stranger turns at the door, and Lynn blinks slowly in astonishment as the bell rings. Then she has to blink again as the stranger turns slightly, not seeming to have noticed her yet, and pulls off the hood, revealing one of the most beautiful women Lynn has had the pleasure of seeing in her twenty-three years on Earth.

The stranger has raven hair falling down her back in long waves. Her hazel eyes are flickering around the place almost anxiously. Her hands are shaking as she clutches to the hem of her quarter-sleeved shirt, fumbling with it in an attempt to keep them steady. Her porcelain complexion is smooth, and Lynn can see a small black tattoo peeking out of the bottom of her sleeves. As her head turns, there's a small glint of light, and the girl's small nose ring is revealed. She keeps her head low, almost as if she doesn't want to be seen. She picks the seat in the very back of the diner, curling up in the corner.

Lynn pushes the drawing aside; she can concern herself with that later. Then she grabs her pen and notepad and smiles softly as she heads over to the pretty customer, her heart beginning to flutter a little. Then she hears something that sounds a lot like muffled sobbing and a small thud. She rushes over a little more quickly to find the other woman sitting with her head down, shoulders heaving, and her clenched hand on the table. She clenches it even more tightly and raises it a little, letting it fall again. Her head lifts up a little, as if she's going to look up, but she lets that go as well, allowing it to collide with the table. It sounds like it hurts, and Lynn silently winces. Slowly, she reaches out for the other woman, concern filling her gut. What was going on?

"Are you okay?" she murmurs quietly, resting the reassuring hand on the raven-haired girl's shoulder. Finally aware that she has company, the taller woman raises her head to look at Lynn. Her eyes are filled with sadness, and now that she's up close, Lynn can see drying tear tracks running down the other girl's face, as well as earbuds in her ears. She pulls one out and looks at the blonde, biting her lip.

"Yeah," she says quietly, not able to meet Lynn's gaze. "I just---I guess I just needed to leave home and go somewhere unfamiliar. I'm so sorry for bothering you, I wasn't---didn't think---I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey, you're totally okay," Lynn says gently, hoping to calm the panicking girl. "Is there anything that you need to talk about? I'd be happy to listen."

The stranger seems to hesitate, running her hand up and down her other arm nervously. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." Lynn gives her a small smile, and when the other girl nods, she asks, "Is it okay if I sit down with you?" She nods again, and Lynn allows her hand to slip off of her shoulder and moves over to the other side of the booth, sitting in front of the girl. "Take your time, okay? You can tell me whatever you're comfortable with. I honestly don't mind."

The girl gives her a tiny but grateful smile, and Lynn's heart swells so much and beats so fast that she thinks it's going to burst. She can see the hesitation in the features of the other woman, like the way she bites her lip and knits her eyebrows together slightly, still looking everywhere but at the blonde who wants to help. Finally, she speaks, her voice smaller than ever. "I, um---my thoughts got too loud, I think. I got scared. It's okay, though. It happens sometimes, and I'm honestly used to it now. I get really panicked over it for no reason, and it's stupid, and I just...hate it. I'm sorry." The girl gets more and more nervous as she keeps talking, and her gaze keeps flickering to the window, almost as if she wishes she could escape through it and never come back.