oxygen | druig

Chapter XXIV

Druig stood in the doorframe, leaning against the thick wood.

He had his eyes glued to Persia, who sat with her legs crossed on the couch.
She stared over at Makkari in concentration, who repeated the sign over and over again.

No, you need to open your palm, push your pointer finger out, the brown head sign.

Persia blinked back, helplessly looking over to Druig.
"What did she say?"

He exhaled a weak breath, sight jumping back and forth between her and Makkari, who's head dropped slightly.

"She said you need to push your pointer out more- no, yes- now flatten your palm."

Persia mirrored Makkari again, who sent a beaming smile as she finally had it.
"I did it!" she celebrated, then hunched over into a cough.

Druig wanted to go over to her when Persia put her injured hand out to stop him.

Every time he saw it, it caused anger to stir up in his core. Anger at himself.

Her chest calmed and her breathing fell flat again.
"I'm alright." she murmured, turning back to Makkari, "Can you show me more?"

Persia tried signing her words along in order to help Makkari understand, but she forgot how to.

The girl lifted her chin, her eyes filled with a spark of sadness. Makkari turned over to Druig.

She forgot everything, her expression twisted inwards, tell her that she can just say the words, I will read her lips.

Druig hesitantly nodded, thinning his lips into a smile. "She said that you can keep speaking, she will help you."

"Okay." Persia replied, exhaling a quick breath. She furrowed her brows for a second as if she remembered something.

Druig stiffened his posture but dropped his shoulders as soon as Persia also changed her expression back.

She signed the word, Repeat, looking at Makkari for a reaction.
The girl clapped her hands in excitement, both falling into a short laugh.

The boy breathed, keeping his eyes from betraying him and revealing the pain it caused to rush down his spine.

"Druig, she's here." Sersi tapped his shoulder from behind.
He looked over at Persia once more, before turning on his heels and following after Sersi.

They entered the kitchen, Phastos speaking to a girl, Thena with her arms crossed in the corner.

"I don't understand." the girl said, her fingers sitting against her forehead.

"She lost her memory." Druig spoke up, her eyes darting over to him.

The girl dropped her hand, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Does she remember anything, at all?"

Sersi pulled a chair back and sat herself opposite her, nostrils twitching,
"I'm sorry, Maya. We thought it would get better with time, but she keeps forgetting more."

Maya leaned back, her hand traveling up again and rubbing over her temple.
A heavy exhale made her chest wheeze.

Druig stepped one foot in front of the other, his inner self refusing to speak but he did anyway.
"I think she is still fighting, I can tell that she is still in here."
he crouched down next to Maya, who moved a careful small distance back.
"You need to try it, please."

Maya bit the inside of her check, her fist lightly hitting the table.
"Alright, of course."

She got up, stood for a moment before Phastos walked ahead into the living room.