Hold Me Closer, Tiny Bastard

After hearing a knock, Dixy opened the front door, only to see Arsene standing there looking absolutely abysmal. when he saw Dixy he almost started crying on the spot, tears visible on his face.

"God damn Arsene, you look worse than you usually do. Wh-"

As Arsene predicts Dixy’s about to ask what happened, he visibly has trouble holding in his tears and speaks with an audible strain.

"I have...nothing left, Dixy." He takes a deep breath before continuing, shaking his head. "We have nothing left. Only each other. I wanted to-" He chokes on his words a bit, still trying not to fully cry, "to make amends. Can we do that? Please?"

Dixy looks shocked, if a bit sad as well. He'd already accepted being alone a long time ago, way before they had even met. And he knew how bad it was.

"I mean, sure, if that's-"

He's cut off again, this time by Arsene hugging him suddenly and openly weeping on his shoulder. He doesn't quite know how to react at first, opting to wrap his arms around Arsene in an attempt to comfort him. Arsene holds him tight for a bit, at least long enough to calm down enough to speak. He takes a deep breath and lets him go, standing up straight.

“I'm sorry, I just…” he pauses, all his complicated emotions visible on his face. “It's a lot right now. Can I come in? Can we talk?”

He seemed sincere enough, Dixy thought, stepping aside and gesturing inside. “Uh, sure, just go sit on the couch or- wherever i guess.”

Arsene nodded and bowed slightly, heading for the couch in question and a moment later Dixy headed to the kitchen. When he returned to the living room with drinks for them both, Arsene was sitting almost curled up at one end of the couch, looking at nothing in particular, just contemplating. Dixy sat Arsene's drink down on the table in front of him and sat down on the opposite end of the couch. “So...what?” There's a long pause of silence, followed by Arsene making a small ‘hmm’ sound, and turning over slowly, adjusting his position to face Dixy.

“We were....are. we’re both hurting, Dixy. I...i’m sorry, on my part, for taking that out on you.”

There was more silence, with dixy taking a sip of his drink and making a breathy ‘hm’ sound, almost like a dry laugh but not quite. “Yeah...” he pulls his legs up onto the couch as well, involuntarily showing some vulnerability. “Yeah. we did kind of take out our frustrations with life on each other.” he sighs, shrugging. “I don't care. Doesn't matter anymore does it.” the room is quiet, save for the dull hum of the ceiling fan and the occasional outside noise.

“I suppose not.” Arsene replies softly, finally leaning forward to grab the drink Dixy brought him. They sat in silence for a bit, not awkward and almost comfortable, just sort of enjoying being with someone who understands.

“Give me a bit, few days maybe. Maybe we can talk about our own traumas, or you can just listen. I'll give you the full story and all that. You deserve an apology but I don't think I’m in the spot to be giving one for what I've done without a full dump on why I was like that.”

Arsene looked a little surprised at Dixy’s words, nodding after processing them for a moment. “Yeah, yeah that's fine. Hey, can i stay here for a while?”

Dixy shrugged. “Why the fuck not? Make yourself at home. You'll probably have to use the couch for a bit though, not sure when I can get a futon or proper bed for you."

Arsene nodded, speaking softly. "It's fine, I'm used to it."

"What? Why?"

Arsene's expression became worryingly solemn. "I...I don't want to talk about it. Not right now."

Dixy nodded. “‘Course.”

They sat in silence for the rest of the day, Arsene not doing much of anything while Dixy went about his day, eventually falling asleep while Dixy was reading. He stayed sitting there for a while longer, going to sleep much later than Arsene.

-----

When Dixy woke up in the morning, he walked to the end of the hallway and leaned on the wall, looking into the living room. Arsene was awake as well, laying on his back on the couch with his hands folded over his chest, staring at the ceiling.

“Morning.”

Arsene turned his head to look at Dixy, but did little else. They looked at each other for a moment before Dixy continued with his morning, making breakfast for himself. He came out into the living room with a glass for Arsene again along with a bowl of cereal for himself. He sets the cup down on the coffee table next to Arsene and sits on the opposite end of the couch on the armrest. He speaks in between bites. “It's always quiet around here, hope you don't mind that much.” It’s a little delayed, but Arsene shakes his head, and Dixy nods in response. “I’ll leave you alone. Just….I don’t know, make a noise? If you need me or something.”

When he finishes his breakfast, he gets up to put his dishes in the dishwasher, and then back to the hallway, looking at Arsene from the edge again. “Seriously, Arsene. Let me know if you need anything.” He watches Arsene for a moment before slipping back down the hallway, back into his room to do his own thing. The rest of the day continues on with them both quietly existing in the same building, nothing more. Arsene spends the day lying down, really only moving to get more comfortable or to get water. By the time Dixy’s ready to sleep, he finds Arsene asleep before him again, this time facing the inside of the couch. He quietly goes around to turn off the lights in the house before going to bed himself.