Morning After

[Devyn Solway]

Yes it was Devyn’s bathroom so there was a bit of a territory thing that Devyn was more than likely to just walk into the bathroom since it was her. She did have respect for Zoe to a certain level however and didn't want to just walk in on Zoe if she was not okay with it. She already knew that she was not being the best girlfriend at the moment so didn't really want to add to it. Sure she wanted to push Zoe away, but she did still care about Zoe a lot. Still at least wanted them to be friends if things just kept making Devyn want to avoid this whole relationship. She would break a door down to make sure a friend of hers was okay. The door was not locked so she didn't have to do any door breaking down at the moment. Zoe gave her sort of permission, so Devyn entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her so she would not let out all the heat for Zoe.

"I just want to make sure you are okay. I heard you cry out in what sounded like pain. What did you hurt?" Devyn asked as she carefully started to get closer towards the shower, not really planning on pulling back the curtain unless she felt like she really had to. Man was it hot in here, how hot did Zoe have the water going before? Was she trying to burn herself? She didn't cut herself. What was with that pause there? Had she really cut herself and was just lying to Devyn so Devyn would leave her alone. Zoe's voice was low and wobbling, just making Devyn's worries remain as she stood next to the shower. Hearing the sigh and making her start to rub at her father's ring. "I'm...I'm sorry Zoe." Devyn said, feeling like she did need to apologize. Just apologize every time she saw Zoe or was talking to her. She was just...so wrong for Zoe.

"I...I just want to make sure you are okay. You don't have to lie or hide anything from me. I won't get angry with you." Devyn said, not feeling like she was going to get mad at Zoe for hurting herself. Well maybe a little if Zoe was doing it on purpose. She already had one friend that had hurt herself, and had a friend in the past. She did not want Zoe hurting herself.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

What didn't Zoe hurt. She was tempted to make some kind of comment to that effect, but she didn't see it necessary to be quite that rude to Devyn. She had to keep reminding herself that Devyn was Devyn, this was how she acted, thinking contrary would just be silly. Still, Zoe found that what she most wanted to do was sulk under the water until the heat completely sapped away all other feeling.

Just as Zoe was tempted to ask Devyn to go away, she heard something she hadn't expected: an apology. Felt like Devyn nearly did that all the time now, and it was starting to weigh on Zoe. Why not just stop doing what she knew would hurt instead of consistently apologizing? This wasn't hard. It shouldn't be hard. Now Zoe's chest hurt as well, and she wanted to crawl even more into herself. Didn't need to lie or hide, yes, because being fully honest had just worked wonders so far. Obviously Zoe should just lay out everything for Devyn.

Sighing, she extended the burnt hand, holding it out of her shower. "I burnt my hand," she mumbled, looking toward the shower wall, still feeling the water running down her. At least she'd mostly cleaned up, just needing the last few touches before leaving.

[Devyn Solway]

Zoe had a right to be angry and Devyn would have deserved whatever rude words Zoe wanted to say to her. Zoe was too nice and kept it all to herself. Devyn figured since Zoe was an emotional girl she would just say things and more often than not Zoe did always end up saying something. She did figure it was her fault if Zoe started to shut down on her. She kept shooting Zoe down basically with a tease when Zoe was open with her and admitting things. Devyn knew this and yet she was still stuck in her ways of trying to avoid feelings and the like. She knew it all and yet still wanted to push it away and act like it was not real. That is was all just some act or lie, but she knew it was the truth. If Zoe told her to get out she would have. She would not have even put up a fight as she would just say sorry again and give Zoe her space. Sometimes giving someone their space was for the best and how Devyn was treating Zoe when she was hangover...it was just not right.

I'm the worst. Devyn thought to herself and she started to pull on her hair a little bit. Zoe really should just lay everything out for Devyn, just get whatever it was that was bothering her that Devyn did. Devyn could guess but she was never actually sure. She was good at pleasing people but when it came to what she was doing, she just assumed it was everything that she did that upset others. She was used to be yelled out and being told what she was doing wrong by the females she dated in the past. Maybe Zoe just needed to be like the others were, a bit more aggressive. Zoe was not really aggressive and that probably was part of the problem for Devyn and why she was wellbeing Devyn. There was another sigh and then a hand peeking out of the shower. A very red hand that Devyn quickly picked up was burned even before Zoe said that it was. "Ouch." Devyn said as she carefully went to take Zoe's hand, not minding the fact about Zoe's power as she would go to blow cool air on Zoe's hand.

