We have returned for yet another exciting installment of this tale!
Once again, thanks to all who reviewed and a big thank you to all my readers. I know last week I got sort of heavy with you all in thhe author's notes, so I will keep things light this time.
This chapter was written while marathoning a mix of cat videos, asmr vids, and horror movies. This is what my mind comes up with on lack of sleep but plenty of food XD
Not sure it really needs it, but I figured I'd put a trigger warning here for nightmares. So just expect the end of the chapter to get a little dark.
If Someone Cared Enough
Chapter Twenty-Three: Cottages and Acquaintances
"Toothbrushes—check…hairbrushes—check…" Lily looked through the items spread out on Severus's bed next to two overnight bags, "Socks—check…extra socks in case we lose some or get them wet—double check…underwear—"
"I think I've got this covered, Lily," Severus said, pulling his briefs out of the redhead's reach before she could look through them, "You don't see me rifling through your knickers."
Lily huffed, "I just want to make sure we have everything."
"Do you do this when packing for Hogwarts as well?" Severus asked in exasperation.
"Yes," Lily said adamantly, "I prefer to be prepared and not forget anything."
"And you say I'm too meticulous," Severus snorted.
Lily sighed, "Please, Sev, I want this to go well. It's going to be difficult enough finding some even footing for your and Remus to stand on, I'd rather not get off to a bad start by forgetting necessities. That's sure to dampen your mood; not that you need any help with that."
They would be leaving for Remus's house in the morning and Lily wanted to make sure they were ready and well rested by then. They'd be taking the train out of Cokeworth through Greater Manchester and into Cheshire, where they would then take a cab to the village Gawsworth, where Remus and his parents resided near the very outskirts.
Lily was thankful Severus agreed to come with her and though she understood that it wasn't exactly something he looked forward to, Lily couldn't help but be annoyed by him dragging his feet. It felt like he was stalling.
Severus caved to Lily's doe eyed routine, just as Lily knew he would.
"Fine," he sighed, holding out his hand, "At least let me sort my own things and then you can do the same with yours."
Lily nodded agreeably, "Works for me."
Severus looked over at Lily's pile, "by the looks of things, one would think you were leaving for a two weeks rather than two days."
"I didn't know what to bring," Lily defended, "The weather might be warm, so I'd like shorts and sundresses, but if it rains or the wind picks up, I don't want to catch a cold. England is unpredictable!"
"Outside of London, you mean," Severus mused, "London only has one setting; cloudy and overcast."
"This is the country, Sev," Lily said, "Like, the real countryside. With farms and orchards and horses. I haven't been there since I was a little girl," she sighed dreamily, "It's beautiful, Sev. All the flowers and trees, and the grass is so green. I can't wait for you to see it."
"We aren't going to wherever you visited as a child," Severus pointed out, "Lupin's house may be different."
"It'll still be lovely," Lily insisted, "Plus Remus's father is a wizard; a magical household means we can do magic," she sang the last part, gesturing to their two wands sitting on the bedside table.
"So I have one thing to look forward to," Severus drawled,
Lily slapped his arm, "Oh shush. This will be fun. Now pack up."
Severus rolled his eyes, but did as he was told.
{page break}
"Look at it," Lily breathed, stepping out of the cab, "Isn't just beautiful?"
The Lupin home was like something out of a painting. Small but quaint, it sat just outside of the Gawsworth village, nestled between a brook and a field of sheep. Weathered on the outside, but well cared for, the worn brick had taken on a faded beige color and the grout a muddy brown that together went complimented the brown thatched roof. Ivy vines grew up the side of the doorway and folded over the hang down in front of one of the windows, curling around the shutters and blooming with morning glories.
A picket fence framed the yard with a cobblestone walkway just beyond the gate leading up to the front door, trimmed and clipped hedges trailing along either side of the path. The hedges circled the house and baskets of flowers hung from all the windows, spilling over with blossoms. A garden stood just off to the side, a trellis of hanging tomatoes and stakes of string beans all in neat little rows while the butternut squash plants grew large and out of control. The glow from inside the house gave the scene a warm feel to it, like walking right into one of those framed pictures a grandmother would place in her living room.
While the fence framed the main yard, stones walls seemed to mark off the overall perimeter of the property, on one side the brook babbled and bubbled, and on the other sheep grazed and stared disinterestedly at the new visitors. The clucking of chickens could be heard from somewhere behind the house.
