LJ Idol, Week 7: "Hikikomori"
Aug. 25th, 2024 01:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roina_arwenIt had been exciting, at first, being alone in her own head, with no underlying echo of her sister. She had felt lighter, and oddly free, as if a weight she hadn't known she was carrying had been lifted off. Ember had relished the sensation at the time, but lately she had begun to miss Aisling's calm presence, the solidity and unity she had taken for granted in her life. Losing their twin-bond suddenly felt like a cozy sweater being ripped off her shoulders.
The world was definitely colder without her sister. Six weeks ago, Aisling decided it was time to “find her true self,” or so she had said. She abruptly packed some clothes and essentials into a few small bags, grabbed a wad of cash from the safe, pocketed her car keys, and left. She even went so far as to turn her phone's tracking feature off. With the exception of one brief email, Ember hadn't heard from her since, and it worried her.
Slowly, Ember had turned her view inward.
She realized she needed time to focus on herself. Although it was hard to admit, Ember didn't know how to proceed without Aisling by her side – they had worked so well as a team, as twins, her own dark yin complementing Aisling's bright yang.
Without Aisling's influence, Ember's darkness had taken over. She was drowning in it.
Ember groaned as a bright beam of morning sun struck her in the eyes. She pushed a button to lower the drapes another foot and burrowed further under her blanket. Leaving her room, even just getting out of bed each day, had become harder to deal with. It wasn't healthy to stay so isolated, but she needed this alone time right now. Ember had to re-center herself, find her own path back into society at large. She wasn't ready to leave her safe little cocoon just yet.
She nestled back into her warm bed and slept deeply.
A few hours later, there was a buzz at her door. Ember rolled over and checked the time – nearly noon. She fumbled around for a moment to find the comm button. “Hello?”
“Ember, honey, can I come in?” Her father sounded worried. “I brought you some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.”
“And fries?” Ember asked, pulling herself into a sitting position. Her stomach growled.
“Yes, crispy crinkle fries,” he replied with a chuckle. “What, do you think it's my first day on the job?”
She released the lock and he let himself in, carefully placing the overloaded tray on the table in her sitting room. There was enough food on it for both of them. “I thought I'd join you for lunch, if you don't mind?”
Ember sat on the edge of the bed, secured her long hair into a loose ponytail, and put her slippers on. She stretched, straightened her blue pajamas, and shuffled over to the table. “Thanks.”
He sat opposite her, poured hot soup out of a carafe into two large mugs, and handed her a plate with crinkle fries nestled within two diagonally cut halves of golden grilled cheese, like Pac-Man getting ready to chow down on crispy ghosts.
Ember couldn't help but smile at the simile. She sipped her soup, nibbled a few fries, and waited for her father to speak.
He adjusted his glasses, took a bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly. “You know, there's nothing wrong with wanting to take some time for yourself, get your feet back under you. Losing Aisling has been hard on all of us, but I know she'll return when she's ready.”
He leaned forward, and gently grasped his daughter's hand.
Ember nodded, not meeting her father's worried gaze. She was trying very hard not to cry. It had been a while since Ember had felt the need for physical contact.
“Back when I was a teenager,” Edward continued, “I didn't have a choice but to isolate for nearly a whole year – there was a world-wide pandemic going on. But you... you have a choice, and your mom and I are here for you, whenever you want or need to talk. We love you, honey.”
“I know,” Ember replied, finally raising her eyes to meet his. “I love you too.”
They finished their meal in silence, both dipping their fries into their tomato soup. Like father, like daughter.
“Will you come down to lunch tomorrow?” Edward asked hopefully.
Ember shrugged as she put her dishes on the tray. “Maybe? No promises.”
Edward nodded, stood, and gathered up the tray. He kissed her on the forehead. “Whenever you're ready. Mom and I love you, Ember. Very much.”
“I love you more.”
“Impossible,” he replied with a grin and their catchphrase. “Because I love you most.”
Ember watched her father leave, then headed back to bed. Just as she got comfortable, her phone beeped. She glanced at it, and abruptly sat up. It was from Aisling! She read the brief text, eager for news. It would be cryptic to anyone else, but Ember understood, and smiled slightly.
