Her gaze lands on the tv as the cartoon plays out. It seemed familiar, maybe an episode she’d seen when she was younger. A yawn escapes her as she looks back to Rhys, lips pursing as he speaks.

“Don’t be sorry.” She rolls her shoulders to relieve some of the soreness in them – cleaning houses almost every day was killing her. “I don’t work tomorrow, not a big deal.”

She studies him for a bit, noting his body language. The signs were there that something was bothering him. Although she didn’t want to pry, she didn’t want to quite brush it under the rug either. She chews away at the inside of her cheek and glances at his fidgeting hands.

“If something’s up you can talk to me about it… if you’d like to.” A reassuring smile, she turns her body to face him completely. “Or we can just watch tv. Up to you.”

Another shrug given when she assures him he doesn’t need to apologise. “W- well, but…um…You seem tired. I don’t—“ He cleared his throat, tensing a little as he stared in his lap again. “W- well, I don’t wanna…keep you up…or- or anything…Wear you out, I guess.”

Silence again, though he keeps her in his peripheral as he returns to staring at the TV. Eventually, he’s looking back at her again, watching her turn to face him and speak. A shy shrug, teeth nibbling away at his lower lip. He didn’t know Leo very well and his nerves were still showing around her. Sure, she’d been staying with them for a little while now, but…It took a very long time for Rhys to get comfortable around others.

He winces when he feels his nail pick off a piece of skin from his cuticle a little too far. The sting has him immediately lifting it to suck at the small dot of blood welling up in the spot. He blinks, still quiet in contemplation of her question…The silence lasts long than what most people would probably feel comfortable with, but eventually he finally speaks up,

“I don’t know. It’s- it’s- it’s complicated. I don’t wanna, uh…burden you. Or anything. I- I- I know you're...going through your own stuff right now. It’s normal, anyway. This happens, um…Sometimes. I've- I've had trouble sleeping for, um...” He swallows, shrugging. "As long as I can remember. Um, my point is, it's not- it's not a big deal...or anything."

Leo begins to pick at the food, starting with the veggies first. She might be coming off as a bit standoffish. The stress, worry, and anxiety is causing her to space out, focusing a bit too long on the plate in front of her. A few rapid blinks and she focuses her attention back to August, nearly missing what he says.

“Oh… um.” A soft huff of air. “I… don’t know.” She was embarrassed about still living here. The situation made her feel like a freeloader, even if August and Rhys swore they didn’t feel the same. “I think I’m just… overwhelmed.”

Her fingers drum on her notebook when she sets the fork down. All the stress pumping through her veins had destroyed her appetite as quickly as it had come. Her tongue wets her lips, gaze avoiding his as she stares at the plate. Suddenly, she feels a dryness in her throat – her eyes burn, and she’s looking the opposite direction now to wipe away tears, faking a yawn as if she could disguise them.

“I, um.. I wasn’t completely honest, with you or Rhys.” The sentence is said as she turns around, but it’s not signed – she hadn’t gotten far enough in her lessons to know how to sign all the words. “I did break up with Eric, and I did lose my apartment… technically. But, Eric, he um…” The words won’t come out – she had never actually said it out loud before. An elongated silence hangs between them as she fiddles with her fork, suddenly wishing she hadn’t started this conversation at all.

Leo sighs, throwing her hands up briefly as she tries to find the words. Maybe she didn’t even need them. August might have pieced it together on his own without her having to directly say it. She squeezes her eyes shut and makes a face, clears her throat – starts talking again.

“He was controlling, and abusive, and I tried to leave – well, I did leave, the first time, and he found me. And…” That part she can’t bring herself to say; can’t admit what he had done to her after that. “… This is my second attempt, at leaving, and I just… I don’t know how to get an apartment and keep my name off it, I’ve never even lived on my own.”

Suddenly, she stands from the table, hands running through her hair as she pushes her chair back into the table. She shakes her head, half laughing at herself. It all sounded pathetic.

“I’m sorry, I’m not your problem.” A breathy laugh, she clicks her tongue and turns, looking up the stairs. “I didn’t, you know, I didn’t want to feel like I’ve been lying to you guys. And I don’t want you to feel sorry for me because I did it to myself.”

I don't know.

That response alone was enough to have August shifting in his seat a little, turning to face her a bit better, his brows knitting together, though his expression remained soft. For a while, he's just sat there listening. Letting her talk. Concern fills his eyes when she starts to explain, struggles to explain. He can only imagine what she'd been through. Had seen firsthand when he was just a kid how cruel controlling men could be to their partners. Hell, he had been through it himself...Just not quite to this...degree.

