Broken Glass

Some dragons are just like glass. 
Fragile. Vulnerable. Something that can be broken by just one nasty fall. Something that when you try to fix, you may just as easily cut yourself as you can mend it. 
When a soul is shattered to seemingly beyond repair, is there any hope that the wounds can close up and heal? Is it not better to just smash the cracked glass entirely, leaving it in fragments to fade away for good? 
Will buried emotions in past which have resurfaced be enough to glue broken glass back together? 
A story written by Essence. Please do not edit anything on this page, please and thank you <3
Note: There will be sensitive content that might not be suitable for all viewers, such as . Of course, as with my stories, there will be incredibly gay shipping, a lot of sad, angsty, and fluffy moments, but also a lot of dark ones for this. If you're looking for a light-hearted story, this is not the right one for you.
This story is written in first-person, alternating point of views. 
 
Chapter 1 
Some days are filled with joy.
You've seen it. You've felt it. And they are easy to picture, are they not? The sun illuminating the path brightly, birds chirping and flying freely in the air, almost like they're performing a song exclusively for you. The wide, open blue sky up above will seem like an endless space for you to spread your wings and soar.
But since when has the world been that simple?
More often that not, one would not even encounter a single ray of light during the day. The sky would look so dark that it feels like it can swallow an entire dragon whole. If these days can be as easily forgotten as how mud can be washed away by rain, it wouldn't be a problem, right? 
Alas, when has this cruel world ever been fair?
Today was just another one of those days.
They would never be able to see it, and that's fine. No one would ever pay attention to the fractures in glass, so subtle that they're almost impossible to see. No one would notice how close it is to breaking and shattering into tiny pieces. No one would ever care enough to find out.
Forget it. Even if someone did, what would I say? I already know the answer - I'm fine - it always came out so unnaturally, yet with such practiced ease, like I've been saying the wrong thing my whole life while believing it was right...
If only my tears could fall as easily as the rain pouring down on me. 
I could barely see a thing on the streets I'm walking on, but I didn't need my sight to tell me that there wasn't a single dragon out in this treacherous weather. 
I was alone.
It's funny, really. I loved rainy nights - I always have. Yet, somehow, the sound of the falling rain failed to bring me the serenity and peace that I was once able to find during these moments. 
Have I lost my ability to feel completely? Was this how it's like to feel nothing? 
Is this how it's like to be nothing?
I'm a sorry excuse for a writer, honestly. I used to be able to write, to express all my emotions in the form of words, in hopes that even without speaking, the whole world will somehow see what I'm feeling every day. Those days are long gone, if they ever existed at all. I've lost everything. Including my only talent I could even credit myself for. 
What's the point, anyway? Did anyone ever understand what was written in between those lines? And even if they did, what can they do? They can't help me. They can't save me. 
There's no one here with me.
The skies were still crying when my front door came into view, almost taunting my inability to do the same. With shaky movements, I shut the door behind me, muffling the sound of the raindrops lashing against the ground.
...
I can't.
I can't take this anymore. 
I knew that this sadness was too much to bear. There's no way I will survive another day of being in the same house, feeling the same emptiness that the place would inevitably bring. I can't even believe the place that I called home could become more and more like a graveyard with each passing day.
But I couldn't give in. I couldn't let the world see my tears again. I wouldn't let anyone see me cry, wouldn't let anyone call me weak again...
...
And I failed.
...
Then again, when have I ever succeeded?
But as my tears threatened to join the rain falling down outside my window, I came to a horrifying revelation that losing control of my emotions wasn't the worst thing that can happen to me right now. 
The worst thing is - I've completely forgotten how it felt like to cry. 
"Ugh, I don't really like rain for a reason..." 
It caught me by surprise. One moment, I was enjoying my leisurely flight back to my home, and the next I'm forced to land because of the sudden downpour. Not that I couldn't fly in heavy rain, but trust me - it wasn't a pleasant feeling. 
I didn't actually hate rainy days that much - they often meant that I would have a pleasant night of sleep filled with sweet dreams. But when you're at least two miles away from your destination, at night no less, you couldn't help yourself from wishing that the weather was just a little less wet than what it was now. 
