Meet my new friend

The silence that falls as Ricin admits that he told someone the secret seems to stretch on forever. He watches as memories of the past weigh Chade down, the guilt and sadness ripping fresh holes in the light boy’s heart. The event happened, there is nothing that can change that. Perhaps… he shouldn’t have said anything, allowed Chade to keep on pretending nothing had happened and he should have swallowed his own guilt about… everything. Heart hammers harder in his chest, stomach twisting into a thousand knots as he watches his brother, waiting for the inevitable moment. Then… Ricin words finally reach him.

The fear and anger in his brother’s eyes cause Ricin to wince, shy back a few steps, mouth opening to reassure Chade. However, the darker boy is already in his face and Ricin shrinks further away, tail tucked. He mumbles apologies, quickly laying on his belly and curling his tail. The worried boy lays his head flat on the ground, making himself as small as possible in a submissive, defeated gesture. Tall frame quakes as he squeezes his eyes shut to try and hold the tears in. He chokes out, “I’m sorry Ny. I had to tell her. She is the leader and… I had to tell her.”

Guilt clouds the happy moment of Ricin wrapped in Manea’s arms as the realization of his betraying of his brother’s secret and receiving comfort for that fact is slammed home. A strangled sob escapes as Ricin keeps his eyes shut tightly so he does not have to see his brother’s anger at him. His voice catches as he says, “I told Manea, Ny. She thought it was fate. That, what you did, was your truest expression of love for me. I am so sorry Ny. I… I’m sorry. She was holding me and… it felt so nice. I had to tell her. I had to. She… doesn’t hate us. I promise.” Ricin ducks his head under one of his legs, trying to hide the liquid that leaks out of his eyes at a steady rate.


"Speech"