themarissaharrison

[themarissaharrison]

julesdavis​:

“It was a scary view, but at least we’re fi-” Julia stopped before she could finish those words, reality much uglier than what she wanted. “I know, things can be replaced, but with all these murders, three fires at the same time, which by the way there’s absolutely no way in hell it can be a coincidence, and a victim at Mama’s… It keeps piling on and on. I guess it makes you think how short life is and how we don’t put much thought behind a simple how are you…” her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips pressed together. “I am rambling again,” she pointed out and took a deep breath to calm herself before looking back at Marissa, “With everything going on sometimes I don’t know what else to talk about, you know?”

x

Things can be replaced. Marissa wished that was the case, for her, almost nothing that meant anything could be replaced - everything was gone. She shook her head a little. “No, there isn’t a hope in hell those fires weren’t connected. Didn’t the news say they all happened in like 10 minutes? I mean, that’s worrying. We keep talking about a killer, but what if it’s multiple? Like people working together to do this?” Riss sighed and poured herself another drink. “Nah, you’re good Jules. Talking about it helps... It seems pointless talking about anything else, right?”

[themarissaharrison]

kyleyangs​:

Not once in his life had Kyle shied away from admitting that he didn’t like Nightrest all that much. Crappy upbringing, stuck in a place he could never afford to leave. But for the first time since he was a kid, a part of him truly did feel like those words were true, as if this town had some kind of curse on it meant to disrupt anyone’s happiness. “You’ll buy another?” he asked, thinking her response sounded like complete bullshit. “C'mon Riss, you don’t gotta pretend.” He couldn’t imagine how any of it felt, but he imagined it was worse than what she was letting on. Still, he wasn’t there to make her talk about anything she didn’t feel comfortable talking about, so he didn’t hesitate when she mentioned Amoni. “Yeah… I didn’t know her all that well, she seemed like a sweet girl though.”

x

She sighed when he called her out. He was right, I’ll buy another was a shit response because it was fucking clear to anyone that it was more than just a house. All of these attacks were now more than what they were - even the murders. “It’s fucking bullshit, Kyle,” she admits. “I keep trying to think of a reason anyone in this town would burn down my fucking home and I can’t think of a single person I’ve pissed off that much. And, if anything, why my home? Why not just burn down Queen’s if you really wanna get to me,” she shook her head a little as she put her drink down. “It doesn’t make any sense, and all I’ve heard about Amoni is how sweet she was, same with Viv... And Jake... I just don’t get it.”

[themarissaharrison]

nsloanefms​:

–

and that was it. no matter how hard it felt like, especially right now, when they were both at their lowest, it felt like the right and only time for them to talk about this now. nicola has been nothing but curious about the aftermath of lauren’s death, and for a while she only wondered, while she was greeted by what remains of delilah all over marissa’s place whenever she stays, she could barely piece them together and assume, to be even more curious about the pain marissa went through. and her gut was surely telling her it was nothing short of the worst. 

nicola finally turned to face marissa and she listened, all the wondering of how the younger woman could’ve gone through the death of the love of her life, where nicola believed herself that the only way was down when lauren passed, when people took her life without any choice. as marissa was blinded by the denial of it all and eventually succumbed to her lost of delilah, nicola let rage blind her, turn into the very person who ended the life of her love, though was almost saved by it by marissa without her knowledge, nicola has chosen what she thought what could heal her, only wanting the taste of revenge and people involved to have the taste of their own medicine. as she welcome herself in her hell, marissa was going through her own, losing lucky, the very thing people have known her for for as long as nicola could remember, along with it was her love. the day you lose your love you love is the day you start losing everything else, words nicola could only say in her head to herself, and she and the bar owner were prime examples of it. and now…they find each other, aftermaths of different tragedies, shattered pieces but at the same time has been slowly filling each other’s cracks, holding each other making their pain at least bearable, at least something one could share to the other.

