Who have been here, using their unique skills to make things just a little more livable in my wee shack.
Aurelia added a light to the room by blessing a gemstone and setting it in a glass bulb that activates by touch. Pyro used his gift to activate a chunk of pyrite and set ablaze the remaining ceiling webs. Gabbro fixed my bed. Muskov monitored my burn pile while the garbage fizzled into ashes.
My heart is as full as my stupid eyes, which are washing oceans down my cheeks. “Th-thank you so, so much. I thought the spiders were going to eat me last night. You are the kindest people in the world, and I—” I sniff, curse my astigmatism, forge blindly on. “—I’m going to work so hard to help rebuild. I promise.”
“Ah, lass.” Gabbro guffaws, slipping a tool back onto his very fancy carpenter man belt. “’Twas but a quick fix here an’ there. Bit o’ sweeping and some spells to wash the must out. This lot makes swift work of such things.”
Sweet as ever, Pyro sniffs and pulls me into a hug. “It’s okay, Citrus.” I think he’s a sympathetic crier. “We’re here for you.”
My chest constricts, and I sob against his shoulder, which is nowhere near as fabulous as Samson’s but is still welcome right now. “T-thank you. I—I’ll do my best, promise.”
“We appreciate you,” he says.
Obviously, I lose it.
Aurelia frowns, gracefully interjecting, “Pyro, give her some space… You’re not really supposed to hug a young woman you don’t know well.”
His body tenses, and he shoots a look at Aurelia. “I’m not?”
Clasping her hands together in front of her flowing lilac skirt, she mournfully shakes her head.
Eyes wide, Pyro utters, “Not even if she desperately needs a hug?”
Desperately needs a hugis not a description I was looking to burden myself with today.
Gabbro chuckles. “All’s well, Lia. Family hug.” He tilts his chin up at Pyro and says, “Yer Uncle Gibbs was the hugger betwixt us. Must’ve fallen into your genetics. No shame in that.”
Gibbs. Or Gibbsite. The tavern owner, Gabbro’s brother, Pyro’s uncle. It’s the most webby the local family tree gets, with two generations of siblings, and countless game conspiracy theorists spent weeks trying to figure out if WonderGlass had a reason behind it.
The conclusion was: Wonderglass just felt like it.
Aurelia smiles. “Well, I suppose it’s all right, as long as you’re comfortable with it, Citrus.”
I manage to bite my tongue before blurting that I’d trust these people with my life.
“It’s been a long day,” she continues. “Why don’t we see what Neptun’s cooked up tonight?” She takes my hand. “My treat. You can save your money and get some better tools fromAustin later.” She winks. “Just don’t tell my brother I gave you a discount in the form of a meal, okay?”
Disown your dumb brother and live with me, Lia. Vetoing that response as well, I babble, “Y-you’re an angel. I haven’t eaten in two days.”
Pyro’s agape suggests I picked the wrong dialogue, even with the tongue-biting and vetoing.
Dang it.
“You—” He balks. “You haven’t eaten fortwo days?”
“Citrus.” Aurelia’s arms fold, sweeping sleeves tangling somehow disapprovingly.
“Tha’s no good, lass,” Gabbro says, and even silent, steady Muskov shakes his head at me. Again.
“Upsy-goesy,” Pyro says as he scoops me off my feet, rocking me against his not quite Samson-broad chest.
“Pyro!” Aurelia gasps. “What did I just say about giving the poor girl some space?”
“I—I’m fine! Promise! I can walk!” My body’s abuse tolerance issohigh. Living in Florida, growing up with horrible parents, working atHardee’s, all of it has forged a creature with zero physical cues. Without such fantastic training, I might have passed out hours ago—2:00AMstyle.
“Hush, both of you.” Pyro, still teary-eyed, sends us a stern look. “My mum’s the medic, and she wouldn’t dare call me her son if I let someone starving herself walk all the way into town.”
Gabbro nods, wise. “Aye. Peri’d disown you faster than I.”