At this rate, it was unwise to continue my journey back to the guild... I might as well just stop by the closest town and return the next day. And that town right now would be Hikari, a place I've been to many times before. The thing is - I didn't have that many friends there who would have a place for me to stay the night, did I? 
Wait. As a matter of fact - I did. 
Oh, Chromium, how could you forget her? 
I haven't seen her in a long time, but I was sure that Essence would have a place for me. The little hybrid was an old friend, and unlike Sake, Windfall or Twix, I could only keep in touch with her through letters and messages. She hadn't sent any one of those for quite some time already... even I've forgotten when was the last time we communicated. But I was sure that she was busy, like how I am nowadays. I only hoped that time hadn't let us drift apart. 
I met her about three years ago, when I was just a stranger to this small town. Maybe it was her quiet nature that caught my attention, or her scales captured me in a certain way - I wasn't sure. But something prompted me to talk to her, and from that, a friendship was formed. And her kind nature made me treasure that bond, although I might not have shown it. 
I've only been to her house once on a casual visit, but I was sure that I still remembered my way there. Hikari wasn't a very large town, and my memory hadn't failed me. It wasn't long before I found myself at her front door. Essence didn't live in a very large place, but since she appeared to be living alone, I wasn't surprised. 
I let out a sigh of relief, as I would finally be safe from the storm outside. I gently knocked on the door and waited for her response. 
... 
Nothing. 
I waited another ten seconds before knocking again, this time using a little bit more force. 
Still no response. 
Was she asleep? Was she even at home? She had to be, as far as I knew, she rarely left the house... and it was impossible for anyone to not be at home during this time... right? 
Just as I debated on whether to knock a third time and call out her name along with the gesture, the door opened. 
There was a faint light coming from inside the house, illuminating the blue and purple scales of its sole inhabitant. At the familiar sight of her, I smiled. Okay, I admit, I've missed her. Maybe I never realized it, but now I did, as I couldn't deny the happiness I felt when I got to see her again. 
All traces of joy that I felt instantly vanished at the sight of her face. 
Essence was still that small dragoness I first saw, with scales that constantly shifted between lilac and soft blue colors. Her build was on the thin side of the spectrum, and maybe it was just me, but it seemed like her mass had further decreased over the two years I've lost touch with her. Something about her appearance had always seemed... ethereal, as if she was a being from another world. Regardless, I always thought that she was quite pretty, and it seemed like that hasn't changed. 
While nothing about her outward appearance seemed unnatural, the expression on her face was anything but normal. She usually had a neutral expression, so I could immediately tell that something was off. Her deep blue eyes were clouded with emotions I couldn't completely decipher, but it was evident that sadness was one of them, as they were red at the edges, as if she has been crying for some time already. 
"Chromium?" 
Her voice sounded weak and... broken, almost like a cry for help. However, the tone of disbelief underneath was impossible to miss. She stepped aside to let me into the house, looking at me with an unsure expression, as if she couldn't believe that I was there. 
"Hey, Essence." I responded, not wanting to address the issue that has been on my mind since she opened the door, which I now closed behind me. The inside of her house felt a lot warmer than the cold weather out there, and once the feeling of rain falling on my scales was gone, I already felt much better. 
The inside of her house was dimly lit, the only source of light being a small lamp nearby. It was clear to me that she was about to turn in for the night, and I wouldn't have questioned further if it wasn't for the expression she wore on her face. 
But my emotions were running wild - and the only thing I could focus on was the dragoness before me. I wanted to know what was happening with my friend. Seeing her in such a distressed state brought a huge wave of sympathy to my heart. I didn't know what was bothering her... but I wanted to do something about it. 
The little hybrid hadn't spoken a word since she uttered my name as I came in, not even after a minute had passed and most of my scales had already dried out. She seemed to be avoiding my gaze, as if she was hiding something. Another stab of pain shot through me as I realized that she probably didn't want anyone to see her cry. 
But I am her friend - and I didn't want to do nothing to help. If I continued to ignore the issue, I might never know what's bothering her. I didn't want to see her in this state - I wished that she would meet my eyes and smile, something she had always done since the day we met... 
"Essence? Are you okay?" I was unable to resist the words from escaping my mouth any longer. 
