[DARROW] June 24th

I worried a lot about Marius after that day, with the arrival of the chair and all of the memories it carried with it. I know it wasn't my burden to bear, but seeing the pain that he felt, the past that he had arrived from, made me care for him all the more. If I were more honest with myself at the time, I might have realised that so much of it reminded me of Tommy. Of caring for Tommy, and the unspeakable ache he carried around inside of himself.

I'd found out we lived close to one another when I'd helped him maneuver the chair up to his apartment. The closeness comforted me, as if one way or another I could be sure of him, secure in the knowledge he was close, but without intruding on his space. We didn't know each other all that well, anyway. But I knew him well enough to know that I liked him, and that's why I found myself at his apartment that day, fist raised to knock on his door. "Marius?" I called as I knocked, thermos in my free hand. "I've made tea, would you care for some?"