"Wanna talk about it?", you asked into the dark silence.

Vi had retreated to her own bed. Curled up and clutching the pillow she had earned that morning, her back was turned towards you.

Even though it was dead silent there was still that small whimper in every breath she took. Almost as if there was something to suppress that slowly made its way into light.

You knew that feeling all too well. It had been everything that had accompanied you the first few months down in this hellhole.

No, that wasn't quite right. Even though you were in the lower levels for a good chunk of your life by now it hadn't always been this way. You once had started out in the surface levels.

But by now they were nothing but blurry memories.

What did sunlight feel like?

You couldn't really remember that either. Or the smell of air that did not travel miles through ventilation systems. The stench of streets and other people. Crowded places.

Everything felt like lost memories that started to fade away further with every breath you took down in Stillwater Hold Prison.

"It's just old ghosts...", Vi's voice was as rough as a shot of whiskey that had been standing in the open air for a few days.

Emotions echoed in every word she said. And it was obvious that it wasn't just old ghosts. For her it was still very much reality.

"Ghosts can be haunting.", you didn't know why you said that but it made you chuckle at your own cheesiness.

Confused, Vi stopped sulking and threw a glance over her shoulder. It took a few moments before she managed to regain her smart words.

"What the...", she just muttered.

Still smiling with amusement you wiped your face to regain some of that composure she was so used to. Only to fail. This was a day like any other and yet you were strangely pleased.

So much so that it made you chuckle without being forced to or negative intent such as mockery. It was just a small sound of happiness.

Happiness that did not come easy down here.

Poor Vi on the other hand was not so thrilled to witness this. After all she had come to know you as a woman full of threats, none of them empty.

It not only visibly confused her to see you so carefree in this moment but there was also a slim spark of fear visible in the rainy blue of her eyes.

"C'mon, kid.", you rolled your eyes still a little huffing with amusement. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not a monster. Well... not always, that is."

A slight flinch tugged at one corner of her lips. Even though it was quite dark in the cell you could have sworn that her cheeks slightly changed in colour, more rosy and vibrant.

"I was never scared of you...", she muttered with a slight smirk as she turned on her bed to face you from afar.

With a slight shrug of your shoulders you turned as well. Now you were both facing each other. It felt strangely close yet she was so far away. Far out of reach.

"It's best to stay away from the scary things down here.", you said.

Somehow your brain couldn't think of something better to say.

One of her eyebrows rose. She smiled, soft and almost a little flustered, her face halfway buried in the crook of her arm.

"And those scary things are you?", there was a teasing undertone audible in that question.

Closing your eyes for a moment you couldn't help but smile in response. Her words made your cheeks feel warm. Almost like a fever.

"It's for protection.", you winked at her, also something that you usually never did.

It was odd just how easy it was with her to lay the charade to rest. The lower levels of Stillwater Hold Prison promised nothing but pain and betrayal. Everyone backstabbed everyone to gain some sort of advantage.

Or simply to not be the first to get backstabbed.

Vi wasn't like this. She radiated calm, at least if she wasn't under pressure. Her head was set right and she did not seem to be eager to betray someone.

She just wanted to survive this hellhole and had somehow managed to stay away from its corruption. She was still a good person, just forced to do bad things.

You couldn't say the same about you. But you could say with confidence that, as long as she did not propose a threat to you, you wouldn't do her harm.

For once that was rather refreshing. Almost relieving. Like weight that was lifted off your shoulders.

"Do you ever just want to be good?", she suddenly asked into the comfortable silence.

Torn from your thoughts you had to blink a few times. The light was now so dim that you could hardly see her at the other side of the cell.

All there was to see was a female figure with curved hips and scarlet red hair dangling her feet over the edge of the bed.

"There's no point in being good.", sighing, you turned to your back to look at the ceiling. "It costs you nothing to be good, sure. But it also doesn't cost anything to be bad. However, surviving as a bad person is far easier than as one with high morals and feelings."

"Hm... I suppose life doesn't hand out shit, no matter if you're good or not.", even though she tried to hide it behind her arm you could still tell that she was upset about that realisation.

"Why?", your voice was strangely soft as you asked. "Do you think you were a good person? That you don't deserve to be here?"

"I was just a kid..."

You couldn't help but snort.

"If there are bad people it's kids. They're awful little shits."

That made her laugh.

"God I was such an annoying little fuck.", Vi chuckled. "I never listened to Vander. Always fought him. And Milo was so annoying. And Claggor and..."

All of a sudden the joy was gone and a deafening silence overcame her. It was so heavy that you could feel it press down on your chest.

"Do you... wanna talk about it..?", you asked after a moment.

"No.", Vi immediately said, footsteps following the answer. "But I could use some... support."

And without another word she slid into bed with you to snuggle up to your chest like a child that needed a shoulder to cry on.

You allowed her to be weak in that moment. And as her breaths became uneven and tears wetted your shirt you gently caressed the scarlet strands of her hair.