[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]"maybe," her shoulders roll into a lazy shrug at the thought. sore and aching muscles are of no real consequence to her. no, she can heal it, easing pain into an early grave.

"nine? seriously?" god, who needs that much milk?

warmth radiates from connected shoulders. she heaves out a sigh, a hand rising to brush still damp hair out of her face.

"we can't just... buy milk instead?"

MATIAS SILPH
mission

"i don't think so, no."

he chuckles, reminded of the time he and Laurence Anderson had to stay up all night for a bake sale. the league sure has some interesting ideas when it comes to marketing.

with his shoulder still against hers, he tilts his head to look at her, offering a gentle smile.

"are you tired? you can head back, if you want. i'm sure i can finish up on my own."

illeana reyes

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]that is absolutely lame...

the door to the easy way out of manual labor shuts in her face and she puffs out another sigh, blowing stray hair off her nose in the process.

"unfair," she grumbles.

her eyes dart to find his at the suggestion, finding a gentle smile and warmth. she returns it with ease and after a moment of mulling it over, shakes her head.

"it's okay," and then a hand is rising to wiggle fingers, tendrils of pink mist coiling around them like makeshift rings. "i can combat tiredness." or, well, she can try. she hasn't fully tested out that theory yet. huh... maybe she should. she knows it keeps her calm, keeps her pain free, and keeps her from developing further scars but can it ease away exhaustion?

MATIAS SILPH
mission

"oh, can you?"

there's still too much he doesn't know about her powers. it's familiar, uncomfortably so, which makes him want to look away. his gaze holds, however, as he watches pink mist coil into makeshift rings.

"what else can you do?"

her, and her pink mist.

illeana reyes

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]what else can she do?

well, besides the healing mist and a fancy tongue trick, not much.

”just this, really,” it only half stings now. she remembers the pang in her chest, the loss. time has eased it enough into complacency and now she’ll turn that feeling into a weapon. ”i’m not good for much outside of healing now. my range is limited and this was the only ability that returned.”

the price paid for saving others came at the expense of everything she had.

MATIAS SILPH
mission

just this.

even this is more than some would ever dream of having. but he understands her qualms, her regret, and her guilt, because it must feel terrible to have once so much only to have it taken away.

"you're still good for a lot of things, illie. with powers or otherwise."

illeana reyes

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]maybe she should look at it that way…

others dream of powers, of blessings, and here she is, mourning the ones not returned and for what? pathetic.

her cheeks flush beneath the makeshift compliment. and maybe she doesn’t believe it but it still brings a smile to her lips.

”i suppose,” she murmurs. her body shifts as if mildly uncomfortable at the thought of being something besides a piece on the board. ”i believe my usefulness now lies in my mind.”

and if that fails her, what remains?

MATIAS SILPH
mission

a soft chuckle escapes as his head dips slightly, peering down into the bucket.

"there is usefulness to simply living."

then, his gaze lifts, searching for hers.

"don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

illeana reyes

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]she finds him staring when her eyes dart to steal a glance. she’s ignoring the prickling sensation of heat trying to claw its way onto her face.

”i won’t,” she whispers. it’s soft, tentative, as if she can’t possibly stop that thought process but for him she’ll atleast try.

her eyes retreat, then, with the notion that he’s looking too far into her soul. it’s too open, enough that it stirs things she wants to keep buried.

”most of my skills are now put to work in a lab but it’s better than nothing.”

MATIAS SILPH
mission

"and now you're out here milking miltanks."

his eyes shift away then if only to provide her with some level of respite. not much, perhaps.

"downgrade or an upgrade?"

illeana reyes

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]laughter escapes, an amused chiming sort of sound.

they really said get us some milk, bitch. and against her better judgement, she agreed.

her chin rises in a mild swell of pride despite herself, as if downgrade and illeana reyes absolutely do not belong in the same sentence.

"oi, watch your mouth," the look she shoots him is almost a warning. "anything involving me is an upgrade."

MATIAS SILPH
mission

matias agreed as well. it'd be good press, apparently, as he'd been told by his manager. not sure why doing his regular job can't be good press, but whatever.

it turns out, this day isn't as dreadful as he thought it'd be.

"you're right."

he smiles, repelling her warning.

"doing this alone would've been awful, so thanks for coming."

illeana reyes

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]confirmation strokes her ego. it bleeds into her skin, providing an extra layer to be broken once more down the line.

the smile she flashes him is both prideful and bashful all at once, as if she can't decide which one to be. the slight heat of her cheeks lean a little harder toward one specific direction.

"i'm always right." usually. sometimes. never?

her shoulder presses slightly closer to his own and the smile widens.

"thanks for having me," comes softly, as if it's an honor to be chosen at all. and maybe it is or maybe the concept of being considered at all still shocks her down to the marrow of her bones.

MATIAS SILPH
mission