what she tells her next, living in her own reality with delilah being alive and having a family together…it was a thought nicola would never stop aching for, she was supposed to start a new chapter in her life with lauren. the woman was supposed to leave the force and focus on the family she and nicola had envisioned together, somehow a little close to what marissa has told her. losing everything in the fire feels like losing her all over again. nicola knew before marissa has even said that to her, she knew the second she laid her eyes on the flames eating her home. not one person would understand why she ran into the fire instead away from it, because nicola knew the pain of losing what’s left of your love feels like. she lets out a deep sigh once marissa finishes and walks up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist as she pulls her close for a hug, her other hand holding the back of her head. “i’m sorry, riss…” was all she could say, knowing there’s exactly no right words to say. “i’m sorry…”

x

It feels like a weight off her chest to finally tell her, to finally tell someone what had happened before she moved up here from New York. But, she also felt like she wanted to fucking run. Run away from the chance that it might happen again. Maybe it would be a relapse with Delilah, or maybe-- maybe Nic wouldn’t get so luckily next time she brushed against death. And death seemed to be around every corner these days. Then Nicola wrapped her arms around her and the storm inside calmed to a dull ache. “I just-- I can’t do it again, I can’t get bad again, Nicola...” She whispered against her shoulder as she allowed herself to be held - to be vulnerable.

They stayed like that for a while, tangled together, the only noise breaking over the sound of the distant waves was her every-now-and-then sniffles. After a while, Riss pulled back slightly so she could look at the other. “And the-- other stuff,” she knew Nic had noticed her pupils, “I just...” Riss sighed, and glanced back into their bedroom, to the bed. “I don’t get such bad dreams when I, er, pass out instead of falling asleep normally... I know it’s not great. I’m sorry... Sometimes it just feels like the only way to get a decent sleep these days.”

[themarissaharrison]

PHOEBE TONKIN for the G'Day USA Arts Gala (January 28, 2023)

[themarissaharrison]

nsloanefms​:

–

it was evident that for two intelligent women, both nicola and marissa struggled to know the right words to say, to convey how they feel and how to deal with their situation right now. nicola had been stubborn to show that she was weak and hurting, that she isn’t back to her one hundred percent, and she knew marissa was struggling to how to cope with the situation, of losing almost everything, only to be left with a photo that nicola has woken up to a couple of times whilst she was still staying at marissa’s. they were smart, but they were also two women who went through things that are agonizing beyond words, in their own different ways, and they’ve survived that, and still surviving, not much of a whole person that they were before. what they have is beyond love, it was also one filling the other’s cracks.

“we talk, marissa. no matter how hard it is.” and nicola was evidently struggling herself, but she was trying, even though it wasn’t something she’s used to do, she was willing to do anything to not lose the younger brunette again. she was so used to having her walls up, even during the times before she left the other, marissa only knew parts of nicola’s life, and she doesn’t want to have a repeat of that, and lose marissa for good this time, regardless if it was the lingering murderer in town, or with the vices the bar owner has chosen to help her deal with everything. “i can take it, riss…” she looks back at her pleadingly in the eyes this time. “i can fucking take it–the pain…give me everything. just not…this….whatever this is. don’t let it take you away from me.”

nicola sighs, a huge part of her desperate for her lungs to be filled with smoke, or the feeling of alcohol running down her throat, just enough to numb the aching feeling in her chest when she looks at marissa and not be able to do anything to help. “no…it’s not that…” she shakes her head. “i can’t fucking stand not being able to do anything, riss. i can’t stand watching you clearly in your own head and not being able to at least be there for you because i’ve got no clue what’s going on. i can’t fucking lose you too, riss.”

x

She wasn’t sure whether it was the amount of substances running through her blood stream right now, or the desperate plea from the older woman for her to stop saying I’m fine and actually talk, but something made her realise that holding it in was hurting them both more. We talk, Marissa. Nicola was right, as she always tended to be. She needed to tell her, if for no other reason than to warn her. I can’t fucking lose you. Riss felt that guilt knife twist further into her heart, because did either of them have a choice anymore? Did anyone in this town have a choice whether they would survive the killer? Did she had a choice whether or not she was going to snap again?