"Want me to get you a cool cloth then? You can get out of the shower and take care of this." Devyn said, knowing a little bit about burns since she did cook and played with fire for a time. Devyn was half tempted to kiss the hand, but for now just wanted to treat the burn.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe almost winced as Devyn said ouch, as if the word alone reminded her of the pain. She soon felt cool air puffing against her hand, knowing that Devyn likely blew on it. This, this was what made Zoe so uncomfortable and unsure. What did Devyn feel? Besides, well, like and--- Zoe sighed, fidgeting a little. She needed to stop thinking about this so much. She was overthinking it; that was the problem, plain and simple.

"I'm not doing showering," Zoe almost mumbled, looking down at the drain of the sink. She hadn't technically finished scrubbing herself, what with having spent a large portion of the time standing under the hot spray and staring down at the water going slowly down the hole and all. A cool rag on it did feel fine, and Zoe did like it when Devyn actually nursed her. In fact, thinking on just that made Zoe's other symptoms start popping up. The muggy head, the clouded mind, the queasiness. The heat probably didn't help matters.

Zoe actually had to lean back a little, feeling lightheaded and dizzy. She shifted, letting the burnt hand slide limp on the floor for a moment. This whole thing was just too much...

[Devyn Solway]

What did Devyn feel? She felt something, something that she was going to keep locked inside her for as long as she could. Planning on forever because she didn't like feelings and emotions. the only good ones were ones that helped you out in a fight, making love to someone, and making them happy. Feeling true loves and actually loving someone deeply, it just made her want to just bolt for the nearest window and go out on a run. So no, she was not going to say or even think about how she felt about Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe. Devyn did have to end up letting go of Zoe's hand when she started to feel the numbness spreading up her arms. Being careful to not just drop the hand and was careful about it in the best way she could without feeling her hands and losing a bit of movement in them. The feeling would start to return now that she was not touching Zoe, like it always did.

"Oh...I'll let you get back to that then and have a cool cloth ready for when you get out." Devyn said, figuring like that was a good plan that allowed Zoe to get back to what she was doing and also that space she possibly needed from Devyn. At least that was what Devyn assumed Zoe wanted. She really didn't know what Zoe wanted from her and wish Zoe would just tell her or that she could read her mind. Devyn would have left then, but that sense of worry returned then when she could hear Zoe movements in the shower and faintly see her shadow through the curtain leaning back. Was she about to faint? "Zoe...come on let’s get you out of there. You need to go lay down." Devyn said as she moved to go get a dry and clean towel for Zoe, opening it up and standing outside the shower for Zoe to come out so she could wrap her in it.

"You are never really all that dirt of a girl anyways, so taking a short shower would not be bad for you." Devyn said trying to make a light tease or joke to see if that would help.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe sank back a little further. Devyn had said she could get back to it, and right now, moving sounded like the worst possible thing in the world. everything ached, and Zoe's head swam and felt thick, and the steam kept clogging her with each breath, and she felt hotter than she liked, and her hand was starting to sting. She almost wished she could just rub her hand over herself, spread the numbness to herself for a change. Shame that her power didn't quite work like that though.

A suggestion came that burst through Zoe's haze, something about leaving. Zoe shook her head, mumbling a petulant: "I wanna stay in the shower," not even sure if Devyn would actually hear it, let alone go with it. Of course she was already teasing, and Zoe nearly groaned with frustration at that. Part of her still liked that, the teasing comments; she definitely like the flirting, but it was all just...

She just wanted to sit in the shower and be miserable a little while longer. Actually, passing out here wouldn't be so bad. Zoe could already feel her eyes closing as it was.

[Devyn Solway]

Zoe was not moving, if anything she seemed to just making herself comfortable in the shower which was good but bad. Good that she was feeling so relaxed that she just wanted to sit in the shower, but bad because Devyn was not sure if Zoe was actually just enjoying the water or was actually getting light headed. She really didn’t know what was going on with Zoe, but she knew that someone with a hangover had to be watched. Especially since this was Zoe possibly first hangover, Devyn had to watch her and make sure she did not end up chocking on her own vomit or what have you. Devyn could not see Zoe shaking her head no and she had barely heard what Zoe said even with her good hearing. Zoe words did have to compete with the sound of the shower and the falling water after all and Devyn’s eras were good, but not pro like.

