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“Hey there.” Jimmy softly said, approaching Shelby. “You doing alright?”
The witch tensed as the sheriff sat down. She nearly jumped up and ran away. However she looks and feels awful. Her eyes are puffy and red and her face is blotchy from tears. Her legs ache from the position she’s been sitting in and her head is pounding from how hard she had been crying earlier. So was it really too much to ask to be left alone? But instead of letting her annoyance show she simply scrubbed her watery eyes and said: “Yeah I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?” Jimmy asked, staring ahead.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Shelby asked sarcastically, internally wincing at the way her voice cracked at the end. Obviously she’s fine. She was just rejected, Joey doesn’t really seem to want to be friends with her anymore, and to top it all off in the middle of the festival she started crying. So clearly Shelby is just fine.
“Well, correct me if I’m wrong.” Jimmy began. “You’ve been crying. You don’t cry if you’re happy.”
Shelby huffed, pulling her legs up to hug them. “Ever heard of tears of joy?”
“You don’t look very joyful.” The sheriff pointed out.
“What do you want?” Shelby asked, ignoring his statement. Maybe she would be less hostile if anyone else sat beside her. But no it had to be the sheriff. The one person on this entire damn continent she absolutely can not talk to. The witch honestly doesn’t think it wouldn’t take much for him to throw her in jail or call the witch police.
“To make sure you’re okay.” Jimmy shrugged. “And if you’re not I’ll find a way to make you okay again.”
Shelby inclined her head towards the taller man. “What if I say that I am okay?”
“Then I’ll call bullshit on that.”
“And what if I say I’m not?” The witch questioned.
“Then, I’ll do what I can to make sure you are okay.” Jimmy offered a comforting smile. “So if you need to rant or cry or get a hug or whatever I’ll do that for you.”
“What’s the catch?” Shelby was very young when she realized no one will do anything for free. Her own bio parents wouldn’t do anything for her unless they could get something out of it. So Shelby wonders what the sheriff wants.
Money? Respect? Her land? An IOU? The possibilities were endless.
“Nothing. I just want to help you.” He sounds tired. LIke this argument has gone on way longer than he wanted and he wants to leave. Which is completely fair and Shelby thinks he should just go. She’s obviously wasting his time. Jimmy should put his energy into something actually worth his time.
Shelby blinked like she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. A bitter laugh escaped her mouth. “No really, what do you want?”
Jimmy just sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I want you to be honest.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Shelby huffed.
“Shelby I just want to help.” His hat was in his hands and he ran his fingers over the edge of it. It almost reminds her of her own nervous ticks. Running her fingers over something she loves has always helped ground her whenever she starts feeling anxious. For a moment she wonders if Jimmy is anxious. But over what she couldn’t tell you.
The witch swallowed thickly before asking a simple question. “Why?”
“I’m the sheriff.” Jimmy sighed. “It’s my job to help people.”
Now that makes sense. “So you’re doing this out of obligation.”
A series of annoyed squeaks and statements tumbled out of the man's mouth. “No!” Jimmy ran a hand down his face like he was exhausted. “I’m doing this because I have empathy. I can’t stand by when someones just got heart broken and is alone.”
“I’m not alone.” Shelby snapped. Although in the back of her mind she knew it was true.
Jimmy raised an eyebrow and looked around dramatically. “Really cause to me it looks like you are.”
“You should get your eyes checked then.” The witch mumbled, feeling tears prick around her eyes.
“I’m good, thanks.” Out of her peripheral she could see Jimmy roll his eyes.
For a good minute everything became quiet. Distantly Shelby could still hear the festival, the loud music combined with joyful screaming. She could hear the quiet wave of the ocean and the chirping of birds. For a second it almost seemed peaceful.
For a moment she could enjoy the presence of another living being beside her.
But then it all came crashing down when Jimmy spoke again.
“Y’know I understand how you feel- well to an extent.”
“Doubt it.” The witch whispered, trying to keep her tears in.
“Being in love sucks.” Jimmy sighed as pulled something out of his hair. When Shelby turned to look at him it was a poppy.
“Who?” Shelby asked quietly, slightly confused on why he was telling her this.
A sad smile bloomed on his face. “Scott.”
A slow blink before the realization hit her. “Wait Scott? Like King of Cromia Scott? Like Scott who flirts with anyone and anything Scott?”
“Yep.” Jimmy snorted, turning his body so that he could face her. “Y’know he actually gave me this flower- I think he meant it as a joke though.”
Shelby raised an eyebrow. “How would he have meant it as a joke?”
“Oh y’know we have this- thing.” The sheriff said, waving his hand around lazily. “We give each other poppies.”
“Why?” Shelby asked. She was starting to feel grateful that they weren’t talking about her anymore.
The sheriff furrowed his eyebrows looking confused. “...I don’t know. It feels like for as long as I’ve known him we’ve been giving each other poppies.”
“Was it meant to be a romantic thing or just a friend thing?” Shelby let go of her legs to turn and look at the taller man.
“I don’t know.” Jimmy quietly admitted. “I thought it was just something kind at first but now it means so much more. But I don’t think it matters to him.”
Shelby hummed. She understood exactly what he was feeling. She understands what it feels like to have the smallest thing turn into something huge. She also understands the soul crushing feeling when those feelings are one sided.
