"like sixteen shades of bruise.”
But these are Toro's horns and I would know them anywhere. And if my spiral weapon is a crown so are his, pale white instead of dark brown.
For a moment I only watch the merchant stare at whatever place it is that Toro's gaze has wandered off to dream. For a moment I wonder if I can go there too, run away to a place where there are not so many people I have to save. My hooves start to move towards him, although I cannot recall the exact moment when I decided to go to Toro. And my lips are smiling when I watch him shake loose from whatever world had him wrapped up in a choke-hold.
Oh Toro, I want to say, I know how it feels to see more than just this mortal coil. But I say nothing until I'm there brushing our shadows together into deeper and deeper shades of bruised black. The color feels as right as anything does lately.
The merchant switches her gaze to me and I can feel it sinking in like a knife and when I nod my head to her it is only because I must and because I understand the sharpness in her look. Hunger. I know it well enough. I drop a stone turned to gold onto her table. I will give her a hundred of them if she asks it of me.
A blue stone catches my eyes, it reminds me of the clothes I wore last time I saw Toro. “The blue suits you.” It feels cold in the touch of my natural magic, cold as the sea. I lift it to drape the small chain holding a sapphire over the tip of the horn closest to me. I should wonder if it as feels as cold and hollow to him as it does to me. I don't.
Instead I only step closer to brush our shoulders together like two soldiers walking side-by-side onward to death. Onward, I know that's the way of it, always forward. “I'm happy to see you again.” As I say the words I nudge him forward, away from the merchant with her hungry eyes that talk to my hungry, aching heart.
The silence falls to quickly. It always does when I feel like this, like I'm looking over the edge of some great black hole that's calling me. “Will you join me for a drink?” Because it's as good a way to fill the silence as anything. Isn't it?
@El Toro// <3
