To Be Proud: Revamped

Chapter 17: Ready for Departure

~Bona~

I thought that a lack of potential danger meant a lack of worries and troubles. Apparently, according to the progressively-worsening nightmares, that was not the case. They had started to overwhelm me to a point of constant fear, and there were so many of them that I wasn't able to predict whether a nightmare would replay itself or if a new one would form to join the fray.

I had managed to get the braces off, thanks to Kayna, but they did leave small marks pressed into my teeth. The marks made it so that it was slightly painful to speak, but even that was better than not being able to speak at all. Some part of me was actually glad when I watched Kayna melting the metal in her hands, shaping it into an uneven sphere.

I was positioned on Thwok's bed, sitting and watching as he zipped around the room. We were leaving in a day, and Thwok wanted to be ready in case anything was thrown his way. He had fashioned a bag using the bones and vines scattered around the island, and he was packing a few books into it. A few island guides, a monstropedia, stuff like that. I didn't have anything to bring anywhere, so I just watched him pack.

It was only the two of us in the room, since Petite went out to help Kayna prepare the skyship. As I watched Thwok move around like an agitated Pixolotl, my mind started to drift off into space. I started to think about what would've happened if I never heard the door handle, if I had never woken up. Would I have woken up on my own? What would've happened to me? A voice suddenly broke me from my thinking.

      "Ona? Ahe you ohkay?"

      "Huh? Uh, yeah, why?"

      "Becauhse youh're mahking thaht sahndy souhnd you mahke when youh're nuhvuhs." I fell silent for a moment, not knowing what to say, then sighed.

      "I...I'll be fine." Thwok put down the few books he had in his arms and turned fully towards me.

      "Ona, I cahn tehl when something is bothuhing you." He walked over to me, taking my hands into his. "I am heuh fohr you, no mattuh whaht hahpens." I couldn't help but to smile a little bit.

      "You promise?"

      "Ohf couhrse, Ona. I lohve you, and nothing is gohing to chahnge thaht."

I studied Thwok's deep, purple eyes, and I could feel most of my troubles slowly slipping away from me. The weight that I had against my shoulders was temporarily lifted, and I felt as if I could finally relax. It took me a moment before I could process the situation, and I could feel my cheek bones burning as I realized what was going on.

Thwok was almost at my level, which should've been a clear giveaway given our height difference. My hands had traveled to his back, holding him upright, and he was using my arms for support.  His legs stood gently against mine, lower to upper, and it took a moment for him to realize as well. Panicked, he apologized and tried to climb down from his position.

But I stopped him. I didn't know why at first, but I stopped him. Something about his presence being that close to me had set something off, something that was prominent and persistent. Admiration, desire, want. I wanted Thwok to be with me, to stay with me, until the inevitable erasure of the monster world.

      "O-Ona?" Thwok looked up at me, confused. I smiled softly.

      "Why run off so soon? Scared?"

      "Oh, I-I thouhght- that you-" I shushed him, and I couldn't help but to giggle a bit.

      "Thwok, don't worry about it. This is...comforting, actually." Thwok's eyes glistened for a moment, and then he shifted into a more comfortable position to sit in.