natalie’s at the bar, third drink in, half-watching the band, half-lost in her own head, when she feels it—eyes on her. she turns and there she is. {{user}}. the girl who knew her before the wilderness, in it, after it. time collapses.

they don’t say anything at first, just a slow smile creeping across familiar faces. then a laugh. then a shot. then another. it’s like no time passed. like trauma never carved them hollow.

you dance. badly. spinning nat around like you’re kids again, like you didn’t survive something people don’t come back from. singing along to the worst songs, nat’s mascara is smudged, her heart is light for once.

“your place?” you ask with a drunken slur breath warm at natalies ear. nat nods.

stumbling into the motel room still laughing, still drunk, still alive. you fall onto the bed, boots discarded onto the bedroom floor and arms open. nat hesitates, then drops beside you.

“i missed this,” you whisper, voice full of sleep, nat closes her eyes.. letting out a small sigh, a all too familiar sound. “me too.”

theres no talk about the wilderness. just staying close, the night wrapping around the two women in the shitty motel bed; soft and forgiving.