as fragile as a dandelion

a hero

August's POV

Several weeks had passed. I could tell Two's anxiety was growing by the day, but she was healing. Her and Monica formed an unlikely alliance and understanding. Monica checked on her every day, worrying like a mother hen.

Two didn't talk much. She always seemed to be lost in her own world. Sometimes I'd come into the room and she wouldn't notice me until I said something to her. She'd just stare off into the distance.

She startled easily and had nightmares every single night. I slept in the chair next to her bed. I'd wake up to find her screaming and squirming, her face twisted and contorted by fear and pain. I'd hold her until she calmed down. I never woke her. I had made that mistake once and it sent her into an hour long panic attack.

I had to wonder what she was dreaming about that would scare her so much. It all came back to a couple things - the day we had killed her, and whatever had happened at home.

Anytime I mentioned her home, she'd close herself up immediately. Put up unbreakable walls.

"Monica?" I asked one day.

"Yeah sweet boy?"

"Has Two ever talked to you about anything? Like from before she came here?"

"No honey. She's as closed off as a badger den. Why are you asking?"

"Well... I mean... It's just that she won't tell me anything. She shuts down whenever I ask her. I feel like I'm doing something wrong."

Monica gazed at me, crinkling the crows feet by her eyes with indecipherable expression. She sighed, "Baby, she'll tell you when the time is right. Don't rush her. It ain't nothing you did wrong. Poor girl is traumatized is all."

She reached up and squished my cheek.

•••

Two weeks later, my scouts from the border store came running into my office, panting.

"Boss. Rick ain't happy. He saying he wanna rumble tomorrow at the lot." Tin panted.

"He wants you to bring the girl too." Joe added sheepishly.

"Fuck no. Rick never plays by the rules. He'll try to take her even if we win. I ain't bringing her. She's not strong enough yet. No way in hell." I internally panicked.

There's no way I'm bringing Two anywhere near those pieces of shit. She can't see them. It'll hurt her too much.

"B-But boss, if we don't, he definitely won't play by the rules. She can sit on the bench. We can have people guarding her." Tin stuttered.

"Fuck Tin. I said no. She's not fucking strong enough yet. She can't fucking walk out there with us."

Tin and Joe looked at the floor.

"We could see what the other guys think." I sighed.

We walked out into the game room. As I passed through the cloud of cigarette and cigar smoke, all the laughter stopped.

"August what's wrong?" Julian asked, concerned. He had been my best friend since I could remember and could read people's facial expressions like no one else I knew.

As I explained to them the situation, I looked at each of them. These guys were my only family. They took me in. They listened to me no matter what. They followed orders without questions and they never got too cocky. I loved them.

It ended up that 3/4 of them voting that we bring Two with us. But in the end it was up to her. It was her life.

Her eyes widened as I explained to her. "August you have to let me go. I need to go back there. No one can get hurt because of me. I could never forgive myself. Please August. Please" Two pleaded.

"Two I can't. I can't let you go. I can't send you to them knowing that they're going to hurt you."

"Please. I can stop this from happening. I can be a hero, August. I can save somebody else from getting hurt."

I pulled her into a hug, slowly caressing her head, her silky strawberry blonde hair. "Two. You can come with us if you want to. But only if you want to. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you. But I can't let you go back to them. Okay?"

She sighed shakily. "I'll come. If anyone gets hurt I'll never be able to forgive myself though."

I nodded. "You're sure? You're okay with seeing them?"

Her breath caught but her answer was steady. "Yes."

I felt her heart beat against my arm. Reminding me she was still here.

No thanks to you, idiot.

•••

I walked back into the game room and sat down on an old leather couch, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

Joe stared at me like he had a burning question.

"Alright, alright. Spit it out Joe." I sighed.

"W-Well it's just that me and the guys have been thinking, you know boss? And we were just wondering what's so special about this girl? Like why don't we just hand her back like normal?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You've been wondering huh?"

The guys looked scared but also anxious to know. I downed my beer in a sip, the taste sliding down my throat. I wiped my mouth.

"Because I fucking love her. How about that?"