𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀, 𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦

( tw: unintentional self harm, disordered eating, and medical treatment )

"shh, it's okay baby." debbie soothes you, rubbing small circles on your back. "it's okay, i'm here. i'll always be here."

you cling tighter to debbie, your small cries becoming muffled in her sweatshirt. after a moment, you lift your head slightly off her shoulder, just enough for her to hear you. "i .. i can't lose you too." your voice was barely recognizable. it was hoarse and fragile.

debbie squeezes you tighter. "you won't, honey. you won't."

debbie helps you back into your room, with the breakfast prepared long forgotten at this point. you sit on the edge of your bed, staring at your hands. the bed dips next to you, causing you to glance over, where you see debbie sitting on the green bedspread. she gives you a half-hearted smile. "i'm sorry," you whisper.

"there's nothing to apologize for, kiddo. you're going through a lot right now." debbie gently reassures you. a moment of silence falls between you both before debbie abruptly starts again. "you lied to the social worker." her simple comment makes you swiftly turn toward her.

"i'm sorry debbie, i really am, but i just can't ..." your voice gets caught in your throat. "i've finally started feeling alive. i can't imagine doing any of this without you." you look up at debbie with teary eyes.

"you shouldn't be put in a position where you have to lie to protect me, (y/n)."

"but i've done it many times before, debbie! i know that nonno and my father were involved in that type of business. i've been questioned by police about it a couple of times. it's the family business--"

debbie shakes her head. "honey, you're only seventeen years old. it's not fair."

"life isn't fair debbie," you plead. your voice drops down to a silent whisper, "please don't send me away."

debbie feels a jolt of shock in her body, snapping her head toward you. "i would never send you away, (y/n)." she sincerely states. "you are my family and it's my job to watch over you -- to keep you safe. your nonno trusted me to do it, there's no way i'm not going to."

"r-really?"

debbie clasps her hand over yours, giving it a tender squeeze. "really, my sweet girl."

"then why are you talking about the heist?" you inquire with an arched eyebrow.

she gently pats your hand, her manicured nails gently grazing over your fingers. "i wanted you to know that we stopped all the plans for the upcoming heist. we're going to wait until things calm down and you're older."

"you don't have to do all of this for me, debbie." your sad eyes interlock with debbie's. "i know you think you have to because you're my legal guardian, but you really do not have to."

"it's sweet of you to say that, honey. but i'm choosing to do this because you are way more valuable than any heist in the world. even everyone downstairs agrees with me." you give debbie a small nod, acknowledging her sentiment to you, but also because you didn't have enough fight left in you to challenge her kind words. your head gently falls onto her shoulder. debbie sweetly smiles down at you. "no smart response?"

you glare up at her with narrowed eyes. "don't tempt me."

you lock the bathroom door behind you, your nimble fingers finding the hair tie holding your hair up. you let your hair fall over your shoulders while turning on the bath faucet. you plug the white porcelain tub, adding a lavender scented bubble mixture into the running water.