23.If you could do anything or wish anything, what would it be?
Hmm, good question!
Lots of things. Here’s what comes to mind first.
I’d wish for the ability to shapeshift into any creature I want. That way I can swim underwater for a long time or fly, whatever I fancy! Also being able to turn into a fantastical creature would be awesome.
I’d also wish for increased confidence or courage, heh. I need to stand up for myself sometimes.
For this lovely bab in response to this. Enjoy, Chey bby!!
As soon as Chey unlocked the front door, Oliver was there, their greeting slightly muted due to... sadness? Worry? Chey couldn't tell.
“Hey, hon.” Chey said, kissing Oliver lightly on the forehead. “You okay?”
“Yeah, it's not me.” Oliver replied with a nod.
“Oh no...” Chey's smile dropped. It was that time again, and both of them had been worried something like this would happen. “Is he alright?”
“I... I don't know. He didn't want me close to him, so I didn't have enough time to tell.” Oliver sighed.
“I'll go talk to him.” Chey responded, giving Oliver another kiss before starting in on the rest of the house. “Where is he?”
“Out in the backyard.” Oliver pointed towards the sliding patio door, a grim look on their face.
“Don't worry, babe. We'll get through to him.” Chey said, speaking the words she didn't know if she believed. They had to get through to him. Somehow. But this was Malik they were talking about. Sometimes that wasn't so easy.
The horns poking over the edge of the hammock didn't even shift when she slid the patio door open. Malik was completely off in his own world, or at least trying his hardest to ignore the one he existed in presently. Chey smiled despite the situation. He was staring at the stars. That always seemed to calm him.
“Mal?” She called softly.
No response. Not even a sniff.
“Hon?”
Nothing.
“You're going to have to talk to me eventually.”
“Just go back inside, Chey. I'll be fine.” Malik said softly. Dejectedly.
“We both know that's not true.” Chey replied, coming to stand beside the woven hammock and taking in the distressed goat man curled up in the center. The starlight glistened off his tearstained cheeks, visible even in the darkness. His knees were bent, the closest he could get to a ball while still lying on his back, and his arms were wrapped around himself in a way that made Chey think he was trying to block the world out.
“Please just...” He tried to suppress the sob that wracked his body, failing miserably. “Just leave me alone. I want to be alone.”
“Oh, Malik.” Chey sighed, slipping on to the hammock to lay beside him and wrap him in her embrace. Running her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck, she soothed him with a whispered, “It's alright, hon. It's okay.”
“No it's not.” He insisted, weakly trying to pull away from her. “I'm a monster. You and Oliver shouldn't be around me. I'm just gonna hurt you, or worse-”
“Stop.” Chey commanded, voice still soft. “Mal, don't go there. You know better than that. We love you no matter what-”
“But what if I do something that makes you both hate me-”
“That will never happen.” Chey insisted. “No. Matter. What.”
Malik shifted his position in the hammock, rolling over to lock his reddened eyes on to Chey's, glistening in the starlight.
“Why do you still love a monster like me?” He asked quietly, voice wavering somewhere between broken and healed.
Chey reached up to brush his bangs off his forehead, letting her hand rest on his cheek and wipe the tears away. “Because you're my monster, and I could never be afraid of you.”
Malik gave her a watery smile and leaned his forehead against hers, more relieved than he could ever admit.
“Besides, I don't think you could fit under the bed anyway.” Chey quipped, and let's just say that hammocks aren't the best thing to shove people off of, especially if you do it playfully.
