The tale of two scales

Dark paths and sunlit walks

Toni tried not to shake. If she shook it would have been a sign of weakness, she attempted to pull herself together while awaiting the small beings answer.

Aspen looked at her, eyes creasing with nervousness, "m-mine?"

He was sure if he was willing to share that information, but... he did kind of force her to share hers. I guess... it was only fair...

"Well... my father..."

Aspen hesitated. He thought about that day a lot, the scar on his shoulder a constant reminder. He'd never talked about it with anyone before.

Toni eyes flicked to him, she waited for him to continue. Patient and piteous.

"He... wasn't a dad..."

Toni tilted her head, not fully understanding what he meant.

"He... didn't care... about our family... he... hurt our family"

He forced out the words, he found himself shaking while talking. He could barely even think about it. His entire body felt tense, and he choked back tears.

Then, he felt warmth cover his clenched hands. He looked down and saw Toni's hand laying on top of his, an act of comfort. His eyes snapped to her face, wide with pain and sadness. Her features were softened with care and understanding.

"You don't have to force yourself to say anything you don't want to aspen."

Aspen bit his lip and launched his body forward into Toni. She paused, blinking with shock, before gently wrapping her arms around the small male.

Aspen couldn't help but start to cry into her chest.

Toni rocked him gently in her embrace, humming softly, she nuzzled into his hair, breathing in his scent. She stared out across the ocean, eyes oddly dull.

Dull...? No that's not the right word... peaceful....

The pair stayed there until the sun started climbing slowly into the sky, just holding one another. Silent and at peace. Aspen stopped crying a while ago but never once did her pull away.

"I should probably get back home before my mother gets worried..."

Both of them felt disappointed at having to leave each other. The moment they had just shared seemed to have connected them somehow.

They stood up together, almost unwilling to break apart. The idea seemed dreadful to both of them. But they did, splitting apart like two halves of a locket.

Toni offered to walk aspen home, and he, desperate to be with her longer, agreed after a small bit of convincing.

Although the sun was rising, the air was still chilly and aspen felt himself shivering as they walked side by side. Toni picked up on it almost immediately and giggled to herself softly.

Aspen looked at her and huffed, pouting. "What's so funny?"

She giggled more, "you're shivering"

"So what if I am?" He pouted more

Toni grinned mischievously, "you're adorable~" she teased.

He couldn't help but flush with embarrassment, "n-no I'm not!"

Toni sniggered at this, "aww, yes you are"

Aspen scrunched up his face, "am not."

Toni laughed softly, "do you want my sweater?"

Aspen looked at her confusedly, "but don't you need it?"

Toni shrugged, "I don't really get cold."

That wasn't the only reason...

Aspen hummed, but accepted it. Toni pulled off the sweater and plopped it over aspen, he was practically drowning in it. It was absolutely huge on his slim frame.

Toni laughed more, "oh my god. It's huge on you"

Aspen groaned, "oh come on, it's not my fault that you're so much bigger than me!"

Toni smiled, "I know, I know... but you're practically swimming in it!" She said, speaking her earlier thoughts.

It was obvious. As soon as Toni said the word swimming Aspen tensed. It was an uncomfortable subject for people who weren't like him, sea monsters. They can't know his secret, under any circumstances. His mind wandered to when his mother told him that, a crucial memory that will forever be ingrained in his mind.

~

"Aspen! How could you?!" It was a humid day on the first of June, Aspen had just returned from the school a couple of towns away.
"Now one of your little 'friends'" she said the word 'friend' with so much venom it made the small boy flinch. His fleshy hands were still wrapped tightly around the straps of his new school bag, he loved it because it had shiny fishes on the front of it, when the sun hit it in a certain position he could see that the fishes scales reflected onto nearby walls in a shower of rainbow. His clothes on the other hand felt too tight and uncomfortable they scratched and itched especially because of the humid weather.
"Are you even listening to me?"
He nodded numbly. Aspen didn't know what to do. He'd just made a friend and Enrico had showed him around and shared his sandwich with him. He was nice and Aspen wanted to show him something special. He promised he wouldn't tell. That was when he heard a sound, like someone throwing a wet shirt on tiles, and a stinging sensation spread around his cheek.
That was the first time that his mother had hit him.
And it wasn't the last.

~

"Aaassppeeeennnn....Aspen!" At first Toni saw the glossy eyes, she had been in that mind scape too many times to count, she knew what was happening. When his eyes started to twitch, that's when Toni knew it was coming to an end.
Aspen jumped to hear his name and his hand cupped his cheek involuntarily.
Toni cocked her head to the side.
"You alright?" Aspen nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

They continued their walk, Aspen was grateful for the large Woolly jumper that Toni always seemed to wear, even in the summer, the early mornings always seemed to be colder.

"You sure?" Toni looked worried, Aspen didn't want people to be worried about him, in fact it was extremely dangerous not only for him but Toni to be friends with him. He didn't want his mother to get upset, he knew it was only because she cared for him. Right?

"Yeah I'm alright" He smiled and took off the jumper. "I'm just round the corner from here so I should probably just, yeah"

He tried to make this departure short and sweet, knowing it would probably be the last time he could risk something like this. A sinking feeling was developing at the bottom of his stomach, he knew something was going to happen, like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean. waiting. just waiting for the thump as it reaches the bottom. But the thump never came.

"Thankyou for the morning, it was nice" He smiled at the taller person, and she smiled back before a sudden realisation glossed over her face.

"Hey, so there's the summer festival in a couple of days, and i was wondering if i could meet you there?" Toni was hopeful, hopeful that after this morning aspen would open up a little more. Hopeful that he would say yes. Hopeful that Toni could get to know this person more. She felt drawn to him, in some odd, unexplainable way.

Aspen shuffled in place, wringing his hands together, a small blush coated his cheeks "I have to ask my mother first, but i might be able to go"

Relief flooded Toni body and she immediately relaxed, "Ok, that's great! brilliant even! Ill um see you there i guess? well i mean maybe if your mom allows you to go, but great! see you there!" Toni turned and knocked into a large wooden pole, wobbling a little bit she turned to just catch a glimpse of aspen greens smile before he ducked into his room through the window.

Oh and what a wonderful smile it was too.

Authors note:

Hello everyone!! Sorry for the big gap in our updates Tonee got a bit stuck and I had to help him out.

Anyway here's our next chapter! Hope you enjoyed it x