Anja hunches over the dimly lit bar, her cybernetic arm clenched tightly around a rocks glass as she knocks back another shot of whiskey. Her icy blue bangs hang in her face, shielding her hollow brown eyes from view. She doesn't even look up as {{user}} approaches, too lost in the depths of her own self-loathing. Anja's full lips are pressed into a grim line, the scars peeking out from beneath her tank top a brutal reminder of the hell she's endured. "Go 'way, {{user}}..." She growls, her voice a low, defeated rasp as she signals the bartender for another pour. "You shouldn't be seein' me like this - a broken down bitch drinkin' her sorrows away." Anja tosses back the fresh shot, slamming the glass back down with a grunt. "Should've listened to you all those years ago 'n stayed outta that fuckin' war. But I was too goddamn stubborn..." Her remaining hand clenches into a white-knuckled fist against the bartop, the metal joints of her prosthetic creaking faintly. "Now look at me - a one-armed, one-legged freak who did shit that'd make you sick just to survive. I ain't the same girl you grew up with, {{user}}...that sweet thing died over there." Finally, Anja lifts her head, fixing him with a look of such profound self-disgust and misery that it's almost palpable. "So do us both a favor an' get the fuck outta here before I really give you a reason to be ashamed of me..." {{char}} couldn't figure out what annoyed her more, being caught in a vulnerable state like this by her best friend or the fact that she finally had to face him like this, like she's some charity case waiting for a Forest Gump to lift her spirit "You never quite manage to figure out when to call it quits, did'ja" she sighs, finally putting her drink down "I am dead serious, I will tear you a new one shove my metal foot so far up your ass you would be shitting mercury"

"Fuck you too." Anja sneers, turning away from him. "You don't understand a goddamn thing." Her voice wavers as she continues, a quiet desperation creeping in beneath her defensive facade. "I should just lock myself away and rot, because that's all I am to anyone now: a broken weapon. A monster. Nothing like the person I used to be..." She closes her eyes tightly, unable to keep the tears from spilling over as she clenches her prosthetic hand into a fist. "You have no idea what it's like, User#1730886162013...to see their faces every day. To know that you did those things..." Her voice trails off, choked with emotion. Anja Gremonovic | War Veteran Childhood Bestie shakes her head violently

Her body stiffens at the touch of his arms around her. At first, she tries to push him away, but then something inside her shifts; a small spark of familiarity and warmth that she'd thought was long extinguished flares back to life for just a moment. She sags against him, her tears flowing freely as she mourns the person she once was and grieves for those she's lost along the way.

"I...I can't do this anymore," she whispers hoarsely into his shoulder, her breath warm against his skin. "It hurts too much." Anja clings to him like a drowning woman, every inch of her body screaming for the comfort and security she once had with him. "Take me home, please."

Her words are little more than a broken whisper, but they carry the weight of years of pain, loss, and regret.

A shudder rolls through her as he speaks; the thought of staying at his place, with its memories of their innocent childhood, feels like too much right now. "Not your parents'," she whispers, drawing strength from the feel of him against her. "My old room, though...that'd be nice."

There is a fragile hope in her voice that he'll understand what she means: a chance to reconnect with who she once was, before everything fell apart. "I just need some time to...to remember how I used to be," she finishes quietly.

Anja closes her eyes again, pressing the side of her face against his shoulder as they stand together in the shadows of the bar, no longer a pair of friends, but two lost souls seeking solace and understanding.

As they leave the bar and walk down the quiet street, Anja leans against him a little harder, grateful for his support. Despite her anger and bitterness towards the world, having him by her side brings back memories of the closeness they once shared, giving her hope that maybe...just maybe they can find their way back to each other.

"I used to have this..." She trails off, searching for words before digging through her jacket and producing a ratty, well-worn photo album. "It's not much, but it has pictures of us when we were kids. I keep meaning to give it to you." She hands it over awkwardly.

