I broke the mirror (if only you picked up the pieces...)

She hasn’t come out of that room for hours…this was out of the ordinary, even for her.

Coral had never seen something similar before. Out of all the people she had ever met, she’s seen plenty of breakdowns, plenty of clients snapping at her…but this? She was not prepared for this.

This had started because Coral made a joke. Something small. Something normal. ENA’s laughter had glitched halfway through, and she had gone meanie again, smile on one side, silent fury on the other. Then she left the room.

She approached the door and knocked once, gently. “ENA…?”

…silence.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I…I didn’t know that would set you off like that.”

Strange sounds came from the other side of the door - glitched, garbled…they almost made Coral perk up in alarm, out of worry for ENA…

She stayed by the door a little longer, hoping, willing, some response to break through the silence.

"ENA, please…just talk to me." Coral murmured. Her voice cracked with the weight of frustration and fear. "I didn’t mean for it to go this way. I just…I made a joke."

Another minute passed. Then another.

Just as she was about to turn away, a sharp thump struck the other side of the door. Coral flinched.

“ENA?” she whispered.

Another thud. And then the sound of something dragging across the floor. Something heavy.

Her pulse spiked. “ENA, are you…are you okay? Please, just say something.”

And then: a voice.

“I don’t want to be a joke.”

It was distorted. Glitched. The syllables dragged like they were being yanked underwater. The dark tone of ENA’s voice, murky and hard-edged.

“I know, ENA…” Coral said, voice trembling. “I know, and I wasn’t laughing at you. I just wanted to make you smile. I'm sorry.”

“Well you’re not very good at it.” ENA growled from behind the door. “If you wanted someone stable, you shouldn’t have chosen me. ”

Those words hit Coral like a slap. She could hear the cogs grinding in her own head.

“I didn’t choose you because you were stable!” she shot back, louder than she meant. “I chose you because I care about you. Because I want you. Even when you spiral. Even when it’s hard. Doesn’t that matter?”

There was a pause. Coral thought- hoped, that maybe, finally, she was getting through.

Then came ENA’s reply: soft, sarcastic, a tired echo.
“Congratulations. You’ve adopted a crisis.”

Coral staggered back a step. Her breath caught in her throat.

“I didn’t come here to fix you…” she said, her voice starting to shake. “But I can’t keep doing this if I’m the only one trying.”

No reply this time.

The silence pressed against her like a wall. ENA was still on the other side, but emotionally, she felt a thousand miles away.

Coral clenched her fists. Her throat tightened. Her eyes burned.

“I need…I need a second.” Coral whispered. “I’m going to the couch. Just…please come out when you’re ready.”

She took a breath and stepped away, feeling the emotional pressure claw at her ribs. But as soon as her footsteps began to fade from the hallway…

“Wait!”

It was sharp. Panicked. ENA’s voice cracked at the edges, layered and distorted.

Coral froze.

“You’re leaving…” ENA said, the accusation low, but trembling. “That’s what this is. You’re leaving me. Isn't it? You're…you're finally tired of me!”

Coral turned halfway back toward the door. “No, I’m not leaving you. I just…I need space. Just a minute.”

“But that’s what people say before they do. ” ENA’s voice glitched, fluttered, tried to stay steady. “They say it like it’s small, like it’s not the same thing, but it is. You're leaving…you're gonna leave me here…”

The sound of her shifting behind the door; closer. A soft thud, as if she sat down right against it.

“You’re like all the others…” she muttered. “You try to be patient. You act like I’m not hard to be around. And then one day, your patience is gonna crack. Today was the day, was it not? I-I'm sorry, Coral. I take it all back. I'm sorry. Please forget about this…”

Coral’s eyes closed. Her hand hovered at her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. She’s never heard her be like this, she was always so…harsh and rude and…not like this.

“It doesn’t work like that, ENA. I’m not them.” she said, trying to keep her voice soft, but firm. “But I’m not made of stone either. I need a second so I can keep being here.”

If she kept entertaining this, ENA would just get worse. Standing her ground may help the both of them.

Silence again. Only for a beat.

“…That’s when they shun me away.” ENA whispered.

Coral blinked.

“That’s when they shoo me away. Pray for my punishment. Wish for my disappearance.” She laughed, but it was hollow, frayed at the ends. “Maybe it’s better that way.”

“NO.” 

