She approached him carefully. It had been several hours since they 'd come back and they'd been separated ever since. She'd tried to go on about her day, but the earlier events had bothered her too much.

Sebille didn't want to let him dwell on his troubles alone any longer. That, and she was curious... again.

"Null..."

"...I know that you're trying to scare me away by being like that."

She was playing a risky game. Every move was important and had to be played with extreme caution. Someone would say that a 'relationship' like that couldn't be healthy but Sebille found it strangely refreshing and... new.

"But it isn't going to work."

"You can talk to me..."
" ..."

When she got no reaction out of him, she sat back down.

"Actually, I'd prefer if you talked to me instead of... well, repeating what happened earlier."

There was a pause. She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to repeat herself, she didn't want to pressure him too much and she certainly didn't want him to 'snap' again.

"...Please?"
She pleaded carefully.

Saying nothing, he  took his necklace into his hand as if he was considering his options -whatever they were.

"It's something to do with your work, isn't it?"
" ..."
"What is that necklace for, exactly?"
"You don't need to know."

No... She supposed she didn't need to know but she still felt like an outsider when it came to them and especially him. He wasn't going to let her in, no matter what she did, was he?

"They..."

"Hmm?"
"They won't let me out that easily..."

There was bitterness in his voice, she'd never heard that before.

He'd... he'd tried to quit? Or just inquired about it? Whichever the case, she was happy and at the same time scared. Happy that he was willing to try or even think about it, and scared that it might not work out.

He clenched the couch's cushion. He was still mad, wasn't he.

" ..."

He was taking this quite hard. Well, she hadn't expected him to even try and get out... or that it would be easy even if he decided to do so. He must have known it was going to be hard as well.

But if he was this irate about it, it had to mean that it really wouldn't be easy to get out...

She put her hand on his to calm him down.

Another silent moment passed and he started to unwind slowly.

Still... for some reason she was sure that things would work out. Even if it was going to be hard and take time. She had a feeling that they could do anything and everything they wanted... eventually.

"Calmed down?"

"Mm..."

She took that as a yes.

...

"Thank you" ...for trying.