She turned around slowly to face me, and I saw the tears fall from her face as she blinked. It seemed to me that she was trying to stop herself from crying, even though I knew that her efforts were futile. It was obvious, however, that she wouldn't be able to speak without breaking down. I understood why she didn't speak a word - she couldn't possibly have. 
In that moment, I couldn't think of anything else I could do to make her feel better. 
I slowly moved forward and pulled her into a hug. 
At first, I almost thought that my sudden movements would scare her, that she might flinch or pull away, but I was immediately proven wrong. It didn't even take one second for the little dragoness wrapped in my wings to start sobbing. I was a little surprised at how easily she let me in, as I've never really been that affectionate with her before. 
Oh, you poor thing. Somehow, it pained me to see the little hybrid so upset. I noticed that she was shaking as I held her, but whether it was from the cold or just a result of her being overwhelmed by emotions, I didn't know. All I knew was that she needed to cry to release whatever feelings that she had been suppressing just to feel better. 
Slowly, I moved over to a couch nearby and helped her sit down, as she didn't seem to be strong enough to stand on her own. I sat down next to her, keeping one wing wrapped around her and hoping to help her feel warm with the natural heat from my scales. My heart wrenched in pain as I saw the sorrow written on her face. I only hoped that simple gestures of affection was enough to soothe her a little. 
There were a few minutes of silence, the only sounds being her soft cries, almost in sync with the raindrops falling on the windowsill outside. I stroked her gently with my wing before I heard her speak, the words barely audible. 
"You remember me." 
Something in my heart broke at that statement. In that moment, I could tell that the sadness she was feeling had been bottled up for quite some time already, and she had only lost control at this point. There was clearly something bothering her, something that I didn't know of. 
Something that I probably should have. 
"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" 
Essence didn't respond with words, but somehow I assumed that my response had made her cry harder. I didn't speak either - I knew that there was no need for too many words. Instead, I simply pulled her closer, knowing that she wouldn't want me to let go anyway. 
It was a while before I heard her speak again. This time, it was a question, something that I wouldn't ever expect anyone to ask me. 
"Chromium? Will you stay with me? I'm scared..." Her voice was shaky and doubtful as she looked at me with tear-filled eyes, an unmistakable fear hidden beneath the sadness. I knew that I could only have one answer to that question. 
"I'm here for you." I smiled and squeezed her talon gently to reassure her. 
"... promise me that you won't leave?" 
Moons, I could only imagine the loneliness she had been through all this time... 
"I promise." 
For some reason, she seemed to have visibly calmed down a little after my confirmation. She was still crying, though not as much as before. I gently ran my talons through the triangular spines on her back, the action bringing me an odd sense of peace. 
There was still a lot she wasn't telling me, and I knew that. But I also knew that Essence was in no shape to explain what exactly was going on, and I completely understood that. Whatever she was going through, it definitely wasn't easy for her. I guess I would just have to wait until the right time. 
I didn't know how long we had stayed in that position, but I only knew that the little dragoness had fallen asleep when her sobs came to an end. Her previously erratic breathing had finally calmed down, and I could see that her eyes were closed, hopefully resting in the depths of a peaceful slumber. 
Now that she was unconscious, I could study her features better. It pained me to realize that the dragoness had indeed lost her weight, causing her to look almost brittle at this point. I noticed the dark circles under her eyes, which I had missed earlier, and that brought another stab of sympathy to my heart. 
She must be so tired... had she not been sleeping well all this while before I came? 
Seeing Essence sleep while leaning against me now, it's hard for me to believe that the serene, quiet little hybrid was in so much pain. I sighed, gazing at her shifting scales and observing the subtle rise and fall of her chest with a fond look. 
She's so cute.
... Did I really just think that?
As much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn't. Even now, I couldn't help but smile at the dragoness passed out beside me, just because she looked so... adorable. I looked at her for a few more seconds before I abruptly turned away, mentally slapping myself as my face burned. 
Just what are you thinking, Chromium? 
I shook my head, before letting out a yawn. Right, I was tired too... my brain probably went haywire from the exhaustion. Yeah, that makes sense. 
