GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake

057 ━━ flower queen

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THE WALK was torture.

Iona couldn't find a more fitting word, actually.

There was this static buzz in the air; one that they both shared, basked in, and seemed to notice. She wanted to ask questions, he wanted to ask questions- yet neither would speak up and make their concerns known.

To top it all off, they had to watch every step they took, and keep eyes behind them. If a soldier found them out here, they'd both be dead, regardless of how much fight Iona was capable of putting up.

Still, the journey was uncomfortable despite the whole army ordeal.

"My mom was assassinated by a Trikru spy," Jakob said suddenly. He stopped walking, glancing over at her as if he could read the question on her mind. Meanwhile, Iona's face fell. She loved that woman. "That's why I'm in the army."

Apologies wouldn't help him; Iona knew this. They didn't help her when she was little, and they still don't help her now when in reference to her sister.

Instead, she reached over, hesitantly tapping a palm against his back. It wasn't very comforting, she knew that, but it was her makeshift attempt. It wouldn't make him feel better, nor would it particularly solve anything, but it could remind him she cared.

Perhaps very, very deep down, but it was there. Iona still cared about her childhood best friend, regardless of his current alliances.

Jakob let a small smile grace his features, and it was one she could actually admire this time. With his mask discarded, a shiny array of teeth stared back at her as he ruffled her hair, murmuring, "You haven't changed at all."

"And you've changed too much," She noted, swatting his hands away.

She put a reasonable amount of distance between them, staring absentmindedly at the forest around them in an attempt to distract herself.

Iona didn't like affection- well, not typically, but her one exception wasn't with her at the moment- and distance was her best friend. It was to her own comfort that she stayed separated from others.

It was the way she'd always been; perhaps Jakob was right, she hasn't changed.

"It's just a little bit of muscle," Jakob chuckles, lifting his arm to flex. Iona didn't even look, simply rolling her eyes at his newfound playful ego. "I still love-" he crouched down, grabbing a flower right out of the ground and holding it out to Iona, "-flowers."

Iona stared down at the flower. It was pretty; blossoming shades of orange with yellow highlights, and pretty little black specks.

She raised a brow, looking at him questioningly.

"For something you love so much, you just killed it," Iona deadpanned.

Jakob sighed. Iona was hopeless. Standing up, he shook his head briefly, before reaching across the distance and quickly sticking the flower in her hair. She huffed, looking at him with a hint of disgust, but left it be.

She quickly raced to continue walking, eager to put even more distance between her and Jakob, but also the army still relatively close to them.

What she didn't notice, however, was how he'd slowly slip more and more flowers into her hair as she walked, until eventually, she had a beautiful flower crown adorning the top of her head. Maybe it was stupid to not notice, but she was just too focused on everything else.

If she could see herself at the moment, though, perhaps she'd find the image pretty. Maybe it'd even remind her of her childhood and ignite the flames to the memories locked away by flammable paper.

Whatever it may be, Jakob just hoped it'd help ease the nerves he could practically see radiating off of her.

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shorter chapter ik but these r mostly fillers bc i want you to get to know jakob a lil bit :>

pls follow for 69 followers just for the meme