Though he knew well enough they were in a hurry, Ajax stooped to pluck a green and purple wildflower. He rose and handed it to Blackberry. She held it by the stem for just a few seconds before it started to fade. It was a hard thing to really see as it was happening, but soon enough all color left it and it lay there, now just varying shades of gray.
Blackberry’s lip quivered as she searched his face for a reaction. Ajax tried his best not to have one. Her own expression seemed to slip several times between sadness, ironic amusement, and anger.
She closed her fist and crushed the flower emphatically, throwing it away with a snap of her arm.
“I don’t like you and I never will.” She jammed an accusatory finger into his chest and pushed past him, but seemed to immediately regret it. Her tone softened when she turned and spoke again.
“I just mean I’ll never like you like you. You’re an alright guy, I guess... but you can just forget about anything else.” She hurried off, her pale face flushed a deeper gray.
Ajax turned to find that Gyges had caught up to them. He’d picked up the discarded flower. It had already turned to silk in Gyges' hand.
Blackberry’s lip quivered as she searched his face for a reaction. Ajax tried his best not to have one. Her own expression seemed to slip several times between sadness, ironic amusement, and anger.
She closed her fist and crushed the flower emphatically, throwing it away with a snap of her arm.
“I don’t like you and I never will.” She jammed an accusatory finger into his chest and pushed past him, but seemed to immediately regret it. Her tone softened when she turned and spoke again.
“I just mean I’ll never like you like you. You’re an alright guy, I guess... but you can just forget about anything else.” She hurried off, her pale face flushed a deeper gray.
Ajax turned to find that Gyges had caught up to them. He’d picked up the discarded flower. It had already turned to silk in Gyges' hand.
