it's been a week and el has slowly healed.
a deal was made with dante so he would fight for her to leave the hospital after a night of observation.
the deal was she had to eat 3 meals per day but due to her weight, everything had to be slow and gradual.
as she bit down on a banana, she spied on mike from afar but didn't catch up to him today.
he deserved to be alone. she knew he wanted nothing to do with her.
she knew she was a burden to him.
she just couldn't help but watch him. she missed him so goddamn much that it hurt.
it hurt even more when he didn't even remember her!
how they met, how they understood each other, how they went to bed together and how the woke up being pulled from each other because of how they were supposed to be in separate rooms the night before.
he had forgotten it all.
she looked down at her phone, seeing dante's texts but she ignored them and looked back at mike.
but he was gone.
she looked around frantically, fear bubbling as she sat up straight. where did he go!?
she looked around, even turning her body as she did so but suddenly, he was in front of her, staring down with a furrowed brow. "looking for me?"
she yelped, turning, her mouth full of mushed banana. "no!"
he chuckled at her caught expression, how she was swallowing quickly in embarrassment.
he couldn't believe she was embarrassed.
"you weren't looking for me? then why are you here suddenly?"
she blinked, searching her mind for an excuse. "um... uh," she murmured to herself. "t'was gonna go get some tacos," she pointed ahead but it was a pretzel store instead.
he followed her pointer finger before a laugh escaped "funny," he turned back to face her. "i haven't seen you in a few days... thought you died on me,"
she gazed towards the ground. "it's not like you missed me anyways..."
"i didn't," he sat down next to her. "you're annoying," he told her and then his gaze narrowed. "and an insane little devil," he whispered as she looked up, brown eyes wide and doe in confusion.
"then why are you sitting? i kept my distance today because i'm a good good good dolly," she played with the ends of her two braids, biting down.
"you're a scary dolly. look at your makeup. you're like annabelle,"
she gasped loudly and then she morphed into a smile with a giggle. "awe! i love annabelle! she's so adorable!" she hugged herself tightly and swayed frantically, nuzzling her head into her arms.
he looked at her weirdly and she lifted her head up with another gasp. "let me take you somewhere!"
"take me somewhere? will you stab me from behind?"
she sunk down into her seat with a pout. "no, i would never!"
he let out a sigh at her expression, nodding his head at a certain direction. "is it close?"
she nodded instantly, eyes wide and filled with excitement. "yes, yes!"
rolling his eyes, he let out a breath as he shook his head. "fine. you seem more normal than usual,"
she jumped up to her feet with an exciting squeal and then cheered. bending, she took ahold of his hands and dragged him with her, gasping and letting go when she realised.
"sorry... t'was a habit," she continued to skip down the path, turning and looking to remember where she was headed before she finally reached the familiar alleyway.
"boo-boo! boo-boo!" she called out and his brows furrowed. "what?"
"boo-boo!" she screeched before a raccoon jumped out of the trash bin, running up to her with a small cat by its side. "boo-boo! hi! did you bring a friend!?" she kneeled and let the cat with a happy smile.
"mike, say hi to my little boo-boo," el scratched the raccoon behind the ear. "he is a very good boy. today he brought a little friend," she motioned to the cat.
"what friend?"
her brows furrowed. "the cat? mike, that's rude not to acknowledge the cutie,"
he knelt. "right..." he inspected the raccoon that instantly curled up to el. "you know that raccoon?"
she nodded with a wide smile. "i met this one when i was eating with dante and he stole my food! i seen him every once in a while but it's only sometimes he lingers here. ain't that right, boo-boo?"
"why that name?"
"'cuz he built like a bruise," she shrugged and his brows furrowed before bursting out into laughter. "that's the weirdest thing i've ever heard,"
she frowned. "no, it's not," she picked the raccoon up. "look at it! so adorable!" she shook the raccoon and laughed when the stomach and tiny legs jiggled.
"cute," he mused and her nose scrunched with a huff. "he needs a shower soon... gonna take him back,"
"what!? that thing!? it's stinky as hell!"
"NO!" she interjected instantly. "he isn't stinky! he is an adorable and misunderstood little baby!" she stood instantly. "AT LEAST HE DOESN'T SMELL LIKE EVIL!" she screamed and stomped her right foot once. "EVIL, EVIL!" she screamed at the top of her lungs before cradling boo-boo like a baby. "huh!" she huffed out and walked off with a frown on her face.
he looked at her back view in absolute confusion. looking back down at the ground before looking back up. "the fuck!?"
✿
"i swear to god, el. oh my god, what the fuck," dante groaned, walking in on her in a baggy shirt and giving boo-boo a shower.
she turned, soap foam all over her face as she showered boo-boo with water, foam all over him too. "i'm giving him a bath 'cuz he stinky." el picked him up. "isn't he adorable!?"
