Show me how

Though she reassured her birds, deep down, a seed of worry had taken root. She hadn’t felt like this before, and the sudden onset of such violent sickness was alarming. Maybe she’d need to see Caedes, because she'd rather die from this than seek out Aurelia.

Absinth sat up slowly, taking deep breaths to steady herself. The ravens around her quieted, their watchful eyes never leaving her. They also did not alert her to Aresenn’s approach. Cheeky things. She could have pretended everything was fine and dandy. But he was there, asking if she was alright with a tentative caress of her cheek that she leaned into with a heavy sigh. Cat out of the bag.

Absinth blinked up at Aresenn, his presence solid, and grounding. She managed a weak smirk, her lips curling in defiance of how ill she felt. “Aresenn,” The monochromatic fae murmured, her voice shaky as she met the warm amber of his gaze. “I don’t know what’s wrong. It just hit me out of fucking nowhere. The rudest wake up I’ve had in a long time.” Her ravens settled, their anxious caws subsiding as they sensed his steady presence. They liked the fire boy; he was an extension of her — or so they believed. Aresenn’s concern was palpable, and Absinth could see the worry etched in his eyes. She reached up, her fingers brushing against his fur like she was wordlessly thanking him for caring. You know, stuff she didn’t articulate.

All those years of eating spoiled food, decaying morsels, water runoff — and she was fine. “I don’t get sick…” She trailed off, closing her eyes as another wave threatened to overwhelm her. She took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm. But now? “It feels like my body’s betraying me.”

Her ravens, sensing her distress, huddled closer, small sounds of conversation passing throughout the flock above. One particularly brave raven hopped onto Aresenn’s back, peering down at Absinth with beady eyes.

She hated when they worried for her. Both the birds, and him. She despised feeling weak, or pitiable. So with a determined gleam in her eyes, she pushed herself up, taking a deep breath to combat any lingering nausea. Maybe if she got something to eat, or took a walk…

wormwood