Better as Bones

care - IX

Bastet

"My mom would've liked you," I tell Quarry later on, when the sky turns amber.

"You think?" Quarry asks, voice hoarse from his silent crying. I nod.

"She always seemed to like my friends...well that's what she'd say anyway," I mumble, embarrassed. How did I let that slip?

"Did you not have a lot?" Quarry asks me. I step over a tree root, scuffing the top with my shoe. It makes an empty noise, like the sound of falling snow.

"I guess, yeah. I only was around people my age at school and mostly I just didn't interact with anyone," I tell him. Quarry laughs, pushing his hair back from his face with the heel of his hand.

"You? You, Bastet Mesbah? Not being all 'Wahhhgahh!'" Quarry waves around his arms as he jumps on his feet. I rub my mouth as he stops, politely folding his hands. I hold a branch for him. He steps through, nodding his head. I let it go. The leaves smack against his face.

Quarry stumbles back, gasping and making weird noises as he drags fingers against his face.

"Trecherary," He says.

"It was my first time away from everything, my bad if I was a little excited," I tell him, pursing my lips. Quarry chuckles, drawing his body into himself. I sigh.

"Yeah yeah tell that to A–someone else." He looks down, the emotion from his face turned sour. I heard it, even with his save.

Tell that to Avery.

* * *

"Lets sleep on it," Quarry says, dusting off his hands on his pant leg. "I mean, you said Kyson's shit, let's wait until morning."

We stand at the edge of the ocean forest. The trees are thinned now, but still those grand ones that inhabit the forest.

"Lemme get the leaves," I grumble, sinking to the ground. Quarry hums. With the crunch of leaves he joins me. He sighs with me as we stare up at the abundance of stars between the branches. More stars than I can even see and yet, only six take my vision captive against the blanketed darkness.

"I know you hate it," Quarry whispers into the rustling of leaves. "But I have a smoke I snatched so...."

"I don't care anymore," I lie. Quarry nods before he shifts on the ground, reaching into his pocket. "You kept a joint and lighter in your pants pocket this entire time?"

Quarry chuckles, shifting to sit up. The leaves and twigs snap beneath him, crunching fresh snow.

"Don't care?" He asks, lighting the joint. He takes a breath in, raising his eyebrow at me. I swallow, my hands barely shaking. Maybe I was telling the truth when I said I don't care anymore.

"I don't know," I murmur. Quarry turns away, the smoke drifting away from me. I listen to the rustle of leaves.

Oh shit.

I cough, covering up my mouth and nose as I inhale something heavy. I shove my hands beneath me as I scramble up, panting. Quarry turns.

"Bas?" He asks. I shake my head quickly as I rise.

"I was wrong. I care, I care," I say hurriedly, turning to walk away.

"I'm sorry," He says. I stop before I sink down, a few feet away. I sigh as my body crumples into itself. I'm so dumb. I can't even help my friend cope with what just happened to us, let alone myself. I guess he is coping, just in a way I can't handle. Maybe that's on me.

I sigh.

"My mom used to tell me about Della," I start. I hear Quarry shift behind me. I can feel his eyes on my back. I keep my body towards the depth of the ocean.

My stars hardly light the way. Only dim.

"That's where I really want to go," I mutter. Quarry stays silent for a second.

"Then why don't we go there?" He asks me. I shrug.

"I can't drag you around the entire continent. Besides, you still have people in the forest. I just have you." And Thorn.

Quarry stays silent. I wait.

"Avery will come around," He murmurs. His voice is heavy as dark water against my skin. "I hope."

"Yeah," I choke out. "Until then I guess we'll go to Kyson. I can show you where I used to live." I let the tears stream down my face. Quarry can't see them. I clench my hands into fists. They're shaking again.

We're going to Kyson. We're going to Kyson.

I hope I don't die.