i’m carrying your heart in mine; ellyse

[Warrick]

like the sun swallowed up by the earth

It felt strange, her gentle touch against the newness of his feathers, casually preening them so that they lay comfortably. He relaxes beneath her work, allowing the auburn of his eyelids to flutter half-closed over his blue irises. Her voice is soft, her being so close allows her to speak gently, her thrumming voice easily heard even over the sound of pounding waves in the distance. He smiles to himself, her words matching the desire in his heart, though he is too reserved to speak of it aloud. She stops her grooming, her voice now pointedly asking him why he has not taken to the skies, to soar beyond where the ground has kept him, to venture into the abyss above them. His eyes flutter open, a look of surprise on his face, as if he had not even thought to try that.

In truth, he hadn’t allowed himself to think it.

His gaze falls downcast almost embarrassedly, pressing his blue lips together into a thin, thoughtful line. He shuffles a single hoof, carving out a hollow rivulet in the wet sand beneath him, watching it absentmindedly as it fills with seawater. “Maybe if I had been born with these, I would know how to use them correctly.” He pauses, allowing a small smirk to find his lips before stretching his wings out gently, marveling at their length and strength now that the feathers lay beautifully and in their correct place. “They didn’t come with any directions,” he says with a gentle laugh, his eyes finding hers.

Of course, this was partly the truth – he had no idea how to use them, and was slightly afraid to try to take to the skies on his own. However, if he were to dig a bit deeper, he would realize that not only was he afraid to try, but he was afraid that despite his ability to be closer to his family, that it would only leave him with more questions than he had before.

Thoughtfully, he says to Ellyse: “I have come so far, I’ve moved on from them, continued my life – I’m now a solid pillar in my home, a friend, a father…” He pauses, wondering if the last admittance would strike a chord in her (and secretly hoping it would). “What if flying only brings me back down again?” His voice softens, a low sigh leaving his lungs.

Warrick

@[Ellyse]