30. “Be you. No one else can.” for the drabble asks
“I wish I could have been born in a different life, or a different family.” Sage says as she sits down on the hard mattress of the Inn. Nyx doesn’t quite acknowledge her words as she peers out the window, eyes narrowed and palm covering the small flame of the candle. “Maybe things wouldn’t be like this.”
“Maybe,” Nyx finally says as she looks over at Sage, and makes her way towards her own bed and sits down. She works to take off her boots. “What’s done is done, and there’s nothing else you can do about it.”
“Well, there’s gotta be something.”
Nyx scrunches up her nose. “Like what? It’s not like you asked to be born. And it’s impossible to go back and time and prevent yourself from being born.” She pauses as she kicks off one boot. “And why would you?”
“Well, our beautiful world is dying because of me.”
“No, it’s dying because of your father,” Nyx says. “And the gods, because they’re assholes.”
Sage gives her a skeptical look. “I’m supposed to die.”
“And you’re going to live.” She says, sharply. Nyx licks her lips and looks away, surprised at her own angry outburst. This hadn’t been intentional, she hadn’t intended to suddenly want to keep Sage alive, she hadn’t intended to disobey the gods, and yet, here she is.
After a period of silence, Nyx sighs. “Just,” She pauses, trying to think. She’s never been one to give reassuring words. That’s Zephyr’s job, but Zephyr is off doing their own thing. “Just be you, okay? Be around, because nobody else can be.”
Sage gives her a little smile.