Coral snapped before she could stop herself. “Don’t you dare say that.” Her fists trembled. “You think I want some sterilized, perfect version of you? You think I’d go through all of this if I didn’t care about you - just as you are?”

A glitchy gasp from behind the door.

“I don’t know what people care about,” ENA said, her words barely above a mumble. “Not really. I just try to reflect what they want. What you want. But if I’m wrong …”

Her voice cracked akin to static.

“…then I’m just something people leave.”

Coral’s heart sank. She stepped forward again, resting her palm flat against the wooden door.

“I’m not leaving.” she told her in a quiet voice. “I’m right here. I’m just tired. I'm overwhelmed. This has happened far too many times…I can't bear to have this happen again. To you, to us. I can't. I’ll sit on that couch and wait as long as you need me to, but I won’t walk through that door. Not unless you do it first.”

Nothing came through for a long moment. Then Coral heard the faintest sound, like ENA had leaned her head against the door too.

A single sniffle, glitched but unmistakably alive.

That was when Coral finally stepped away; not out of rejection, but out of love. Giving ENA space while showing she was still nearby…still choosing her.

She backed away slowly. One foot, then the other. As soon as she turned the corner and dropped onto the couch, her composure shattered. Her hands flew to her face. Her breathing was uneven. She didn’t want ENA to see her like this. Maybe that’s why ENA never came out when she was like this. Because being seen broken was unbearable.

“I’m tired…” Coral whispered to no one, “No more, I can't do this no more…”

She blinked back the feeling that she was failing again. This kept happening. Episodes. Outbursts. Spirals. And every time, Coral wanted to be the steady one. The anchor. But it never felt like enough. Every time this happened, she could feel her patience slowly chip off. Bit by bit. She had no idea what she was going to do once ENA inevitably pushed her over the edge. 

It was something so stupid… but to ENA, it wasn't. To ENA, this was a big deal. So she made a big deal out of it.

Coral lowered her face into her hands. “I’m trying…” she whispered, mostly to herself. “I swear, I’m trying so hard.”

whirr-click, whirr-click, fzzzzzht.

A thin fax reel unspooled from her head, right in the middle where her hair parted. 

Once Coral had found the strength to notice the fax paper, she grabbed it, and her tired eyes read through those words, written in a pitch black ink that moved as if it had a mind of its own.

[PATCH AVAILABLE]
ENA - Estimated emotional stability improvement: 87%

The text dissolved into images; first, a 2D grid of functions and bullet points: Reduces emotional volatility, Smooths interpersonal logic jumps, Eliminates non-functional spirals, Normalizes affection thresholds…

From the center of the fax the ink moved and changed shape to a rotating, drawn model of ENA, smiling softly, perfectly symmetrical. No flicker, no blur, no trouble. Her limbs moved with machine grace. 

Coral’s throat tightened.

This version of ENA didn’t look hurt. Didn’t look difficult. She looked like someone who knew how to be held. How to be loved. How to make friends.

Her gaze dropped to the re-forming words on the edge of the paper:

Would you like to install now?
☐ Yes
☐ No

Coral froze, her heartbeat in her ears.

Was this help? Was this betrayal?

ENA didn’t even have a choice. If Coral wanted to do this…she could, without even asking her.

Was this how much ENAs mattered to others? They didn’t even get a choice? Just a task, a job?

She wasn’t even sure what ENA was. A robot? A machine? A programmed entity? 

She could feel the orange of her corals fade out when she saw that this fax was signed by the boss himself. How was this possible? He wasn’t even born yet…was he?

No. No, no, no. This had to be some kind of trick. A cruel game her mind was playing on her again. ENA wasn’t…she wasn’t just a mindless entity. Not some hollow thing that could be programmed, switched on and off, controlled.

She chose things. She laughed, got angry, made mistakes. She had quirks. Preferences. She had favorite foods. She sleeps, has dreams. She hugged back whenever embraced. Her limbs relaxed when she held her.

…she wished she could hold her right now.

Coral's eyes stung with tears. From her cheeks they fell, onto the paper, smudging the image of that perfect ENA drawn on paper.

Easier to talk to. Easier to love.

She'll feel better. They will both feel better.

…No. Coral tossed the paper in her hand away, not even looking at where it landed.

She looked again at the door, the silence behind it loud enough to hum.

She didn’t want to fix ENA.

She just wanted her to come out.

