The Bag Boy ⌲ Forester

[Thirty]

AND SHE LET IT GO
_

Alex exited the bathroom in her gym shorts and Led Zeppelin tee shirt, her blonde curls falling into her eyes. She jumped when she saw her cousin sitting on her bed waiting for her, sighing shakily.

"You scared me." she said softly, wrapping her arms around herself protectively as if trying to keep herself from falling apart. Which, considering it had only been eight hours since her and Dean broke up, she pretty much was.

Rory smiled a small smile, getting to her feet and wringing her fingers together. "Sorry." she said, tipping her head at the other girl. "How are you?"

"M'fine." Alex said vaguely, moving past her to grab her jeans that were sitting on the back of her desk chair.

"You don't look fine." Rory said, raising her eyebrows.

"Okay, well, stop looking then." Alex said, her voice quiet but bitter. She sighed. "Listen, I appreciate you coming over, but I'm really not in the mood for a pity party."

"That's not why I'm here." Rory said, her brow furrowing at her cousin's uncharacteristically harsh tone.

"Okay, well, why are you then?" Alex questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that's all."

"Well, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Because if you want to talk, I-"

"I don't want to talk, Rory." Alex cut her off, her jaw clenched tight.

Rory stopped abruptly, pursing her lips. "You have to talk about it sooner or later."

"Later is just fine with me." Alex said curtly as she gathered some CDs from her nightstand and began putting them back on her shelves.

Rory huffed. "Okay, I know you're upset about Dean, but seriously, you're acting like you're two."

Alex slammed her hand on the shelf, making Rory jump. "Am I, Rory?"

"Yes, you are!"

"Okay, well, why not act like a two year old? I mean, I ruined my relationship with Dean, I might as well perfect the art!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.

Rory's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Dean told me he loved me last night, Rory." Alex said, looking at her cousin with dark eyes.

Rory's eyes went wide. "He what?"

"Yeah. He told me he loved me, and I didn't say it back even though I am absolutely crazy about him." Alex said, her eyes welling with tears. "I-I just - I froze, and I couldn't speak. It was like I was paralyzed or something, and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't make myself say it no matter how much I wanted to! God, I-I'm so dumb, Rory! I should have just said it back! I meant it, I felt it, but I just couldn't say it, and now he's gone, and I-I -"

By now Alex was choking out sobs as she clutched at her chest, trying to force herself to breathe. Rory felt tears of her own fill her eyes as she stepped forward and pulled her cousin into her arms, letting her stuff her head into the crook of her neck.

"I'm so stupid," Alex cried into the brunette's shoulder, gripping the back of her shirt desperately in her hands. "I-I lost him, a-and all because I couldn't make myself talk! God, I really am a two year old!"

"Shh, oh, Lexi, you're not stupid or a two year old.." Rory whispered, stroking her cousin's hair and rocking her gently. "That's not an easy thing to tell someone. Even if you do feel that way, there's always going to be doubt and hesitation."

Alex whimpered, hating the way her body trembled in Rory's embrace. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered, gasping in a breath. "I-I didn't mean to be so-"

"Shh, no." Rory whispered, rubbing the other's back gently. "It's okay, babe. It's all okay. I'm here. I've got you."

Alex allowed herself to cry herself out in her cousin's arms, stopping only when her eyes and nose were red and puffy.

"I feel pathetic." Alex whispered, letting Rory tug her onto the bed.

"What? Why?" Rory asked, her brow furrowing as she continued to rub her cousin's back soothingly.

"I'm sitting here wallowing in self pity. I am the queen of wallow right now." Alex said softly, rubbing at her eyes.

"You have every right to wallow right now, babe." Rory said, leaning her head on her cousin's shoulder. "I'm not judging you. No one is."

"Promise?" Alex whispered, her eyes pricking with tears again.

"Of course, Lexi." Rory said softly, squeezing her cousin gently. "I will never judge you, dumbass. I love you. I'm here for you, for as long as you need me."

"Thank you, smartass." Alex whispered. "I love you too." Alex whispered, her face contorting with a fresh wave of sobs. "See how easy that was? Why couldn't I have just done that last night?"

"Oh, Lexi.." Rory whispered, laying back on the bed and pulling her cousin into her chest. "It's okay, shh, it's okay. I'm here. You can let it out, babe. Just let it go. I'm here for you."

Alex snuggled into her cousin's chest, holding her tight to reassure herself she wasn't going anywhere. And she let it go.

_

A/N- this was short but I needed this omg

I hope you enjoyed! Okay, I know Rory and Alex are cousins, but PLANTONICALLY, what do you think their ship name would be? I'm thinking Rorex. Hit me up in the comments!

Thanks for reading! ❤️

Much love,
нαу∂єи ☕️