Chapter Text
It was late. From the outside you could hear the wind howling, roaming across the boundless wasteland that surrounded the compound.
Inside the living room, there was an unusual scenery.
Two women, one sitting and one leaning against the kitchen counter, talking, after what seemed for a long, long time of going no contact.
"You didn’t have to come", Lottie disclosed, a sad smile on her face.
"Maybe I wanted to." Nat was as stubborn as ever.
"I mean look at you, who if not precious me could take better care of you. " Her voice dripped of sarcasm.
It was enough to make Lottie laugh. And to be honest, Nat missed the sound. It was much more hoarse, and it suited her.
"Oh Nat, you haven’t changed at all, haven’t you?"
She looked up to her. Dark orbs met piercing blue ones.
"Same old me." A slight smirk graced her stoic features.
They paused the light talk for a little while, simply enjoying their presence.
Natalie moved over the couch and sat down next to Lottie. Not too close, of course, she didn’t want to give off the impression of being too desperate.
Too desperate for being touched, too desperate for connection.
It dawned on her that she had chosen the worst person to hide her feelings from.
Lottie could read the room better than anyone. Especially now, when she was about to give birth to a little version of her.
Nat was surprised that she hadn’t noticed it sooner.
Lot was way more sensitive since her pregnancy. Much more closed off. She wondered why she had kept her around for that long.
When she had first arrived at the compound, the only thing Nat wanted to do was to leave immediately and not look back. Everything but having to join a weird cult.
But after a few weeks and with the other members around…she felt quite joyful. Free even. It was nice, being given a second chance.
She didn’t mind at all that her friends from the wilderness wouldn’t stay as long as her. She liked it. Being alone. With Lottie. No one fussing around her, just the two of them.
They didn’t really talk about it. About what was happening between them. They danced around it. A bit too well for their liking. But it was all still so new, too new to make it real.
And so they just let it happen. The longer Nat stayed, the longer they spend time together.
And that’s why Nat began to notice Lotties change in behaviour.
Her sudden disappearances. Her changing eating habits. Her cravings. Rapid mood swings. Which was kinda ironic cause when was Lottie not in tune with her emotions but still.
"Why didn’t you tell me?" She blurted out. Nat suddenly got balls. She grew impatient and just couldn’t wait any longer.
Lotties expression froze for a moment.
"I…I wasn’t sure how you would take it. How anyone would take it, really.
I guess I didn’t know.." She stopped for a second, trying the words out in her head. " I didn’t know that we could be like this."
Nat nodded. Cause what else could she do? Being angry at her for telling the truth?