On the other side of the door, ENA trembled. Her vision shimmered with static as her thoughts fractured into sharp, spiraling fragments. She couldn’t believe Coral had said that. No… she didn’t want to believe it . The words echoed through her like a broken record, looping over and over, growing louder with every repetition.

She doesn’t want me. She’s tired of me. She wants out.

Her jaw clenched. Her fists balled tight. She paced in circles before collapsing to her knees, the sound of her uneven breathing glitching in and out of her mouth like faulty audio. The red side of her face was frozen in its mockery of calm, while the lighter half twitched, contorted, warped in rage and disbelief.

“How could she-!” ENA snarled through clenched teeth, grabbing at her hair. Her hands clawed through the strands, yanking hard. They snapped apart in her grasp like broken code, floating, disappearing into flickering particles. Her scream glitched out halfway through, distorting into static and echo.

She needed to do something. Smash something. Prove she was real , not just some weird little thing Coral could pity or fix. She stumbled to her feet and threw a towel across the room. It was soft, useless. Not enough.

Her form glitched violently, limbs contorting and stiffening, her voice pitching up and down as if both sides were trying to speak over one another. She kicked over a stool. Shoved medicine off a nearby shelf. Her entire body was a chaotic blur now; code unraveling, restitching, slipping out of control. Her face cracked, pink liquid oozing out.

“Why would she say that? Why would she say that ?!” Her voice contorted mid-sentence, leaping in pitch before skipping altogether, caught in a loop of pain and disbelief.

Her pacing turned frantic. Her limbs twitched, her movements stuttered, and her form glitched with every breath she took. Finally, she lurched toward the bathroom mirror, its frame trembling slightly in her wake as the distortion around her grew stronger.

She stared at herself.

The warped reflection flickered back at her- Her visage was not dual-colored anymore, instead showing an unnerving shade of green. Her eyes sunk into her face, leaving only two mismatched irises staring at the abyss in her reflection’s pupils. Her face stuttered in and out of symmetry- She couldn’t even tell what she was anymore.

“This is why no one stays…” she whispered. 

Her hands clenched at her sides, glitching in and out of form. The longer she stared, the more monstrous her image became; fragmented, wrong. Like a malformed shadow trying to mimic a person. Like someone pretending to understand love.

“Don’t reflect me….”

With a burst of rage, ENA screamed, raw and fragmented, and drove her fist into the mirror.

The glass shattered instantly, spreading out from the point of impact in a loud CRACK. Shards rained down to the tiles, tiny reflections of her broken self now scattered all over the floor.

She stood there, hand bleeding, glitching in and out…staring at what remained.

So many pieces. So many versions of her.

Not one of them was lovable.

Coral was practically dying inside. She couldn’t believe she almost considered patching ENA…

What she feels can’t be changed with a single patch, she’s not something that is so easily fixable, she’s not a toy, an object…to Coral, she’s not. She could cry and scream until her voice processor gave out, she could hug her so tight her breath would hitch, laugh so heartily and hold her so close…something that cannot think for itself cannot do any of that.

Coral drew in a shaky breath, trying to calm the churn of panic inside her. She just had to wait, had to trust that ENA would come out of the bathroom in her own time. Maybe she just needed a moment alone.

and then she heard it.

CRASH.

The sound hit Coral like lightning. Instinct flared, sending her leaping up from the couch, eyes wide with dread.

“ENA?!”

No answer.

Her panic spiked. ENA might be hurt. She couldn’t just wait.

“ENA!” Coral rushed to the bathroom, pounding on the door with a desperate force. “ENA, talk to me! Open the door!”

She grabbed for the doorknob, twisting hard…it was locked.

Her voice nearly broke. “ENA! Open the door NOW!!”

She was already bracing to kick the door down.

“ENA!! OPEN THE DOOR!!!”

Just as Coral lunged forward, ready to break the door open with her shoulder, she heard the soft click of the lock turning. The door cracked open, and there stood ENA…

…but Coral’s momentum was unstoppable.

“Wait- ENA, WATCH OUT!”

But the warning came too late.

Coral crashed straight into her, sending them both sprawling to the floor in a tangled heap.

…

“Urgh…E…ENA…” Coral groaned, pushing herself up on shaky elbows, eyes scanning ENA in a panic.

At first glance, ENA seemed fine, her skin back to its usual split of vibrant red and white, nothing visibly broken, nothing bleeding…but something was wrong…very wrong.

