misterwhitewinter:

        _{{jack doesn’t turn around. he doesn’t look her in the eye. how can he? his knuckles turn white as he grips the smooth counter top, muscled arms straining visibly with the force he exerts in trying not to tremble. of course. how could he have expected anything different? he’s jack overland. he messes everything up. he can’t skate, he can’t raise his sister, and now apparently he can’t even have any friendships in life where the other person doesn’t get sick and tired of him.}}

    _“Okay.”

            _{{that’s all he says. a single choked, defeated word. he takes a deep breath as he stands up straight, running a hand through messy blonde hair and ruffling it up even further. he wants to turn around; he wants to fight, yell, argue, but if she’s as done with him as she says then there’s no point.}}

                    _“Okay.”

        _{{it’s not what she wants at all. she wants the yelling. she wants the blame. but he reflects it inward. she knew he would, she’d just hoped that he’d get angry. irritated by getting treated so poorly – but he doesn’t. why can’t he just blame her?} 

              _{she can’t feel it, but she hears it. the crackling of ice spreading from where she has planted her heels on the ground. steam billowing off the stove in thick gray clouds. maybe a bit of honesty will stop it, help her raise the temperature a couple degrees. not that it matters. she’s all but given up. he’ll find the fire escape frozen over or the ice where she once stood should she leave. she’ll pay him off like everyone else who has seen her screw up. If he’s smart he’ll be done with her now. But by all accounts, Jack isn’t too smart.}}

                       _{"I’m not good for anyone to have around. Blame me. That’s what you’re supposed to do. When people treat you like shit, you blame them for it.“}