The lack of honesty is far from August's concern now, their main concern lying in making sure that she's OK, that she isn't going to get into any kind of trouble or put herself in danger just to avoid inconveniencing them.

When she suddenly stands, he flinches slightly, memories from his own childhood hitting him like a truck. He swallows, glancing up at her as she begins to apologise. Quickly, his head begins to shake, a gentle hand reaching out.

"Hey...No, no..." He taps the table lightly, flashing a tight-lipped smile. "Don't apologise, kay?" He's just speaking now, letting the signing fall to the wayside in order to communicate with her the way she's most used to. It's a gesture of attempted comfort. A hand smooths gently, anxiously, over the wood of the tabletop.

"Part of being-- being apart of the human race means looking out for one another." A pause, chewing the inside of his cheek slowly. "I know...that, um...not everyone follows that guideline, but I do." A breath. "So that means your problems are my problems." His eyes are pinned to hers now, reading her carefully to figure out how she's responding. The gentleness of his eye contact gives way to just how truthful he's being too.

"You didn't do anything wrong," he adds softly, noting the way she seemed to blame herself. "Listen to me, Leo." There's a bit of firmness, though it's an effort to make sure she truly hears him and believes what he's saying. "You. Did nothing. Wrong. And I'm so sorry that you have had to go through all of this. I'm..." He swallows. "Look, I've been in a toxic relationship before. It's awful. And they make you feel awful. Like you're the one in the wrong. Like leaving is going to be the worst thing that's ever happened to you...because...Well, because being- being alone sucks." A soft smile brushes his lips, shaking his head. He bites his tongue.

"But please hear me when I say, you're not alone. You have us. And you always will. I know you don't- you don't love to hear me say this, but you can stay here as long as you like." A shrug. "I mean, if you want us to give you a permanent room I think we could make that work. Because I care about your safety. And your comfort. And if you don't want to stay here, then I can help you find somewhere else to live, find a job, get back on your feet. I will do whatever it takes to make sure you can live your best life and never have to worry about that man finding you again, OK?" Sure, he doesn't know all of the details of her story, but he doesn't need to. He'd heard enough. And he gets it. Perhaps a little more than most.

Jogging had become Leo’s new thing, the activity helping her find release in the outlets that art couldn’t. It helped make her feel stronger, less fragile – and it helped distract her from unpleasant memories. She would go at all hours; in the morning, evening, sometimes in the dead of night when she couldn’t sleep.

It’s six o’clock when she walks in the door, hands rubbing her face to clear the sweat off it. The songs pumping through her headphones are too loud; if anyone is calling out to her, she’s sure to accidentally ignore them. Without looking through the rest of the house for signs of life she climbs the stairs and tucks herself away in her room to get a shower.

Once she’s back downstairs she sits at the dining room table, a book opened as she scribbles down bills and paychecks and tries to make a budget. She’s clearly frustrated, her run not doing the trick to calm her down; more music poudns through her headphones, just trying to drown out her bad thoughts. There’s no scenario in which she can find a way to live comfortably on her own without scraping by.

Maybe it was time to move back to Indiana…

Leo jumps when something is placed down in front of her, turning to look at August. She hadn’t heard him nor smelled the food he was carrying. It doesn’t occur to her until right then and there that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

“Hey, thanks.” She pauses her music, plucking one headphone from her ear to smile up at him. “This looks amazing.” Everything August made looked, smelled, and tasted incredible. Leo clears her throat, gathering the things around her and closing her notebook. “I didn’t even know you were down here.”

August was rather good at noticing the heavy emotions other people carried. There was absolutely no limit with Leo either. In fact, hers were a lot easier to see than even his own brother in a lot of ways. She was more open. Lots of frantic movements, the jogging...Music. Perhaps it was more obvious because her outlets for those emotions were very similar to his own.

That said, he's already finishing up dinner when she arrives home from her jog. A small smile reaches his lips when she comes in, though he doesn't say anything since he can see she's distracted. It isn't an uncommon practice in their home to not speak anyway. When it was just August and Rhys, words were hardly spoken at all, mostly signed and gestures used to get each other's attention. Being deaf, they both had a much wider peripheral vision, making it easier to catch each other's gaze. With Leo, that was a little trickier, and August acknowledged that.