“As I said being in love sucks.” Jimmy said, shaking off his upset expression. “Especially when you know that they don’t love you back.”
“Yeah.” Shelby agreed bitterly.
It was quiet for a moment before Shelby started to speak again. “I don’t know why I thought I stood a chance. I’m too- me to be able to even get someone like Katherine to give me a second thought.” So with a sigh she snorted and said: “What a pair we are, huh?”
“Y’know you should be kinder to yourself. In my eyes you’re pretty great.” Jimmy swayed over slightly to bump shoulders with the witch.
“Just wait till you get to know me.” Shelby rolled her eyes. “Soon you’ll be runnin’”
“Doubt it.” Jimmy leaned back. “I know I don’t have much to go off of when it comes to you but I do know myself. Quite frankly I’m very dumb. Even when someone tells me to stay away I simply won’t. Well- unless you’re breaking the law- or call me a toy.”
For a second her eyes went wide and posture went rigid before she forced herself to relax and laugh. “Nope- I would uh never break the law. I’m an upstanding citizen.” Her smile was tight as images of trial and jail flashed through her mind. “Also you are a human. It’s stupid that anyone would call you a toy.”
“See, now you’ll never be able to get rid of me.” Jimmy grinned before frowning. “What’s wrong?”
“Too much.” Shelby joked before her face fell upon seeing Jimmy’s less than thrilled face. “What if she doesn’t want to be friends with me anymore? What if she hates me now?”
“That's impossible.” Jimmy disagreed. “I’ve been friends with Katherine for a while. She doesn’t hate anyone, not even Joey.”
“I don’t think you understand.” Shelby whispered. “You can like anyone but the second they do something you don’t like they turn around and- and-”
Shelby couldn’t finish her sentence. Tears started falling down her face as she broke down into sobs. What is wrong with me?! Shelby wondered as she braced for a berating. She remembers back in the academy when she would cry. Everyone would ridicule her for it.
They would say a real witch doesn’t cry. A real witch has better control over their emotions. A real witch doesn’t cry over heartbreak and self deprecating thoughts.
So the short woman decided that maybe she isn’t a real witch. Right now her heart hurts so bad she needs a way to express it. Katherine doesn’t want her because she’s a disgusting failure of a witch. Joey hates her because she’s so stupid that she couldn’t back off when she should have. Eventually Sausage will leave and-
The witch gasps as two strong arms wrapped around her, completely breaking her out of mind.
“Jimmy?” Shelby asks as she holds herself still in his embrace.
However the sheriff holds her tighter. “It’s okay to cry.”
It was only four words but it was enough to break down her walls and sink into his body. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and sobbed into his shoulder. She wouldn’t admit this but it made her cry harder when he whispered reasurences into her ear and rubbed his hand up and down her back. In an odd way it reminded her of her grandma.
The short woman could remember the days when school was too hard and it felt like her life was falling apart. She could remember when she would come home with bruises and new things she hated about herself. She would go up to her room and cry. Oftentimes Shelby would try to hide the fact that she was crying but her grandma always knew better. So she would come upstairs with a weighted blanket, some coco and hug her until she felt better.
Right now she’s realizing just how much she’s missed these hugs. Obviously she’s gotten hugs- a lot of them surprisingly but nothing like this. She can’t exactly describe it but she feels safe in this hug. And for a moment she could pretend it was her family who was hugging her- but just for a moment because she knew it’s not true.
Her grandma is her only family and Jimmy would never want to be her family.
Not that she wants that though. Her grandma is enough for her and Jimmy is practically a stranger. Not to mention if he knew about… everything he wouldn’t touch her with a ten foot pole.
Her eyes were burning and her head pounded but the tears didn’t slow. She didn’t understand why. At this point shouldn’t she be okay? She’s gotten a hug, slightly talked about her problems, and possibly made a new friend. So why is she still crying? Why does it feel like her world is ending and nothing can fix it?
“I know it doesn’t feel like it.” Jimmy softly began. His hand was still rubbing up and down her back. “But you will be okay. It doesn’t have to be today or tomorrow or next week but eventually you’ll feel okay again. And who knows, maybe you can even laugh about it later.”
Shelby cleared her thoughts and through a croaky voice she said: “Wasn’t aware you were such an inspirational person.”
The sheriff chuckled. “I’m not, it’s just something my sister used to tell me.”
The witch furrowed her eyebrows. She didn’t know he had a sister. Maybe she just never noticed? After all, she has never paid any particular attention to the sheriff. That must be it.
She opened her mouth to question Jimmy but then a loud boom of explosions sounded and they both whipped around.
One after another colorful explosions decorated the darkening sky.
“Looks like the other empires are having fun.” Jimmy noted. “Do you want to head back?”
She still looked like a mess and felt like shit but… it’s like her granny has always told her; even when things are hard and you feel hopeless, you hold your chin high and act like what happened doesn’t affect you.
So that’s what Shelby does. She inhales deeply and wipes away her tears. She forces a smile and gives Jimmy a determined look. “I heard the bard is giving a performance soon. Let's go listen to that.”
Jimmy gives her a soft smile and stands up, extending his hand towards hers. She doesn’t hesitate before grabbing it.
Maybe she’ll regret this later. Maybe she’ll think the kindness traded between them is a mistake. But for right now she’s grateful.
Right now she knows she has one person who understands her and that's enough for now.