"This stays between us." Croix and Korenna
It was late now, very late. So late that Curiosity had closed for the night, so late that everyone, no matter how far from sobriety they were, had staggered home. Korenna, however, was no stranger to this hour. She’d had bouts of insomnia which kept her up later than this, and in far worse moods, too. But time spent at Curiosity with her guildmates generally put a smile on her face, even if the topics of conversation tended to drift into raunchier territory as the hours went on. At the very least, it was educational.
A timid knock on the door was followed by a short wait, and then Korenna pushed her way into the darkened building. She’d forgotten her hat, having tossed it aside during a particularly active game of truth or dare, but sleeping without it on her nightstand was unthinkable. “Croix?” she called, stumbling through the lightless club. “Sorry Croix, I just- I forgot my hat, and I kinda want it back. It helps me, I dunno, helps me sleep, I guess.” Her voice echoed, but there was no response. It was late; perhaps even Croix had gone to sleep?
Better to just find the hat and get out, Korenna decided. She was vaguely aware her guildmate had been through some difficult times in the past, and she was loathe to bother Croix. As quietly as she could manage, Korenna creeped down the hall, finding her way to the main stage. A dim light shone from under the door, and Korenna stopped to stare at it. Was there someone inside? Had Croix accidentally left it on? Hoping she wouldn’t run into anything too raunchy, Korenna opened the doors to find the light coming from a single fixture on the second floor. It was suspended above a small table, and as the person looked down at Korenna, she recognized who it was.
“Oh, hey Korenna,” said Croix. “What are you doing here? Kinda late, don’t you think? Club’s closed.”
“I know, I’m sorry, I’m just- I’m looking for my hat,” said Korenna.
“Thought I recognized this,” said Croix. She held the hat in the air, waving it over her head. “C’mon up and I’ll give it to you.”
Korenna mounted the steps, taking them slowly to avoid wheezing. “Glad you found it. I was kinda worried- well, not exactly worried, but I did want to find it. It’s just- it’s important to me, you know?”
“Uh-huh, sentimental object. I understand.” Croix held the hat out to Korenna as she drew closer, watching her labored breathing. “You alright?”
“I-I’m fine! Fine,” said Korenna, waving her hands. “Stairs are just- they’re, they’re tough sometimes. Don’t worry.”
“If I’d known I just would’ve dropped it over the side.”
“No, no! It’s really fine! I’m okay, honest.” Only a bit of a lie; a few minutes of rest and she’d be okay. So she sat down opposite Croix, taking the hat and finding its rightful spot atop her head. “Glad it was you that found it and not someone else, you know? Someone I, y’know, someone I knew.”
Croix nodded, and Korenna began to get the feeling that she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be talking to someone at the moment. “No prob. Always happy to help a guildmate out. No clue why you’re still awake, though.”
“Oh well, I uh. I get kinda restless sometimes,” said Korenna, scratching at her cheek. “Like, insomnia, I guess. I dunno. Helps to get out and do stuff. Also I really wanted my hat.” She gave a shrug, finally looking up at Croix’s face. The other Draken seemed tired and quiet, a far cry from what Korenna had seen only a few hours ago. “Is something wrong, Croix? Sorry if I’m bothering you or anything, I mean, I can go if, if you want.”
Gaze turning to the side, Croix was silent for a moment. Korenna began to drum her fingers on the table to fill the air, and she was considering simply leaving to spare herself from this awkward feeling.
“I haven’t been sleeping so well,” said Croix. “Not since all the- Were you here for that? I don’t think you were.”
Korenna blinked, scratching at her cheek again. “Uh, I don’t- Dunno what you’re really talking about, Croix.”
“I got nabbed by that ICI agent. You heard about that, right?” Korenna nodded. “I’m just... not sleeping so well. When Ennyx and Ryzzyk are around, it’s easier, but they’ve got their young now, so I can’t really blame them for being busy.”
“My mates. They were here when the club was open.”
“Oh, the uh, the big green guy?”
Croix nodded. “That’s Ryzzyk. He and Ennyx are- they’re really good to me, but sometimes it’s kinda like... well, those are their kids. Not mine. Sometimes I just don’t...” A sigh escaped her lips, and Croix frowned. “Forget it, I don’t wanna bother you with my whining, Korry.”
Korry? Who the heck was- oh, right. She scratched at her cheek again, somewhere between uncomfortable and worried for her friend- they were friends, right? They were in the same guild, they’d spoken before, so surely they were friends, or at least somewhere nearby.
“Sometimes, you just- you wanna find a place where you fit in, right? Or maybe it’s a place where you should fit in, but you just kinda... don’t. And they say ‘don’t worry, it’s fine,’ but it doesn't feel fine,” said Korenna. She shifted as she spoke, not fully comfortable with the topic. “And I dunno. Sometimes you kinda gotta... wonder if that’s gonna change. And if it doesn’t, maybe you need to find some place else. I dunno.”
Another silence ensued, and Croix watched Korenna. “I dunno either,” said the other Draken. “It’s complicated. Where do you feel you don’t fit in?”
“My- my family. All my brothers are really great hunters and warriors, and I’m just- I can’t even lift a sword, Croix. And mom was... really disappointed.” If Croix could share her problems, then Korenna probably owed her the same. “I want to show her that she doesn’t need to be, but... I don’t know if I can be the kind of person she wants to be.”
Croix turned her gaze to the now-empty dance floor. “Then you need to find someone who can appreciate you for you.”
“And maybe you- maybe you need to do that too, Croix.” The other Draken turned to look at Korenna, eyebrow raised. It took Korenna a moment, but a flush began to spread up her face. “N-Not like each other! I mean, that wouldn’t be- No, I mean, I mean I didn’t mean it! Like... that....” She sank down into her seat while Croix chuckled.
“No, I know, I was messing with you. You’re probably a little too inexperienced for me, Korry.”
Korenna pulled her hat down over her eyes, still frowning and blushing while Croix continued. “But it’s something to think about, I guess. What you said, I mean. It’s complicated, so-”
“You dunno,” supplied Korennna. She sat up again while Croix nodded, leaning forward. “Well, if- if you ever wanna talk, or, I dunno, if you wanna hang out, you can let me know, okay? That way we can- we can feel not fine together. If you want.”
Croix grinned. “Are you asking me out, Korry?”
“No! You know I wasn’t!” she said, feeling the blush spread over her face again.
“I know, I know,” said Croix, chuckling again. “But I appreciate it. We’ll see.” She stood up, nodding her head at the door. “C’mon, it’s late. Club’s closed, Korry. Time to go home.”
Croix began to walk down the steps, Korenna following behind. “So, uh, are you- you okay, Croix?” she asked.
“I don’t know about ‘okay,’ but better than I was feeling before, I guess. So I can’t complain.” She opened the doors to the dance room, waiting for Korenna to step out. She took out a keyring, locking the doors behind them. “Oh, but, before you leave, one thing,” said Croix. Korenna stopped mid-step, looking to the other Draken. “This stays between us, alright? No gossiping.”
Korenna nodded. The last thing she’d want to do is betray her friend’s trust like that. “Sure. I’ll see you later, okay Croix?”
She nodded. “Right. G’night, Korenna. You go ahead, I wanna lock everything up for the night.”
“Night, Croix!” Korenna gave a wave over her shoulder before exiting the building. And almost immediately, her thoughts began to wander to Croix’s teasing. Between her and Lorelei, it was almost too much, thought Korenna. Why did all these other Draken ladies have to be so... overwhelming?