Once he sees an opportunity open up, he gently taps on the table just barely in her vision to get her attention so that he doesn't startle her before sliding a plate of food in front of her gently. A warm smile when she finally looks up, quickly signing an apology when she jumps. He chuckles softly, biting his lip. Bright eyes squint as he gives her a grin, an invitation to relax.

"Of course." He's signing along with his words around Leo now, an easy habit to pick back up since she'd been staying with them for a while now. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, thought I gave enough warning..." A pause as he moves to sit with her at the table. He had already had his own portion of the meal earlier since he was an early bird and would probably go to bed in a few short hours. Still, he wasn't going to leave her to eat there by herself. His own work was done for the day and Rhys was holed up in his room taking a nap before it was time for him to head to work too.|

"Um...You don't...You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but..." He presses his lips together for a moment before continuing. "Are you OK?"

The house is mostly quiet when she walks inside – and although the boys are deaf, she still finds herself creeping throughout the house like she might disturb them. She had run particularly late with cleaning, the Bethel family offering extra pay if she cleaned their house after a birthday party. Of course she had agreed – she needed the money; she was so close to being able to put a deposit down on her own place.

At the bottom of the stairs she can see the flicking glow of the TV in the living room. She hesitates, trying to decide if she should say hi to whoever it is for just go upstairs. She picks the latter, bounding up the steps to ‘her’ room and picking up a small mess she’d left lying around. After a bit her phone dings – the text from Rhys is barely legible, but she’d gotten good at deciphering them.

“Hi.” Leo waves when she’s back downstairs, settling on the couch next to him with a yawn.  For a moment she zones out on the cartoon until she hears him asking her something. She turns, roughly signing ‘what did you say?’

Would you stay up with me? Keep me company?

“Of course.” She signs back with a smile, getting up quickly to grab a blanket off the rack and then curls back up on the couch with it. “Are you okay?”

Rhys was certainly a night owl. In fact, he was probably a rather unhealthy definition of a night owl. It wasn't often he went to bed before 3AM...and that was better than it had been when he was younger. As a kid, he had stayed up all night countless times, practically making himself sick from the lack of sleep. It wasn't entirely on purpose then, though...Insomnia wasn't a pretty illness. Neither was depression. Nor anxiety. Nor any of the other issues that had riddled his brain much worse at that time in his life. Now he could at least some nights go to bed as early as 1AM without much trouble. And that was good enough for him.

Tonight, though, he had sort of been struggling to fall asleep. He'd tried around 1 and when he couldn't stand to lay there any longer, he had gotten up and gone downstairs to watch television. Some dialogue empty cartoon they he could watch without having to focus too much. But still enough to distract him from busy thoughts. He's stretched out on the couch, worrying away at his bottom lip, when he finally caves and texts Leo. Moments later, he's even gotten the courage to ask her to stay up with him. Usually that was August's job, but he hated to wake his brother since they were such opposites in their sleep schedules. He only ever did that if it was an issue of safety. Right now, though, it was more loneliness and mild discomfort than anything else.

Tired, dark eyes blink up at Leo as she grabs a blanket and settles in next to him on the couch, the cartoon still flashing across the screen in the background. A pause when asked if he's OK. He blinks for a moment, gaze falling to his lap as he fidgets. A deep breath released in a bit of a sigh. He swallows, shrugs, and shakes his head.

"I don't know..." he says and signs. "Can't sleep, I guess..." A pause and he bites his tongue lightly. "Sorry for keeping you up."

Noticing Trauma sentence starters

Feel free to alter dialogue to suit your muse!

send me   “ sshhh, come here… “    for your muse to gently pull my mine into yours’ arms to comfort my muse in a moment of high emotion… 

Happy boop day🥰

“I would love to learn! Well, relearn I guess.” She looks at her feet, kicking a couple rocks out of her way as they go. She allows for a silence between them, just listening to the birds and the sounds of passing cars. While she isn’t completely relaxed, she does feel more at ease than usual.

Once they get to the café, Leo hesitates outside of the doors. Her eyes narrow slightly as she peers inside, looking for something, or someone. When she decides the coast is clear she steps inside and stares at the menu from a distance. Her eyes narrow at all the different choices, unsure of what to pick.

“What do you normally get?” She fully faces him when she asks so he doesn’t struggle to understand her. “I have a sweet tooth so, I’m open to any and all recommendations.”

As she grows quiet, so does Rhys, perfectly content to continue their walk in silence. It isn't long before they reach the little hole-in-the-wall café, Rhys already slipping inside before Leo decides to follow suit. He waits, of course, and gives her a smile when she does finally follow his lead.