"It's certainly…picturesque," Severus said for lack of a better word for it.
Lily paid the cab fare while Severus pulled their bags out of the back. The cab driver waved at them and then headed on his way down the gravel road.
"My, Remus is out in the middle of nowhere, isn't he," Lily said, looking around, "There aren't any houses for miles."
Severus observed their surroundings. There wasn't the hint of another house dotting the horizon on any side. A forest stood on both sides just beyond the fields and rivers, blocking their view of the village and it was a good twenty minute drive from the village center to Lupin's house.
"It makes sense given the circumstances," Severus stated, "I doubt he's be able to transform in the village without someone hearing and snooping about."
"That's true," Lily said sadly, "Poor Remus."
Having nothing to say to her comment that wouldn't be considered rude, Severus wisely kept his mouth shut.
The front door—rounded at the top like in the story books—opened to reveal a pleasantly smiling Remus Lupin.
"Hello," he greeted, walking up the path to them, "So glad you came—both of you," he added, though Severus hardly believed he meant it, "Did you make it out here okay?"
"It was a scenic ride," Lily told him, "I enjoyed it."
"I got some reading done," Severus offered in lieu of a real answer.
"How you do that without sicking up in a train is beyond me," Lily muttered under her breath.
"Willpower," Severus shot back smugly. He turned to Lupin before Lily could think up a retort, "Are we going to stand out here all morning?"
Maybe he was a tad rude; the look Lily shot him confirmed certainly said he was.
"Oh right," Remus blushed, embarrassed, "Where are my manner, please come inside. My dad's at work and mum's at the market so we have the place to ourselves for a while."
Following Remus through the door, the pair was led into a cozily furnished entryway. The walls were from the floor to midway up in wood paneling that turned into a cream-colored paint the rest of the way to the ceiling. Small lantern like what one would find on the outside of an antique horse carriage hung on the walls and glittered in the sunlight cast by the stain glass windows lining the door. There was a long wooden bench on either side of the entryway, carved and polished a dark brown and a wooden sign read "Bless this Mess" in a fun, whimsical font hung above the steps leading to the second level of the house.
"Let me show you around," Remus offered, taking some of the bags off Severus's hands.
Remus started where they were standing, "So this is the entryway. To the right we have the kitchen," he gestured to the doorway, through which a small, cozy kitchen decorated in a rustic feel of brick and woodwork stood. The countertops were stone and the hearth in front of the fireplace was as well, a large cooking pot hanging inside, ready for use. Sunlight streamed through the open window over the sink, wind causing the curtains to sway gently. An old, course haired Bloodhound lied spread out in the sunbeam along the floor.
The hound sniffed the air, sensing their presence. The layered wrinkles on his face raised up slightly revealing a set of brown eyes that peered curiously up at them. His tail thumped once, then twice, and went still as the dog returned to sleep.
"That's Baskerville," Remus explained, pointing at the dog, "He won't be a bother; all he does is sleep. Right ancient, that one is. Anyway, let me show you the sitting room."
He walked back across the entryway and through the other door into a warmly decorated living room.
A tad cramped for Severus's liking, it was covered in knitted blankets and quilts and large, overstuffed, handmade pillows sitting on squashy chairs. The wooden shelves lined with brick-a-brack in the form of teacups depicting scenery from around the world, and little figurines of woodland creatures made out of marble, glass, and crystal. Another fireplace served as the center point of the room, probably connected to the kitchen's on the other side of the wall since Severus saw only one chimney when coming in.
"This is lovely, Remus," Lily complimented, ruffling one of the blankets fondly. She walked over to a picture sitting on the end table, "Is this you? You were so cute as a baby!"
Remus flushed, taking the picture from Lily and placing it back on the table, "Y-yes…that was me."
"Going through a nudist phase back then, I see," Severus observed, enjoying seeing Lupin squirm.
Remus's face grew redder, "I was a baby!"
"So cute!" Lily cooed, much to Remus's discomfort.
"Anyway!" Remus said loudly, "Severus, this is where you'll be sleeping if that's alright. The sofa should be more than big enough for you."
"Yes, it will do," Severus said, looking to the massive sofa dwarfing everything in the room. He put his bags on the floor and tucked them beneath one of the end tables, out of way.
