DREAMER ↝ Ravi Chakrabarti

↳ CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"I mean, anyone would have been better, right? There might be a person for him somewhere out there but it is not this girl", she reminded with two thumbs pointed at her own chest, and while Liv chuckled in agreement, the gaze in her eyes was unwavering in a way that suggested Freja wasn't let off the hook just yet.

"You make a valid point", Liv licked her lips, only for an eager grin to break free, "but don't you think you deserve to live your truth? Speak up for how you feel? Own those feelings? No one ever benefitted from wallowing and avoiding, Freja. Worrying about how the other person will react is so old school! You are a strong, bold woman who should embrace her courage and go after what she wants."

Silence landed between the two, not only because witnessing the effects of a brain in such a real way was blowing Freja's mind, but because Liv was saying exactly what she had needed to hear. She needed the reassurance and the encouragement, as for once, she didn't have any of her own — and yet, she didn't make it any easier for either of them.

"So, you're saying I should, I don't know, go throw eggs at Blaine's house?"

With an exasperated sigh, Liv was leaning away from the tray and pointing her pen at Freja sternly. "I'm saying, you should do something about Ravi", she argued back, and with a look that resembled a deer in headlights, the Barrett quietly watched her seal the corpse back in and shove the pen into the pocket of her white coat.

"It's really not that easy", she murmured, mostly to herself, but to make sure Liv wouldn't interject with more advice, she was clearing her throat and continuing. "Thanks, though. I have literally nothing figured out but you are the expert, apparently. Or, whoever you ate, was", she sighed heavily, her hands gesturing in the air while following Liv around the morgue like a keen puppy.

With a laugh, Liv tapped at her forehead and shrugged. "I guess we really should talk about the whole zombie thing more, huh? I kinda just dumped all that info on you and never got back to it", she didn't fail to sound apologetic despite the amusement on her features, and as the same crossed Freja's, the woman rested against the table and let Liv do her thing.

"In your defense, it's been a busy week. You know, dating the Candyman, bailing Major out of jail—", she listed dramatically, only for the serious stare she gained from Liv to stop her in an instant, the joking air infected with something much more grave as realization settled into the pit of Freja's stomach and she pursed her lips together shyly. "Oh."

Still, the sigh that rose from Liv wasn't as offended as it was disappointed, the regret in her wandering stare confirming that rather than being upset Freja for spilling or Ravi not telling sooner, she could only blame herself. There was a lot of that going around, apparently. "I guess I should have picked up when he called", the blonde huffed, but made sure to direct Freja a reinforced smile, nonetheless, "I have an excuse to see him now, at least."

"Say hi for me if you see him", Freja chimed in with the lack of a better thing to say, sympathy mixing with the sheepishness in her eyes, but before the moment between them could snap towards awkwardness, her phone pinged with a new message and she almost heaved out a relieved breath. "Uh, I gotta go now", she coughed after glancing at the screen, a quick gesture at the stairwell guiding her in the right direction, "Elliot's at the parking lot. He and Jules are having this whole rehearsal dinner thingy."

"And you say hi to him for me", Liv nodded approvingly, her eyes twinkling with kindness as she snapped the purple gloves against her wrists. "Also, um, if you ever want to talk about anything, I got you, okay? I'll probably be on this brain for a while if you need any more unsolicited advice", she assured softly, the determined relationship expert stepping aside for the understanding, loyal friend that knew exactly how to refer to Freja's internal battle without ever mentioning any specific names, and the caution only deepened the smile she faced Liv with.