As they turn around, he's met with a signed and spoken greeting from one of the staff members at the front, quickly followed by the sing-song greeting and wave of another café member poking their head out from the back room. It gains a chuckle from Rhys, who just waves shyly in response before glancing at Leo again. He already knew what he wanted and the staff members were probably already grabbing it for him.

"Oh, um...I always get their hot chocolate, extra sweet, with extra whipped cream, extra marshmallows, extra drizzle...." He's looking up in thought, unsure if he's forgotten any details since it's been so long since he's had to say it out loud. "Um...And then...they have really good strawberry- strawberry cheesecake pancakes I like to get..if- if I'm looking for like...a meal. And...uh...otherwise I- I- I'll get a couple pastries depending- depending on what they have for the day."

“I’m down to go wherever you want to go.” Still sporting a smile, Leo dips past him and towards the door.

Once they’re outside and walking, she turns to Rhys as if she wants to ask something but continues walking instead. The warmth of the sun has lifted her spirits exponentially from where they were the night prior. A part of her, though, kept glancing around – an eye always searching for that green BMW.

“I hope this isn’t rude, but… are you deaf as well?” Her head tilts, looking between him and the sidewalk. “I used to know some sign language but not so much now.” A soft shrug. “Maaaybe you could teach me?” Her eyebrows raise. "I mean, if you want. No pressure at all."

Wherever he wanted. Well, that was an easy enough decision for once. The last thing he really wanted to do on his day off was go to his place of work. Instead, he started leading Leo down the path to the other café around the corner. His eyes mostly cling to the ground, wincing at the sunlight when they step out at first. Eyes water and he rubs at them lazily as they begin their walk.

He lets himself glance up at Leo every now and again at first, recognizing she might think they could hold a conversation this way. It was a bit difficult, though…Walking side by side and trying to read lips. Watching where he was going and paying attention to the other person’s sentences. He does notice the way she worriedly glances around, though, but doesn’t say anything. In a way, it reminds him of the way his brother walks around. Alert. Head on a swivel. Prepared for whatever comes next.

Eyes lift just in time as she glances in his direction to speak, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his joggers. “Oh, um…Y- yeah, I guess I should’ve mentioned that,” he replied with a chuckle, awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck. He runs his fingers through his hair, tugging gently at the locks for a moment as he watches her speak, taking in her every movement.

At mention of sign language, he lights up a bit and this time when he speaks he lets his hands sign as well. It was really the way he was most used to communicating, but it felt awkward sometimes to sign when it wasn’t really necessary. Hence why he fidgeted and talked with his hands a lot. If she really wanted to learn, though, he figured it wouldn’t hurt.

“Um..Yeah! Yes. Absolutely.” A few nods given, beaming. “I would be…100% down to, uh…to- to help you learn!”

━━ ❛❛     Benji  was  naturally  protective  of  his  friends.  The  last  thing  he  wanted  for  either  of  them  to  get  hurt  or  their  heart  broken.  He  wasn't  fortunate  to  have  many  friends,  but  those  he  had  he  treasured  dearly.  A  soft  huff  fell  from  Benji's  lips  while  turning  his  gaze  away  from  the  pasta.  A  little  hesitant  still,  Benji  reached  for  his  fork.  After  the  workout  earlier,  he  needed  some  carbs,  but  talking  about  this  woman  was  a  mood  killer.

A  click  of  his  tongue  was  the  first  answer  Benji  gave  while  he  picked  lazily  in  the  pasta.  ❝An  interest,❞  he  repeated  under  his  breath,  almost  inaudibly.  Once  more,  Benji  sighed  but  then  he  finally  looked  up  to  August.

❝She  hasn't  done  anything  to  me,❞  he  answered  honestly.  ❝But  I  saw  her  in  one  of  my  Dad's  clubs.  And  people  who  are  involved  with  my  father  are  mostly  bad  news.  Aiming  for  quick  money  and  that  stuff.  I'm  just  saying...be  careful.  Don't  get  fooled  by  a  pretty  face.❞

August's head tilted to one side as he watched the other contemplate eating his pasta. He hadn't meant to ruin his appetite by bringing it up. Had he realized the other found the subject so touchy, he wouldn't have said anything. He blinked as the other male proceeded to explain the problems he had with this girl.

