Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Wren’s mouth parted in quiet offense at Colt’s teasing, though the expression dissolved almost instantly into something sheepish. “I—no,” she said quickly, a breath of laughter slipping through despite herself. “I don’t think so.” The idea of being opinionated felt foreign enough. The idea of being an ass even more so. Still, there was comfort in the way Colt delivered it, like she had already decided Jesse could take the joke.
Her smile faded more slowly when Colt asked about somewhere to stay, and her brows knit together again. She shook her head once, small and honest. “No. I didn’t plan that far.” Her fingers twisted briefly in the fabric of her shirt hem before she forced them still. “I just, uh, got on the first skyship I saw.” Saying it plainly made it sound reckless. It probably was. But she couldn;t shake the image of the man with her eyes, looking at her like she were a ghost, as it now swarmed again behind her eyes.
But the dog’s surge forward and away, despite her attempts to hold on to whatever Smooches had offered her, made her stumble forward a step. “Oh—” The protest died quickly as Colt reassured her. Smooches would come back. She watched the dog disappear in a flurry of dust and indignant barking, tension easing as laughter bubbled up instead. ”I’ll be sure to keep it to myself.” She murmured, warmth returning to her voice.
Then, more earnest, and somehow more at ease despite the man’s face lingering in her memory, she looked back at Colt. “I’d appreciate help. With, uh, wherever people like me are supposed to go.”
Her smile faded more slowly when Colt asked about somewhere to stay, and her brows knit together again. She shook her head once, small and honest. “No. I didn’t plan that far.” Her fingers twisted briefly in the fabric of her shirt hem before she forced them still. “I just, uh, got on the first skyship I saw.” Saying it plainly made it sound reckless. It probably was. But she couldn;t shake the image of the man with her eyes, looking at her like she were a ghost, as it now swarmed again behind her eyes.
But the dog’s surge forward and away, despite her attempts to hold on to whatever Smooches had offered her, made her stumble forward a step. “Oh—” The protest died quickly as Colt reassured her. Smooches would come back. She watched the dog disappear in a flurry of dust and indignant barking, tension easing as laughter bubbled up instead. ”I’ll be sure to keep it to myself.” She murmured, warmth returning to her voice.
Then, more earnest, and somehow more at ease despite the man’s face lingering in her memory, she looked back at Colt. “I’d appreciate help. With, uh, wherever people like me are supposed to go.”
Wren
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
