What Makes Us Whole

[EffyDearest]

For Pippy~

"Mmmpp.."

The sky streaked orange across the land as the sun began to sink into the ground slowly. A few birds were overhead, chirping sweetly to each other as they skated back to their nests to feed their young. Children were playing around the streets of the city, a few parents smoking on porches and talking as they lazily watched over. The day was coming to its close soon but the scene it painted was gorgeous. For some. For others it was a trotted waste of another day that had yielded nothing. And why should it? It never would for some. It didn't matter if the sun was shining or setting, the scenery was always bleak.

Effy looked slowly up, mostly to glance at street signs for directions. Both legs peddled hard as he tried to race back to his apartment, tired emotionally and physically from the day. Some might consider a job where one sits at a desk designing rather simple, but when it isn't a design that person wants to make it can become tedious quickly. Especially if the client constantly wants revisions, and isn't kind with their word choices... which would yield even more negative feedback from the firm that hired them.

When a passion becomes a distaste. . . life becomes meaningless. At least to Effy it seemed as such. He had studied and practiced web development for at least eight years before finally succumbing to the idea that it wasn't what he wanted to do with his life. He had a gift for swiftly coming up with website designs for even the most obscure content. However his designs, while beautiful and unique, were often called 'impractical' and 'chaotic'. Word shouldn't hurt so bad... Nonetheless he sucked it up every day to make money. It probably wouldn't be so bad if it didn't feel like his endgame, like he couldn't be good at anything else.

Several more minutes went by. He finally reached the complex grounds and skipped right to his building, struggling to carry his bike up the first flight to his second floor home. A yawn slipped out of Effy's mouth while he twisted the key in the lock, resting his bike against the entrance wall. He glanced around the eggshell walls, slipping his shoes off with a goal to reach his bed quickly. He took his first silent step.

The house seemed rather quiet at first. only the gentle hum of a fan as it cooled off the room it was set in, A few birds could gently be heard still chirping from a cracked window in the kitchen. but soon the almost perfect silance was broken when a female voice could be heard talking to her self about ssomething.

"Oh Shoot... I Should have bought more butter..." It was Effy's girlfriend Mari. She must have come home early and decided to try out one of her new recipes. though she didn't seem to figure he'd be back so early.

Her normally black hair had a bit of powdered sugar dusted to one side and there was frosting all over her nose. there probably She should probably wonder how she got Frosting on the back of her skull but that was left till later.

Despite the eggshell walls it was obvious with tiny hints that Mari had tried to liven the place up with colors. A Bright red handmixer, Ruby red kitchen cutlery along with a bright red spoon she used for tasteing. Though that wasn't the only stuff she used to brighten up the place. There where pictures of them hung on a few walls along with some some simple knickknacks here and there.

"Oh Darn! Maybe If I text Effy he'll be okay with picking up a carton of milk and pack of butter..."
Her voice trailed off as she walked into the living room to grab her phone only to see her boyfriend just arriveing home from a long day. "Oh! Welcome home Effy! I was just about to text you!
Oh Well I'll run it my self later..." She said waving her hand before getting close and kissing him on the cheek. She probably smelled liked she looked. Overly sweet and sugary. Like a gummy Peach.

[EffyDearest]

"Oh! Welcome home Effy! I was just about to text you!"

A soft wince upon hearing a voice. It almost took him a moment to realize it wasn't yelling at him, and that it was his girlfriend's. He looked up in time to get kissed and gave her a very tired smile, wrapping his arms around her immediately. He didn't care if she was basically getting more of the sugar on herself than the dish she was attempting to make. Eyes closed with the fall of a feather, his head leaning itself up on Mari's shoulder, snuggling up.

Effy kissed her cheek for a few seconds, squeezing her even tighter for a moment. He let go and stood back up, taking in her face. He smiled and leaned in, standing up on his toes to lick off the frosting from her nose.

"Silly.." he mumbled to her, not quite feeling the energy coming back to him yet. The dark rings under his eyes brought an air of depression with his words, like he wasn't all the way there.

Two arms raised up in a stretch, a quiet yawn being stifled as quick as it came. The sweat that came with biking home and curled some of his normally straighter hair. He looked very effeminate at the moment, with a tilted head staring directly at his sweetheart. A finger reached out to her to brush some of her hair.

"I'm going to take a shower baby.. you should join me. It looks almost like you tried to bake yourself today," he joked with her, hugging her tightly once again.

"Ah? is it that bad?" Mari quickly gazed in a mirror behind them shocked how much powdered sugar she had in her hair but quickly giggled some a her lover.

Her face gazed quickly at his taking him fully in her eyes quickly going from happy to a more concerned look she after almost two years of dating she could tell the beginning of him looking rather stressed.

"Effy... You look exhausted again..." She murmured quickly heading to the bathroom deciding to take up that rather nice offer of the shower together. "You know you can talk to me honey..." Mari said gently lighting a nice scented candle. quickly letting that room fill with the fresh smell of lavender and oak wood. it wasn't long before her bottoms came off and she started running a hot shower causing steam to come out of that room. "Come on, we both need this." This was obvious by her tone she was going to take that offer and not let it drop. Her voice wasn't stern but it was concerned, This meant if she could get him to talk by offering to do something like this or offering to help him relax by scrubbing his hair for him so be it.

It wasn't long before she walked back out wearing only a gray tank top barely covering her lower half. "If you want the I got more bath supplies we can relax in the tub together after we rinse off in the shower...." Mari Hummed a bit in her tone letting a warm smile cross her face as she held out her hand to him.

