a shiver goes down the back of her neck. she walks, leaves, like the simulation wants her to, and yet it still doesn't end. she wants to be alone. she doesn't want to look like she knows she fucking looks in front of yumi. or nomi, for that matter. but that's the thing about anger. 

it's a parasite and hatefully trying to shove it off only makes it burrow deeper. 

she stutters to a stop, suddenly at the edge of a cliff. nomi and yumi are to her right. parker's eyes close, jaw tightening, as she swallows the rest of her patience. 

the wind picks up and everything around them melts, like watercolor. and unlike nomi, parker isn't given a snapshot. she claws through it, too angry to bring joy to the forefront of her mind. instead, she's half her height, fingers clasped in another's, staring at broken glass and busted bodies.

her sister's tearing out her hair and she's wailing and there is blood on the both of them and she's thinking, this is it. this is it. the world closing down around her, boxing them, and she's fourteen, avery's life in the palm of her hand.

she won't lose her too. 

then she's snapping back into her body, disoriented. acting on instinct, she dives when nomi's body pitches. her hands sink into her waist a bit harder than necessary, more than likely leaving bruises, but she readjusts as she gets her bearings and sweeps her up, too bewildered to stay angry. 

"yumi? you good?" gods, she could carry both of them out of here, but it wouldn't be very fun. 

Yumi Hasegawa Naomi Sato

☉

parker is as gentle as she can be, but she's high-strung. that's a nightmare she hasn't had to relive for some time and it's left her shaken, a little out of her own body. she doesn't realize how hard she's gripping nomi until the scientist comes to in her arms. 

"wha-yeah, she's okay. i think." parker swallows past a lump in her throat and looks away from yumi. at least she won't have to carry her. there's a chance the venomous woman would have bitten her when she hauled them out of there. 

nomi starts spilling out apologies and all at once, parker's anger evaporates. she helps her stand, but keeps an arm lingering around her waist. the woman looks more pale than usual. 

"yeah, yumi's fine. we're all in one piece. relax, cupcake. i got ya."

she shifts. "c'mon, yums, let's get outta here."

Naomi Sato Yumi Hasegawa

☉