The way Yuuta spoke was unexpectedly comforting. He showed understanding even though Rhydal had messed up, continuing to encourage him as he had the entire trip. It brought a smile to his face, to have his efforts recognized even though he’d failed. [Thank you,] he nodded, his eyes trailing away. There was a subtle weight on his chest, one he decided to ignore for the time being.
Rhydal reluctantly agreed to share the load of carrying Flurris. The entire way to the base he stayed as stoic as possible, attempting to assure Yuuta it wasn’t a concern so he doesn’t ask to switch turns. But he failed — in the end he was forced into accepting more help from his kind teammate. More than he thought he deserved. Without the load on his back he became more alert of his own body, and his chest began to feel heavier.
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The trip felt short compared to the day before. It wasn’t long until they reached a familiar snowy field. A dark silhouette of a person stood out in the distance. His icy gaze, though barely visible, sent chills down Rhydal’s spine. They’d been so preoccupied with saving the child, it was easy to forget about the real threat: Flayke’s disappointment. He felt the air growing colder, each step more hesitant than the last.
As Flayke began to march towards them, Rhydal stiffened, stopping in his tracks. Holding his gaze while in this state was near impossible, but doing otherwise would be a sign of disrespect. He tightened his free hand into a fist, bracing himself for the all too familiar feeling. Each following word felt like a dagger to his chest, bearing the weight of his mistakes and failure to follow simple orders. Rhydal didn’t want to think about the consequences if he’d done this mission alone. It only added to the heaviness on his chest, a feeling he finally recognized as the building guilt of his neverending incompetence.
He gulped, his breath catching in his throat as the scolding finally finished. Those simple few sentences were impactful enough to feel as if they’d lasted an eternity. His eyes darted away and they met Yuuta’s, who proceeded to take a step forward and bow in apology. Rhydal stood aside in silence, letting his partner explain for both of them.
Oddly enough, that act was enough to restore his enough of his strength to speak up. As Yuuta finished, he stepped forward as well, placing a hand on his teammate’s shoulder. [“I apologize too and take equal responsibility for our setbacks,”] he spoke both verbally and in sign. [“Regardless of what you decide, I would add it was a calculated risk. Leaving him behind, especially in these conditions wasn’t an option. We knew the consequences of disobeying your orders,”] his tone was calm, almost emotionless despite his building panic. [“However, as long as I know the child is safe, I’d happily accept any punishment.”] He paused, coldly looking into Flayke’s eyes as he lowered Flurris into his arms for the medics to take. [“Wouldn’t you have done the same?”]
The child was taken to safety and Rhydal let out a sigh of relief. He felt a weight lifted off his body, figuratively and literally. At the very least, one issue was dealt with. Flayke’s tone seemed to soften, the tension in the air dissipating. Where Rhydal expected greater consequences, he was met with praise for a job successfully completed. His eyes widened subtly, and he gave his superior a small nod. “Thank you for your forgiveness, sir.”
Flayke left, leaving the two with the anticipation of what would follow with the boy, and the looming threat of more of his scolding. Rhydal sighed, running a hand through his hair as he turned his attention back to Yuuta. He took the keys, a small smile tugging at his lips at what he’d said. [Worried?] he furrowed his brows, attaching the keys to his belt. [I didn’t think to see it that way.]
When Flayke disappeared from their sight, Rhydal turned towards the house they were instructed to go in. [I think we should head to the cabin, I need a rest…]
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A while passed. Rhydal slowly opened his eyes, awoken by Flayke’s chuckle. As he slowly adjusted to his surroundings, he felt himself leaning against something. Yuuta. He’d been so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open, falling asleep at the first sign of comfort. His eyes snapped open as he straightened up on the seat. In embarrassment, his eyes darted towards Flayke ahead, just in time to catch the bundle thrown their way.
Hearing that the boy was safe and comfortable made Rhydal smile, a huge weight lifted off his chest.
As Flayke began to explain about the gift, Rhydal opened the bundle carefully, revealing the two earrings inside. Turning to Yuuta, he translated Flayke’s words in sign.
He then picked up one of the earrings, studying it carefully for a moment. Could this be his chance to finally gain control of the unstable fire magic within him? He then turned back to Flayke, smiling faintly. “Thank you, these will be of great help. Please relay my gratitude to them.”
Rhydal sighed at the question that followed. [“As Yuuta stated, we found him inside a cave in the mountains,”] he explained, keeping his tone professional. [“He was frozen from the ground up, stuck in ice which I assume was his own creation. Though, it was out of his control. He claimed that whenever he felt strong negative emotions like anger or fear, it would burst out of him,”] he continued, a short pause following. Rhydal was no stranger to unstable magic, but he wasn’t too sure about revealing his weaknesses to Flayke. He turned to Yuuta, giving him a chance to share information as he collected his thoughts.
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@OhSumana — Yuuta
@Meekepeek — Flurris
ORP
It’s been a month omg 
Sorry for taking so long! I’m back to writing now though
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