All My Scars

Chapter Twelve - Hug

Grian

Against my will, after packing up some supplies and closing the shop, me and Scar set off to find Jimmy, BigB, and Martyn.

Honestly, we were mostly just walking along a path with no way of knowing where we were going.

I glanced over at Scar.

He was happily humming and looking at pretty flowers whenever we passed one.

I was beginning to second guess my decision to swear an oath to follow him and do whatever he said. I had done it on impulse and guilt, but I was really doubting that it was a very good decision. I mean, Scar wasn't a bad person, he was great actually, but that was the problem.

I didn't deserve his help in finding my friends. Why was he even help me? He could've told me to do anything but instead we were hiking along a dirt path through endless forest.

I was a monster, and he had purposely found a way around my promise just to help me. It was so confusing. Why would he do that? Wasn't he afraid of me or something? That inn keeper certainly was. Or maybe not afraid, but wary, and he had definitely made it clear he wasn't helping a monster. So what made Scar different?

"So Grian," Scar said, shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Hm? What?" I looked at him, before looking back in front of us.

"You never told me who exactly we're looking for."

"Oh." I hesitated. "My friends. Jimmy, Martyn, and BigB."

Scar smiled softly at me. "Yes, I know that much. What happened to them though, if you don't mind me asking."

"I- they-" I didn't really know exactly what happened. I hadn't even the faintest idea where they were or what had happened to them. I didn't even know for sure f they were alive. "We were- uh- exploring this old city when this group of people called the Watchers appeared." I glared at the ground. "They took me for experimental purposes, since I was a dead zone. Locked me up. I'm hoping my friends were smart enough the leave. To run and get somewhere safe."

Scar shot me a confused look. "You're a dead zone? But..."

I looked down, glaring harder than before if that was possible.

I dropped my voice. "I wasn't always like this." I gestured to my wings. All six of them. That was too many. "Like I said, the Watchers took me for experimental purposes."

"Oh." Scar looked horrified. "That's- that's horrible."

I shrugged like it was nothing, like I didn't care, like I hadn't spent the past forever wondering if I even deserved to live anymore. If it was even worth trying.

"Grian-"

"It's fine," I said. It wasn't. We both knew it. "I- I don't really care. It's- it's fine," I said again. I did care. I hated that I was monster know. I hated that I wasn't even welcome in inns anymore. I hated that even when I hadn't done anything, people were ready to put a sword to my throat.

Scar reached out and hugged me. "Grian."

I froze in shock. Now he was hugging me? What was this all about?

"Grian, that's horrible," he whispered in my ear. "I'm so sorry."

After another moment of hesitation, I hugged back.

It felt warm and safe.

I felt like something I hadn't been in the middle of since forever.

fluff before the fall ;)