I didn't want to wake Essence up, so I gently got up and scooped the little hybrid up in my front legs. I was surprised at how easily I could carry her, despite the fact that she was smaller than me - I didn't expect her to be this light. I didn't really know the layout of her house well, but since it wasn't a really big space, I managed to let my wings carry both of us into her bedroom. 
I laid her down slowly on the bed, contemplating on where to sleep myself before I felt her talon grab mine. 
"Chromium? Please... stay with me..." Her voice was laced with drowsiness, and it was clear that my movements must have somehow woke her. 
I didn't know what to say at first - I knew exactly what she meant and what it implied, and all I could do was stare absentmindedly for a few seconds with a red face before I heard her speak again. 
"Please... I don't want to go through... this night... alone." I knew she could sense my hesitation, for I could hear that desperation in her voice. However, I was not expecting to see her tired blue eyes filling up with tears again. She clearly didn't want me to leave - but I didn't know she feared loneliness so badly... 
At that point, I found out that turning down her request might be significantly harder than swimming in lava. 
"Alright, don't worry, I'll stay with you." 
I managed to find my way to the other side of her bed in the darkness, and with slow and careful movements, I climbed into bed and laid down next to her. I blushed profusely the instant I felt the close proximity between me and the other dragoness. I've never been so close to Essence before, at least not in this way, but I couldn't exactly say that I felt uncomfortable - it was quite the opposite, actually. 
Even after I had settled down, I still heard quiet whimpering coming from the little hybrid next to me. Worried, I brushed her gently with my wing before asking, "Hey, Essence? Are you okay?" 
She slowly turned over to face me, and in the faint traces of moonlight that still managed to creep in through the rainstorm outside, I saw that her face was streaked with tears. 
I didn't wait for her to respond - instead, I just reached out with my arms and pulled her into an embrace. Gently, I folded my wings around her, assuming that she liked the warmth of my scales. As the dragoness I held sobbed quietly, all traces of awkwardness and embarrassment vanished from my mind. All that remained was a desire to comfort her. 
"Hey, hey, it's okay, I'll stay with you, don't worry..." I whispered into her right ear. "Just try to get some rest, okay?" In the darkness, I could see her nod slightly as I reached out to brush away her tears. She must have been exhausted from all the crying as well, since it didn't take long for her to calm down and fall back into the depths of slumber again. 
As the sound of the falling rain filled my ears and the warmth of the other hybrid cuddled up against me ran through my whole body, every single other thought vanished from my mind. I smiled and let darkness overtake my world, leaving only one echoing sentence fading away along with my consciousness. 
How I wish we could stay this way forever... 
... 
Was I dreaming? Or had I finally reached the end of a nightmare? 
I couldn't believe it - I just couldn't. I never would have thought that on the loneliest of nights, she would be the one to turn up at my front door, that she would even remember me. 
I never thought that she would be the one to understand how I feel. 
But what I've experienced in the previous hour was definitely not a dream - it just couldn't be. I knew that from the moment I opened the door and saw her standing in the rain - her gentle voice, her familiar touch that I never experienced much yet missed so badly, and her eyes filled with endless concern - she couldn't be an illusion. 
I didn't know that I had been numb for so long until the moment she hugged me. 
Chromium... you have no idea how much I missed you... 
Conflicted thoughts were raging wars in my mind as her presence brought forth a horrifying realization. 
She... she doesn't know how I feel about her... 
I didn't know how was I still keeping this a secret, how had she not figured it out by now, but I was terrified. I didn't know how much time I had left, how long would it take for her to inevitably find out the truth and run away from me in fear... 
I've never felt this happy yet unsettled, safe yet scared at the same time. And it was all because of something so small - something if she found out, it'll be too much of a sin to ever forgive. 
I never knew someone could feel like they've been blessed and cursed at the same time. 
It was so bad that these mixed feelings were turning into pain, something that I could almost feel physically in my chest, threatening to rip my heart out. 
... 
I didn't know if I preferred this over the endless suffering I was going through before. 
 
Chapter 2 
I woke to the sound of rain falling from a storm that lasted overnight.
A warm feeling encompassed me as I remembered that I wasn't sleeping alone. I slowly blinked my eyes open, and as my vision cleared, soft purple and blue scales came into view.
