Maren’s character arc in this chapter is a masterclass in quiet desperation. Up until now, she has been the unwavering pillar. In Chapter 3, Dartred allows her to crack. When she listens to the old voice recording, the author uses an extended metaphor of “holding water in cupped hands.” No matter how tight she grips, the past leaks through her fingers.
You can find Cherish These Times by Dartred on [Platform Name — e.g., Archive of Our Own under the usernames “Dartred” or “dartred_writes”]. Please note that the work contains content warnings for emotional abuse, discussions of medical trauma, and depictions of memory loss. Chapter 3, in particular, includes scenes of detailed psychological distress. Cherish These Times -Ch. 3- -Dartred-
: Often used for original and fan-fiction stories with this specific titling style. Maren’s character arc in this chapter is a