“I didn’t really hear that Zoe. You really should get out of there and take care of that burn.” Devyn said, already moving now to start and drawl back the curtain. She was not interested in checking Zoe out or like sneaky peeks at what she had already seen already. She really was just trying to make sure Zoe was okay and to get her out of the shower if she felt like sleeping in it was a good idea. “I’ll…I will leave you be for just a little longer but if you don’t get out soon I’m going to have to at least turn off the water.” Devyn said, already moving to at least turn the water down a little so it was not so hot. She was getting frustrated now because she didn’t know what to do when someone was not going with what she was saying. If words didn’t want then it was time for action, but she could not do too much. There was Zoe’s power to worry about and if Zoe really wanted to she could easily make it so that Devyn could not take her out of the shower.

Would Zoe really want to stay in the shower so bad that she would be willing the paralyzes Devyn to keep her from taking her out of the shower. “What can I do Zoe?” Devyn asked then after pulling on her hair a little bit more to keep herself in check. She could lose control over her power even from just worrying.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Did Devyn ever really hear her? Zoe wondered that, realizing how maudlin it sounded. Maybe this was a side-effect of the hangover, sliding back into the maudlin mood that had dominated her life for so long before meeting Devyn. Or had it? It felt like it had, as those type of feelings so often did. She sighed, lowering her head to almost cradle against her chest. She'd be fairly well slumped by the time Devyn entered, not even looking up at her girlfriend. She at least wouldn't interfere as Devyn turned off the water. She did fidget a little, swiveling her head to look at the hand, blinking a few times.

A question came, sounding a little desperate. Zoe could think of a few things, the most immediate being: tell me you love me. Was it wrong to think that it should've happened by now? Had Zoe done something wrong? Was she unlovable? Or was this just some kind of punishment for the way she'd been behaving. that last felt very possible, all things considered.

"I'm fine," she insisted, her voice at least loud enough to hear, but certainly lacking in conviction or power. She waved a hand, mumbling the words again, her head still looking away from Devyn. "just a little lightheaded," she added, feeling that should be mentioned as well.

[Devyn Solway]

It was a good question if Devyn really ever heard Zoe. She had been told that she had selective listening, so it was internally possible that she did not always hear everything that Zoe said. She did try to hear everything that Zoe said, but she didn't ways comment on everything. She didn't always think about the words that were said, but she did hear the ones that were actually spoken loud enough for her ears to pick up. Zoe didn't stop Devyn as she turned the water down, and then just ended up turning if off. Come on Zoe, please don't shut down on me. Devyn thought to herself as she made sure the water was fully off before pulling the curtain complete back so she could have full view of Zoe and the curtain would not really be in the way. She did grab the towel that she had with her and moved to try and put it around Zoe.

Zoe might of being taking a nice hot shower but now the water was gone, she would end up getting cold at one point or another. Then she would end up shivering and Devyn didn't want that. Zoe did deserve the words that she craved to hear. Nothing was wrong with Zoe other than the fact that she had fallen in love with someone like Devyn who more or less didn't want to love or at least would deny it. Zoe was very lovable and if anyone deserved to be punished it was Devyn. She felt like she was being punished with how much worry she was feeling for Zoe as the other girl just remained on the floor, not saying anything for a moment. She was fine. Sounded like something Devyn would say to Zoe when she didn't want to talk about something. Devyn recognized it all too well. Devyn was not Zoe however, she did not let things just roll off like they were nothing when she was worried about someone. "No you are not. If you were fine then you would be taking you shower or getting out to come lie down and get some rest." Devyn pointed out, nodding a little at Zoe's added words about having just a light headache.

"Come on out of the shower. If the pills are not working for you then we should get you dried up and you should lie back down." Devyn pointed out, already moving to at least try and start drying Zoe with the towel, not worried about what she was wearing possibly getting wet. She felt like she was going to need a second towel if she was going to have to remove Zoe from the shower herself.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

No, she wasn't fine. Zoe knew that just as much as Devyn did, though she certainly wasn't going to admit it. Instead she just sat there, her head still focused on the other wall, her mind fuzzy and her body just wanting to lay there. The water had stopped, which meant a chill had started to settle in everywhere but the hand. In fact, it just made Zoe realize that she'd heated herself up pretty well, and that her hand really started to burn.

Zoe did realize that she at least needed to get out of the shower. Sighing, she moved to follow that suggestion, sliding her unwilling body out of the shower proper. She pushed against the walls and forced herself upright. Everything worked, more or less, so it was just a matter of finding the will to make herself do what was necessary. She even forced herself to look up at Devyn, who had a towel ready for her.

"I could dry myself," she offered, lowering her eyes as she said it. She still extended one arm though, while the other remained limp at her side. Zoe was dimly aware that she was standing there naked, the water dripping off and all, but she didn't see any point in covering up still. Besides, Devyn seemed to like her body, so there was that too.

