"I hurt you... I-I'm so sorry... I'm sorry... he made me upset.... he wouldn't stop. He never stops.." I have thought Timothy to be many things in the short time that we have shared the same space. He has been an idiot. He has been a lunatic. A mess. A content moment. A monster. Perhaps he is all of those things; but to me, in this moment, he is just Timothy. Feeling his touch against my chest makes me forget about the stinging of the kick and instead a feeling more like the burn of my magic spreads through me.

"It is fine." I hate hearing the pain in his voice but I am thankful that something has made him talk. Had I known that a kick would have opened his lips I would have saved us both a lot of time. We could have skipped the mud flinging and water splashing and could have gotten straight to this. Whatever this is. "What does he do?" My eyes narrow in concern for my newfound friend and in anger at this unknown enemy. Who is he? I mull over telling Timothy that I would help him defeat whatever it is that haunts him but I decide to wait until I know what it is and why it haunts the stallion so. I am already more deeply involved with Timothy than what I had planned to be. I probably should have left once I was sure that he would not choke to death.

I watch him as he sobs. I am ashamed but the sight intrigues me. Never before have a seen a stallion who would so openly cry in front of someone else. A soft look lightens the metallic gold of my eyes and highlights my ivory pupils. Before I even know what I am doing I have laid my neck across his own. What a puzzle we both are. I give him the closest thing to a comforting embrace that I can in our position.

"You're beautiful." Oh? Tell me more. "Er, I mean... I-I meant... your voice. It's.... It's beautiful." How endearing he is whenever he is not plagued by what haunts him! My tail flicks around in satisfaction. "You are handsome." I am emboldened by the compliment and a mischievous smile brightens my tired face. "Er, I mean.. I meant.. oh that is what I meant." Maybe I really do mean it. Maybe I just want to see him smile. Maybe both. I don't know.

"Where do you live, Timothy?"
Timothy, how will I find you after tonight?

@Timothy