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[redwinekindofgirl]

"It's Julie Cabernet! Leave a message."

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[Action] Backdated. A few hours after the disagreement over the phone

[imhisaunt]

[A few hours later there's a shy knock at Julie's door.]

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She'd fallen back to sleep, after an hour or so of watching her phone screen turning to black and idly flicking it back on again.

The knock is enough to wake her up, though, and when she answers the door she's in a state of dishevelled hair, the crease of a pillow still marked on her cheek, wearing a vest top and shorts, and not looking at all ready to face the world.]

... Oh, hey.

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar wrings his hands a little]

Could we talk, Julie? Please?

[redwinekindofgirl]

[Another sigh, but a bit softer than the one she let out over the phone.]

Yeah, just... wait there a second.

[She pushes the door to but not closed, and there's the quiet sound of her footsteps padding back into the apartment. A few things can be heard being shuffled around, a door closed, then she comes back with a thin shirt thrown on unbuttoned over the top of her pyjamas.]

C'mon.

[imhisaunt]

[He waits patiently for her to come back before following her inside]

Did I wake you?

[redwinekindofgirl]

Yeah.

[She closes the door, before taking herself to the couch and sitting down.]

Doesn't matter, though.

[imhisaunt]

[He looks apologetic, timidly sitting next to her]

I...I wanted to apologize, Julie.

[He peeks at her, then back at his hands sitting on his knees, then back at her again]

Not just for waking you up...well...also for waking you up but...

[He stops himself, realizing he's rambling]

...I don't explain myself very well earlier. And you deserved better than that.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Oh, you think?

[It doesn't come out as sharply as it might have, but the barb is still there, a tiny thing that catches and tugs. Julie rubs a hand over her face and moves the other in a 'go on' gesture.]

Keep talking.

[imhisaunt]

[He shrinks a little, not used to Julie speaking to him like that but he continues]

I wasn't...I wasn't upset because of you choosing to live alone. I think you can do whatever makes you happiest, Julie. That's all I ever want is for you to be happy.

[A hard swallow]

It just....it just worries me. And I can't not worry....but...that doesn't mean that I don't respect you....I...I can't help it....

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She frowns at her hands while he speaks, her fingers lacing and unlacing with her palms almost touching and thumbs placed one on top of the other.]

You're allowed to worry.

[Of course she is, because he's a worrier and she knows it and no amount of reassurance on her part is ever going to keep him from worrying.]

But it's not cool to talk like I don't understand the choice I'm making.

[imhisaunt]

[He shakes his head]

I don't think you don't understand.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She huffs out a soft breath through her nose and her hands stop moving, but she doesn't speak immediately. Her mind is blank, thoughts pressing at the edges but not finding their way in.]

... Okay. Good.

[imhisaunt]

[He nods quietly before moving to get up]

I'll let you get back to sleep.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Ugh, no, don't--

[Without looking, her hand shoots out and she grabs hold of his wrist. Given Delmar's general behaviour, she trusts her likely lesser strength to be enough to hold him there.

She pushes her free hand through her hair, trying to work out some of the knots.]

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar stops the moment his wrist is grabbed, though he blinks in in confusion, turning back to look at her]

But Julie...you should get your rest.....

[redwinekindofgirl]

Yeah. I will, but could you stay for a minute? Just a minute.

[She, in all likelihood, would not fall asleep again, but the request is made regardless.]

[imhisaunt]

Of course. If you'd like me to....

[He awkwardly sits back down]

...are you alright?

[redwinekindofgirl]

Mm.

[A small nod. She sighs and drops her weight against the back of the couch, resting her head back against the cushion.

Then, gently, she leans her weight sideways until her head is on his shoulder.]

Just sharing this part of my life with you.

[imhisaunt]

[He bites his lower lip, feeling an ache in his chest when she says that. He shifts some, trying to accommodate her as best he can, before shyly turning his head just enough to ghost a small kiss to her hair]

You are always going to be a part of my life, Julie. Even if...

[Though he stops. Deciding against saying the 'even if one day we can't remember this place.']

[redwinekindofgirl]

Yeah.

[He doesn't have to say it. She squeezes her fingers around his wrist then moves them to the back of his hand instead, letting them rest there.]

This place just... makes things so hard sometimes.

[imhisaunt]

[Delmar sits silently a long while, just enjoying the closeness and letting what she says weigh on his mind.]

Have you met Harley-- er--I mean Harlan, Julie?

[redwinekindofgirl]

Hm... He was at your place, wasn't he? When you took that picture.

[She didn't really speak to him, then, but...]

I think we've talked a couple of times. Why?

[imhisaunt]

Well. Harley has told me he's going to try and find a way to take me with him to his world whenever we leave this place.

[He reaches for her hand then, squeezing it]

Do come with us, Julie?

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She doesn't expect that, and goes quite still next to him.]

... I can't. I can't do that.

[imhisaunt]

Why not?