she gave a light huff, finding herself unable to hold in her distaste. ”involved…”

they had grown apart. her short time in hoenn had only solidified this as fact. she might have been the first to establish distance, but she’d been hurt. since that single attempt in rustboro, he had left her to wallow without much of a word.

he was no longer the best friend she had known. she figured she was no one to him, and there was little he could say at this point to rectify it.

”no. that’s okay.”

she then muttered some encouragement to baobab, hand smoothing against his shoulder as the old bull began to ascend the slope. his passenger groaned lightly, having drifted off to sleep.

MATIAS SILPH

☉

"i want to, sage."

because she isn't no one to him.

"i haven't been here for you, and that's on me."

sagira mosse
mission

☉

anyone else she might’ve iced out.

without regard to their rescue, she turned to pause, leaning into him with a face that was bitter and severe.

”had i known the kind of person you would turn out to be, i would have never wasted time loving you. i don’t need you to be there for me, now.”

MATIAS SILPH

☉

the truth is cold and bitter and, selfishly, foolishly, he doesn't want to believe it. chooses not to believe it for his own sake.

in his eyes, he's not a bad person, but he's not good either. he's just doing what he thinks is best for himself and for the people he loves.

so, defensively, he asks:

"what kind of person am i, sage?"

sagira mosse
mission

☉

she stood there, silent. her eyes burned in a way that was unlike her, but she had been like this for most of the afternoon. they contained something, held back.

eventually, she retracted from him and continued walking. which was very much like her.

someone would let him know, eventually.

MATIAS SILPH

☉

only after she walks away does he eventually sigh.

"tch."

sensing its trainer's annoyance, his altaria glides down low for a moment to boop matias on his head. he ignores it, following after sage.

"do you still want me around?"

sagira mosse
mission

☉

now was not the time to do this, she told herself. not on the job, but she’d initiated it, hadn’t she? she’d started it up again, even.

and now, she was asked a question that she could hardly hope to answer properly in the moment. her steps slowed, though she didn’t turn. she felt a sting behind her face, and a heaviness that hurt in her chest.

it wasn’t entirely even to him, when she said it. maybe it was more to herself.

”no.”

and just like that, she was alone.

MATIAS SILPH

☉

no.

"..."

it feels equivalent to walking around in wet socks. actually, no, it feels far worse.

has he just lost his oldest friend? his closest friend?

"just like that, huh?"

sagira mosse
mission

☉

he had become her world, but the knowledge that she’d gained had turned her world upside down. he was simply not the same as she’d thought. she needed to rethink. a lot.

she couldn’t do this anymore.

she couldn’t leave, but… she couldn’t do it.

the realization hit, and she felt trapped by the weight of her low-rank work—and now of the thought that the easy way up was with him. and then of the motel room, and even delta. this could not be her whole life.

"yeah,” she responded, voice a little hoarse. she kept walking.

she had to start in a new direction.

MATIAS SILPH

☉