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“You okay?” Briar asked, having opened the door after the first knock. Faybelle didn’t know what else to do, the second Briar’s figure appeared, her hands were already wrapped around her and head buried in her chest. It was the one thing her body had got used to, and now she couldn’t help it.
Briar stroked her hair, watching the shorter girl cling onto her. She knew Ashlynn was out, so she closed the door to avoid unnecessary eyes that might feel like peeking in her room for whatever after reason.
Faybelle refused to look up as she stepped away to give Briar her space. Briar didn’t mind, this was normal. She could only walk to her bed because she knew Faybelle would follow after her.
She never said much during these visits. Uncharacteristically enough. But that’s just what whatever this thing was. Uncharacteristic. Especially for Faybelle. The usual loud mouth would go quieter than a mouse, and turn into a clingy cat that clearly only sought comfort.
The first time was weird, to say the least. Briar was about to fall asleep, until someone knocked on her door. And there she was. Puffy eyes and trembling body. Briar knew Faybelle well enough to not annoy her with questions. Something had happened, so she did the one thing she knew would work on anyone else. She wrapped Faybelle in an embrace and listened as sniffles tried suppressing themselves.
She didn’t find out what happened that day. She only watched Faybelle leave in the morning and said one thing.
“If you need it.. you’re always welcome back, Faybelle.” The sentence caused a silence that the fairy soon broke.
“I don’t need anything..” she mumbled back, refusing to turn around. “But thank you. I.. this was–” she clearly struggled with her words, trying to avoid sounding mushy as if she hadn’t spent hours in Briar’s bed and refusing to let go off her.
“Careful; your next words might ruin your reputation.” Briar had attempted a joke, knowing this was definitely the smarter move unless she wanted to scare the fairy away with having her get into her feelings. Verbally.
“Oh, shut up.” Faybelle scoffed, almost laughing as she left the dorm, lighter than when she arrived.
Briar came to realize a lot of things the following times this thing reoccured. One thing was that Faybelle was hextremely sensitive. She was a really tired person, whose body got really weak when she was hexhausted enough. She didn’t like to use her words to get what she wanted, for a change. She would rather tug slightly at Briar till she got the memo. She also got these beautiful watereyes after crying. Her softened smile always managed to make a blush creep up Briar’s face. Her laugh when she wasn’t mocking anyone was sickening sweet. And she also didn’t seem to mind if Briar kissed her head or cheek, as if she begun awaiting them.
Okay, yeah, Briar might’ve realized pretty early on that she was catching feelings once she realized what she kept thinking to herself every time her mind drifted off to Faybelle.
But knowing she was the first person Faybelle thought of to come for comfort? She was bound to get cocky. Being the only person that’s possibly seen Faybelle fragile? Well shit, her head couldn’t get any bigger.
Either way, this was where they were at. With Faybelle clinging to Briar’s chest as usual while Briar tried to hocus focus on her Candy Crush without making it too obvious she was staring at the figure beneath her.
Briar let out a sigh. Knowing she was about to do something she hadn’t done before.
“Faybelle, can I ask something? You don’t have to answer if you don’t wanna.” She finally said, watching as Faybelle looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.
She took that as a yes, and therefore continued. “What happened?” The words escaped her lips before she could convince herself to shut up in fear of this scaring off Faybelle and ruining.. whatever after they were doing.
The silence was thick to say the least. Briar already wish she could take her words back and shove them deep down her throat. Until Faybelle shifted,
“Cheerhexing.” She mumbled, watching as Briar’s eyed widened at the response, surprised she actually got one.
“We’re going to regionals. Mom doesn’t like me spending so much time preparing us. Team keeps complaining about different stuff each time. I try to make a plan, but things kept changing and showing up.. It became too much last night since I realized the schoolwork I was neglecting for the entire thing.” This was probably the most amount of words Faybelle had ever after said in her room. Like, EVER AFTER.
Briar responded by hugging her tighter, feeling Faybelle’s slight tremble as she talked.
“You’re amazing. I couldn’t handle all that at once, and yet you’re doing it all.” She said, and the words made Faybelle’s heart skip a bit.
Amazing? She just did what was hexpected of her. Cheerhexing captain, daughter of the Dark Fairy, a top marks student.. she’s never been praised for doing what she always did. And somehow that wasn’t so bad.
Faybelle couldn’t help herself and let out a laugh, a genuine and sickening sweet laugh, as Briar described it.
“I’m serious!” Briar insisted, watching as Faybelle covered her mouth.
Briar couldn’t help herself, Faybelle looked so adorable she felt like she was going to hexplode.
She planted a kiss on her forehead, leaving a pink lipstick mark visible on the gray skin, and the action silenced Faybelle.
“You’re one of the most hardworking people I know. You’re allowed to get overwhelmed, it’s unbelievable how you haven’t snapped yet, seriously.” She insisted, and Faybelle could only stare at her with big pupils while biting her lower lip.
“Thank you Briar.” She finally said, turning around to have her back facing Briar. The princess was confused, of course, and begun poking her.
Deciding she wasn’t getting the attention she wanted she begun kissing her check and neck, faint lipstick marks leaving as it slowly faded away from her own lips. Faybelle didn’t react, at least not as Briar could see.
“Hellooooo, world to Faybelle..” She moaned, lying her head on the fairy’s shoulder.
“It tickles when you do that, you know.” Faybelle pointed out, not looking back at her.
“Do you want me to stop?” Briar asked, stroking Faybelle’s hair.
“No. Your lips feel soft on my skin.” She replied, her voice low as she tried looking neutral.
Briar kept quiet for a bit, trying to act like the words didn’t completely throw her off. In a good way, of course.
“Ooo you like my lips..~” She begun teasing as she finally woke up from her trance, beginning to place rushed and dramatic kises on Faybelle’s skin as Faybelle could only laugh while trying to playfully push her away.