“I, um--” Where did she even start with it? How does she begin to explain everything without sounding fucking crazy? “I slightly lied when I said I chose to move here to get out of the city,” she admitted as she backed up and sat on the edge of the balcony lounge bed. “I mean, I chose to come here but-- it wasn’t my choice to leave the city, or Lucky,” Riss glanced up at Nic before bringing her eyes down to her own hands, rotating the ring around her middle finger. “When Delilah,” a lump in her throat forced her to pause and swallow it down, “when she died I had no way to deal with it, I-- pushed everyone away, even Hayden, and I, um, I ended up convincing myself that it didn’t happen, that she didn’t die.” She felt the tear roll out of the corner of her eye. “I started seeing her in crowds and across the bars and-- on the subway...” Riss wiped her hand under her nose as her eyes moved out onto the distant blackened water. “I know a lot of people who lose people unexpectedly have that, but um, for me it just got worse and worse and... Eventually, a few months after she died I-- I was locked in my own reality, and I just began living this life with someone who was never actually there, and the hallucination would break every few days-- I was just in this cycle of having her and losing her and I couldn’t get out of it...” She shook her head a little bit, eyes moving back down her hands, more tears pushing out. “Lucky didn’t want the press attention, a CEO losing their mind isn’t exactly good for the brand so, um, they paid me out of my tenure and took care of everything so it never got out there, but... I lost everything I had back then, everything except her and her stuff,” Riss glanced inside, to the slightly charred photo, the only thing she had left. Back then she felt like she had nothing left, now she really did have nothing left. 

“I just ended up getting worse after that... At one point I-- I had a whole family with her, two kids and a dog that were never real, but they... They felt real... And I just, um, I just stayed like that for months. Hayden eventually came back and forced me into a hospital, gave me no choice really and, um, I stayed there for almost nine months trying not to be fucking crazy...” She wiped her cheeks as she shook her head slightly. “I got discharged but I, um, I still had to do outpatient therapy and stuff but the, er, my Doctor moved to Salem... So I moved here too, because I was fucking terrified of getting bad again... I-- I still am, and with everything it just--” she felt the weight around her heart drop, the tears begin to fall. “Losing everything in the fire feels like losing her all over again and I-- I feel like I did at the start back then and I can’t... I can’t go through that again, Nic... But I don’t know how to stop it... When I close my eyes all I can see is the fire and every dream I have ends with me stood on that fucking subway platform... And then I wake up and everything-- everything’s gone.”

[themarissaharrison]

nsloanefms​:

–

at times like this, nicola isn’t actually the best with communicating her feelings, given how it is a war in her head, though the conflict in her eyes would be very noticeable, she knew it wouldn’t take long for marissa to know, in fact, she may have had already, her not being able to explain herself as she was previously gripping on the lighter before it eventually softens with the bar owner’s touch, along with her restraint to keep it together, her walls slowly crumbling down as she stared at her, knowing she’s going through something on her own, something that hasn’t been brought up in any conversation they’ve had ever since they’ve reunited. but with the way marissa is, nicola just knew, and she was just waiting patiently.

“you can’t say that.” nicola mutters, glancing between the lighter which is now is marissa’s hand and her eyes, not missing how she’s nothing close to sober, and part of her was aware it wasn’t just drinks that the younger brunette had in her office. “you can’t say that to me and–do whatever you’re doing, marissa.” she softly snatches her lighter back and stands closer to the railing, toying with her lighter and flicking it on and off whilst she stares in the distance, at the remnants left of the fire this time, where marissa almost lost her, too. “it shouldn’t even be this way…i shouldn’t even be this way.”

x

Of course the older woman knew. She knew because it wasn’t just luck that brought them back together again in this small town. It was fate. She knew because the two were tied to one another on much deeper level than the material. Nicola knew because she’d always known, even from day one back in New York. Marissa had seen Nicola’s pain without understanding it, and Nicola had seen beneath Marissa’s stone cold businesswoman exterior she’d had to put up during that time of her life. Without words, without the need for time passing by, the two women understood each other because they were meant for each other. So, despite all the other clues, of course Nicola knew.

Her heart sank, a stabbing feeling of guilt when the other pointed out the hypocrisy. “I--” she hesitated, knowing that she owed Nicola nothing short of the truth. She had no idea how to tell her, no idea how to do anything at the moment really. No idea how to do anything sober, at least. “I just-- don’t know how to process any of this sober... Or at all, actually,” Riss admitted. “And I don’t want to make you feel worse, and I don’t want you to end back up in hospital, Nic,” she said as she picked up the unopened carton of cigarettes and slid them into her own pocket. “It’s not the same... I wasn’t--” she stopped herself from saying almost dead. 

I shouldn’t even be this way. Riss sighed softly, taking a step forward and leaning against the balcony next to her. “There’s no playbook on this... And there’s nothing that says you shouldn’t be feeling like this... It’s okay, Nic. Stop beating yourself up for having feelings, it’s okay.”

