Thea took another look in her mirror, softly tracing the jagged lines that adorned the right side of her face with her paw. It had become habitual since the removal of her bandages to look over her scar, almost as if to make sure that it was still there. A reminder that she couldn’t protect the people she cared about. That when faced with a real fight, she was unprepared. That maybe, she deserved to lose her sight in her right eye for being so reckless. The scar served as a reminder that she had been too weak to do…anything.
A quiet knock at her door snapped her out of her brooding, and with a quick inhale to recompose herself, she got up to open it. To her relief it was Drizzle who came by, and she felt herself relax a little. “H-Hi Thea!” He said with a smile, “How are you doing t-today?”
“I’m doing fine.” Thea responded quickly, but inwardly cringed at how rehearsed it sounded. It didn’t go unnoticed as her friend also donned a concerned expression, but it switched into something hopeful before Thea could comment on it. “W-well I was wondering, if you’re up for it o-of course, if you would…want to join me at Starsail this y-year.” He fidgeted with his claws as he spoke, and Thea could almost make out a smile under his bandanna as he looked back at her. Her mind went back to the years where she spent Starsail with all of her friends, and her heart ached to go back to those simpler times. However…
“I don’t know Drizzle…” She began, the well rehearsed tone dropping from her voice completely. Her shoulders slumped, and she could feel her hand instinctively reaching back up to her face. “The truth is. I don’t think I’m good company right now. I can’t stop thinking about…well…this.” She turned her face and gently placed her paw on her scar, feeling the familiar divots the claws had etched into her skin. She crossed her other arm over her in an attempt to comfort herself. “All I can think about is how I failed you… failed Bastina…If that other draken hadn’t come along, me and that kid would’ve been—“ Thea felt the shame resurface as she remembered what had happed that day, and couldn’t meet her friend’s gaze. Her voice fell softer than Drizzle had ever heard her speak. For a moment, Thea was truly and completely vulnerable, “I just, don’t think I want people to see how pathetic I really am…”
She met Drizzle’s gaze once again, but felt another twinge of guilt once she saw the pained look in his eyes. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings by not going with him—
“I understand w-what you mean.” Drizzle spoke gently, taking Thea a bit by surprise, “it-it’s hard not to feel like, you could have done something different o-or tried harder.” Drizzle looked down at his feet and scratched at his own bandanna. “B-een b-etter.” Thea’s let out a small sigh as her face fell. “B-but for what it’s worth,” he continued, placing a reassuring paw on Thea’s own, “I d-don’t think it m-makes you pathetic o-or weak. I think…I think it actually s-show’s how s-strong you are! I mean, you got knocked down, and still got back up again. You’re still h-here, and the r-remnant isn’t.” His grip on her paw tightened, care and admiration filling his eyes. “Y-your scar i-is proof that y-you won’t back down. E-even when d-danger is right in f-front of you.” Now it was his turn for his voice to soften, filled with a reverence unfamiliar to the pink nyulop, “That’s pretty s-strong to me…”
Thea’s eyes widened, and she felt something bloom in her chest. The pair simply stared at each other for a moment, before Drizzle looked away a bit flustered. “N-Not that I WANT you running into danger h-head first!! Please don’t d-do that.”
Thea caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone, laughed, brighter than she had in a long time. Her face was dusted with a slight rosy pink and she shook her head. “I promise I won’t go looking for any more monsters to fight—unless I have to.” The pair shared another laugh.
“W-well,” Drizzle continued, pulling his paw away quickly, not realizing it had still been resting on Thea’s arm, “I won’t push you if y-your still not up f-for it. But, whenever I’m feeling down, I’ve f-found being with the people I care ab-bout helps me way-y more than being alone. I f-figured Starsail would b-be a good way to relax. I think w-w both deserve s-some sort of normalcy after all we’ve b-been through. I-if you don’t want to though I completely unders-stand. Just know, I-I’m here for you Thea.” He smiled, and Thea matched him with a smile of her own.
“I suppose,” Thea started, rolling her good eye in mock defeat, “Having some fun at Starsail doesn’t sound too bad.” Before she could stop herself she added, “Plus, If I were to go with anyone right now, I’m glad it is you.” Drizzle hid his face further in his bandanna, trying to hide the blush that had crept to his cheeks. Thea has also turned away quickly, pretending to clear her throat, “Give me a few minutes to get ready and I’ll meet you out front.” Drizzle nodded and Thea made note of the slight skip in his step as he walked away. As she watched him leave she gave a small laugh to herself. She didn’t know what she’d do without him. With a soft smile she closed the door to get herself ready.
Submitted By Anyachilla
・ Location: Whistler Crest
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Submitted: 3 weeks and 4 hours ago ・
Last Updated: 3 weeks and 3 hours ago