Cheney smiled when he nudged her. She smiled, genuinely. Her real smiles were few and far between, and only seen by the ones she saw most important to her. She could put on a fake smile for her audience, but she could only really smile with the people she held closest to her heart. Her real smile sparked, lighting up her entire face. Sometimes even a single dimple would form just under the corner of her lip. The insecurity that plagued her ebbed away a little, and she squeezed his hand in response to his playful tone. Baelfire was a good friend, and was good company. She hoped he look at her the same way.
Maybe we can hide in one until morning comes. Away from … the rest. In peace.
Cheney’s eyes seemed to light up a little as Baelfire said that; the darkness that laced her eyes faded slightly, revealing an even brighter shade of blue in her eyes. Caves. She couldn’t remember exactly where they were; she always just stumbled across things as she walked, and in no particular direction. This could take a while, but she didn’t really mind, as long as she had her friend with her.
She looked up, noticing the positioning of the shadows that the moonlight formed. This looked familiar. She stayed quiet, but tugged gently on Baelfire’s hand, signaling for him to follow as she went forward.
Baelfire didn't miss the light suddenly glinting in Cheney's eyes. This drew a small smile from the boy's lips, and he kept his hand in the girl as she tugged forward to make him follow her through the forest. A fluttering sound could be heard through the trees above, ruffling the leaves, and Bae looked up to see the silhouette of a small bird passing through the forest. He'd seen those kind of birds before : small, colorful, and as far as he knew, not dangerous in the slightest. They were even quite beautiful, as a matter of fact.
"Are we close to the caves you mentioned ?" Baelfire asked Cheney gently, trying to see through the foliage of the forest.
I’m not totally mad at you. I’m just sad. You’re all locked up in that little world of yours, and when I try knocking on the door, you just sort of look up for a second and go right back inside.
It was the hurt that flickered behind Baelfire’s eyes that kept Fox firmly anchored to the ground, more than anything, because he had never meant to hurt Bae. His friend should never look like this, full of restrained desperation, like he was trying catch a ghost between his fingers. Bae should smile, Bae shouldn’t worry about him — that tiny quiver of pain struck Fox like a blow to the chest, making him clench his fists until his knuckles turned white, fingernails digging into his own skin.
Baelfire, once again, almost wished he hadn’t asked because the sight of Fox – broken Fox, Fox with fear in his eyes and knots in his throat and that quiver in his usually soft voice – was close to unbearable to the boy. It pulled at his heartstrings, tugging at his ribcage, making him want to wince despite the fact that he held it in – he wanted to be strong, he wanted to be the anchor his friend usually was for him. He didn’t want to let him down.
Fox needed him.
But his words – his words sent growing waves of dread through the boy as Fox recounted what happened to him. Felix found him – more than found him.
Felix traded himself for Fox.
Baelfire remained rooted to the ground, unmoving, his eyes widening only, but he felt as though waves were crushing upon him as he stood in shock, his heart drumming violently in his chest – Felix. Felix, who Baelfire had practically yelled at hours earlier for being uncaring, Felix had gone after Fox after all and traded himself for him – it was so selfless, so kind, that the weight of the act pierced Baelfire through and threatened to make him crumble.
If the other boy had been there, Bae might have let his resolve shatter, setting aside all reservations, and just hugged him – because Felix had truly saved Fox.
But the rest of Fox’s words made that overwhelming feeling of gratitude, of admiration disappear in a flash – because Felix was still there. A prisoner. Baelfire felt the color drain from his cheeks as he tried not to let on just how much that knowledge scared him – he didn’t dare think about it, didn’t dare think of the state Felix had been left in if Fox had gotten away.
What were they doing to him ?
Was he even alive ?
The prospect of him being anything but alive was impossible to handle. No.
However, as soon as Fox said they needed to go and find him (in that hollow, terrifyingly emotionless voice), Bae snapped out of his thoughts, returning to reality, and his grip on Fox’s arms tightened slightly.
“No”, he started to say, shaking his head. “Stay here – Fox, you’re…”
As soon as the words passed his lips, Baelfire looked down, eyes falling from Fox’s frighteningly lost expression to the boy’s hand, alerted by the flash of pain passing upon his friend’s face – blood lined Fox’s hand, red marks against skin, and Baelfire noticed the way his friend swayed from side to side, as though his legs were threatening to give out.
“You’re hurt”, Baelfire whispered, the words passing his lips thoughtlessly as he kept his fingers curled on Fox’s arms, slowly starting to guide him towards a nearby log under the tree – a place for him to sit. “Just sit down – you need rest, okay ? You’ve been hurt – if you go after Felix now, you’ll put yourself in danger – and if he traded himself for you, that’s the last thing he wants.”
Knots tied in his throat, because if there was one thing Bae could understand, it was Fox’s desire to go after Felix – his own legs were itching to go. But he had a wounded ankle, still throbbing, causing a limp to his step – and besides, he wouldn’t go anywhere until Fox was safe.
It was a selfish desire, really – because if Felix mattered to Baelfire, because he was a person, because he was human and brave-hearted and noble, Fox was Baelfire’s friend, and he mattered more.
Cheney hated a lot of things about herself. As a matter of fact, there wasn’t really anything she liked at all. But the thing she probably hated most was that she really didn’t have the right words. She nodded her head in response, still saying silent, because she still couldn’t find the right words.
She couldn’t explain it. No one would understand, no matter how many words she could say to them to try to get them to. It was bothersome, yes, but it didn’t bother her so much anymore. She was used to it.
"Just…thinking…" Cheney wasn’t lying by saying that. She really was thinking-or drowning in her thoughts.
Baelfire was concerned of course, but he didn't want to burden the girl anymore than she already was - it was like Cheney, this little porcelain doll of a girl, was constantly wrapped inside a veil of sadness that never quite faded. It was an almost painful sight, and the boy felt an ache forming inside his chest as he wondered what sort of thoughts plagued her.
However, he didn't ask, forcing a smile back on his face, nudging her slightly with his shoulder as they walked :
"Hey, stay with me", he said softly, with a gentle trace of playfulness to his voice. "You said you knew some caves, didn't you ? Do you remember where they are ?"
He paused then added, with a growing smile :
"Maybe we can hide in one until morning comes. Away from ... the rest. In peace".
areudirty
germansingergirl
titsay
blakekathryn
andulkaphoto
gracieabrams