[themarissaharrison]

rxbysxllivan​:

Ruby snorted. “Understandable. I wouldn’t expect anyone to be happy right now.” When Riss continued, they cocked their head, brows furrowing in slight concern. “Why not? What’s going on?” She leaned on the counter, arms folding as she moved to listen. “Since last night? Not yet.” They sighed, pursing their lips. “I knew she was in the hospital, and I didn’t want to bug her.” She glanced up at Riss. “Figured you guys were probably together.”

x

“Exactly, anyone who is is either oblivious or a psychopath and without giving too much credit, I don’t anyone in this town is that oblivious,” she shrugged a little as she put the skull back down on the counter. “I don’t know, Ruby. I just-- I had so much important shit in that house and it’s all gone now, and I don’t know how to process that without making Nic feel guilty she couldn’t save more, you know?” She frowned. “No, the hospital are being assholes about visiting hours because of everything, they’re super strict about it. Bribery didn’t even work.”

[themarissaharrison]

analudsilva​:

@themarissaharrison​   ╱   𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫.

anywhere    ╱   𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.  

“I’m sorry about your house, Riss.” Analu gave her a sympathetic smile, knowing words didn’t mean much at the moment, but it was one of least things she could offer and the bottle of bourbon she placed in front of them. “We can talk or drink. Or both.”

x

“It’s alright, An... It was just a house, I’ll have another one eventually and until then I got Nic’s place,” she tried to play it down. Riss knew that sooner rather than later all this would catch up with her - but until that day came? I’m fine. “Both sounds good, I mean-- leaning more towards the drinking, obviously, you know me,” she chuckled. “What about you? Did you know the one who died at the diner?” 

[themarissaharrison]

julesdavis​:

@themarissaharrison​​   ╱   closed starter.

anywhere    ╱   location.  

“I’m so happy you’re okay.” Julia was uncapable of stopping herself from a hug, in need to make sure it was real, as if any second Marissa could disappear. “How are you?”

x

“You too, Jules. I’m glad the fires didn’t hit you too much,” Riss returned genuinely, the other woman had certainly been through enough lately. She hugged her back, slightly wishing time would speed up so the fact she lost her house wasn’t the current thing anymore. The ‘I’m fine’’s were getting a little old now, but one more wouldn’t hurt. “I’m fine,” she said, once again hoping that maybe this time she’d say it and suddenly she would be fine. She wasn’t. “It was just a house, Jules... No one was home, we got lucky.”

[themarissaharrison]

veritycalma​:

…

Understandably so, the fires seemed to be the only thing on anyone’s mind once the news broke out and Verity got why some people needed to talk about it. To find some sort of clarity, understanding, or to merely to get what’s been plaguing them off their chest. Conversations like that, the bartender didn’t mind. She’d be an open ear for anything but what this guy had been saying. Spewing nothing but complete nonsense left and right, making assumptions, pointing fingers without any sort of evidence. That’s where she drew the line and even if she had tried, there’d be no way to hide the growing annoyance—and the lack of filter proved as such. Watching the man walk away with nothing more than a simple roll of her eyes before getting back to work. And, for a moment, she’d forgotten that Rissa was sitting at the further end of the bar until the sound of the woman’s voice pulled her attention. “Yeah, of course. Someone’s got to do it,” shoulders shrugging as if it weren’t a big deal. Though, at least for the other, it must’ve been, right?  Sitting around and having someone spew a whole lot of nothing when it was her house that had succumbed to one of the fires. “Obviously, he’s blind to any social cues tell him to stop. Not that any of us should be surprised.” Jutting her chin toward Riss’ drink, “You need another one?”

x

“I get why they all want to talk about it so much, but that guy was really barking up the wrong fucking tree,” Riss rolled her eyes back with a slight sigh. “I was about one satanic worshippers statement away from dragging him out here myself which would probably just cause more fucking people to state at me in the street at the moment.” She tried not to notice it, but in a small town like this word spread fast and by now almost everyone knew who’s house it was, and everyone knew who she was. Luckily, she’d lived a life where she had to get used to unwanted attention. She chuckled a little at Vera’s comment about soical cues. “Men,” she said plainly before knocking back the rest of her drink and nodding. “Please.” Riss glanced around the bar as the other poured her a fresh dose of distraction. “I thought there would be more people in here drowning out everything, especially seeing as Queen’s is closed at the moment.”

