comparison

oneshot

They both push people away.

Kliff has trouble interacting with even the people he considers friends, and Faye doesn't want to talk to anyone unless it's about Alm.

That's why, when the knock comes on his door one night, he's surprised. It was unthinkable that it could be anything but a mission or something for the group to do, so when he opens the door to find Faye standing there, he almost doesn't know what to say.

"Tobin says you're acting weird, so I decided to check on you," she says immediately.

"I always act like this," Kliff answers. "If he doesn't realize it, it's his problem."

"Don't give me that, Alm's getting worried too, you know," Faye implores, and Kliff rolls his eyes.

"If we're talking about things that are worrying Alm, then shouldn't we be discussing how you're completely obsessed with him? I'm sure he's at least noticed the possibility by now."

Her eye twitches, but her lips quirk into a grin.

"Yeah. He's noticed. He rejected me, but I'm still going to do anything for him, and that includes checking on you."

Kliff's eyes widen a bit, before he sends her a dubious expression.

"Isn't it pointless to keep being so devoted, then?"

She grits her teeth and almost spits out the agreement on her tongue.

The words leave coated in poison and bitterness, her eyes glaring daggers at the floor when she mutters them.

"At least I have someone important to me, instead of keeping everyone at arm's length."

"Are you really any better?" He retorts frigidly, his gaze as deadly as Medusa's. "can you really talk when you push away everyone who isn't Alm? I bet Silque appreciates the way you've been treating her, right?"

"And I bet Tobin and Gray appreciate the snide comments and rude words just as much!" Faye exclaims in return.

"You're a hypocrite."

"So are you!"

He slams the door in her face, and she fumes.

She fumes and rants to herself as she makes her way back to her own room, cursing Kliff and everything about him. Even the fact that his room is in another side of the hideout, as far away from everyone as you could get is something that makes her mad.

Damn him. Damn his habit of pushing everyone away. Damn his arrogance, damn his sharp tongue, damn the fact that he had a point.

Faye's feet pause in front of her room, her eyes drifting towards the door on the other end of the hall.

Kliff's words flit through her mind.

With a heavy heart, she knocks on Silque's door.

The cleric is shocked to see her. Shocked, yet oddly delighted.

"Hello, Silque," Faye manages in greeting, plastering on a smile.

"Faye? I thought you'd never speak to me again."

"Weeeell..."

=====

She knocks on Kliff's door again, gentler this time. It's been a while since their argument, and Faye hopes that that was enough time for him to cool off. It was enough time for her to rethink her decisions and regret them.

Kliff opens the door, and she breathes out a sigh of relief.

"Can I come in? I need to talk to you," she asks, fidgeting with her braids.