"no, he's not. he stinks like hell,"
"that's why i'm cleaning him. he's a good boy," el gave him a belly rub before giggling. "my good boo-boo."
"you're doing it wrong," dante bent. "that shampoo isn't going to be enough for him. he literally lives in a garbage bin,"
"that's 'cuz he is homeless! we can give him a home, dante. he is a sweet dolly." el pouted at him.
"if you're asking me, the answer is no. finish the bath and dump him, you can visit him everyday,"
she let out a whimper, tears forming as she continued to bathe the animal. "i'm sorry, little boo-boo. i'm sorry. he's mean, i'm not. i'll give you hugs and kisses and love because i am good dolly like you!"
she moved to stand into the tub and then hugged boo-boo to her chest, dante doing to hold the shower head above them.
"awe!" she giggled happily, hugging herself tightly as boo-boo crawled into her lap, staying there without a thought.
she looked over at dante with puppy eyes. "look at him... he makes me happy, dante. don't you want me to be happy? not sad?"
he looked away. "el, i swear to god,"
she leaned forward and moved his face back before faking a cry. "because i'll be so sad! i'll never see you again! my big brother! nooooo!"
"piccolo, you'll be the death of me," he looked down at the animal. "dammit, give him more than a bath. i want him sprayed from head to toe."
she saluted. "yes, yes!" she raised boo-boo again. "say thank you! say thank you!"
"i can't watch this. why did you even bring that thing back? we were fine seeing it on the street,"
"'cuz i got lonely. i need friend. dolly friend,"
she cradled the raccoon in her arms. "he's so cute and chubby,"
"you should work towards being like him. chubby and healthy,"
she narrowed her gaze. "disgusting," she washed boo-boo off with water and then dante handed a towel to dry him. "run along, boo-boo, go find xavy. he loves you!"
boo-boo stopped and raised his hands like he has been caught before nuzzling around dante, circling his feet. "not xavier,"
boo-boo ran out and el giggled at the sight, leaning against the side of the tub. "thanks, dante,"
he smiled from ear to ear. "clean up for real, dinner will be ready soon,"
she nodded twice and then sat up a little as she watched him exit the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
leaving her with privacy.
✿
hands trembling, she opened the door to dante's room, blood streaming down her arms and legs as she walked in, her breath hitching. "dante," she cried.
she sniffled, wiping her tears as dante began to stir, moving to sit up. "el?" he hummed tiredly, eyes still closed. "thought you went out to the house," he moved to turn on the lamp.
a gasp escaped him as he saw her and her breath trembled. "half of it is theirs. half is mine..." she looked down. "i need help,"
he sat up instantly, holding her hands to lead her to a nearby chair. "i'm not insane, dante. not insane. i just... i can't control it. it's not my fault. i'm not crazy,"
"you're not, don't worry. you're not," he whispered and pulled out the first aid that he had in his room. "i'm happy you came to me,"
"i..." her voice trembled, her gaze wandering around the darkened room. "i guess,"
"so what happened? you going to tell me?"
she sniffled, tears falling down and mixing with her blood on her legs. "he... he was there. i made him— i tortured him. he deserved it. but by the end... he shouted, i have a family. a daughter. but, that doesn't excuse his actions. how he's treated woman! i asked him, what happens if it was your daughter? and he froze. and i... i don't know why, but i felt a little guilty. because even though he didn't deserve the little girl, the little girl deserved a father."
she glanced up, sobbing. "i didn't have one, she didn't deserve that too, dante. she really didn't," she moved forward and he instantly hugged her tightly.
he shook his head. "she didn't. but it's not your fault because he did it when he started hurting others. he was evil. perhaps she was better off without him,"
she gasped inaudibly, looking up. "do you think she was in trouble?"
he shrugged. "i wouldn't know, piccolo,"
"but you always know... you know everything..." she murmured and began to pick on the ends of her hair but he stopped her. "i do. i don't know this though. want me to find out?"
she nodded weakly. "please,"
he gave a small smile and then continued to aid her. "saw boo-boo?"
"no..." her voice cracked. "no, he is sleeping. i came— came to find you first. did i wake you? did i— im sorry,"
"no, you didn't. i'm happy you came, okay? deep breath, this will sting,"
she inhaled a sharp breath and held it as he cleaned her cut, assuring that she was going great. "good, good. it's over now,"
she nodded slowly and leaned forward to tap his cheek with a small smile. "happy."
"you?"
she shrugged weakly. "happy you're here,"
"me too,"
tears welled up. "real..." her voice trembled. "real..." she whispered, a whimper escaping as he nodded with a smile, going to hold her hand. "i'm real. don't worry,"
she nodded again. "i... i won't. can i go sleep now?"
"of course," he helped her stand and she stumbled a little and gave him one last smile. "thank you," she breathed out before walking out of his room and into hers.
falling down into her mattress, she turned, closing her eyes to accept the deep slumber.