[EffyDearest]

"I'm a little tired.." he admitted. He meant that more emotionally than physical. He felt her eyes bore into his and he broke contact, instead focusing on the floor. His arms fell behind his back, handing each other tightly; a real embodiment of frailness and smallness.

Effy followed her to the bathroom treading on his toes. By the time he got there the aroma pleasantly teased his nostrils. He couldn't join her with all of his items in his pockets though, so he skipped off to drop them on their bed. Effy tip-toed into the bathroom through the steam, pulling his shirt off and dropping it to the floor revealing a flat, lightly tanned stomach that may have been a bit too malnourished. His eyes looked up to Mari. He leaned quickly in to kiss her and back out.

"That sounds nice, Mari." he answered, sounding not entirely attentive. His hand grabbed hers with a loose grip while his eyes started to examine her body.

"Mmmm..~"

"A little?"

Mari crooked her head to the side lettig her bangs flop over with it as she helf onto his hips. "A little is me standing for five hours at the bakery. You look worn out Honey...." She said feeling his ribs noticing how thin he looked.

"Hmm~...."

It was obvious even though she loved his kisses she was occupied now in her mind worrying about his well being. She felt like she always noticed stuff rather late into it but she hoped this time he could pick up on something before it went to far. "Are you getting proper meals in at work...? Or... Or is something up, Baby? Y-You know you can talk to me...." Mari said gliding her thumb over his cheek before taking off her shirt revealing she had already taken off her bra prior to inviting him in. her body was inviting but her face had this concerned look as she turned to enter the shower quickly holding out her hand for him again, She liked always holding his hand when she felt bad about something but she seemed to do it more when she noticed something was wrong.

[EffyDearest]

Effy stepped inside of the shower, ignoring her as best he could. It wasn't that he didn't like listening to Mari- it would be hilarious to say he ever tried to control the relationship, an intense fear of her leaving- he just didn't like taking advice on himself. He didn't have any investment in him. Just stress and self-loathing to eat at him slowly.

Effy undid the button to his pants and let them fall to the ground, stepping out of both them and his boxers, following Mari into the shower. Both of his hands guided towards hers, pressing to her calmly. He wanted to look up but didn't feel like getting blasted in the fact with the water, instead choosing to keep his position but he did free her hand. Effy's hands fell to his sides, reaching around for something to get clean with. It was obvious in his movements he couldn't see too well with.. well, with his eyes shut.

Inside of Effy hurt at the moment. He was shutting Mari out because in his mind that way he could protect her from himself. Was this true? Probably not, he most likely wasn't helping anyone. He had no outlet for all the stress he retained each day, sometimes being lucky enough that Mari wasn't home when he arrived so he could cry or scream, but usually remained silent entirely. Demons swirled around his head, kicking and prodding him with evil teasing. He wished badly for some kind of freedom from the pain.. anything. . .

A few tears streamed down his cheeks, but in the shower it wasn't noticeable.. other than his quiet sniffling or awkward breathing. He squeezed Mari's sides.

Mari Felt his hands for a moment embrace her sides but she knew something was up, Something was really off about him tonight.

Her hand slowly traced his chest quickly lifting up his chin so she could look him better in the eyes. Her soft green orbs shaking as she looked for his eyes. "Hey.... What ever is bothering you... Tell me... I... I hate being lied to when somethings as bad as it is right now, Baby please... Talk to me." Her voice was calm and warm as she spoke over the sound of the shower running on them. but it wasn't long before she sighed and rinsed out her hair applying shampoo to her hair quickly scrubbing it in.

"Listen... Baby You know I'll do anything for you...
And I mean anything.... We're a couple... You don't need to remain distant for my feelings....
epecially if it's like your having a part of you eaten away quicker then those Mint chocolate chip Muffins I made for the bakery." once rinsing out the soap after speaking she went back to holding his face. Her thumbs softly tracing his jawline and cheek bone.

[EffyDearest]

Caught crying.. god dammit. Effy looked back down and bit his lip, reaching back down to grab his own shampoo. He wasn't sure how to tell Mari mostly because it wasn't just one thing. It was everything. Every time he seemed to do anything something seemed to mess up his day. Everything except her. His hands scratched rather roughly at his scalp, not even noticing the fervor he was doing it in.

"M-Mmmph.." His head tilted to the side, leaning his neck under the water to let it wash the soap from him. Mari's loving hands cradled him again. His expression broke its stoic and whimpered some. He hugged her tightly.

"I-I just had another bad day at work.. everyone was yelling at me even though I was just doing what they told me.. and it's painful." He struggled to even look at her. "And I'm just stressed and I don't know how to relax or calm down and it's been building up for a long time and.. and I don't know!"

His eyes shut tightly and he tensed his body, trying not to cry out anymore. The pain in his head was causing him a headache. He wasn't going to sleep tonight at all, he was already feeling restless and reckless.

Mari entire face went blank for a moment. But it quickly went calm as she turned off the bath quickly grabbing Effy's towel for him quickly drying his head. "Just sit here for a moment" She made her voice seem as welcoming as she could as she grabbed her own towel quickly pat drying her self dry and throwing on a new clean tank top and pajama shorts.

"Let me get your pajama's one second! Dry off a bit." She Said happily darting to the bed room pulling out some thing from a drawer, Quickly placing them on the bed she made her way back to the bath room putting his clothing on the counter forcing him to sit on the edge of the toilet drying off his hair for him. "Effy.... You can't hold in your emotions like this... It's not healthy... I wanna say i've never come home to you... Making noises in the house... B-But I have... And If your willing I wanna try something... it's gonna probably make you feel a lot better.... B-But It might hurt for a bit... I...I..." Her face went bright red unable to finish her sentence.