[themarissaharrison]

[themarissaharrison]

closed starter for @enzohuang​

Riss had asked her bartender to let her know when Enzo walked in, so she could come down from her office and pick up from him as well as make him an extra thank you drink, with the hopes perhaps he’d stay for a few more so she’d have some company. Not that she was avoiding going home it was just... Difficult... Being on the estate after everything. Of course, it didn’t take long between texts and him showing up, and she quickly finished up the paperwork and came downstairs, greeting him with a hug. “Thanks for comin’ out, Enz,” she smiled softly. “What do you want to drink? It’s on the house for the rest of the night, consider it a tip for discretion about-- you know what...”

[themarissaharrison]

crawfxrds​:

.

“Your help or no one’s, trust me, she’s stubborn enough not to end it here.” Crawford had seen it too much in Minnie, inherited it even; the woman had retired and yet she came to work each day, unwilling to let go. If Minnie had her way, she’d die long before the diner would— just no one liked to say that aloud, her health all things considered. Crawford had been readjusting his cigarette when he’d heard Riss speak something he hadn’t been ready for. “You were the house in Stoughton?” he asked, his eyebrows drawn deep together, a picture of concern. Then his hand dipped into his pocket, retrieving what was left of his pack of cigarettes. He extended them, imagining if he needed one right now, she might’ve needed what he had left. “Want one?” That image of the booth flashed in his mind again. “No, not really. Just… I don’t know, saw her around.”

x

“It’s not often I say this but you might be right, she might be more stubborn at refusing help than I am at giving it... I’ll still try though, this place has given me enough happy memories over the last few years to be worth it,” she said, thinking back to times where there was laughter in the booths. Would this town every be able to get back to that? Or, even when all this is over, was there going to be a scar too deep to ever fully heal?

Riss nodded at his question before looking down to the carton of cigarettes and then shaking her head. “Yeah, it was mine... And I’m good, C, thanks. It’s-- it’s just nice to have some company honestly. Nic’s laid up in hospital right now and they won’t let me wait around outside of visiting hours,” Riss explained, mind flashing back to the picture of Nic laying there with the respiratory mask on, machines beeping. “She’s gonna be okay, just-- bad smoke inhalation.” Was she telling Crawford because she thought he’d ask, or because saying it outloud made her believe just a little bit that she was telling the truth? She didn’t know.

She furrowed her brow a little when she nodded next. “It doesn’t make much sense, I keep thinking about all three places, the shit before, the people who’ve died, the random stranger from out of town here on an interview... Nothing adds up. It seems - random... I think that’s more terrifying than someone targeting specific people...”

[themarissaharrison]

Brooks📲Riss

Brooks: damn thats crazy hope she's ok ❤️

Brooks: true

Brooks: it was a nice ass house tho

Brooks: i got you always riss no question

Brooks: https://thumbs.gfycat.com/CanineNextHyrax-size_restricted.gif

Riss: she'll be alright

Riss: thank you, love you brooksy ❤️❤️❤️

Riss: and you make sure you let me know if you need anything too okay? literally anything, i gotchu. ❤️

[themarissaharrison]

kyleyangs​:

for @themarissaharrison​

location: deadlights

On his way to the bar, he’d spotted Marissa, making his way towards her. Sure, the two weren’t best friends or anything, and for a minute the only thing they had to talk about was the next time they’d hook up, but Kyle didn’t think she was an awful person, or at least the kind that deserved to have her house burned down. “Heard about your place,” he spoke, taking a seat next to her, ordering a drink for himself. “Is it stupid to ask if you’re okay?”

x

Marissa couldn’t help but laugh a little when Kyle used almost the same exact phrasing to ask if she was okay as she had in her text to him back when the last attacks happened. Is it stupid to ask if you’re okay? Sort answer was yes. But she wasn’t going to shut him down like that - hell, it seemed everyone in this town needed as many friends as they could get to watch their backs these days. Now certainly wasn’t the time to be a bitch and make enemies. “I’m alright, Kyle,” a lie, obvious to anyone around them - then again, who was alright at the moment? “It’s, y’know, just a house-- I’ll buy another one.” She played it down, taking a sip of the wine. “Did you know, um, fuck--” Riss tried to recall the name, but she didn’t know her and the list of people dying in this town was getting pretty long. “Amoni?” She guessed. That sounded right. “Are you good?”