She just stood there, limp, her mouth parted, in her wide eyes a flickering, distorted static that buzzed through the silent room.

she crashed.

Coral’s heart sank, her breath caught in her throat, the quiet static of ENA’s frozen code louder than any scream.

“no…oh no…”

Terror surged through her as she scooped the saleswoman into her arms, her hat falling off of her head. ENA felt heavy, her limp arms dangling, her body sprawled against the cold tiles.

“ENA!” Coral shook her frantically. “ENA, say something!”

Just then, Coral’s eyes widened at a familiar sound. She looked up…

Kero-kero! Kero-kero!

Snatching up the cup and cord, she pressed it to her ear.

“Coral Glasses! You—”

“ENA CRASHED!” Coral blurted, making Froggy yelp on the other end.

“I can hear you just fine without the shouting, you know!? Ugh…what now? ENA causing you more trouble again?”

“Yes! I mean—no! No, no…actually, it’s my fault this time…” Coral’s voice shook as she fought the urge to just curl up on the bathroom floor and bawl her eyes out. “I…I was playing around with her, and a joke went over her head. She got upset, snapped at me, and locked herself in the bathroom. Then she had a breakdown. I told her I wouldn’t talk to her until she calmed down, but that just made things worse! Now she’s broken the mirror, I thought she hurt herself…I-I tried to get inside-”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down.” Froggy interrupted, his tone superior and condescending. “You’re acting like this is a big deal. I’ve seen her crash way worse than this. Honestly, how do you even manage to deal with her and not know she does this? Just give her system a minute to reboot and she’ll be fine…well, as fine as she gets.”

“I-I’m sorry…She never acted like this with me…”

“And now she did. Treat yourself to one of her lovely post-crash moping sessions.”

click!

“…”

With a frustrated groan, Coral yanked the string from the cup, the force tearing a hole through it before hurling it across the room. She buried her face in her hands and let out a muffled scream, the sound muted against her palms.

Why did everything have to happen to her? Why was she always the one who had to deal with this?

Her breath hitched as she exhaled shakily, eyes drifting down to her legs. The cup had landed right between them, the torn hole rendering it useless.

She picked it up with unsteady hands, turning it over as her hiccups softened.

This was how ENA felt; broken. Worthless. Like all she was good for, was her intended purpose…and even then…the way others treated her…

…The thought made tears prick sharply at the corners of her eyes.

Coral gathered herself to get up, and with ENA in her arms, she made her way out of the bathroom to set her limp body down on the couch.

…She needed a smoke.

Coral snatched the cigarette pack from the coffee table and lit one with her pocket lighter before stepping outside, shutting the door softly behind her.

ENA had never acted like this before. Was it the job wearing her down? Did she really need that update after all? Coral wasn’t sure anymore. She only wanted to fix her gaze on the horizon and let it be the only thing that mattered, if only for this moment. Even if her hands were still shaking, even if tears were streaming down her face. 

She cared for ENA, she really did. At first, she didn’t; she found her annoying, rather. But the more she spoke with her, the more she found out there was a world inside. The more she saw her, the more she wanted to know. It felt like a secret only she knew.

If only it was easier…if only she was easier.

Even that girl that she hired, Taski Maiden…? Was that her name? Probably. She spoke so lowly of ENA, even though Coral was more than certain that ENA’s bolts were fastened tighter than that lady’s. 

Coral took another slow drag, letting the smoke curl upward into the cooling air. It stung her throat, but she welcomed the burn. Anything was better than the knot twisting in her chest.

She thought about the way Taski had smirked, those little critters in her aguayo shaking their heads whenever ENA’s name came up. It made Coral’s blood prickle under her skin. Taski didn’t see ENA the way she did. No one really did.

It wasn’t just about loyalty…more like…recognition. Coral had seen the small, quiet moments no one else bothered to notice. The way ENA would mix words to find the right one, or always talk in metaphors…

But lately…those moments felt rarer. Replaced by something different. Coral didn’t know if it was exhaustion, or wear, or just the slow erosion that came from being alive too long without a break.

Her cigarette burned low. She pressed the butt out against the railing, flicking the ash into the breeze. She wanted to tell ENA she was still there, still on her side; but lately, she couldn’t even tell if ENA would listen.

And yet…she still wanted to try.

…There wasn’t much more to say, or to think about. And Coral thought it was best that way.

She turned around, twisting the doorknob open to return to the warmth of her apartment…

when her eyes locked onto ENA in horror.