Even through my slightly blurry eyesight, I could tell that Essence was still fast asleep, her delicate form resting in the curve of my wing. It was only then that I realized that I had been so close to her ever since we fell asleep.
It was surprising that her bed was more than big enough to fit both of us, considering that she usually slept alone. Maybe I've just forgotten exactly how much smaller she is when compared to me. 
When I could see clearly again, the position I was in allowed me to study her features more closely. Gentle waves of lavender and sky blue were rolling across her body, her breathing steady and controlled. In the dim lighting, I could still tell that she looked much more radiant than when I saw her yesterday. The sight of the calm, relaxed expression on her face, devoid of any pain or suffering from the previous night made me smile.
I didn't recall the last time I had slept this well. In fact, I didn't want to leave the bed at all - I wished that I could remain there, with the quiet little dragoness sleeping beside me. I didn't attempt to remove my wing from her - she just looked so adorable, I didn't have the heart to wake her. 
Instead, my mind pondered over the events last night. I blushed as I realized that I had just slept with another dragon in the same bed. I mean, I knew that we were both female, and that we're close friends, so it was entirely normal to be sleeping together, right? Even though I've never once did this before - not even with my family, well, at least after I matured as a dragonet. 
I wasn't sure that I wanted to sleep alone after that night. 
When I saw her heartbroken expression yesterday, I felt this unfamiliar pain in my chest, something that I didn't understand. For some reason, I wanted to see her smile and laugh, and the thought of her being in pain saddened me immensely. I wanted to wrap my wings around her forever, as long as it made her feel safe and warm...
Oh dear, snap out of it already.
I didn't know what was wrong with my brain - ever since yesterday, I've been having these... thoughts that just makes my heart feel fuzzy and warm, and they were now especially amplified when I was so close to the little hybrid.
Stop overthinking it... it's normal for good friends to sleep together, right?
As my thoughts questioned my unusual emotions, I felt movement under my wing and noticed that Essence was stirring from her sleep. Gently but reluctantly, I let go of her and allowed her more space to move. Her wings, now a light sea blue scattered with white sparkles, extended slowly as she stretched and slowly blinked open her eyes. 
Everything she did was so cute that it made me scream internally. I realized that I could easily just watch her antics for a whole day if I wanted to. 
"Chromium?" She spoke to me in a drowsy voice and her cloudy blue eyes looked at me with an almost unreadable expression. She looked a little confused... but also at the same time, calm, and for that I was happy. 
"Good morning." I responded with a smile. My heart leaped when I saw her slowly smile back. 
"Morning... oh, it's still raining." She slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and took a quick glance at the window. I followed suit, pausing to look at her dreamy expression as we both sat on her bed. I noticed that there were a few stuffed animals on her bed that I failed to notice last night due to being too caught up with Essence (and the fact that I was too tired). My heart did a small skip of joy - did she like them, too? Could I finally admit this small secret to someone? I couldn't help but grin. 
"Hey, I'm sorry about last night..." Essence's voice pulled me back to reality again, and I turned to look at her. Her captivating blue eyes were gazing shyly at me, and in her words, I could catch the slight hint of guilt. 
"What - no, you don't have to apologize! In fact... I'm sorry for not visiting you sooner." 
"... well, but you were supposed to be my guest. I guess I troubled you more than necessary..." 
"It was not troublesome at all. Please, don't worry about it. I'm just happy that I got to see you again." That was strangely easy to say out loud - maybe it was because it was the truth.
However, I could still see that something was bothering her. This reminded me - I still didn't know what she was going through, and if I was determined to help her (which I was), I needed her to tell me the whole story. 
"Hey, Essence," I said softly, brushing her side with my wing. "You haven't really told me what happened to you. Why were you crying last night?" 
At my statement, an instant wave of sadness filled her eyes and she looked down. My heart broke at the sad expression on her face. I wanted to see her smile - it seemed like she hasn't been doing a lot of that lately. 
"It's okay if you don't feel comfortable telling me now. You don't have to force yourself," I reassured the little dragoness, reaching out to take one of her delicate talons in mine. 
