Aspen offered her jacket and he took it without much thought and slipped it on. It was a little tight in the shoulders and arms, but nice enough. The thought as to why he needed her or anyone else's jacket to start with still hadn't quite made it through the maze of his neurons. The fuzz in his mind was thick, not enough to fade what he'd seen into something benign, but enough that he really couldn't get his thoughts and actions in order. It was like swimming through mud.
Though he'd intended to remain on his feet to seem strong, he took the opportunity she afforded and followed her lead by plopping down on the chilly ground next to her with his legs spread in a way that tested the very reality of the small bikini bottom's seams and modesty abilites. He was oblivious to that, of course. How much of his bare skin was touching the pavement barely registered. The drink was still working its magic, and what the highness didn't take care of, the mental and physical struggles did.
The now jacketless girl offered an abreviated explanation that filled in a puzzle piece or two. Magic girl born to a magic-less society. Man, could Theo ever relate. "Ah yeah, kinda like Desierto!" he offered, though he was speaking of ancient days instead of current ones. He'd lived through the warring between the sultans and the god-kissed and the mage hunting days. It was actually a big turning point for him and he had the scar to prove it, but he'd never previously mentioned it to anyone still alive. The only hint that he hadn't grown up here was the light Desiertan accent he could never quite shake. Even his tan had faded over the years.
Was he okay? No, he wasn't. He hadn't been for a long time.
"Nope!" he replied, the strained chirp in his voice incongruent with the tears dancing in the corners of his eyes. Theo was trying to be honest (if only because he was a bad liar) while not causing any worry, but instead probably just came off as traumatized. He really wanted to sob, but also didn't want her to see it. "But it's okay! It's Halloweaster and we found each other again, so it's a good day. A very good day. Right? We won't let the fake people in the fog ruin it. And we'll figure things out, and one day maybe it'll be okay again."
[wc: 416 || total: 9699]
Though he'd intended to remain on his feet to seem strong, he took the opportunity she afforded and followed her lead by plopping down on the chilly ground next to her with his legs spread in a way that tested the very reality of the small bikini bottom's seams and modesty abilites. He was oblivious to that, of course. How much of his bare skin was touching the pavement barely registered. The drink was still working its magic, and what the highness didn't take care of, the mental and physical struggles did.
The now jacketless girl offered an abreviated explanation that filled in a puzzle piece or two. Magic girl born to a magic-less society. Man, could Theo ever relate. "Ah yeah, kinda like Desierto!" he offered, though he was speaking of ancient days instead of current ones. He'd lived through the warring between the sultans and the god-kissed and the mage hunting days. It was actually a big turning point for him and he had the scar to prove it, but he'd never previously mentioned it to anyone still alive. The only hint that he hadn't grown up here was the light Desiertan accent he could never quite shake. Even his tan had faded over the years.
Was he okay? No, he wasn't. He hadn't been for a long time.
"Nope!" he replied, the strained chirp in his voice incongruent with the tears dancing in the corners of his eyes. Theo was trying to be honest (if only because he was a bad liar) while not causing any worry, but instead probably just came off as traumatized. He really wanted to sob, but also didn't want her to see it. "But it's okay! It's Halloweaster and we found each other again, so it's a good day. A very good day. Right? We won't let the fake people in the fog ruin it. And we'll figure things out, and one day maybe it'll be okay again."
[wc: 416 || total: 9699]