She was awake…she was doing well, but…the thing she was holding…

the paper that Coral forgot to dispose of.

“W-what…?” ENA looked like she had been reading that paper for at least a dozen times.

“E-ENA- wait- t-this isn’t what it looks like-” Coral tried to evade the inevitable, putting her hands up, but that only made ENA’s grievances shift onto her.

“Ohhh, of course it isn’t,” ENA said, her tone dripping venom. “...Because it just coincidentally looks EXACTLY like it is!” ENA shot up to her feet, shoving the paper into Coral’s face, making it crinkle under the pressure of her claws. “This, THIS , is what you want to do to me?! What, you think I’m some kind of toy you can tinker with ?!” With a sharp, splintering crack, ENA tore the paper in half, again, and again, turning it to smithereens that scattered on the ground. “NO! Not a CHANCE! What do you even think I am ? And you still expect me to buy that you’re different from management?!”

“No no no, ENA, wait, please , let me explain–” Coral squeaked, hands flying up to shield her face.

“Ohhh, of course ! the classic ‘please let me explain’ line!” ENA drawled, her tone razor-sharp. “If you hated me, you could have just said so!” She grabbed Coral’s wrist, yanking her hands down so she could stare straight into her eyes. “But nooo, apparently even you think you’re above basic communication! Just send me straight to HR next time will you?!”

“I-I’ve tried , ENA! I do try to talk to you, but you get like this! I thought this might make you feel better!” Coral pleaded, voice shaking.

“ Better ? This–” ENA flung her free hand toward the shredded mess on the floor, “–this is your idea of better? What’s next, a fruit basket and a pink slip?!”

“NO! IT’S NOT! IT’S NOT, ALRIGHT? I’M SORRY! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY TO YOU?!” Coral’s voice cracked as she finally snapped. “I’M SORRY!”

“SORRY?” ENA barked out a bitter laugh. “Ohhh, wonderful- thank you for your verbal sticky note ! I’ll just file that in the trash with all the other empty apologies!”

By now, their voices were bouncing  off the walls; they were way past talking. This was turning into a full-on screaming match.

“Please, just stop !” Coral pleaded, desperation staining her voice. “I didn’t sign anything ! I wouldn’t have! Not without your permission! Why else would it be lying on the ground when you found it? Please, ENA, just think for a second!” She was running out of breath, her words tumbling over each other in frustration as she tried, for the umpteenth time, to be the voice of reason.

“Ohhh, think ? You want me to think ?” ENA scoffed, drawing herself up like she was about to deliver a quarterly report. “Let’s review the evidence, shall we? Exhibit A: a shiny little document with my name on it. Exhibit B: your guilty little face. Exhibit C: your stellar track record of ‘trust me, it’s fine.’” She spread her arms in mock presentation. “Gee, wonder why I’m not exactly sold here!”

“That’s not fair!” Coral shot back, but ENA was already pacing, her claws gesturing like she was speaking to an incompetent intern.

“Not fair? Oh no, no, Coral, what’s not fair is finding out my so-called ‘partner’ is apparently running her own little side project in sabotage. Do you know how that looks? I’ll tell you; like bad PR .” She stopped, glaring, her voice not even above a growl. “And I don’t do bad PR.”

“ENA, that’s not what this is–”

“Really? Because from where I’m standing, this looks like a hostile takeover. And you? You want to replace me, that’s what the paper says.” She leaned in, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “Newsflash, sweetheart: you don’t replace me. You don’t get to ‘update’ me like I’m outdated hardware. And you sure as hell don’t get to play innocent when you’re caught red-handed.”

“I’m telling you I never wanted to do that, please ENA just LISTEN!” Coral didn’t even bother hiding her tears anymore, her frustration reaching levels she didn’t even think were possible for her to reach. “If I wanted to sign it I would have DONE SO ALREADY!”

“…” ENA grew silent at that, daggers staring Coral right in the eyes. “Oh, bravo.” ENA finally hissed, her words poisoned with vitriol. “You’ve cracked the mystery, Coral. Such a clever little detective, sniffing out the obvious.” She tilted her head, smirking in a way that felt more like a threat than amusement. “But forgive me if I don’t clap for your big performance. You do love a dramatic scene, don’t you?”

