[PRP] The Pain of an Old Wound [Be Mine/Soft Scars/Others]

[Ruriska]

The feather tree had become somewhat of a hub over time. If it wasn’t filled with either her children or My Trouble’s, visitors were arriving, spending a day or night under the comfort of its feather laden branches. Apparently Journey, in his travels far and wide, was quite vocal as to the delights of the tree and the doe that maintained it. One particular buck had declared it ‘an artistic marvel!’ and then stepped all over the nearby rock garden as Flawless looked on in horror.

It had all been a welcome diversion for Be Mine. She enjoyed meeting new kin, and if some days found her quite reserved, she still had a smile ready for any guests. So as a new day dawned, she was busy at work in the soft sunlight, tidying up the area and planning breakfast for the morning. Heavy Burden preferred the young bamboo shoots, so she placed a few aside for when he woke up.

Maxx D

look at me type stuff!

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[Maxx D]

Soft Scars was highly doubtful when she had been given the instructions, but as she came around the bend to see the tree, she realised there was no way of missing it. The variety of feathers and colours that hung off the branches made it look like all seasoned had congregated in that very spot, and instead of crisping and dying, fluttered about softly and sweetly. Indeed, the hubbub around its roots made her wonder just what her father had gotten himself into, considering how her siblings had turned out. Warily, but steadily, she made her way over, a generous branch of berries held in her mouth as she approached.

She saw the pink doe in her steps, and wondered what she meant to her father.

Ruriska

wow ******** finally I'm so sorry

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[Ruriska]

Be Mine turned her head as she worked and caught sight of movement. It was just a brief glimpse of a new arrival from the corner of her eye and the image of a wing burned into her mind. There would always be feathers in her life, she had mused once, signifying good and bad. Now she froze and her stomach clenched and her knees felt weak and her world seemed to be shattering. You can’t be here.

Sideways Down was a name rarely spoken. It dropped into conversations like a stone, bringing with it an instant, uncomfortable silence. Her children all reacted to it differently. Heavy Burden’s in particular was instant, bitter loathing and a baring of teeth. There would always be feathers in her life, whether they were hanging from a tree or sweeping along the flank of her first and terrible love.

She thought about it sometimes, about what she would say if she saw him again and knew that she wasn’t ready, not yet. You can’t be here. She swallowed around the knot in her throat and forced herself to move, to turn to seem unaffected even though she knew her panic would be written clearly across her face.

And she turned and wanted to vomit and then she wanted to cry because it wasn’t him at all, just a doe with a wing splayed across her side. An old wound ripped wide open and Be Mine could only stand there, full of startled relief and also anger at the realisation that she might never get over that first betrayal.

Maxx D

it's okay i understand

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also way to be all dramatic be mine sheesh

 

[Maxx D]

Scars noted many things with her sharp eyes. She did not speak as much as see, and her eyes, though they saw much, was enigmatic. She saw the pink doe tense and shudder slightly, involuntarily, something monumental in her body erupting as she stood there. With a scientific curiousity that was almost cruel, she approached her, and murmured "hello," through the branch of berries, swaying gently as the feathers did.

Ruriska

VIOLIN MUSIC

GIF sites hung my browser no more fun

 

[Ruriska]

Be Mine’s recovery from her rush of emotions happened with a shuddering sigh, some rapid blinking to fight away frustrated tears and the desperate mental shoving of all those open wounds into the back of her mind. She could fall apart later, when she’d dealt with the startlingly familiar stranger.

"Hello," she responded, proud of the smile she managed to coax onto her face, even if it trembled at the edges. "Welcome. You’re just in time for breakfast." Each word was a little stronger than the last and she congratulated herself.

Maxx D

party pooper

 

[Maxx D]

"I hope these will work with breakfast," she commented and resecured the branch with her teeth, the corners of her mouth quirking up a bit at the doe's recovery.



