Angel With Broken Wings

16 - Mash Burnedead, Kat Ride and the Challenging Magic User (3)

[POV CHANGE | KAT]

I wince slightly as I feel another person's forehead against mine. My eyes meeting yellow, my mind recognizing this person as Finn. My lungs seemed to be taking in air, no longer feeling as if I was drowning underneath the water called pain. "Finn...?" Our breathing seemed to mingle together as I posed his name as a question, and he seemed to lean in further before pausing and pulling back, a tint of red on his cheeks.

"Sorry." I tilt my head to the side, feeling numb, glancing over at Lemon to the right of me. "Why? Why are you apologizing...? You helped...me..." The blonde girl was still close by and I can see the tears on her pretty face, Finn finching but nodding at my words. "Lemon..." I mutter glancing over to her, "Why are you crying?"

I reach my hand up to her face, wiping the wet stains on her cheeks. "Why am I...? You sounded like you were being tortured." Her answer makes me flinch, realization settling in as I look away and remove my hand, "I-I'm sorry...please, forget what I've said, don't bothering mentioning it to anyone too, it's nothing. Just ramblings." I try to quicky counter her accusing tone.

"Nothing...? You were having a panic attack and you're still in shock?" Her response makes me flinch again, "It never happened this badly before... I grew up in a cage like this, so I never thought it would be this bad." My words were soft, and I glance through the glass of the large potion flask. "Is Mash fighting?"

I question, the two looking at each other before looking at me. "Yes, Lance challenged Mash to a bet." I hummed at the answer, commenting casually, "Lance, huh...? I can't be mad if nobody knew in the first place, it's not like I wanted people to know." My answer as I stand makes Lemon and Finn clutch onto either arm, staring up at me. "It's okay to let yourself be vulnerable, especially with us!"

I wince, glancing at Lemon who spoke so boldly, Finn nodding in agreement. It was the first time I saw the two so readily agree with each other, usually having petty arguments over random things. "It's...not that easy..." I mutter, a pout forming as I look away from the two eager faces. "Then don't do it right away! Just find it in yourself to be vulnerable one day, with anyone! We care about you, Kat, and that's not gonna change even if you were magicless!"

Finn's burst made my eyes go wide, his confidence seeming to match the cool and confident air his brother gave off that day. "Even if, huh? You're both...pretty incredible." My comment was short, but I shook my head as I then continue, "Maybe one day... But I just can't right now, not now, it's still too hard to even think about things that happened there." I mutter, shifting from foot to foot as the duo nod their heads.

"That's fine, as you said before, we should get to know each other much better before marriage is even a question. I plan on honoring that opinion and learn how to take care of you as much as you'll let me!" Lemon was confident as well, speaking bravely with her marriage talk once more, but I couldn't find it in myself to mind this time.

"Yeah. That's what I said." Her eyes flicker, my hands finding theirs as I hold both of each one of their hands. Lemon moves closer, hugging my arm tightly as Finn merely squeezes my hand.

I move towards the front of the bottle, Tom having managed to not notice a single bit of the commotion that just went on, his air headedness larger than Mash's in this case.

[POV CHANGE | MASH]

I didn't know how Kat was doing, I haven't ever seen her reaction when being in a tight and small space, I've only seen her with her aversion to people. Her acts of initiating minimal contact, a fake smile and pretending to be alright a consistent thing I had seen over the course of the year I have known her. She hardly smiled when we first met, remaining quiet and impassive, only nodding mostly rather than saying anything.