Efron seemed somewhat embarrassed by her laughter, but didn’t pursue the topic. “I guess… I owe you that duet now, huh?” he changed the subject.

“So soon? But you haven’t learned to fly yet,” Gretel pointed out.

“Well, flight won’t be possible for me for a few more months. I managed to glide–and that’s the best I can do right now. I-If you count it, I mean…”

The wyvern hummed thoughtfully. Her hot-pink irises studied her friend, trying to make out his opinion on the duet. She could tell he wasn’t using a conceal, but even then, it was hard for her to get a read on him when it came down to what he wanted. “Would me counting it as flying be a good or a bad thing?”

The juvenile revealer’s eyes glanced from his friend to the exit of the foxhole, as if he were looking for a way to avoid the question.

Gretel sighed. “If you don’t wanna sing together yet, you don’t have to, y’know?”

He recoiled. “I do want to sing with you! But I…”

“But you what?”

The juvenile revealer shrugged. “Never mind. If you don’t want to count gliding as flying, then just forget I brought it up.”

The white wyvern shook her head. “Why do you only care what I think counts? Don’t you get a say in anything?”

Efron’s green eyes widened slightly as they finally met hers again. He opened his mouth as if to answer, but then shut it in a near-grimace.

“What’s the matter?”

“I… feel like I haven’t really earned the right to sing with you yet…”

“Oh? Why not?”

He shrank, not answering.

“Efron?”

“W-Well, I'm not good enough at singing, for one… And for another, I don't know if you count gliding as flying. And I don't know if gliding should count if I can't do it without your help…! And I don't know if you should help me glide if it drains you like that– And–”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“He-e-ey, now. Chill out,” she soothed him when he was clearly getting anxious again. “You overthink everything.”

He took a shaky breath. “W-What?”

“You think of so many problems that I can't even keep track of everything you just said!” she laughed.

“S-Sorry…” He looked away guiltily.

“Wha-a-a-at? Don't be sorry! You didn't do anything wrong.”

“So… what, then…?”

“Let me put it this way: if I didn't think you earned it, I'd just say so.”

“But you didn't say so… You haven't mentioned it at all.”

“Exactly! That means I think you've earned it.”

Efron paused, processing this. “...Huh. That… makes sense.”

Gretel giggled. “See?”

“How do you know these things?” he wondered.

“Uh… Know what?”

“Exactly what to say and do…”

She tilted her head. “I don't.”

“But you're always so… carefree. Even after you've nearly been killed just last night. And you always know what to say when my thoughts spiral.”

The striped wyvern sat and stared at him blankly. I never thought about it. “I guess I don't see a point in dwelling on things. But the knowledge of what to say might also be because wind types rely on direct communication. If I send out a message that was nothing but questions and doubts, I'd be ignored by rescuers who either can't decipher my message, or who won't take the time to even hear the full thing. If we need help, we have to identify the main issue and then communicate only that.”

He stared incredulously at her. “...Wow,” was all he managed to say at first.

“So what about you? Why do your thoughts ‘spiral’ or whatever you called it?”

“Uh… I don't really know. Maybe because revealers kind of expect things of you–without outright telling you what those expectations are… So it's really up to us to figure it out–to ‘overthink’ them as you said… And if we don't meet those unspoken expectations, whether or not we figure out what they are, then… we get…” The sentence trailed off. He reached one hand across his ventral scales, clutching his upper left side just under his armpit while wincing ever so slightly.

Gretel blinked with confusion and peered around her friend to see if he was injured there. “What’s wrong? Did you get hurt when you fell earlier?”

He seemed to snap out of it. “Huh?”

“Your side. Is it hurting? Are you bruised? I'm sorry… I should have rested before carrying you instead of taking the risk of letting you fall–”

“N-N-No, you didn't hurt me! I was sore from the fall, but I wasn't injured…”

“Oh? Then what's the matter?”

“N-Nothing! Just… forget it. I'm fine. We, uh… We can practice the duet tomorrow. Are you hungry?”

As if in answer, Gretel’s stomach growled. “Well, yeah, but… Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yep! In fact, I'll find us something to eat,” the violet yearling assured her. “You just rest until I get back, alright?”

“Um… o-kay, if you're sure,” his companion hesitantly agreed. She could tell he was looking to escape the conversation, so she didn't pressure him into telling her more than he was willing to share, despite her concern. When he crawled out of the foxhole, that's when her keen eyes noticed it: a faded scar under his left arm.