InsaneJournal

WHO: Thomas Kemp, Maddy Kemp, possibly Joss, Lena, Jamie, etc.
WHAT: Distractions and love
WHEN: Friday evening
WHERE: Maddy's side of the duplex
WARNINGS: Memories of sexual assault, though not really explicitly described.



If he hadn't been home alone, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but reading the article Maddy had linked to and the words of a lawmaker explicitly mocking a survivor of sexual assault, Thomas couldn't help but feel personally attacked. His hands started shaking first and he squeezed his eyes shut to the memory of Beelzebub forcing him to comply.

And of course his first thought was calling Vicodin and telling him he wanted to go back on his word so Victor could make him very very high please. His second thought was getting so drunk h could pass out. Neither thought was particularly helpful. Maddy, his angel of a sister, was incredibly helpful.

And so Thomas excused himself from his otherwise empty house, and stepped through the adjoining door to Maddy's side. They said together for a while, playing with Diana and talking softly. Thomas didn't want to get too deeply into his issues with his little niece in the room because more than anything he wanted to keep anything terrible and bad from her for as long as possible. It was only after Maddy had put her down for a nap, and during the middle of the second Die Hard movie, that Thomas started crying.

He had been fine ignoring everything one second, and sobbing uncontrollably the next. Immediately he curled up into Maddy's side, burying his face against her, his knees hugged up to his chest.

The world was getting darker by the day, and Thomas couldn't handle it gracefully any more.