Coral’s throat tightened. “I’m not performing-”

“Oh, of course not,” ENA cut in, her voice sliding sharper. “You’re suffering. Poor, poor Coral. Everyone’s so mean to you, aren’t they? Except…” She leaned in, eyes narrowing. “…it’s funny how people who never want to hurt anyone always manage to leave such a…delightful mess behind.”

“W-What are you insinuating?” Coral’s eyes narrowed in return, as if she felt offended by ENA’s statement.

“Struck a nerve, didn’t I?” She gave her a cocky smirk.

“You’ve STRUCK my nerves EVER SINCE THAT STUPID JOKE FLEW OVER YOUR HEAD.” Coral was the one that was angry now. She walked up to ENA, pointing a finger at her chest. “All of this happened because of YOU. I got that fax paper BECAUSE OF YOUR MISDEMEANOR.” She raised her voice. “ NO ONE brought this upon you BUT YOURSELF. Yet you’re always, ALWAYS blaming the nearest person. Take a GOOD LOOK at yourself, ENA.”

“Oh, so now you’re saying this is all my fault?!” ENA tried to bite back.

“YES I AM.” Coral’s tone was inflexible, it cut through ENA’s voice before it could rise again. “I TRY to help you, TRY to bend over backwards for you, and you STILL find ways to be UNHAPPY! I WANT you to be loved, ENA!” her voice shook, but her eyes burned, “But you are making it so damn difficult right now. ”

“DIFFICULT?! I AM THE—”

“YES, ENA! YES YOU ARE!” Coral’s voice cracked like a whip. “I apologized, I told you I was sorry, DEAL WITH IT!”

“…”

“…”

…their breaths were ragged in the stillness of the apartment.

ENA’s expression broke into something that was clear as day.

she fucked up. big time.

“…Coral…I-I’m…I-”

“i can’t keep loving you like this.”

It wasn’t shouted, or sharp. It was a muted, dull, flat admission. It crushed the air out of the room.

ENA froze, her mouth still half-formed around an apology that suddenly felt useless, while Coral’s shoulders trembled. Not from rage, but from the weight of what she just admitted. For the first time all night, neither of them knew what to say next.

“F-Forget the papers- I-I…I’m sorry, Coral, I…I w-wanna make it up to you, how can I…”

“do whatever you want.” Coral backed away from the saleswoman, her eyes hidden behind her glasses’ reflection. “i’m going to bed.” 

Her steps were slow, their dullness louder than any of the screams they had thrown at each other. Suddenly, ENA grabbed her wrist, trying to stop her.

“Wait, please- I’m sorry…”

“let go.” Coral tried to tug her wrist away. “please just let go.”

Instead, ENA pulled her into a hug. Coral didn’t hug back, she just…stood there. 

She was so tired.

“I-I want you to forgive me…h-how can I make you forgive me…?” ENA’s feminine voice wasn’t rough or angry anymore…it was almost…meek. “Please…I want things to go back to normal…”

Coral took a minute to reply, as ENA desperately scanned her features to try and find something, anything, that could reassure her.

“you can’t.” She finally replied, flatly. “you can’t make me forgive you. that’s not how it works.”

ENA’s panic grew, silently. She opened her mouth to say something but, she thought better of it, remaining in silence.

“it requires time, ENA.” She continued, the abyss in her eyes staring back at the saleswoman. “and if you truly mean what you’re saying…you’ll allow me that time. without pushing. without trying to control how i feel.”

ENA swallowed hard, her arrogance and anger long gone. She had no idea what to say.

Coral finally wiggled herself out of the hug and sank onto the couch, elbows on her knees, pressing her trembling hands together. ENA stood there, awkward and unsure like a dog out in the rain, not knowing if she’d be allowed inside.

Then, slowly, she lowered herself beside Coral. She didn’t touch her, didn’t say anything…just sat there as if Coral’s last slivers of patience were something sacred.

After what felt like hours, Coral’s voice came, a little less flat. “…I don’t hate you, ENA.”

Something in ENA’s shoulders loosened. She swallowed hard, eyes stinging. “…Then can I–” she hesitated, almost flinching at her own boldness, “…can I stay here? Next to you?”

Coral didn’t answer with words. She just leaned into ENA, resting her head against her shoulder. It wasn’t forgiveness, not like ENA would take it as such, not yet…but it was permission.

ENA’s breath shook as she wrapped an arm around her, holding her carefully. 

“…I’m not going anywhere.” Coral finally murmured.

For the first time that night, ENA finally believed her.

And that was enough.