𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 [ꜱɪᴢᴢʟᴇ] | 𝚊 𝚠𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

|| Chapter 12 ||

Life's too short in Pyrrhia. Too short to focus on little things. But yet, that's all Sizzle was ever doing these days. She was focusing on every little morning dewdrop on each blade of grass. On the gorgeous, leafy, sage green treetops. The turquoise waterfall, which was Coast's favorite spot on the whole island. The blue macaws that fluttered around the windows of the Winglet House. The way Gentoo finally fell hard for Cuddlefish after a few weeks. How Cuddlefish blushed brightly whoever Gentoo glanced his way. She was busy focusing Coast's stunning eyes that she always seems to get lost in. How her beautiful light blue scales fade into a deep cyan. How wonderful of a dragon she is.

And all Sizzle wanted to do was spend the rest of her life with her.

Classes ended for the week and the four of them were ready to start the weekend. Snail's death was far behind them, and they haven't tried to figure out who the murderer was in weeks. Everyone was too wrapped up in their love lives. 

The four of them were laying in a grassy field right around sundown. Talking. Cloud watching. Laughing. Sizzle has never been happier in her life. One way or another, they got onto the topic of their families, a rather sensitive topic to the SandWing. For obvious reasons.

Cuddlefish rested next to Gentoo, and Sizzle swore if they didn't ask one another out, she was most likely going to do it herself. The SeaWing did talking. "I've always lived in the Kingdom of the Sea, until I decided to apply for the academy. My two little brothers were so upset to see me leave after I was chosen to be the one who replaced Snail. It's too bad I didn't really get in for real," he trailed off, a bit solemnly, and Coast kindly touched his shoulder.

Gentoo shifted a bit uncomfortably because apparently it was his turn to share some family stories. "Well, my parents names are Frostbite and Polar...and um, I don't really have great stories to tell..." "Hey, you don't have to share anything you're not comfortable with sharing, okay Gentoo?" Sizzle tapped him gently and the IceWing nodded gratefully.

It was Coast's turn, which Sizzle was happy about, because she always seemed to lift everyone's spirits. That was definitely one of the reasons she adored the SeaWing so much. "My parents helped everyone around my kingdom. They loved making meals for anyone who needed it and they loved making others smile even more. I guess that's where I get it from," she laughed a bit and blushed a little when she spotted Sizzle's wing brushing up against hers. "I was sort of left alone for a bit so I decided to come here to meet other tribes and get a good education!" the beautiful SeaWing beamed.

Now, it was Sizzle's turn to pour her heart out to her friends, which she was not overly fond with. The SandWing took a deep breath and spoked. "My parents, Lion and Sunrise, met a while ago in the Kingdom of Sand. I grew up sort of isolated from the other SandWings who lived in the Scorpion Den. I had two siblings, my brother, Barren and my sister, Cleo. I never really wanted to go to the academy, until I found my mother and my brother and my sister dead on the streets. My father hurt me for a bit, because we both were seriously hurting so I had to leave, before I didn't have a chance. Looking back now doesn't feel so great," Sizzle confessed. She was right. It definitely did not feel great. Sizzle tried to forget those feelings. Those feelings of betrayal, grief, denial, worry, fear. 

Remembering everything absolutely broke her.

Just a little bit.

Wow, way to bring the party down Siz, she grumbled in her head and let out a quiet sigh. She turned her head towards her friends, whose faces ranged from shock, to sympathy, to slightly pitiful. "Sorry about that. I guess, I just never really talked about what happened to me to anyone before. But the past is the past," she smiled a bit and they a seemed to lighten up a bit. I need to stay confident. We don't need everyone knowing I have some insecurities, she thought with anger directed to herself.

Gentoo was the one who saved her. "Yeah, we're here now so let's focus on that." He nudged her and she gave him a grateful look. "Now c'mon. It's getting late, we should head back to the Winglet House or else we'll get in trouble for breaking the 'safety rules.'" One of the so-called safety rules was that everyone had to be in their Winglet House before it was completely dark. Cuddlefish grinned. "Yeah we better, or believe it or not, Squish will have our heads!"

Sizzle woke up in the middle of the night. She didn't know why and it kind of creeped her out. The SandWing sat up in her nest and looked around the room. Everyone was asleep and in their beds, except for Coast, who wasn't anywhere in the room. Sizzle instantly got up and decided she had nothing better to do than look for her crush.

She found the pretty SeaWing sitting on one of the outside balconies, breathing in the cool night air and gazing at the stars. Coast noticed Sizzle from the doorway and calm look turned into worry. "Hey Sizzle, are you okay? Oh, I hope I didn't wake you!"

Sizzle smiled softly. "No worries, I woke up on my own," she said and sat down next to her and looked up. The night danced with small little fireflies that landed on the balcony railing and gave a warm glow. Stars were splattered across the sky like soft white paint. There were so many stars.

"The stars are so beautiful, aren't they?" Coast breathed, her eyes closed, her head titled up towards the dark sky.

"Yeah. Yeah, they are," Sizzle inched closer to her, her talons slowly reaching for Coast's.

A voice in her head that sounded a lot like Gentoo was urging her, Just do it. You're so close! Just ask her.

"Coast.." she began and the SeaWing looked up, blushing softly with a pale pink.

You got it...

"I think you look amazing tonight," she said, half in defeat and put her talons down close to her. Her heart instantly started racing, however, when Coast rested her cyan talons on her pale ones. "I think you do, too," she smiled and Sizzle could feel herself beaming with joy.

I don't have the courage to ask her out yet, thought Sizzle.

But I will. And I will sometime soon.

A/N

OH MY GOD FINALLY JUST A HAPPY AND ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE COZZLE CHAPTER.

I'm so happy right now -w-

Alsooooooo

Be expecting some wholesome Cuddletoo in the next chapter because we all need that in our lives <3

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!!

Stay happy and healthy!

-Vii