"Let me show you both the upstairs," Remus continued, waved them onward.
At the top of the landing was a carpeted hallway with four doors, two on each side.
"This is the bathroom," Remus pointed to the immediate door on their left, "A toilet, tub, sink, the essentials. Across from it is the guest room; that's where you'll be staying, Lily."
The guest room was clearly set up with a woman in mind, either that or it was just given a heavy dose of a 'woman's touch' during decorating.
A flowered bedspread of pastel pinks, purples, and greens covered the bed, complimented by matching pillows, clearly for looks rather than comfort, the real pillows hidden underneath. Matching curtains blew softly in the breeze from the windows, the length of them lightly caresses the hard wood floors. The wallpaper was white with tiny drawings of flowering vines all over and the shelves carried dolls, accented pillows and a few books like Jane Eyre on them.
"Mom likes pink," Remus explained with a shrug.
"It's fine, Remus," Lily assured him, "Truly, I love it. The bed looks so comfy." She took her bags from Remus and set them on the bed, "I'll unpack later."
Remus brought them back out into the hallway.
He pointed at the third door, "That's my parent's room. No real reason to look in there, I suppose. And lastly we have my room."
Remus room was modestly decorated, appearing more like a live-in study than a teenage boy's bedroom. The bed was made and the sheets turned down, a pair of slippers placed neatly on the floor next to it. Everything was organized and laid out precisely on the desk, from the inkwell to the notebooks. The floor was clear of the junk one would expect to find in a boy's room, and the shelves were stacked with dozens of books, arranged alphabetically. The only real indication of whose room this was came in the form of a bright red and gold Gryffindor pennant on the wall above the bed and a framed photo of the Marauders, clearly taken just after a Quidditch game if Potter's uniform and the amount of mud on it was anything to go by.
Severus couldn't help but note how similar it was to his own room, but he pushed the thought away. He wasn't about to start comparing himself to one of the Marauders.
"I honestly expected you to have a more…messy personality, given who you hang out with," Severus said causally, glancing around the small room.
Remus rubbed at the back of his neck, "I prefer my living space to be slightly less…chaotic."
Severus nodded, thinking of the contrast Lupin may wish to keep between himself and his bestial half, "Makes sense."
"Want to see the garden?" Remus asked, changing the subject.
Lily jumped up eagerly, "Yes please!"
{page break}
"So…Potter doesn't know we're here?" Severus inquired quietly while Lily fed the ducks waddling along the brook, "He's not going to suddenly pop up at some point?"
Remus shook his head, "I told him I would be visiting an aunt this weekend, so he thinks I'm not home. I've kept an eye out for his house elf; dad caught the poor thing a few days ago checking my room for letters, and sent her back with a letter to James's folks explicitly stating she isn't to help James tamper with our mail. Considering it's against the law, they should take the warning seriously."
"And Potter is okay with you thwarting his plans?" Severus asked skeptically.
"James doesn't know I had anything to do with it," Remus said, "As far as he knows, my father just happened to stumble across his house elf in my room one day."
Remus looked down at his hands for a moment.
"Listen, I know this is long overdue, but…I'm sorry," he said finally.
Severus cocked a brow, "Any idea what you're apologizing for?" he asked snidely.
Remus sighed, having expected this to be difficult, "I'm sorry for not standing up for you," he elaborated, "for not stopping my friends. I knew what they were doing wasn't fair but…I don't know, I guess I just didn't want them to turn on me or think I wasn't one of them. They're the only friends I ever really have, given my condition."
"Are you apologizing or offering excuses?" Severus quipped.
"Oh, you don't make this easy," Remus muttered under his breath, "I'm apologizing. Regardless my reasoning, no one should ever be treated the way you have."
Lupin turned to face Severus fully, "I know better than anyone what it is like to be ostracized by people for something I can't help. I can't help what I turn into, just as you can't help it if the hat put you in Slytherin or that you excel in DADA. Plenty of muggles are naturally skilled at marksmanship; that doesn't mean they are destine to pick up a gun or crossbow and go on a killing spree."
He looked down, ashamed, "I let my friends make assumptions of you based on stereotypes and rumors, just the same as people make them about werewolves. I had no right to do that. I can't expect the world to treat me with fairness and respect if I won't help ensure others are treated the same. I'm really, truly sorry, Severus."
