One-shots [Reqs: 5]

Simple

Driving home was simple. Just get in the car, twist the keys, put the car into drive, and pull into the street. T̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶s̶e̶l̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶e̶. Take the long route, past the old warehouse and over the bridge, the one with rusted walls and scuffed concrete. See how the sinking sun glitters over the river? Don't look at it too long, or you'll get in a wreck. You don't want to get in a wreck. You might  f̶i̶n̶a̶l̶l̶y die, and you don't want to die. B̶u̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶b̶a̶d̶,̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶? So, focus on driving. It's getting late. There are stars dotting the sky. H̶o̶w̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶l̶y̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶f̶l̶o̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶m̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶. Sitting at the stop sign, blinking slowly at the passing cars, waiting for them to stop blurring. Go right. Make sure to drive slow, the driveway is not too far from the stop sign. P̶r̶e̶t̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶v̶o̶i̶d̶ ̶g̶o̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶h̶o̶m̶e̶.

Parking the car was simple. Put it into parking, pull the emergency brake, and turn the car off. Step off the gas pedal, press the red button to take off the seatbelt. Make sure to get everything before opening the door. Don't forget to lock the car and check the locks. Jiggle the handles. It's locked. C̶h̶e̶c̶k̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶a̶g̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶c̶r̶a̶s̶t̶i̶n̶a̶t̶e̶. Step away from the car, and start up the stairs onto the porch. Take a few moments to take in the sky. Open the door, and step inside.

Going to bed was simple. Shower, brush your teeth, grab a pair of comfy pajamas. Lock your bedroom door ̶t̶o̶ ̶k̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶. Pull back the blankets and fluff up the pillows. It's important that you're comfortable. The blankets are soft. Stop a moment to savor it. Breathe. It's cold. You have to lay down slowly.  ̶Y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶b̶o̶d̶y̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶h̶u̶r̶t̶s̶. Lay on your back, but don't close your eyes. ̶I̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶s̶a̶f̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶l̶e̶e̶p̶. 

Falling asleep was h̶a̶r̶d simple.  ̶H̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶t̶h̶,̶ ̶i̶g̶n̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶f̶o̶o̶t̶s̶t̶e̶p̶s̶,̶ ̶t̶r̶y̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶s̶ ̶t̶r̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶o̶p̶e̶n̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶d̶o̶o̶r̶,̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶t̶h̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶k̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶,̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶l̶l̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶e̶,̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶g̶o̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶e̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶k̶e̶y̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶?̶ ̶D̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶s̶l̶e̶e̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶k̶e̶,̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶h̶e̶'̶l̶l̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶s̶e̶.̶ ̶K̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶t̶e̶a̶d̶y̶.̶ ̶Y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶l̶e̶e̶p̶i̶n̶g̶.̶ ̶I̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶l̶e̶e̶p̶i̶n̶g̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶u̶c̶h̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶g̶a̶i̶n̶.̶ ̶B̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶i̶e̶,̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶?̶ ̶N̶o̶,̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶.̶ ̶I̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶n̶i̶g̶h̶t̶s̶.̶ ̶K̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶.̶ ̶J̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶t̶h̶e̶,̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶t̶.̶D̶o̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶.̶ ̶D̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶,̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶

Getting up is simple. Put your pajamas back on. Take a shower.  ̶L̶i̶s̶t̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶m̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶'̶s̶ ̶g̶o̶n̶e̶. Get dressed for work, eat breakfast.  ̶N̶o̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶n̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶ ̶s̶l̶i̶c̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶'̶l̶l̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶i̶c̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶h̶e̶'̶l̶l̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶f̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶g̶a̶i̶n̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶l̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶a̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶ ̶p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶b̶r̶e̶a̶d̶. The car keys are where you left them. Pick them up and put them in your pocket. It's cold out. You can still see a few stars. Breathe. Slowly let it out. Step off the porch. Get in the car, start it. Drive to work, and park the car again. Remember to lock it. Always remember to lock it. You never know who you can trust.  ̶Y̶o̶u̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶o̶n̶e̶.

Working is simple. Your coworkers are nice to you. ̶T̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶p̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶. The customers are nice to you. ̶C̶o̶m̶m̶o̶n̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶r̶t̶e̶s̶y̶.̶ ̶Y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶a̶l̶. Break time is okay. They ask if you want to join them, but you just smile and say that you can't, and you'll definitely join them another time. For now, you take out food and eat. When break time is over, you go back to work. Remember to smile. J̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶m̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶k̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶m̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶k̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶m̶i̶l̶e̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶m̶i̶l̶e̶,̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶m̶i̶l̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶k̶a̶y̶. But we both know that it'll never be okay. It'll never be okay again.

But ignoring that is, well, simple.