Writing Championships #3

Blue Bells

Words: Empty, hero, familiar

Ren was happy for his best friend, they were successful and happy with being a hero. So why should he be jealous that Iskall is getting the recognition they deserved? Ren would feel a pang of emptiness every time Iskall left on a mission for their town and try to follow them. He would only get as far as the outskirts of town before Iskall turned around and stopped him, saying it was to dangerous for Ren to follow.

They would repeat this until Iskall finally had begged for Ren not to follow as he would have been a danger to a certain stealth mission they had to go on. Ren felt the same pain he always felt after that, but no longer followed. He only waited instead.

Ren never could understand why he always felt so empty without Iskall, or even when they would tell him about the missions he went on.

It felt almost as if something he once knew had disappeared. As if him and Iskall had drifted away from each other. It seemed so strange.

No not strange, unfamiliar.

Time passed and Iskall was wanting Ren to stay behind more and more often. Ren didn't really know that if this was the same Iskall he had meet way back. Way back when Ren could easily know what Iskall was thinking, when the two would go everywhere together, when they still knew each other.

But things had changed and so did they.

Iskall was drifting away. Slowly but surely, they disconnected. Their friendship weakened and grew brittle. Ready to shatter and leave someone behind.

And Ren knew exactly who would be discarded.

He had to confront his friend. He had to voice his grievances. He had to tell Iskall how left behind he felt. How empty he felt without the other's presence.

How lonely he was.

It was a while before Ren saw Iskall again, which just made the emptiness sink in more. When they finally did meet up, He was hesitant to speak up. What if he was just being ungrateful? What if he'd make himself look like a selfish fool?

But he found himself speaking anyway, too late to turn back. "Iskall."

The hermit in question turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

Spotting Ren's sad look, their confusion morphed into concern. "What's wrong?"

Ren averted his gaze. "I-" he sighed.

"Do you care about me anymore?"

Iskall froze. "What? Of- of course I do! What made you say this-?"

Tears began to well up in Ren's eyes and he wiped them away quickly. "It's just- you just- you're never here." He whispered. His voice hardly reached Iskall's ears. "You're always away helping people. I know it's selfish I just- I just wish you'd spend more time with me." His voice dipped even lower as he murmured his next sentence.

"You just- left me behind...as if I don't matter anymore."

Iskall's eyes widened. "Oh god- look Ren, I didn't mean- I would never-" They stumbled over their words but nothing he said reassured Ren, who stopped bothering to wipe the tears away from his eyes.

Iskall's gaze turned sad and he pulled Ren into a hug. He was startled but quickly returned the gesture. "I would never stop caring about you..." Iskall muttered.

Ren sighed as he sank into Iskall's embrace. It was so familiar, so comfortingly recognizable that silent tears started trickling down his face once more.

He knew nothing would ever be the same.But having Iskall here, right then, that was enough for him.

"I'm sorry," Iskall whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you behind."

Ren didn't respond, instead melting into Iskall's embrace even more. The emptiness was starting to fade, filling itself with the comfort of Iskall's presence.

Iskall continued to whisper to Ren quietly. Ren couldn't hear most of the words, but knowing they were being said to make him feel better was nice.

Yeah, this would do for now.