Severus sat in silence, turning Lupin's words over in his head. Admittedly, he hadn't been expecting a real apology and since he arrived at Lupin's house he had been waiting for the rest of the Marauders to pop out and launch some nasty prank on him. To have Lupin apologize so sincerely was a complete surprise; he had been convinced the wolf simply cared very little about Severus feelings.
"You have to understand why I find your words hard to believe," Severus said slowly. He folded his hands across his lap, "You say that you understand what you did was wrong—that what I've gone through wasn't fair. I'd like to believe that but when the very worse was done to me…you remained friends with the one responsible for almost killing me," Severus fixed Lupin with a hard stare, "Someone who exploited your condition to be used as a tool."
Remus winced, looking away, "Sirius is hard to explain. It's even harder to explain why I hang onto him. He's always been there for me, one of the first people to look me in the eye without fear of knowing what I was. He's risked his neck for me on more than one occasion. When he tricked you into the shack while I was transforming…it hurt. It killed me to think that he would betray my trust like that. I put my life in his hands by trusting him with that secret and he used me…"
"A part of me would like to pretend it never happened so that I can continue on without feeling like my trust was thrown back in my face," Remus went on, "It would be easier that way. Deep down, I know that Sirius cares about me, but what he did…it took a long time to work through and even now, I don't think he fully gets how much it effected me."
"Probably because not even Dumbledore treated it seriously," Severus said peevishly.
"You're probably right," Remus agreed, "Maybe he'd get it if he had actually been punished instead of let off so easily. Or maybe he's just as off in the head as the rest of his family. Truth be told, I think Sirius comes after you because he sees everything in you that he doesn't want in himself."
Severus titled his head, confused, "And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked defensively.
"You're everything a pureblood should be," Remus stated, "Poised, reserved, skilled, clever, and shrewd; the very things Sirius isn't," he sighed, "the very things I'm sure his mother has tormented him about failing at for years, probably long before Hogwarts. He's loud, he's brash, he wears his heart on his sleeve and is told instead to keep it closer to the vest. You're what he can never be and he's both relieved and jealous of it."
"That doesn't explain why you're friends with him," Severus pointed out.
"I see the potential for good in him," Remus admitted, "I see his kindness, his compassion. Maybe that makes me a bit biased since I'm one of the only people he truly shows that side of himself to, but I care about him. He listens to me better than James, understands me better than Peter, and truly sees me as just Remus, no fear, no judgment. I'm honestly afraid if I let him go, I'll never find someone like him again."
"Sounds like you're clinging to a vain hope," Severus snorted.
"Like Lily was with you?" Remus shot back, "hoping you'd come around and see Avery and his friends for what they were?"
Severus turned away, refusing to dignify that question with a response.
"I love my friends," Remus declared, "I love Sirius. Love makes us impulsive, rash, maybe even a bit nonsensical, but it doesn't make us bad, just our choices. You of all people should know that."
Both their eyes went to Lily playing at the brook.
"I mean it when I say I'm sorry, Severus," Remus said quietly, "I can't forgive myself for my cowardice and I am not asking you to forgive me either. But please, we both care about Lily in our own ways, you're different than mine, I suppose," he shot Severus a knowing look, "So can we at least learn to more on and be civil to each other? For her sake?"
"Are we going to fall back into the same old routine when school starts," Severus asked harshly.
Remus shook his head, "No. I plan to confront my friends. I'm done standing by and doing nothing. There's true evil out there, Severus, and it isn't you. Why waste energy on childish rivalries when the real enemy is out there. I'd rather learn to make peace with you than fight you. I'll do my best to make sure the others do too."
"Do you swear?" Severus challenged.
Remus held up one hand solemnly, placing the other over his heart, "On my wand, and on my magic."
Severus stared at him, shocked he would take it that far.
"So what do you say?" Remus asked, holding out his hand, "Truce?"
Severus stared at Lupin's hand distrustfully, "You realize it will take me a while to actually forgive you? I need to see if you mean it first."
Remus smiled, "Of course."
"And this doesn't make us friends," Severus added quickly, "We're acquaintances at best."
Remus chuckled, "Wouldn't have it any other way."
Severus eyed Remus's hand. Finally, he sighed.
"Fine," he said, begrudgingly taking Remus's hand, "Truce."
