Cub hadn't seen Scar in exactly six hours.
This would normally be fine, since they would work on separate projects most days. Today, however, it made Cub nervous. Earlier they had been walking through through the shopping district, checking on their assorted business', when Scar started acting off. He looked at the ground more, and crossed his arms. Other hermits may not have noticed, but Cub did.
He had busied himself with the golf course, but Cub thought about Scar the whole time, before he finally decided to text him.
No response.
His concerns now validated, Cub used the tracker app they shared to track him to his retirement home in the country club.
"Scar? You in here?" The door was closed, but unlocked, so Cub poked his head in. The soft lights hung from the ceiling, giving the furnished room a warm glow. He made his way slowly through the house, and then spotted a trapdoor hiding under the stairs. "Hmm,"
The ladder led down a narrow hole made of concrete, and hinted at a room at the bottom. He climbed down slowly, getting a better view. The room was beautifully terraformed for such a small space, filled with vines and a small pond. Most notably, however, was the Scar in the corner, squeezing a cat.
"Scar?" Cub whispered to alert Scar, and then crept gently across the room. Scar's eyes were red, and his body shook like a leaf. Cub silently sat next to Scar, knowing that he would talk when he wanted to. They sat, and Scar pet his cat mindlessly.
"Sometimes it's hard."
Cub looked at his friend, who's eyes held millions of stories; of peace, of joy, of anguish.
"Sometimes it's hard to see people fly when I can't join them. I can't join them, and I can't feel the wind on my face and I can't soar over the ocean or see my build from above or travel in the End or- or-" He gasped for breath, reliving all the anguish.
"Breathe. In.. Out.."
Scar took a few deep breaths, then continued on his rant. "And they don't think anything of it because I don't say anything! I pretend it doesn't bother me, but it does! You walk everywhere with me, but you could fly if you wanted. Ren thinks the HRN is novel, but I need it and he hasn't finished it! I'm just useless and hopeless and earthbound and crippled!" Scar cried, the tears flowing freely and painfully. They burned.
Cub had helped Scar many times, but it had never been this bad. "Scar, it's Cub, I'm right here. It'll be okay." He put his hand on Scar's shoulder, but he shook it off.
"IT'S NOT OKAY! You will never understand, never! I'm different, I'm weird, and it's isolating and painful! I'll never be normal, not in my whole life and it makes it hard to keep going. It's just.. It's...." Scar fell into Cub's lap exhausted.
And Cub cried. He cried for his best friend, who suffered so much. He was such a good person and put up with so much. He cried because he couldn't do anything to change it.
Wow I wrote angst hh! Also, I see Scar as having a medical condition, but it's not as bad here. He can still walk and build and golf, but flying and stuff wears him down extremely quickly.
Love you, my little stars!
-RaeTheStar