The sudden appearance of Filament left Be Mine no space, regrettably, to disintegrate - for he rushed up to Soft Scars, and rubbed his head against her ear. "Soft!" he called her, insistently, finding the second part of her name quite distasteful for such a lovely, normal, doe, in comparison to his other children. "Oh, you made it - look at you. You're so beautiful." (At this point, Scars wished the branch wasn't pushed up one side of her mouth by her father's affection, because she could not protest.) "Be Mine, this is my daughter, Soft Scars. She..." and he struggled to articulate the relation, and instead, rather deflatedly continued, "is...my....daughter. One of my daughters. She looks like...me!" and laughed, pathetically.  

[Ruriska]

Filament’s boisterous arrival made her chances of escaping quickly far less likely but bolstered her mental defences. As he fussed over the doe, Be Mine was given just a moment, a brief space in time to breathe in and let his easy familiarity set her at ease. His daughter, now she knew and of course, was clearly one of the nice ones and not inclined towards sociopathic tendencies. At least she hoped.

"I can see the resemblance," Be Mine offered brightly. "She’s lovely. I mean, you’re lovely." She said the last while looking at Soft Scars and offering a smile that was genuinely warm. "I’m glad you’re here. Please, let me take that off you." She shifted forward, to take the end of the branch and allow Soft Scars to actually speak to her father without the face full of leaves and berries.

Maxx D

replies all over!

 

[Maxx D]

With a lingering look, Scars let go of the branch and leaned dutifully into her father's snuggling. "Thank you - father, is this the doe you're co-habiting with? You're lovely, too." She said with a straight face.  

[Ruriska]

Because Be Mine’s mouth was now busy with the berry branch, her response to Soft Scar’s assumption was a choked and smothered laugh. It wasn’t that she minded the mistake, Filament was just such a fatherly figure, the idea seemed preposterous.  

[Maxx D]

"NO no no oh no I love her like a daughter," Filament said, almost with fright. Scars did not miss the little noise from the doe - she felt, surprisingly, pleased that she was no longer so wary. Her father had done much better after his first clutch. "Mayhaps then, I can meet her as well - now that I've had the pleasure of meeting Be Mine."

*****

 

[Ruriska]

It wasn’t that Be Mine was avoiding Soft Scars after that and it certainly wasn’t anything quite so deliberate, but even so she found herself keeping a polite distance and kept herself almost unattainably busy. Even Heavy Burden had complained about how little time she was sparing him.

She actually thought Soft Scars was very nice and a few minutes in conversation was usually enough to put aside any lingering doubts. When she thought about, the similarities between Soft Scars and her brother really that great and under any other circumstance she would have enjoyed the prospect of befriending her.

And yet... and yet she could shake off the unease when she caught a sideways glimpse, a sharp reminder like a thorn in her side that kept digging in deeper when she rubbed it the wrong way.

So it was that the day after Soft Scar’s had arrived, Be Mine was using up the last of the afternoon light tending to her personal garden. She was weeding, her nose covered in soil and her expression fond whenever she stopped to watch Fall hopping between the flowers and vegetables, snapping up bugs.  

[Maxx D]

Her voice drifted over her garden, steely but gentle. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Be Mine?"  

[Ruriska]

Be Mine startled at the intrusion, giving a soft, involuntary gasp.

Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, she looked away. Her tone, when she spoke, was low and apologetic, "A little bit, yes. I’m sorry. But it isn’t you. It’s... me."

That she had clearly been so obvious in her feelings was disappointing and her chest felt tight with frustration.  

[Maxx D]

"My father tells me you're very sweet," she said, settling at the garden's edge. "I am inclined to agree, and so I would like to put you more at ease. May I ask why I make you uncomfortable?"  

[Ruriska]

"I... your father is very kind. He’s... helped me a lot."

Be Mine appreciated the direct approach even if it did put her on the spot and leave her tongue-tied. "It is... unfair of me but when I first saw you, I was reminded of your brother." She didn’t want to say the name. It still burnt. "And now, I get the same feeling every time."