Treasure Town ~ Main Square

[unrepentantAuthor]

Unable to bear the thought of interminable sobbing into Curio's neck, she gave herself a small shock and somehow pushed it all down again. She didn't pull away.

"We... We were..."

Come on. Just tell her what happened. Fuckin' hell, you can speak language, can't ya?

Brisa turned her head to look away from Curio's face, and focus on anything but the cave or I hurt you. Her eye settled on Leg and her offered apple.

"Thank you, Ma'am," she managed, somehow. "Please let Starr eat first..."

She felt light headed. Gods, what did she look like right now? Pathetic, probably. She didn't deserve the embrace she was so greedily maintaining.

Curio. She needed to answer Curio.

"We were trapped," she blurted. "No supplies, no communication, no way out. I thought we were gonna starve to death. I thought one of us ought to help the other go quickly. I thought I'd never get to-"

Too much. Too much. Shut up, shut up. Don't make a scene. Don't embarrass yourself.

 

[NebulaDreams]

"Jeeeez." Curio's eyes felt rather misty upon hearing what happened to Brisa. "I'm so sorry you went through that, that really sucks. I bet you're effing starving." She would've left it at that, then she processed exactly what Brisa said. "Wait, don't tell me you were really gonna off each other?" She squeezed her tighter.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"I'm goddamn lucky Starr was strong enough not to agree to it," mumbled Brisa. "And yeah. Yeah we are literally fuckin' starvin'. Thank sky and stars you're here, Curio, I-"

I missed you.

She couldn't say it. She hugged tighter instead.

 

[NebulaDreams]

"Alright, alright," she said in her dadliest voice. Was dadliest even a word? She was bad at this. "Do, um..." Curio didn't know what to suggest. "Do you wanna grab some grub now?" She wanted to stay there for a bit longer, but she didn't want to hold Brisa up.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa reluctantly pulled away, self-conscious and uncertain.

"We should both eat," she said, looking round at Starr. After something like three days stuck in a hole with someone she'd despised, she ought to be glad to see the back of Starr, but... the thought of leaving her behind set off a surge of anxiety. It wasn't fondness, that was for sure, she just... needed to remind herself that Starr was still alive.

Maybe part of Brisa was still trapped in that cave.

"Starr. You do what you like, but..." Brisa clenched her jaw, not knowing what the etiquette was for inviting someone who hated your guts to take food with you. Probably there was none. "Maybe you'd care to get somethin' to eat with, uh. With me and Curio."

Goddamnit. Why are you such an idiot?

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr had watched Curio and Brisa's reunion in silence. Even though she'd known the two would be overjoyed to see each other again... it was still good to see it happen for real. Even if it reminded her that there wasn't anyone on the team who'd be that happy to see her back, and that it was her own damn fault. (For the thousandth time, she had to stop her thoughts from drifting back toward home.)

"Starr. You do what you like, but... Maybe you'd care to get somethin' to eat with, uh. With me and Curio."

Starr's ears fell. Yeah, Brisa could've at least pretended she didn't want to be rid of her. Starr felt a weird pang at that realization, and she didn't know how to feel about it. But whatever, she wasn't remotely in the mood to care. Curio was here, and Starr was desperate to talk to someone who was alright with her being around.

"Fucking yes. Obviously," Starr answered in a deadpan. "Pretty sure I could beat Maple at the curry challenge right about now."

 

[NebulaDreams]

Curio sensed a bit of unseen baggage between the two. No shit, if Brisa was thinking about mercy killing the other, but even before that, they didn't seem to be on good terms. Here though, it was a different kind of reluctance mixed with a certain awkwardness. "Um, I'm not getting in the way, am I? I mean, I hope not, but just thought I'd check."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr let out a snort, and something about laughing again hurt in just the right way. "The hell are you on about. I'm the one that should be asking you two if you even want my sorry ass around."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa couldn't help but break into a smile of relief, before collecting herself.

"I don't wanna hear another word out of either of you that ain't concernin' food. Come on, I'm literally starvin' to death, here!"

The cafe was closest, so Brisa headed off that way, looking over her shoulder to be sure both her... both her friends were coming with her.

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