OQ prompt- "You don't care, no one does."
"You don't care, no one does." It's practically a whisper, a quiet voice lost to the silence around her. He doesn't respond. He watches her. He doesn't respond.
The moon peeks through the darkened clouds, its presence reminding her that she's alone. Because he doesn't care, no one does. And she's tired. She's so damn tired of pretending everything is okay. She's so damn tired of smiling everyday, tired of talking, tired of laughing and chatting, tired of pretending that there's no hole inside of her chest.
She's so damn tired.
His gaze is heavy, somehow, she can feel it, but she doesn't want to turn around and see him. She doesn't want to count every hue in his eyes, she doesn't want to follow the lines of his face, she doesn't want to see the dimple that creases his left cheek. She just wants someone to care, she wants someone to listen to the screams that never leave her lips, to hear the empty tone that laces each word she speaks, to see the hollowness to her eyes. But no one does.
Because no one cares.
Regina stares at the almost black outline of the trees around her, tears coming to her eyes without her permission. She doesn't stop them from falling, however, allowing several to roll down her cheeks, quickly followed by more. She doesn't make a sound as she cries, and her face is still expressionless. Everything is silent. He's still silent. She wanted to scream at him, tell him to say something. She wanted to curl into his arms and let him protect her, like he always did. She wanted him.
But he didn't care, no one did.
"Why? Why is this all so hard?" It's to herself, not him. Regina knew the answer, of course she did: "Because life isn't fair." "Because what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." But what if she didn't want to be strong? What if she just wanted to hide away from everything, everyone, and break down- further than she already had? What if this had killed her already? What if- She shook her head, with a bitter, humourless chuckle. The tears stop.
It's the first time that night that she realises how cold it is, the chill creeping through her jacket, through her gloves, holding her hand because he wouldn't. She doesn't shiver, she doesn't respond, she just stands. Still. Silent. She can still feel his gaze, burning into her.
"You said I was your future." Again, to herself, though maybe it was to him. "You said I was your future." And she found herself saying it over and over, each times different, voice slowly rising. The tears were coming again, she felt them, trailing down her cheek, hot tears that wouldn't stop.
"Your future, damnit! You talked as if we had one, you talked as if none of this would happen, because you didn't know. And I shouldn't be mad at you, because you didn't know, and neither did I. I shouldn't be mad at you, but I am. I'm mad because you had to be true, and good, you had to live by your code, and you had to be a hero. It's who you-" She didn't finish the sentence. For the first time that night, for the first time in days, weeks, she let the cries become audible. She let the despair that she'd hidden away, break free and wrack her body with sobs. He didn't move to comfort her. Regina fell to the ground on her knees, the only sound was her cries, her sniffles.
"Say something!" She finally breaks. "Please!"
She's met with only silence.
And then she can't feel his gaze anymore. And it's comforting. No, no it's not. No, she needs him to be here. No, come back. No.
Regina whirls round to face him, to repeat herself, prepared to be angry, prepared to see his face. She was met with nothing.
Another sob sounds.
Because not even Robin's ghost cared enough to stay.