[Devyn Solway]

Zoe was thankful that Zoe started to move to get out of the shower like Devyn kept saying was for the best. Zoe didn't say anything back to Devyn’s words about pointing out that Zoe was not fine. It was odd how the tables seemed to be a little bit flipped, with Devyn trying to get Zoe to talk and Zoe more or less shutting down. Devyn didn't like people shutting down on her or shutting her out, another thing that she was pretty much a hypocrite on. It was just one of those things when people shut down on her she felt like they were turning their back on her. Even worse it just made her a little bit angry because she was trying to make it better. Zoe did have a right to be upset because Devyn kept upsetting her and then trying to make it better, but at least she was trying. At least she know she had did something wrong and was trying to make it better some way. Not sure what way she should go about it since she was a physical person and not always good with her words.

Should I just start kissing her? Will she understand then? No...I'm supposed to distance myself. Arg! I hate this. Devyn thought to herself as her grip on the towel tightened a little bite. Closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath to keep fighting to keep herself more or less calm about what was going on. Why was this so hard? Why was she making things so difficult? Why did she have to be like this because of some bad experiences and baggage she kept carrying around but had hidden away? Zoe looked at her, but Devyn just felt like Zoe was doing it just to do it, but didn't really want to look at Devyn. She hates me. Devyn thought, feeling that was the logical conclusion to drawl. Here she thought she was going to be the one breaking up with Zoe, but now it was feeling like the other way around. Why could Devyn not make up her mind and just rip this off like the bandage it felt like?

"I know you can. I was just trying to help..." Devyn said but was already moving to start to dry of the arm Zoe had extended, her green eyes still glancing at the hand that was burned. "If you don't want me to, I'll stop. I'll stop bothering you..." Devyn said as she worked to dry Zoe's shoulders before leaning in really close to Zoe, taking a deep breath. "I really am sorry Zoe. I'm not just saying it because I should, but because I mean it. I'm a screw up." Devyn said, with a weak chuckle, looking away for a moment to keep herself calm and collected. Her vision started to get blurry for a moment so she draped the towel over Zoe's shoulders and moved to leave the bathroom. "I'll be back, getting you that cool cloth for your hand." Devyn said, her voice weak and is probably sounded like she was a bit chocked up but she just coughed and cleared her throat. Going to head out of the bathroom to get the cool cloth, making sure to not look at Zoe.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

was it horrible that all Zoe wanted to say after Devyn confessed that she wanted to help, that she was a screw up, that she was sorry, was a simple "I know." She did though; she knew and understood Devyn. In some ways, she almost wondered if she didn't understand Devyn better than Devyn understood herself. There was more there then Devyn so often thought: the complicated feelings, the want to protect, the sheer terror of love and commitment. Zoe had known about all that, knew, in fact, yet she still couldn't help but feel like, like she... she didn't know.

She took the towel that had been draped over her, moving to towel herself off. When Devyn spoke, Zoe nodded, letting her girlfriend know that she had heard her. Zoe's mind still felt fuzzy, her body heavy, everything just a little slower, a little... off. She knew it had to be at least partially because of her hangover but, well, she also knew that more lay at the center of this than that. She still moved to towel herself off, doing a few adjustments. Parts of her hair were starting to grow back; she could hide her fingers in it now. Should she let it grow back? It didn't stun anyone. What would Devyn think?

Did what Devyn think matter any more?

Zoe stared for a few seconds, wondering where that had come from. She shook her head, moving to grab her clothing, tugging it into place. She was careful to use her hand sparingly, not wanting to make it worse. It tugged, but Zoe could deal with that. She sighed, looking down at it again. She wished she had gloves, and her ointment. Maybe that's what she should do: take a page out of Devyn's playbook and head back to her room.

For now, Zoe stepped out of the bathroom, looking around for her girlfriend. "Devyn?" she called lightly, taking a few steps. Her hand hurt. she wanted to lay down. She looked at the bed. Had Devyn changed the sheets? This was just... awful, not at all like she'd wanted her post-prom to be. She certainly wasn't drinking ever again, that much was definite.

[Devyn Solway]

No it was not really horrible that Zoe wanted to say she knew to everything that Devyn was saying. If Zoe didn't know by now then the months she and Devyn had been together would have meant nothing. Zoe probably knew Devyn really well; even Devyn felt like Zoe sometimes had the power to read her mind. Zoe had always seemed to know what was really going on with Devyn, even if she did not always say it, Devyn could see it in Zoe's eyes. That Zoe knew something and it was that fact that had Devyn wondering how and why Zoe could love her. If Zoe knew this was how Devyn was, knew how Devyn felt about things, how could she fall in love with a person like her? It just didn't make any sense. No one should have been able to love Devyn. That was what her mother told her over and over, and what she had been told by other boyfriends and girlfriends when things started to go bad. She expected to hear the same for Zoe, and likely soon with how Zoe was acting.

