Still In The Woods

With its rear hatch sealed, the Pelican's engines were barely a background whirr, and Hari was stuck with the unenviable combination of a long flight back to Curahee with an inquisitive-yet-concerned boy sitting opposite.
"Haych... you wanna talk about what happened down there?" It was the seventh time Lyzander had asked, the seventh time she looked away without responding.
Somehow, she would've preferred the deafening turbulence of a Falcon ride instead.
Finally, she spoke. "Why'd you do it?"
"Do wh-?"
"Oh, you know exactly what I'm asking." There was a harshness to her voice, a steel beneath her words; hard, yet worn. Dulled. Fatigued. "You want an answer from me? Tell me why you turned us in."
"You got scared?"
He nodded silently, looking away.
"Don't-" Hari stumbled on her words momentarily, struggling to bring venom to bear on Lyzander in spite of all her anger. "Don't bullshit me!"
"I'm not!"
"Ly, I know you. Lethe, we were in the Trials together - you wouldn't chicken out of it getting tough for you. I know it, you know it."
"I... I was scared for you, too. For all of us."
Once again, he couldn't meet her gaze.
"Why?"
"Because - because you're my friend, Hari, and I love you."
Something, deep inside, knew that she really was out of her depth this time.
"I just wanted to keep us - to keep you safe-"
Once again, she panicked; once again, she chose to escape. To run away, to flee into the comfort of flippancy and lighthearted jabs. Away from the memories of what she had found down there in the tunnels - scorched scraps of clothing, copies of her tags, even a sidearm with the same wear markings as her own. Away from those images burned into her retinas.
"Awww, really?"
"Huh?"
"You love me? You really do?"
"Hey - Haych, no, I mean-"
"Nope! No backsies!" Her voice was playful now, shrill, the sing-song tone hiding any trace of hurt. "Ly-zander loves me, na-na na-na naa naa!"
"Come on, I didn't mean it like-"
"Hey! HEY PILOT! You think we could build a Chapel back at camp for lover-boy Ly here?" 
Of course, she didn't get a response, but she wasn't expecting one - and when she turned back to the boy, he had fallen silent.
This time, it was his hand that reached out.
This time, it was left ignored.
Category:The Weekly
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