Remus lit up like a Christmas tree, happily shaking hands.
A squeal drew them out of their conversation.
"You're getting along!" Lily cried, throwing herself at them. She landed against them with an 'oomph', arms going around both their necks.
"This trip was a wonderful idea!" she said happily.
Remus laughed, "Well I'm glad you're in a good mood," he said.
Realizing what she was doing, Lily pulled away with a squeaked apology, her face going crimson.
"I got a little carried away," she admitted sheepishly.
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," Remus said as the redhead stepped back, "For a while I was beginning to think you didn't want to visit."
Lily looked off to the side, unable to meet Remus's eyes, "I was busy," she offered up lamely.
Severus looked on in silence, knowing the real reason Lily had been afraid to come.
"But I'm glad I made time," Lily said firmly, "You're my friend and I should be able to see you outside of school."
"You just like me better when James isn't around," Remus teased.
"Everything is more enjoyable without Potter around," Severus said monotonously.
Remus tried not to smile at that, but couldn't resist, "He's not that bad."
"Yeah around people he likes or respects," Lily said, hands on her hips, "But he treats Severus awful, and he doesn't care a thing about what I say or think. Clearly he's more interested in my looks than my feelings."
"Hey, I assure you, James's feelings are genuine," Remus defended, still smiling.
Lily's gaze softened, "Well be that as it may, my answer will still have to be no," she dropped her hands to her side, "I'm sorry Remus, I know he's your friend and all, but…given how he's treated Severus, I just don't see it ever working out with him. You, I can forgive because you weren't the one playing the pranks or slinging the insults, but James means what he says to Severus and I just can't bring myself to care for someone who hates my best friend that much."
Severus tried very hard to keep the triumph off his face.
"I wouldn't say its hate, just strong dislike," Remus argued. He sighed, "But I see what you mean. Though it saddens me that I'll have to nurse his wounded pride and ego—again— I can't blame you for how you feel on the matter."
Lily smiled, "Thanks Remus."
A car horn honked from somewhere in front of the house.
"That would be mum," Remus said, standing up, "Anyone up for a late lunch?"
{page break}
Lily was running.
From what she knew not but she knew she couldn't let it catch her.
It was dark, the hallway stretching endlessly in front of her, grim caking all the windows and making it impossible to see outside. Her footsteps beaten against the floor in a steady rhythm while the entity behind her made no sound. It's presence was just tingling at the back of her mind, like fingers tickling the hair on her neck.
There were doors in the hall. She rushed to the nearest one and pulled frantically at the handle but it wouldn't budge. Running to the next one, the results were the same, as it was with the next and the next.
The thing was getting closer now. She didn't dare look back to check, but she knew it was closing in on her. A twisted sound, like a laugh trickled down the hall to her. It had no cadence to it, not like people did. It was more like the way animals sounded when their noises resembled words. Lily once knew a girl whose cat sounded like it was saying 'old long Johnson' whenever it was scared. She never realized until now how creepy that sort of noise sounded.
Spurned onward, she ran faster. Her legs felt as if they were encased in water, slowing her down; everything about her movements seemed slow. She reached for another door handled, but it didn't open either.
There were people on the other side. She could see them through the door's window. Lily banged on the glass, screaming for them, but no words came out. The sound of her banging didn't seem to carry through to the other side as the occupants of the compartment sat dead still, not moving. They had no faces; just blank slates were faces should be.
Giving up, Lily kept running, the thing behind her growing closer still. She tripped and shoved her way through people blocking her path, pleading to their faceless visages to help her and receiving no reaction. They only served as an obstacle to her path.
There was a door up a ahead of her. It glowed like a beacon of hope in the dimly lit hall and with newfound resolve she sped towards it. Behind her, the thing was making a sound now, a gurgling, wet, pulsing noise that made her stomach churn and her skin feel unclean.
Something snagged her ankle and with a cry Lily fell to the ground. Not looking behind her, she kicked her leg out, trying to free herself, but the grip only tighten.
Desperate, Lily dragged herself across the floor on her stomach, crawling to the door. The grip on her ankle burned, making her scream, but onward she crawled. She could almost reach it...
