Theea
A smile spreads across my face, soft and warm—meant for him, but lingering for myself too. Despite the cold rain threading through my hair, there’s a quiet warmth blooming in my chest, the kind that comes from feeling welcome. I never want to be a bother, never want to weigh anyone down, and knowing I’m not smooths the edge of that worry. “I’m glad too,” I say.
As the cart stops, I’m up on my feet and thanking the driver with a bright grin, and I patiently wait for Niki for find his way down first. I watch him carefully, ready to offer a hand, but he appears to be perfectly capable. I clamber down a moment later, splashing into a small puddle my boots thankfully protect my feet from. If there’s one thing I learned traveling, it’s to keep your feet dry.
I take up the offered card and lean over it to protect it from the rain. Nikandr Volkov. It’s an elegant name. I tuck it into a dry pocket of my backpack. “I’ll catch you one of these days,” I tell him. “Maybe we can have tea after I help out?” Please say yes, is all I can think. What I wouldn’t give for a friend to visit.
I follow Niki deeper into town, and maybe it’s the cover overhead or the gentler air, but the rain doesn’t seem quite so heavy here. I sweep damp hair from my face, gathering it to wring out as we go. The glow of the lanterns makes everything feel warmer than it is. I wear a quiet smile, nodding as Niki gestures to the shops and inns, pointing out places where I might find work—and maybe a place to stay. And of course...
I grin, my chest blooming with delight as my eyes light up. “I’ve seen the Skyport before, but never been in this one,” I tell him. For a while, we walk in silence—just the soft patter of rain and the steady click of his cane filling the air. I glance up at the towering structure, steadying my steps, then shift my gaze back to Niki. “I wish I could just fly,” I admit quietly. “My mom’s a hybrid—one of her shifts is a hummingbird. I was always jealous of her wings. If I had those, I could be there in a blink.” I pause, then tilt my head. “Would you fly from here, if you could?” I suppose he already could, in a way, with Skyships—but that’s not quite the same.
As the cart stops, I’m up on my feet and thanking the driver with a bright grin, and I patiently wait for Niki for find his way down first. I watch him carefully, ready to offer a hand, but he appears to be perfectly capable. I clamber down a moment later, splashing into a small puddle my boots thankfully protect my feet from. If there’s one thing I learned traveling, it’s to keep your feet dry.
I take up the offered card and lean over it to protect it from the rain. Nikandr Volkov. It’s an elegant name. I tuck it into a dry pocket of my backpack. “I’ll catch you one of these days,” I tell him. “Maybe we can have tea after I help out?” Please say yes, is all I can think. What I wouldn’t give for a friend to visit.
I follow Niki deeper into town, and maybe it’s the cover overhead or the gentler air, but the rain doesn’t seem quite so heavy here. I sweep damp hair from my face, gathering it to wring out as we go. The glow of the lanterns makes everything feel warmer than it is. I wear a quiet smile, nodding as Niki gestures to the shops and inns, pointing out places where I might find work—and maybe a place to stay. And of course...
I grin, my chest blooming with delight as my eyes light up. “I’ve seen the Skyport before, but never been in this one,” I tell him. For a while, we walk in silence—just the soft patter of rain and the steady click of his cane filling the air. I glance up at the towering structure, steadying my steps, then shift my gaze back to Niki. “I wish I could just fly,” I admit quietly. “My mom’s a hybrid—one of her shifts is a hummingbird. I was always jealous of her wings. If I had those, I could be there in a blink.” I pause, then tilt my head. “Would you fly from here, if you could?” I suppose he already could, in a way, with Skyships—but that’s not quite the same.
welcome to the world of pretend
where we pretend we don't feel pain
where we pretend we don't feel pain
