[ Athena starts really crying at that, letting go of the jacket to wrap her arms around Cam as she sobs. The forest stays quiet, deceptively, blessedly quiet, even when Athena expects the attacks to pour in from every side--friends, family, the teacher who caught her and her girlfriend. She's braced for every cruel thing, ever insecurity to come at her from the dark and for Cam to hear every single one.
Maybe that's why the voices don't come. Because Cam is listening with her. Because he can listen and tell her the truth, tell her all the reasons the voices are full of shit.
(For a second she swears she hears Robbie again, murmuring He's right, lover, hang on to that.)
Almost all the voices.
Athena tries to breathe evenly, to stop gasping and blubbering all over Cam's chest. It takes a while, but slowly she stops crying. It takes a while, but she finally goes quiet. Thickly: ]
You're a good dad. [ It strikes her how that could sound, and she corrects herself quickly. ] I mean you must be.
no subject
Maybe that's why the voices don't come. Because Cam is listening with her. Because he can listen and tell her the truth, tell her all the reasons the voices are full of shit.
(For a second she swears she hears Robbie again, murmuring He's right, lover, hang on to that.)
Almost all the voices.
Athena tries to breathe evenly, to stop gasping and blubbering all over Cam's chest. It takes a while, but slowly she stops crying. It takes a while, but she finally goes quiet. Thickly: ]
You're a good dad. [ It strikes her how that could sound, and she corrects herself quickly. ] I mean you must be.