She wouldn't be ready for lunch downstairs tomorrow, but soon. Very, very soon.
The world was definitely colder without her sister. Six weeks ago, Aisling decided it was time to “find her true self,” or so she had said. She abruptly packed some clothes and essentials into a few small bags, grabbed a wad of cash from the safe, pocketed her car keys, and left. She even went so far as to turn her phone's tracking feature off. With the exception of one brief email, Ember hadn't heard from her since, and it worried her.
Slowly, Ember had turned her view inward.
She realized she needed time to focus on herself. Although it was hard to admit, Ember didn't know how to proceed without Aisling by her side – they had worked so well as a team, as twins, her own dark yin complementing Aisling's bright yang.
Without Aisling's influence, Ember's darkness had taken over. She was drowning in it.
Ember groaned as a bright beam of morning sun struck her in the eyes. She pushed a button to lower the drapes another foot and burrowed further under her blanket. Leaving her room, even just getting out of bed each day, had become harder to deal with. It wasn't healthy to stay so isolated, but she needed this alone time right now. Ember had to re-center herself, find her own path back into society at large. She wasn't ready to leave her safe little cocoon just yet.
She nestled back into her warm bed and slept deeply.
A few hours later, there was a buzz at her door. Ember rolled over and checked the time – nearly noon. She fumbled around for a moment to find the comm button. “Hello?”
“Ember, honey, can I come in?” Her father sounded worried. “I brought you some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.”
“And fries?” Ember asked, pulling herself into a sitting position. Her stomach growled.
“Yes, crispy crinkle fries,” he replied with a chuckle. “What, do you think it's my first day on the job?”
She released the lock and he let himself in, carefully placing the overloaded tray on the table in her sitting room. There was enough food on it for both of them. “I thought I'd join you for lunch, if you don't mind?”
Ember sat on the edge of the bed, secured her long hair into a loose ponytail, and put her slippers on. She stretched, straightened her blue pajamas, and shuffled over to the table. “Thanks.”
He sat opposite her, poured hot soup out of a carafe into two large mugs, and handed her a plate with crinkle fries nestled within two diagonally cut halves of golden grilled cheese, like Pac-Man getting ready to chow down on crispy ghosts.
Ember couldn't help but smile at the simile. She sipped her soup, nibbled a few fries, and waited for her father to speak.
He adjusted his glasses, took a bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly. “You know, there's nothing wrong with wanting to take some time for yourself, get your feet back under you. Losing Aisling has been hard on all of us, but I know she'll return when she's ready.”
He leaned forward, and gently grasped his daughter's hand.
Ember nodded, not meeting her father's worried gaze. She was trying very hard not to cry. It had been a while since Ember had felt the need for physical contact.
“Back when I was a teenager,” Edward continued, “I didn't have a choice but to isolate for nearly a whole year – there was a world-wide pandemic going on. But you... you have a choice, and your mom and I are here for you, whenever you want or need to talk. We love you, honey.”
“I know,” Ember replied, finally raising her eyes to meet his. “I love you too.”
They finished their meal in silence, both dipping their fries into their tomato soup. Like father, like daughter.
“Will you come down to lunch tomorrow?” Edward asked hopefully.
Ember shrugged as she put her dishes on the tray. “Maybe? No promises.”
Edward nodded, stood, and gathered up the tray. He kissed her on the forehead. “Whenever you're ready. Mom and I love you, Ember. Very much.”
“I love you more.”
“Impossible,” he replied with a grin and their catchphrase. “Because I love you most.”
Ember watched her father leave, then headed back to bed. Just as she got comfortable, her phone beeped. She glanced at it, and abruptly sat up. It was from Aisling! She read the brief text, eager for news. It would be cryptic to anyone else, but Ember understood, and smiled slightly.
She wouldn't be ready for lunch downstairs tomorrow, but soon. Very, very soon.
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Date: 2024-08-28 10:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-08-28 09:50 pm (UTC)