[themarissaharrison]

rxbysxllivan​:

“You’re damn right about that,” Ruby mumbled, shaking her head. Something told her almost everyone in the town was feeling off, but nobody wanted to deal with it. Unfortunate. (Though, really, she wasn’t any different.) At Marissa’s continuation, they nodded, watching the other as she spoke. “I know she is.” She sighed. “I texted her that night, but…I mean, you know how Nic is. Better than I do.” Stubborn and hardheaded. There was no way they’d be able to get her to stop. “Just be there for her, Riss. She’ll come around. And she’s going to need you right now.”

x

“To be honest, if there was someone walking around here singing and dancing, I’d be dragging their ass to the station myself... Everyone’s on edge for good reason, I guess,” she noted, thinking back briefly to how Benito was acting a week or so ago when he’d found her outside one of the crime scenes. He seemed upbeat. But then again - she never could get a real read on the guy. “Yeah, I-- I don’t know about that lately,” she commented. Lately, it had felt like there was a wedge between them - they were good, but the weights they were carrying on their shoulders were beginning to take their toll. Just be there for her. How was she supposed to do that? How was she supposed to be there for Nic when she had just lost everything? No one here understood the importance of what was in that house - even Nic didn’t really know the full extent. “Have you spoken to her since? About anything?”

[themarissaharrison]

nsloanefms​:

–

nicola understood that marissa had a lot in her plate, that besides herself, the woman had queens to take care of, that was why she immediately agreed to the woman working and watching over the bar as she promised to stay home only to recover, to finally rest since she is now out of the hospital, something she honestly would prefer being along in the hospital room, with the sound of her machine beeping being the only thing she could hear endlessly. the firefighter didn’t really have much sleep, that’s why it was the first thing she had prioritized the second she’s gotten out. it was something she’s still struggled with ever since lauren’s passing, but it was something her body was desperate for at this point, resulting to her shutting down the second she laid on bed, and has omly been doing for the past two days and not even awake whenever marissa left for work in the morning.

she busied herself at home, looking for things to do and be in the kitchen, cook for them easy meals during those nights, yet she hadn’t been the same, nicola was a little bit quieter than usual, as if she wasn’t quiet already, and would only talk whenever she’d be asked something, or whenever marissa would talk to her. it was obvious that she may be physically recovering fast, yet she was still in her own head.

especially now that she was alone in the balcony as she was waiting for marissa to come home, eyeing the pack of unopened cigarettes on the table whilst she was playing with an old zippo lighter in her hand. smoking used to be something she’s always leaned on to when she was in a restless state, yet now that it was advised against it, she couldn’t really do anything about it. her thoughts were cut off with the feeling of marissa’s lips on her cheeks, and she immediately catches her eyes, noticing how she wasn’t any close to sober, with how her pupils are larger than usual, it was one of so many little things she’s kept in mind and never forgotten, no matter how many years it has been. she just hummed at her words and looks down, eyes returning to the lighter in her hand.

x

Riss had been thinking about her conversation with Ruby, about how the other had told her how Nic just needed her to be there for her right now. It sounded so simple, didn’t it? Just be okay. Just be there. But how could she be there for someone else when she wasn’t even there for herself? How could she make Nicola feel better when every day that went by she got closer and closer to the edge? It seemed like another breakdown was no longer an if but a when. For now, it seemed her usual coping mechanism of booze was working - a gentle helping hand from Enzo didn’t hurt either... Although, that’s subjective I suppose - Nic would probably argue it was hurting... A lot.

She instantly felt the energy of the older woman, the self hate inner monolouge and overthinking aura like a dark cloud over them both. Then she clocked the cigarettes and she sighed. She knew what she was about to say was hypocritcal, and she also knew that Nicola had already clocked that she wasn’t sober - but she’d pretend like everything was fine until the other spoke up about it. “You know you can’t yet...” She spoke softly, hands going to Nicola’s and wrapping around them, gently taking the lighter. “I know they help-- but you still have smoke in your lungs, my love... Doctor’s orders...” Riss tried not to let her words slur, or her tone alter from anything but soft.