oxygen | druig

Chapter X

Persia couldn't do the talking, at least not for a few hours.

Maya did it for her.
The girl was stunned by her family, a sucker for their stories.
Persia didn't tell her much over the time they knew each other.

"Wait, so, you've been on this earth since it started?"
Sprite laughed, her tongue clicking against the roof of her mouth as she shook her head.
The gesture felt familiar, caused a warm feeling to spread in her chest.
"No, we have been here for seven thousand years."

Maya tuned in, and Persia was sure that she didn't understand a thing of what was actually going on.

Sprite bore Persia small glances every now and then.
It did make her happy to hear them speak.
She missed Sprite more than she thought, but didn't allow herself to show it.
She had no clue how long they'd even he staying.

"Persia, can I talk to you."
She lowered her face and got up from the couch, walking after Sersi.

Her eyes were tired, menacing to give up on her. Body covered in scratches.

They stopped in Persia's room, Sersi closing the door after them.
Both stood opposite each other, taking in the sight of one another.
Persia couldn't believe it.
Sersi was here.

"You've changed." the woman spoke very gently.
Persia looked down at herself, then nodded.
"I don't mean physically, I mean yes you've changed physically, a lot but-" Sersi took a breath. "your persona is different."

Persia nodded again, the corners of her lips lifting a little, "I know. None of you did."
Sersi laughed.

Oh, there it was.
The known motherly smile.

"You're here because of the Deviant, aren't you?"
The smile disappeared and was replaced with a cooler facade. "Yes, it happened to us too. Ikaris showed up out of no where. You killed the one we thought we did back in London."

Persia didn't comment on the hint Sersi made at Ikaris showing up again. If their love fell apart, it must have hurt.
There was no way she'd be the one to bring it up.

"Do you know where they came from? Since when they are able to do that?"
Sersi shook her head, obviously uncomfortable with the little information she had.
"We want to look for Ajak, ask her what she things we should do."

Persia swallowed the clump down her throat, stomach pulling her down.
"Why did you come to me first?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Sersi shrugged in response. "I'm aware that you suffered most with us breaking apart-"
"Sersi please, spare your pity." Persia interrupted.

The woman stopped, closed her mouth.

"I don't know if I want to see the others."
Persia explained, putting a hand to her chest and rubbing it gently.
"I have moved on, the best I could. I think that if we reunite now, I would not be able to handle us breaking apart again."

Sersi inhaled, nodded understandingly through an exhale. "Yes, I understand."

But Persia knew Sersi wasn't honest.
The girl had kept her family at a distance consciously for years by then.
Wherever she felt their energy, she took a turn around it, sometimes even choked it down which made her weak.

The combination of a fighter and thinker, that's what Makkari always spoke about.

"What do you think is right?" Persia questioned, catching her off guard.

Sersi thought of an answer for a long time. "I won't make you go with us, Ajak will understand. But I think there will be a piece missing if you're not there."
Persia took in her words and let them wash over her.
"I'm not the girl you know anymore."
"I think you're being too hard on yourself."
"You don't know me, Sersi."