A hum of thought is given at Benji's words, nodding slowly. He can't help but not judge her for doing work with Benji's dad, though. She had to have her reasons, right? Quick money was usually gained out of necessity. Then again, maybe he was a little blinded by trying to see the good in people.

"Well, I...I appreciate your concern," he admitted with a gentle smile. "But I can take care of myself. Like I said, um, it isn't going to go anywhere anytime soon anyway, right? I'm too- I'm too damn old for this. If I haven't found someone by now, I'm probably going to be alone for life."

He let out a hearty laugh with this comment, though it was mostly an attempt to hide some of the disappointment in that fact. Yes, he was happy alone. Happy to be with his brother. But their house was so big and he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he someday got to raise a family in the midst of it.

“Don’t be sorry!” Leo chimes, smiling as she twirls her keys in her hands. “Yes, I would like to hang out with you. And buy you a snack or something, if you’d like.” Her head tilts curiously to the side. “If you don’t drink coffee, then what do you like?”

She always found it fascinating how some people didn’t like coffee. It was the one thing she felt like she could survive solely on. And it reminded her of her dad. All day long he had a cup of coffee in hand yet somehow managed to still sleep peacefully during the night.

“Is there anywhere within walking distance, actually?” The fact that her tank was nearly empty had slipped her mind. “It’s such a beautiful day, you know?”

A small smile when Leo reassures him not to be sorry. He appreciates her patience very deeply. Not everyone was so kind and he’d sort of gotten used to being an irritation to most people. 

“Oh, um…I don’t know, mostly j- just like the desserts.” He swallows. “Chocolate milk? Or hot cocoa, un…depending on the- the weather.” He wasn’t a tea or a coffee drinker. Both were far too bitter for Rhys’ tastebuds. Anything chocolate, though, was a surefire winner. Lots of marshmallows, lots of syrup, whipped cream…Just thinking about it made his mouth water.

“Oh, I, um…” A shrug, brows furrowing a little as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “We- we can definitely walk to the- to the café.” He couldn’t drive anyway. He always walked home from work when he had late night shifts, sometimes walked to work too. It was less than 10 minutes away on foot. He knew the route like the back of his hand.

“But! If- if you’d rather go somewhere else, th- then…” A small shrug. “I know of another place.” One that he frequented so much they knew him by name, knew his order and everyhing. A smile. “Don’t have to worry about, uh…facing my- facing my manager that- that way,” he chuckled.

sunshine or moonlight? fairy wings or angel wings? gardening or baking? velvet or silk? flowers or succulents? black coffee or milky coffee? road trips or hiking? mermaids or dragons?

TEXTING STARTERS

“Well, since you don’t have plans, want to go get coffee with me?” There should have been enough money in her wallet for her to cover them both. She stands then, gathering her things up and looking to him with a smile. “No pressure, of course. I’m gonna go try to look a little more human, though, so you can decide whenever.”

She waves, trotting back to the house and up the steps. It takes a bit for her to sort through the clothes in her bag to find something cleaner than the rest. After a while she returns back downstairs in a plain gray shirt and jeans.

“Make a decision?”

"Oh, um..." Rhys shrugged a bit shyly. "I don't actually drink coffee, sorry." He wasn't entirely grasping what she was asking of him. To hang out, maybe? But he hadn't realized this until she was already running off to get ready. When it did hit him, though, he felt a little silly, but took some time to get a shower and put on some clothes while she was getting ready. Going along might be fun. And he definitely needed to get out of the house.

When she emerges from her room, Rhys is sat on the stairs, one leg anxiously bouncing at his side, fidgeting slightly as he stares at the clock. He feels her step up behind him and flinches slightly, turning around to look at her. A small smile. He's dressed now, too, only he's in a baggy band tee paired with a zip-up hoodie and a pair of soft black joggers. He looks a little more awake after the shower, his hair less frizzy.

"Oh! I...Well, yeah, a- actually, if it's still OK..." He cleared his throat lightly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I- I- I thought you were just...you know, making small talk, but..." He swallowed, leaning against the banister as he stands. "I realized you probably- you probably, uh...wanted to like...hang out, so...Uh, yeah! Yes. I'd be happy to come. Sorry." Context was confusing sometimes, especially not being able to hear the inflection in her tone. Facial expressions helped with that usually, but Rhys also struggled with communication sometimes anyway without the additional affect of being deaf.

“Still feels like taking advantage.” Leo shrugs – unable to accept that some people were just good.