Essence glanced at me, a slight redness coloring her cheeks. It appeared that she was more prone to showing embarrassment when she wasn't crying. I would never admit it out loud, but she's extra adorable when she blushes. 
"Thank you, but... I've been keeping it for too long. I guess I can tell you." She took a deep breath, before looking at me again with something else in her eyes - something strangely like determination. 
"Do you remember the last time we met?" Quite honestly, not really - that had been a long time ago, but I could still conjure some vague images in my mind, so I nodded slightly. 
"That was two years ago," she continued. "I haven't been writing to you since then... I'm so sorry..." 
"It's fine, Essence. I never sent you a letter of my own anyway, so we're equal. I understand that you've been busy, no need to be sorry." 
"No, it wasn't because of that..." She trailed off slightly, her expression turning sad again. "I... I didn't send you a letter in a long time because... I... ever since... I just can't..." Her words were starting to come out incoherent as she teared up. 
I couldn't take it anymore - almost instinctively, I extended one wing and laid it on her back, trying to comfort the shaking little hybrid. "Hey, hey, it's okay," I tried to calm her down. "Take your time." 
With a few shaky breaths, she spoke again. "Two years ago, I visited my parents, back in the Rainforest Kingdom. It was just like any visit... until the night came, and the storm started..." At the mention of a storm, I shuddered slightly, knowing that storms usually implied lightning and thunder along with rain. That was another one of those things that I wouldn't admit. 
"I - it all came so fast, no one knew what happened, but the lightning... it just hit the tree we're staying in, it was too fast - I... I can't..." 
I looked at the smaller dragoness sadly as she broke into tears again, crying as she covered her eyes with her talons. I understood - she didn't want me to see her in a moment of weakness again, but she clearly wasn't able to control her emotions. 
Surprisingly, she was able to continue speaking. "The place - it just caught fire instantly, and I - they would have escaped... if they didn't try to save me." I could barely hear the last part, her voice reduced to a mere whisper. 
"Essence..." I was at a loss of words. I never thought that she had gone through this type of pain before - that explains why I never saw her parents at all. Before this, I simply assumed that her parents rarely visited because they lived far apart. It had been partially true - but this... this was something I had never expected to happen. 
"I miss them... I miss them so much." The hybrid was now crying freely, her words barely audible. In that moment, she looked so vulnerable and helpless that I couldn't help myself from pulling her into a hug. At that point, I didn't think that she had any strength left to fight back - as she simply allowed my wings to wrap around her and buried her face against my chest. 
"Oh, Essence, I'm so sorry... I never knew." I felt a stab of guilt inside - I probably should have known of this earlier, should have been there for a friend who was obviously suffering... 
She didn't respond verbally for a while, and I didn't expect her to. In fact, I was surprised that after a few minutes, she managed to speak again. 
"... it felt so lonely, being in the rainforest and knowing that they weren't there... so I moved here... permanently..." I understood exactly what she meant - how would you go through such a period of emptiness in life without help? 
"I didn't have any siblings or other relatives close to me, maybe except my cousin, but his parents... they won't do anything. And... well, I thought I had Dawn... but I guess even she didn't count, in the end..." 
Those last words she spoke sounded heavier than any of her previous statements, and it left me wondering why. 
"Hey, I'm really sorry about this... it must have been so hard for you." I gently held one of her shaking talons. "But, if you don't mind me asking, who's Dawn?" 
For a moment, I swore that Essence stopped crying and looked at me with eyes filled with nothing but fear and shock, but not at my words - her expression reminded me of my own when I realized I had let something slip. 
I didn't dare to break the silence that had suddenly settled between us, but I didn't need to - after a long pause, the small dragoness did it herself. 
"... she was my girlfriend. Until... until she left me." 
... 
Okay, I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that. At all. 
Essence was averting her gaze from mine, her crying resuming, tears flowing down her now very red face. Even if she tried to hide it, she couldn't - I could see it clearly in her eyes aside from the sorrow - the fear of a negative reaction, the fear of judgement, and perhaps a look that suggested that she was somewhat ashamed of this. 
It caused me a great deal of pain to see her being scared of something like that. 
Category:Content (Light Fairy)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Genre (Romance)
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Mature Content