Safe Haven

Heart Breaking and Heart Racing

Reina padded forward as she neared the door to her room, pushing against the door to get inside. As the door moved and opened further, Haven was revealed to be inside, lying on her nest as usual. However, the silver-furred eevee was buried in her paws, her mood a complete mystery to Reina. She decided she would take the gamble and try to talk to the shiny eevee, who hopefully wouldn't be in a bad mood and get upset at her. 

Reina spoke quietly, trying not to spook her roommate, "Hey, what's up?" Haven's ears perked up, and she turned her attention to the eevee at the door. She turned to face Reina, face wet with what Reina assumed were tears. This couldn't be good. 

"I'm just not..." Haven began, attempting to speak. However, she turned her head back down to cower beneath her paws, crying even more than before. Reina didn't know what to do, becoming more and more unsure of herself in the situation. 

"Um--it's also okay if you don't want to talk about it--I mean, I don't uh, don't wanna make you uncomfortable," Reina told her quickly, trying to mediate the situation at paw. Haven looked up at her with tear-stained eyes and shook her head. 

"Can't--hiccup--b-be any more unc--hiccup--uncomfortable than I am n-now..." Haven said, breathing shaky, heavy breaths as she spoke. Her eyes were red and her face puffy, meaning she had probably been like this for a while. 

"Oh, um... So you do wanna talk about it?" Reina quietly asked, and Haven nodded right after. Reina continued, "Can I um... Can I come closer to sit?" she asked patiently, standing as still as she could in an attempt to not overwhelm the other 'mon. Even so, she seemed more calmed down now. Her breaths were still hitched, but much less so than earlier. 

"My teammates are stupid--no, Kit isn't that stupid, but Pearl definitely is," Haven exclaimed, aggravation seeping into her voice. Reina etched closer, taking paw steps forward. She sat down next to Haven, right next to her nest. She looked away a bit awkwardly. 

"I don't even know why I'm telling you this," Haven said, a high pitch entering her voice as she began crying again. Reina felt really bad, not knowing what would help her. In an effort to calm the other 'mon down, Reina moved her tail to rest softly upon Haven's back. The silver eevee's crying subsided, slowly but surely. Reina looked back at her, waiting for Haven to look up.

In words only slightly understandable spoken underneath her paws, Haven said, "T-they both h-hate me, that's why th-they don't listen to me..." She whispered weakly, stumbling over her words as she spoke. Reina thought about how she could respond, but before she could, Haven began speaking again. 

"Kit said it th-themselves: I'm just a-a no good, bossy, jerk." Haven cried out, clearly in lots of emotional pain. Reina rubbed her paw against the upset 'mon's shoulder, tail still resting on her back. Haven sniffled. 

"I can't b-be the leader th-they need," Haven explained, breathing slightly better than he was a few seconds ago. She scrunched her nose, "So Pearl said she's the n-new leader. A-and I was like, no, you're not m-meant for it, and they got mad at me!" Haven exclaimed angrily. Soon after, though, she sighed and took a deep breath. 

"I guess I'm just pissed off, but I'll get over it," Haven explained, rolling over and turning to face Reina. Reina smiled at her slightly, unsure of what the right reaction was. Haven chuckled sadly, the sound surprising Reina. 

"Why are you listening to me, anyway? I mean, I'm kind of a prick." Haven said while examining Reina, which resulted in her flushing ever so slightly. Reina's ears felt warm...

"Um... I mean," Reina tried to speak, but she honestly couldn't find an answer that made much sense. Haven's ears twitched with curiosity. Reina settled for what she knew about herself. 

"I guess I'm just a forgiving 'mon? My dad, um, he was a good influence--I guess." Reina explained nervously, looking away with an embarrassed expression. She heard Haven chuckle again. 

"You're interesting," Haven replied with a voice that confused Reina's senses, and she realized how her breathing had returned to normal. She seemed to be doing much better--had she helped the 'mon that much? Reina returned back to the moment, realizing what Haven had just said. She blushed immensely, now knowing for sure that her fur no longer hid her reddened face.

"I'm gonna go wash up, and... Talk to the Guild leaders--yeah," Haven told her, slowly getting up from her resting position. She reached out her paws and stretched wide across the floor beneath her. 

As the shiny eevee got up, Reina noticed how the silver in her fur had a speckled gradient in the transition between white and silver on her tail. She noticed how those freckles of white were splayed out along her coat--not just her tail--and how they suited her so well. How she took each step with grace as she padded forward, making her way to her destination. 

Haven just turned around. 

"I'm going now, but uh, I'll see you later. And um, thank you..." Haven thanked her quietly, as if nervous to say what she did. Reina just blinked, surprised. She didn't say anything for a moment but spoke up just before Haven was about to walk out the door. 

"I--b-bye!" Reina exclaimed, a bit louder than she had intended. She looked away, blushing. Haven nodded to her, walking out and closing the door softly. Reina immediately sighed in relief, heart rate, much faster than she was used to. 

Why did that 'mon suddenly drive her heart crazy?