Tentative Truce || Rick & Popuri
@wanderingwhiimsy
He’d...missed Popuri. More than he’d ever thought possible, really. After their tumultuous fight that had ended in shouting and tears, he’d thought their entire relationship might’ve been utterly burned to the ground, but the voyage had given him hope. They’d gone from an almost cold silence at the beginning to helping keep each other alive by the end - and, for once, Rick hadn’t felt the need to win.
Was that what growing up was really like? He wasn’t sure. Either way, he wasn’t willing to let lingering coldness stand if there was anything he could do to change it. Not when he’d almost watched her be pummeled by a crazed man and had barely been able to stop it.
After the Arms Tournament had ended, even with the ache deep in his heart over worry about Sabrina, he’d lingered on the island, waiting to catch a glimpse of Popuri - and then he saw a flash of pink hair fluttering by, attached to a very determined face, and Rick didn’t let himself hesitate before he hurried over to her.
“Hey.” He touched her shoulder to catch her attention, then faltered. There were too many things that he wanted to say, and for a long moment he couldn’t decide which one to start with.