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They say hate is the opposite of love. The truth couldn't be further from it. It's indifference and silence, the certainty of a final breaking point, the point of no return and the bottomless pit from where there is no return. Hate implies a certain level of attention, love turned bitter but not stale.
Frey was used to Cuff's mean-spirited jabs, his sassy personality and sarcasm seeping through his voice every chance he got. Instead there was a deafening silence, which rang louder than any jab the demon could've made. After Cipal and its people had been saved from certain destruction, Frey had honestly thought that things would go back to how they were. Sure, Cuff may sulk a little, but he would eventually come around, right? And yet Cuff remained uncharacteristically silent. Frey missed the comfort of his voice, although she would never admit to it. Traveling the broken lands of Athia with nothing but the horrifying shrieks of the damned and the occasional stormy winds that came with break storms, was getting more unnerving by the second.
"You can't ignore me forever, you know? Or are you to stunned to speak, after I handed you your fake golden ass?"
Frey would attempt to make him angry, annoy him, try to coax literally any kind of reaction out of him, but to no avail. The only way she could tell that he was still there, was the occasional golden shield engulfing her, when things escalated during a particularly nasty fight. And by that she meant letting the fights turn into a fun little game of chess of life and death, taking on the role of the pawn herself. Protecting her meant he cared, or was he just looking out for himself? She could feel him squirm under her skin, nervous like a child getting caught doing something they shouldn't have. His emotions came as a surprise to her, so guarded he usually was about showing any hint of emotional vulnerability. But even Cuff couldn't keep his act up forever.
Gentle and considerate wasn't her usual style, but Frey was willing to adapt. If angering and annoying him was fruitless, then the gentle way it was. Frey remembered Cuff complaining about pebbles getting stuck in his carvings, whining about back pain. She berated him for 'not even having a back' and how she's 'doing all the work herself anyway'. Cuff eventually gave up on voicing his discomfort. Had she ignored his suffering? Now that they were much more intimately linked, Frey was able to feel the condition he was in, even if if was just a faint feeling. Guilt ate at her, she never wanted his discomfort. Determined to make it up to him, Frey began to weakly trace his carvings on her skin, making sure to vary the pressure, as if she was giving him a massage. Cuff made no sound, but Frey could tell he seemed a bit more relaxed. The destroyer of Athia relaxing under the touch of a Tanta. Put that one in the history books, Jennesh!
The sky looked even more ominous than usual, meaning a breakstorm was just around the corner. Frey's unwilling companion remained silent still, glowing faintly as if in warning of what was to come.
"Still not speaking? Stubborn dick."
His warning did not go unappreciated, as hell soon broke loose all around them. Frey truly hated breakstorms. It was loud, she couldn't see shit and was attacked pretty much every two seconds. A torana could only buy her so much time and was quiet draining on her energy as well. So she usually relied on Cuff's shield to make a run for it. Frey broke into a run, maneuvering through Praenost's difficult landscape with the occasional golden glow exploding around her. It comforted her in a way she was not ready to confront yet. This creature killed her mother and sure as hell did not stop there, so why did she care so much? After what felt like an eternity, the pair reached a refuge. Inside, the familiars sat in a circle, a kitty council. It was a bit weird, but very adorable. Frey greeted the cats in her best kitty luring voice, and for just a second, she thought she had heard him groan.
"Not impressed with my awesome kitty powers? It's a Frey special."
"There is no such thing as kitty powers. Absolutely ludicrous."
Frey smiled, her snark dormant for once. The first step had been made. And all it took was the magic power of a massage and a very adorable kitty council. Not the powers of a Tanta at all, but of a friend. No matter how unusual that friendship presented itself.