The River Styx

Moonlight dimly lit up an isolated riverbank buried by the foliage hanging over it, embracing it with its gentle leaves, branches, and shrubs. The trees themselves trembled when the wind waved it way through their tangles of branches and roots. It was calming, almost too calming for what had just happened that night. Carried out by the two trolls who had taken shelter along the bank of the river with its oh-so-forgiving trees.

The sound of the river fills the silence. Then there's the shuffling of fabric. Wet, clinging to the skin. A huff of frustration before it hits the rocks at their feet with a loud slap. Blood coated the sopping shirt. No amount of washing could hope to truly remove the smell of copper.

“Gogdammit… for fucks sake” a murmur under the indigoblood’s breath. Meant only to be heard by themself. The war had made her tongue vulgar, sharp, remarks that intentionally stung. Unlike her past cluelessness. They shuffle out of their boots, tossing them onto the rocky shore along with the now wrecked shirt. Somnia inhales slowly and stares up at the stars above them. Tonight had been ugly, not their proudest moment. A stakeout turned into a sudden bomb wiring to an escape plan that almost cost them their lives. Killing another living being was not a foreign feeling, but It wasn’t a welcome one. She shuts her eyes and breathes in.

Click. Click. Click. Fwoosh. A flame comes to light within Chello’s fingertips. The most warmth she’s felt within hours. Of course, she had her Moirail with her, but neither of them had wanted to be within arm's length of each other tonight. Sometimes the contact was too much. Feeling the blood pumping through another being after using your hands to snuff out the life of another. It made you feel dangerous like you could break those you hold close with a swipe too powerful.

“That shit again? You know it’s bad for you, Chello” Somnia remarks. Chello knew she was right as she pressed the cigarette to her mouth. The smoke burned her lungs, it left a vile taste on her tongue and in her throat. Her gills felt clogged afterward every time…but It was one of the only things that made her feel alive on nights like these. The burn reminded her that she was still breathing, made her grateful for every gulp of air she had. The taste made her love sensations that anything else in this world could bring her when it was all done. Gave her hope for the future where she didn’t rely on smoke’s flame as her light.

“Yea..” and she lights it. Breathing in before coughing up her lungs a minute later. It was a routine. A routine she took comfort in.

“Give me that” Her moirail doesn’t even look at her as they hold their hand out. The pinkblood sets the cigarette between their fingers. Their hands lightly brush together in a knowing exchange. It wasn’t the first time this happened. Not another word was exchanged as Somnia brought it up to her lips and inhaled, before blowing out a light smoke ring. Almost as quickly they toss the cigarette into the river. It disappears with a quiet fizzle.

“....I was going to smoke the rest of that yknow”

“Yea, I know. I wasn’t going to let you though.” “You suck” Chello murmurs.

There’s a couple of seconds of silence before Somnia speaks up. “Mmm, I love you”

“Love you too… Asshole” A soft smile reaches the corners of her mouth. She can see Somnia roll their eyes in her peripheral vision. A chuckle escapes her lips. Maybe they were horrible, Maybe they were just as bad as the people they hated, And maybe they just killed hundreds in pursuit of a dream that may end in shambles, but they had each other.