Rykah and Will(because I can't think of a better title)

Rykah tried to relax, but it didn't work so well…

“Pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Rykah couldn't forget it, and Will's voice was making it worse…

Will just slightly loosened his grip on Rykah’s shoulders, staying quiet, hoping to let Rykah figure things out, and to ignore what he was slowly realizing.

Rykah took a few moments, just lying there trying to process this new revelation..

Anna would kill me for not saying anything… Will thought.

what the mango do I do?! thought Rykah frantically, I can't just tell him! And I'm not even sure! What the mango do I do?!

(I’m just here hysterically laughing because “what the mango”)
Will took a deep breath, almost laughing. He was freaked out about THIS, and he was on another planet, or universe, or something. And he was freaked out about THIS…..

Rykah kept trying to figure out what to do with this revelation, all but forgetting Will was there…
(Believe it or not I actually say that!! out loud. the same way other people would use the F word…)

(I have a friend(cough crush cough) who says avocado in that place. God, she’s cute, and I’m over here cursing out my teacher(not really, it’s usually an accident))
What do I do? Will thought to himself.

(Tell her to try dragonfruit, or pineapple… they are wonderfully refreshing! Also good luck with her!)
Rykah really wanted to kick a wall, but he didn't move…instead he inched just a little closer to Will.

(She totally would. And we both like each other, yet neither of us has asked the other out…. it’s great)
Will took Rykah’s wrist, finding his pulse.

Rykah kind of froze at the contact, but didn't move away

(They are such clueless floofs…)

“Have I ever told you why I do that?” Will asked quietly.

"Not really…" said Rykah softly.. glad for the distraction

Grateful that Rykah has answered him, and that they wouldn’t just be sitting in silence forever.
“A few years ago, my brother was feeling…. really bad. He kind of lost all of his self-protection instinct, and got hurt pretty bad. When he was in the hospital, he flinched when we touched his hands, but for some reason he relaxed when we touched his wrists. So instead of holding his hand to let him know we were there, and that he was ok, we would hold onto his wrist instead. A couple years later, I got hurt. And they kept finding my pulse, afraid I was going to disappear, or something. So it became a thing, if we wanted to be with someone, or were afraid, you found their pulse.”

"Ok" said rykah slowly. I guess hes seen some bad stuff too….

(What the mango did you do??)

(Idk, what the mango DID I do?)
“Funny thing, I’ve never told anybody that before.”

Rykah looked at him for a moment… then why….

“It kind of went unspoken between my siblings and I, and no one else knew.”

Rykah just watched him, Oh mango… he thought this can't be happening…

“Sorry, I’m talking too much.” Will said, face reddening slightly.

Rykah felt a little sad when Will stopped talking. and inched a little closer when he stopped.

“This one time, my birth father got so mad at me for talking too much….. it was pretty bad at the time….” Will said. “I’m actually not sure why I told you that.”

Just keep talking… thought Rykah as he pushed closer.

“You know what the final straw for him was?” Will asked, not even waiting for an answer before saying, “My sister coming out. I’d never seen him so angry. Jack got out worse than she did, my birth father never much liked Jack.”

Rykah wanted to hug this kid, but he just scooted closer pushing his wing under Will's body.

Will hid his face for a moment, suddenly missing his family.