She stretches upwards to gather her hair back into a ponytail while he talks. Her mind drifts off again as she stares out across the yard, the sound of a bird chirping grabbing her attention. She blinks a couple times, looking back at Rhys. She had completely spaced on the conversation.

“Um… you’re off today? That’s...” Shit. She blinks again, trying to regain the memory of where this conversation was going. “… I’m sorry, I forgot what I was saying?” She chews on her bottom lip and shrugs. “Um, anyway… do you have plans?” She swallows, clearing her throat. Had she already asked? “I’m sorry, sometimes I lose my train of thought and space out. Artist brain or something.” Trauma brain. “What were we talking about?”

He notices the way her mind wanders, very familiar with the feeling of disassociation. Brain fog was something he almost constantly dealt with, so he was patient when she lost her train of thought. A gentle smile.

“That’s OK, you just..mentioned going to the café or…something,” he murmured. He gave a small shrug when asked if he had plans, then shook his head. “I don’t have plans. I- I never have plans,” he admitted shyly with a small chuckle. “They do have some of the best- best desserts there, um…If you’re- if you’re thinking of going.”

“No, it’s not rude.” She shrugs, picking at the skin around her nails. “Um… I don’t know. I don’t really have anywhere to go, I guess.”

It just felt bad. Not being able to stand on her own two feet, no money – nothing to offer. Just another place to become a burden. Leo shifts a bit, not uncomfortably, but just to make it look like she’s giving it deeper thought than she was. The bed was so soft, the house so safe. What harm would another night be…?

“I just don’t want you guys to think I’m taking advantage.” What was the endgame here? She couldn’t stay forever. She needed a job. But if Eric found her… “I don’t know, maybe for tonight. Speaking of, do you work today?” Any prior bit of anxiety is scrubbed away in the smile she gives. “I thought maybe I could try your café and maybe apologize to your manager.”

A frown of concern washes over Rhys’ features, but he lets it fade easily as she speaks. There’s reassurance in his returning smile. Warmth as he tilts his head slightly.

“You aren’t taking advantage, I’m offering,” he pointed out gently. Yes. For tonight. She could stay again if she liked. Until she found her way. He knew she couldn’t stay forever, his brother wouldn’t really be comfortable with that, but she could stay until she had somewhere else to go. Somewhere that was comfortable. Somewhere she could call home for a little while.

“Hm? Oh, no, I’m off today.” Theres shyness in his expression now. “You- you don’t have to- to do that. They, uh… they’re usually pretty- pretty chill there just, um…” A shrug. “It’s all right.” Course, he wouldn’t stop her from going for a coffee or a bite to eat. He worked there for a reason: They had some of the best pastries on this side of town. 

The lack of response from Rhys has her narrowing her eyes a little. It hadn’t occurred to her that he might also be deaf. But when he yawns, she does too – water immediately filling her eyes and it takes a second for her to dry them. Still tired.

“I said I like your art. August showed me around.” Another smile, Leo leans forward a bit in the chair to stretch her back… and also to make sure she is fully facing him, just in case. “You’re very talented.”

She diverts her attention to the rest of the yard. For being so close to the city, it really was peaceful here. Like a little slice of heaven. It felt safe. Which had turned out to be a commodity these days.

“I don’t want to overstay my welcome so, I’m probably gonna head out here in a bit. You guys really have a beautiful place." Her mind is spinning with questions of where the hell she was going to go. Picking through her brain to decide on which one of her handful of belongings she could pawn for gas money…

Narrowed eyes laser-focus on her this time as she repeats herself. He hates making people do that, but sometimes it just…happens. He wets his lips with the tip of his tongue, nodding sheepishly in response to her compliment.

“Oh, uh…Th- thanks,” he murmured, a smile gracing his lips. “I— I think I’m better with words, really…” He glanced up at the clouds, taking in the fresh air. “August is more of an artist than- than me.” It was true, his own drawings paled in comparison to some of the designs he had seen August create. 

A soft hum is given in reply to her insistence on leaving soon. He feels a little sad at the remark, actually. Having somebody else around had been…nice. It wasn’t often they had guests stay for a while and Rhys was still working on making friends. He wasn’t nearly as natural at it as his brother.

“Where will you go,” he asks softly. “I mean…I- Not to be rude, but…” He swallows. “W- well, you, um… You were sleeping in- in a parking lot when I..when we met.” A light-hearted smirk in an attempt to make the statement feel less awkward. “If you…if you need a place to stay…” A little gesture of his hand. “We- we have more than enough space.”