Thieving Hearts

[A Tinge of Sadness]

It was pouring heavily outside the inn. The streaks of raindrops clouded the window that the blue haired thief was looking out of. It was like a wall, distorting the deep blues of the middle of the night into a hazy mixture in his eyes. Erik sighed, letting his head rest against the chilling glass.

The group had taken shelter at the inn for the morning, in hopes that it'll lighten up later in the day. However, it only grew worse and ended up turning into an awful storm as the day went on, and didn't seem like it'll end for another day - at least that's what the bovine in front of the inn said. The luminary made the choice to take the cow's words and halt the journey of finding the orbs until the skies have cleared. The group agreed that it was the best choice, yet Erik couldn't help but be antsy. Sitting heavy on his shoulders was guilt for taking the time to sit around when she was still there, reaching out for him.

"Darling...? Are you okay?"

Erik slowly turned his head, and his eyes were met with a concerned expression. He looked at the woman standing a few feet from him, her lips pursed in worry with her eyebrows furrowed. He gave a weak smile and straightened his back.

"Yeah, it's a pretty gloomy day, you know?" Erik said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the rain. He gave a dry chuckle, and the woman's frown deepened. She took a few steps forward with her hands clasped in front of her chest.

"It is...But that's not the only thing you have on your mind, now is it, Erik?" She pressed. Erik let out a slow exhale, and his eyes dimmed in defeat. The thief gave a small shake of his head, and the woman drew closer, gently placing her hand on his cheek. "I knew it...You can go ahead and try to hide it, but I know you better than anyone else. Now why don't you walk me through what's going on in that head of yours?"

Erik gave a small sigh, nibbling on his bottom lip. Part of him was a bit upset that someone caught him in his lie, yet ever more grateful that it was his beloved that could see through the chinks in his armor.

"I've just wished we could get a move on, [Name]. We need to find those orbs soon," The blue haired man stated, his eyes focused on the woman's face. The woman didn't say anything for a few moments. Her eyes scanning his face before letting out a tiny hum.

"You're still upset about giving up the red orb to him, aren't you?" She simply stated. Erik's mouth twitched a bit and his form ever so slightly stiffened under her hand; it was honestly such a subtle change that most people wouldn't catch, but she noticed it clear as day. The thief's eyebrows scrunched together and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Not upset. I know it's for the greater good. It needs to be done..." Erik mumbled, averting his eyes from [Name]'s knowing gaze by glancing out the window. The stinging feeling in his heart caused a grimace to appear on his face as he clenched his fists. The (h/c) haired woman could feel the shaky breaths Erik took in as his voice cracked with the next few words. "But I need it...She's still waiting for me. Stuck in that damn place,"

"Oh, Erik..." [Name] breathed out, her heart lurching in sadness and she gently nudged his head to try and get him to look at her. When he slowly slid his eyes back, all he could see was the softened (e/c) hues filled with empathy. She spoke in a hushed voice, almost giving off a motherly tone with him- something that he never had a chance to experience with his own mother- and Erik felt his heart melt with the sincerity of her next words. "We'll get it back to her once this is all done. I promise you that. No matter what, I'll help you save Mia,"

There were no more words exchanged between the pair as Erik let his wall break down in the empty hallway. He closed his eyes, and let his body lean fully into his beloved's arms. Burying his head in the crook of her neck, he silently let out silent cries. The only notion [Name] noticed his crying was the shaking of his shoulders and the soft droplets that fell on her exposed skin. Yet she stayed silent as she lovingly stroked his blue locks of hair, comforting him through his sadness for as long as it took on this dreadful, stormy day.