Storms of the Sky

real - LXIX

TW: vi.lence

--Bastet--

Me and Avery head back to Ixora as Quarry goes to hang out with Milo. I hope he tells Milo how he feels. Maybe Milo would come with us. And now that Quarry has taught me some Sign Language, I can speak to Milo. Sorta. I'm working on it.

I open the door to Ixora.

I step back with Avery as I see the inside. Ota and Aquarii are screaming at Mars and beating them with a pillow. Elowin is sitting peacefully on the floor drinking tea.

"BITCH," Ota screams as she throws a pillow on Mars's head. Mars holds up their hand as Aquarii rounds behind them in an ambush.

"What the fuck?" Avery says. Elowin looks up. All chaos stops as eyes avert to me and Avery.

"Oh, hi guys!" Aquarii says happily.

"It's called, 'Who Can Beat Up Mars First' game. Circa last year," Elowin explains.

"IT'S A MENACE!" Mars pipes up, tears in their eyes.

"Oh, hush it planty, you ate my gummies," Ota sneers. Mars whimpers before crouching down. They stay there for a moment before bursting up, smacking Ota square on the nose with a vine.

"CHEAT!" It screams before tackling Mars. They go into a ball of flying fists and leaves.

"EXCUSE ME!" Elowin shouts. Mars and Ota stop fighting for a second, looking at Elowin. "I think that's enough fighting for one night."

Mars and Ota release each other, eyes locked in death. They go to their bunks before dragging a pillow or blanket to the floor next to Elowin.

I step inside hesitantly.

I head to my bunk and wrap myself in a blanket as I hear Aquarii start to talk about a boy. Avery jumps in her bunk above me, throwing down a pillow for me to use. I take it and hug it.

"Short brown hair," Aquarii explains. "Really cute." I sigh. Never thought fantasy worlds would be exactly like Kysonian school days.

"There's this boy in my second class," Ota says, grabbing a gummy worm out of a bag.

"Oh, that reminds me. El?" Mars asks Elowin. She shrugs.

"I got to talking to him the other day." I close my eyes. I don't want to listen to people gossip about boys anymore. It's tiring and I'm not into it. It's too much like free school periods in Kyson.

All the girls would group up and talk about boys. And I tried to fit in at first, but boys don't seem to fit the appeal. Like yeah, I hung out with some sometimes but mostly I just hung out by myself.

I sigh and stand up, walking out of the cottage. I close the door behind me and sigh.

"It's so quiet," I whisper to myself. I shove my hands in the pockets of my jeans before walking towards the bonfire. Maybe I could catch up with Quarry and Milo. Restore my spirits before tomorrow. That boy talk drained it all out of me.

"Bastet?" I turn around to see Avery. She's holding onto a blanket around her shoulders. "Are you okay?" she asks coming up to me. I sigh.

Avery probably knows at this point I don't like boys. And it wouldn't be a surprise. But right now Avery looks more nervous than I've ever seen her, hands tucked into her chest.

I sink down to the pathway. I cross my legs. Avery kneels down across from me.

"I just miss the quiet," I tell her. Avery slants her mouth into her cheek as she chuckles.

"Is it Elowin and Aquarii's gossip?" She asks. I look up, surprised. Avery scrunches up her nose.

"Oh my god yes!" I groan. "I just don't get it, if you like a boy that much tell him! I keep on telling Quarry that but does he listen? No! It reminds me too much of Kyson. Like, school and stuff and I hated that. I don't know. Avery, do you know?" I ask her, looking up. Avery is silent for a second before bursting with laughter.

"You really feel that way?" She asks. I gape at her.

"YES! GOD YES!" I throw up my hands. I sigh, rubbing my face. I peek out between my fingers. Avery's eyes flick down. "What about you? Why are you so shaky?"

Avery hesitates, her fingers intertwining. She pushes her hands away, chuckling nervously.

"I thought I am supposed to be the one who worries but here we are. You asking me," She grumbles.

"You already asked me, it's your turn now." Avery grumbles, ducking her head down. A flash of pink tints her cheeks in an instant. I sit back.

"So like, I do not know, I just like, fuck." Avery grabs at her hair, tugging it softly. She huffs in a breath. "Obviously you do not know because you are Bastet and I am me and I can keep things hidden because I am not an actual billboard for everyone to see everything I think."

"You're just good at reading people which is scary as fuck," I respond. Avery chuckles, pressing her fingers into her arm crooks.

"I am not a girl," Avery murmurs. "I do not think I have any gender, actually." Wind gusts overhead. I smile. Avery glares up at me. "What?"

"Huh? What? I'm happy, that's what."

"Why?" I laugh. Avery meets my eyes for a moment.

"I'm proud of you." Avery's face hitches, eyes squinty with tears. Her lips tremble before she chokes back a sob. I open my arms to Avery. Tears spill out of my face as I clutch to her, sobbing. Avery hugs me back, sniffing.

"Since we're spilling our guts," I choke out, "I like girls."

"No fucking shit," Avery says, still wrapped with emotion. "No shit but I am still proud." I chuckle, wiping tears away on Avery's blanket. She grabs my face and shakes me, laughing.

"Oh my god," I say, wiping away my tears. "Should we tell Quarry?" Avery snorts.

"Oh, he knows about your ass, me though? No, I am slick, he does not know shit about me," She says, scrunching her nose. I laugh, falling back.

"What pronouns?" I ask her. Avery looks to the side.

"Still she/her. I like them." I nod. Avery looks up at the stars before she continues. "You think people will not believe me when I say I am Agender because I use she/her?" I sigh.

"It doesn't matter what pronouns you use. You'll still be valid. You're real. And it doesn't matter what those idiots say. You're always gonna exist to prove them wrong." Avery smiles at me, tears running down her cheeks.

"Thanks Bas. You know, this is the first time I have told anybody," She says.

"Me neither," I say, my eyes widening. "Oh god Quarry's gonna harass us so much."

"Yeah but we got him one better," Avery says, chuckling. "He actually has a boyfriend."

"WAIT THEY'RE DATING?" I shout. Avery laughs, getting to her feet.

"No but they basically are. Or should be." I grumble looking down.

"Damn Milo, didn't know you had it for idiots," I mumble. Avery spits out laughter, pushing me sideways.

I snort, following Avery down the path. We pass Ixora, on our way to find Quarry.