He bites his lip as Aurelia speaks, his words then spilling out, revealing youth, vulnerability, trembling and quaking as he talks. I look back at Aurelia, a frown growing upon my lips as his words spill out quickly, overflowing as he stands before us. Returning my gaze to the dun child, I begin to rise from the sandy earth, shaking my body free of debris. I step forward in silence, looking at the child with solemn eyes. My mood has shifted as I listen to him, knowing his suffering. I had felt similar ways, being abandoned by my family so abruptly, replaced. I take another step closer, reaching myself towards the boy to give him a gentle hug, to hold his body as I reach my wings forward to brace the hug if he chose to accept. I expected him not to want the hug, especially from someone he's only just spoken with. I begin talking, my eyes shut as I remain standing before Rhoa. "Maybe you don't want to listen to me— or Aurelia. But she has a point- communication is essential. I didn't communicate with anyone until I was your age, it gets lonely, not having anyone to talk to-" My spine grows cold, a shiver clawing its way up my back as I talk. "And no, I do not believe we are special. We are simply ordinary individuals, clinging to the thought that our love will last. But I know it won't, there are always things in the way. Betrayal— death— disagreement— lies— anything could happen. I cherish the bond while it exists, even if it means that when something does happen, I'm going to fall apart." My smile is pathetic as I try to swallow the pain of accepting the fact that Aurelia and I will not last. Things will tear us apart, break our bones and destroy what we both hold dear.

"Romantic love is not the only form of love, Rhoa. I learned that very recently. And saying "I love you," is not the only way to prove your love." My voice is calm despite the pain knotting up inside of me, the awful, wretched pain that grips at my stomach, clawing and gripping at it from the inside out. The point in which I pulled my own feather to offer to Phantom gently throbs. My knees are trembling, my head growing lighter as I struggle to continue talking. "It won't last." I whisper, inhaling deeply as I listen to Rhoa's words. My heart shatters and I chomp onto my lower lip, squeezing as I choke back the overflowing emotions that bubble and brew within my body. A weak laugh falls from my lips as I feel a dark cloud loom over my head, light from the boy's ember wings washing over my face. "My family forgot about me, they replaced me. It hurt— it still hurts— It's okay to break down sometimes, you just have to get right back up and fight when it's over no matter how hard it is." I look at the turquoise eyes of the child, wondering what feelings lie deep beneath, what twisted turns and haunting nightmares are imprinted on the inside of his lids. What sinister demons lurked in his mind? Self hate? Pity? Hatred? Dependency? What fears laid beneath that ivory barrier of his? I look to the sky, a small smirk upon my lips. "Growing up alone is not okay. But it happens. No one can stop it, it is just something that occurs. Trying to stop it would be like trying to stop a flood from washing out everything in its path, impossible." He says he wants to live, to be strong enough to not just survive. My face hardens, seriousness flooding into my face as I close my eyes, brows narrowing. "Then live. Nothing is holding you back but yourself. Live, stop chaining yourself down! Fight for yourself! If you believe that you don't need them, then prove it. If you need them, then make sure they know. Do not let your self pity cloud your mind, do not let it push you away from living your life to the fullest!" My voice has raised, eyes opening, piercing sharp and determined. Something inside snaps, clicks, whirs. Gears grinding together and creaking as they rotate, my insides working overdrive as something within falls into place. My body tenses, eyes shifting to the child. Everything within me is a blur, a mess, a mixture of emotions, shifting and revolving. My eyes close as I breathe in, outlining the engravings on the insides of my lids as my coloured wonderland takes hold.
"Talking"