Sure Devyn could blame it on the fact that Zoe was hangover, but that was also when a person was quicker to show their real emotions because they were not feeling good and not in the mood to play nice. Either way Zoe was not saying anything and Devyn went to go get the cool cloth, leaving Zoe to handle drying herself off. Making sure to close the door behind her so that the heat would not escape. Going into the common area again to get the cool cloth ready for Zoe, making sure the water was ice cold at first to make the cloth get colder faster. Her wondering as she thought about everything that was going on. She really needed to just stop thinking about herself and think about Zoe. All about Zoe. Only about Zoe. She was supposed to be taking care of her and that was the plan always. Zoe just caught on to the wall that Devyn put up and now everything was just going down the drain.

The sheets were changed, the broken items were cleaned up, and everything was taken care of. She just needed to take care of Zoe, something that really was not that hard when she stopped thinking about other things. It was what she should be doing instead of wellbeing Devyn. They had a wonderful prom night and Devyn was killing the morning and she realized that. She let out a deep sigh, grabbing herself another beer and going back into the room just as Zoe was calling her name. "Yes? I brought the cool cloth." Devyn said setting the beer down on the ground and going over to Zoe, reaching for the hand that was burned to apply the cloth to it, and then wanting to wrap it around. "You should lie down. Sheets are all good now and I can go get you something if you want." Devyn said, trying to more or less make up for her mess ups.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The sheets had been changed. Maybe Zoe should just crawl into bed, sleep for a bit, wake up and declare the whole thing a do-over. That sounded like an absolutely wonderful idea right now, in fact, and Zoe even took a step toward ti. She realized that Devyn was there, there with a cloth. So Zoe smiled again, reaching for it, offering a thank you.

Then Zoe realized that Devyn wanted to wrap it. Wanted to wrap it and wanted Zoe to lay down. Zoe figured she could at least do that for her, should do that. So she moved, sitting primly down on the edge of the bed. "I might need some more water soon," she admitted, before smiling up at Devyn. "You really don't have to though, it's okay," and she meant that more than she meant the actual request. Part of Zoe wanted to be petty, since Devyn had, well, been effectively mean to her, though Zoe struggled some with figuring out why. She reached up her good hand to place upon her head.

"I am definitely not drinking ever again," she said, figuring that something neutral, something like that, would go over well about now, give them something to focus on, something to distract for the moment, because they surely needed a distraction.

[Devyn Solway]

Zoe smiled and said thank you, making Devyn start to feel a little better, but not fully since she was not sure if this was one of those real smiles or just Zoe putting on a smile to get Devyn to stop talking. Zoe didn't really force smiles, well not to what Devyn could recall. Zoe was hangover however so anything was possible at the moment. Zoe sat down on the bed and allowed Devyn to wrap her hand. Once the hand was wrapped Devyn would lift it up to give it a soft kiss, as if wish it better. Or more so kissing it better like a mom would do found their child when they hand an Ouchy. Well, not Devyn's mom but maybe Zoe's mom did that sort of thing for her and Zoe would get and like the gesture. Zoe speaking then and talking about how she might need some water had Devyn nodding. That smile from Zoe just pushing away even more of that bad feeling Devyn had but at the same time making sure that it didn't leave. Devyn deserved to feel that pain for making that smile ever leave Zoe's face.

Devyn was about to say that she would be happy to get Zoe some but Zoe pointed out that she didn't really need to get it for her. Why was Zoe still being nice to Devyn? Devyn really did not understand and it had her looking away for a moment while she tried to understand it. "I'll get you some anyways." Devyn said in a lower tone, biting at her tongue for a moment. Green eyes looking down at the floor while she remained standing in front of Zoe. Zoe's words being the only thing that made her look up and chuckle a little. No more drinking for Zoe. "Aww, thought we were going to get wasted together at some point." Devyn teased with another chuckle that sort of died along the way as she looked down. Then moved to run both her hands through Zoe's hair if Zoe did not moved away. Wanting to look into those beautiful brown eyes for a moment.

"I...you know I...do you need anything else besides water you want me to get?" Devyn asked, but that had not been what she wanted to ask. There had been something else there at first. Something else she wanted to say but didn't know how to say it and also didn't want to say it. She just wanted to take care of Zoe now. Get that smile back and keep it on that wonderful face with those beautiful expressive brown eyes.