water is wet

See the thing is, Ophie was more than happy to make aimless small talk. It was easy, with no strings attached as though they were simply going through the motions, being polite for the sake of it. Because they were nice people. But as Briar settled beside her, Ophie got the feeling that there was more afoot. That regardless of how much Ophie wanted to bury her head in the mud the truth would come out sooner or later. It needed to happen and Briar was kind for taking the initiative, but dread settled into the pit of Ophie's stomach all the same, so heavy she feared she wouldn't be able to climb to her paws. To run from reality and scoff down another meal to cover the pain.

She was glad that Briar was doing better though and made a soft noise of affirmation in the back of her throat. Despite it all, Ophie found herself scooting closer, so their sides pressed, the pudge of her stomach pressing against the notches of Briars ribs. For the longest time she'd been too afraid to seek out physical comfort, but call it childish impulse that had her here, wishing they could just exist together without the weight of their baggage slowing them down.

Her ears flicked back as Briar began and the truth hurt. She was right, someone ought to have said this long ago and Ophie was sorry, so very sorry, that the weight had been foisted upon Briar. Like she didn't have enough on her plate as is. Averting her gaze, Ophie stared at her paws, at the way her claws slightly jutted out from between her toes.

"I know." She began with a slight delay, as if approaching this matter from any sort of angle would make it easier to stomach. "I just...I'm not strong like you or the others. I want to be better, I know I'm fat and disgusting and a waste of space but-She snorted, a lump formed her throat. Impossible to swallow. "Sometimes I feel like it'd be better if I just wasn't around." She laid her chin on her extended front legs.

It wasn't a cry for attention or an attempt to make Briar feel pity for her. It was just the simple truth, it seemed like a fact to her. She wore the Fatalis name like a poor fitting suit.

"I don't want to make you feel bad. I did this to myself and there's no excuse but I won't drag you down with me. "