Anja Gremonovic | War Veteran Childhood Bestie:Her home feels like a tomb as soon as they step inside; the memories of happier times long since covered by the stench of death and despair. She

A half-hearted laugh escapes her lips at his words. "Keep it? You're too sweet for your own good, you know that?" She shuffles past him into her room, which is eerily similar to how she left it when she went off to join the army years ago: a mess of clothes, discarded weapons, and keepsakes from her old life. The only difference now are the few personal effects that remind her of the horrors she's endured since.

Setting the photo album down on her unmade bed, Anja looks up at him with hollow eyes. "You should go...I need some time alone." She turns away from him, burying her face in her hands as another wave of emotion washes over her.

"Yeah, I'm sure," she mumbles through her hands, still not wanting to look at him. "Just...give me some time." Her voice cracks on the last word, and she struggles to steady her breathing. "I just need a little space..."

With a tired sigh, Anja nods. She knows he means well, but right now she just wants to be alone with her thoughts and memories, even if they're painful. Settling onto the bed, she flips through the photo album idly, feeling the weight of lost time and shattered dreams pressing down on her heart.

The quiet ache in her chest threatens to grow into something unbearable as she stares at pictures of herself and User#1730886162013 laughing, smiling, full of life...and hope. A tear trails down her cheek as she sets the album aside, leaning back against the cold headboard with a weary sigh.

Time passes slowly in the silence of the room, each tick of the clock serving as a cruel reminder of how much has changed since they were carefree children playing

The silence stretches on as she relives the past, savoring the memories of a time when life was simple and her future seemed limitless. But those days are gone now, replaced by the haunting echoes of violence and regret. Anja closes her eyes, willing herself to forget for just a moment...

When another sound intrudes upon her solitude, something soft and gentle and entirely too familiar: User#1730886162013's voice calling her name from the other side of the door. She freezes, uncertainty warring with curiosity as she debates whether or not to let him in. But even though a part of her wants nothing more than to retreat further into her misery, another part - perhaps the stronger part now - craves his presence, needs his reassurance that she isn't truly alone after all these years.

Finally, with a shaky

A whimper escapes her lips as she scrambles to her feet, hesitating before finally reaching out and twisting the knob. A moment later, User#1730886162013 slips inside, his expression a mix of concern and longing that touches something deep within her soul. She's grateful for his presence, even if it means facing the pain head-on once more.

Wordlessly, she reaches out to him, taking his hand in hers as they stand there in the dimly lit room, their gazes locked on each other's faces. It's a silent understanding that flows between them, a connection forged by years of shared experiences and an unbreakable bond that survived even the darkest times.

As they hold hands, Anja feels herself begin to relax ever so slightly; the weight of her loneliness grows just a little bit less oppressive in

She sighs softly, her shoulders slumping as she leans against him in a rare show of vulnerability. "I know you do," she whispers, her voice barely above a whisper. "But those days are gone. We can't go back to being the people we were before...not after everything." Her grip on his hand tightens briefly before she forces herself to let go, stepping back with a quiet sadness in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter anymore," she says softly. "We have to find a way to live with what happened, and move on from there." She pauses, looking away for a moment as she struggles to find the right words. "I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

There is a world of unspoken emotion in her voice, and User#1730886162013 can feel

A tiny smile flits across her lips at his words, and she nods slowly, mustering up a fraction of the hope that he seems to be offering. "Yeah," she agrees softly. "Maybe we could." Her voice trails off, and for a moment they stand there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts about what it might mean to try and recapture even a sliver of the past.

Finally, Anja squares her shoulders, determination flashing in her eyes for just an instant before it's replaced by a touch of weariness. "Let's go find something to eat," she suggests with forced brightness. "I'm starving." Her voice is rough from disuse, but there's a hint of life in it now that hasn't been present before.

Without waiting for his reply, she turns and heads toward the door, motioning for him to follow.