The door ahead of her swung inward, revealing a gruesome sight. Severus lay sprawled across the floor, his neck bent at an unnatural angle, blood blooding beneath him from a gash along his throat, limbs lying haphazardly. Behind him, Mary was propped up against the wall, legs splayed obscenely, her clothing in shreds, a frozen look of terror etched into her face but not reaching her hollow empty eyes.
Something grabbed onto her other leg, dragging her backwards with a scream. Pulled harshly to her feet, she was slammed against the nearest wall.
The thing before her was nothing but a black mass of twisting, writhing limbs, hands with dirty fingernails flailing through the air. Those hands latched onto Lily with a vengeance, digging into her skin and drawing blood. More and more hands sprouted from the mass, clawing and tearing at her clothes, leaving them in tattered ribbons on the ground. Lily tried to cry out, but no sound escaped when she opened her mouth. She tried to thrash and kick at her attacker, but it made no difference.
There was a cloying, choking smell in the air, putrid and impure, that hung in the air and made her nostrils burn. The closer the thing leaned into her, the worst it got.
Suddenly the mass started to shift, take shape.
It morphed into Mulciber, his dumb eyes looking unkindly on her as he smirked. It turned into a boy from her potions class, his features warped and wretched with a nasty smile. It turned into Potter, the usual kind gaze in his eyes vacant as he stared lustfully down at her. It turned a man at the local market, no longer a friendly face, but into a frightening image of violence.
It turned into Remus. Dear, sweet Remus who would never hurt her.
It turned into Peter; someone so skittish and timid he couldn't hurt someone if he tried.
It turned into Frank, Aice's boyfriend, a boy born to uphold all that was good in the world.
It turned into Avery, his lustful, hateful eyes boring into her own as he snickered wickedly.
{page break}
"Sev," a voice whispered softly, "Sev, wake up."
Severus shifted in his sleep, his face scrunching up.
"Sev!" the whisper became harsher.
Severus opened his eyes. Kneeling next to the sofa was Lily, her face shadowed by the glow of the fireplace behind her. She had a quilt from the guestroom wrapped around her shoulders. "Are you awake?"
"I am now," Severus answered, struggling to sit up, Baskerville snuffled in his sleep and rolled over on Severus's legs.
"What are you doing up?" Severus inquired.
"Couldn't sleep," Lily said, her eyes downcast.
"Another nightmare?" Severus asked.
Lily just nodded.
Wordlessly, Severus reached out and pulled Lily into a hug, rubbing her back.
"Can I sleep here?" Lily asked, her voice muffled against the crook of Severus neck.
"I think Lupin's parents might have some problems with that," Severus told her, pulling back to look at her.
Lily shook her head, "We don't have to cuddled. I just...don't want to be alone. Please? We can spread the blankets out down here on the floor. Just...hold my hand or something."
She stared pleadingly at Severus, her eyes swimming with tears.
Severus hesitated. He looked towards the stairs, up to where he knew Lupin's parents were sound asleep. They weren't going to cuddled, it was completely innocent, right? Surely the Lupins wouldn't mind.
"Okay," he said after a while, "Just let me get situated."
Lily smiled in relief..
Severus slid off the couch, managing to pull his legs free from underneath Baskerville, the dog grumbling and rolling over onto his back, legs tucked up to his body.
Severus pulled his blankets and pillows off the sofa, arranging them on the floor to make a relatively comfy bed. Placing two pillows side by side, he gestured for Lily to make herself comfortable, "Climb in."
Lily slipped under the covers on one side, lying back and looking at Severus expectantly.
Rolling his eyes, Severus got under the blankets and turned on his side, facing Lily, "Happy now?"
"Sev," Lily sing songed, holding one of her hands out of the blankets, wiggling her fingers.
With a sigh, Severus took Lily's hand, their fingers interlocking together.
"Now I'm happy," Lily declared, "Sev...thanks."
Severus managed a small smile, "Anytime."
The pair drifted off to sleep, Baskerville eventually climbing down from the sofa to squeeze himself between them.
Up on the stair landing,, Remus stood silently, having woken up when his sensitive hearing caught Lily on creeping down the stairs. Looking over the railing at the pair, he snorted softly, shaking his head with a fond smile before heading back to bed.
Like I said, not sure if it actually called for the warning, but I thought it best to put it there.
And so we are back to the complicated relationship of Severus and Lily. One in love with the other, and the second putting an unfathomable amount of trust in the former while they navigate the strange life they now find themselves living together.
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