Femslash February 2020 Day 21: Ribbon.
this fic is set before the fever era.
On Top of This Hill, Let Me Remind You
Draco was known for her verbosity. If there was ever a roar in the distance, it was probably her. She charged ahead without thinking of the consequences, pushing aside anyone and anything impeding her with a kick or a Puyo battle.
But now, somberness touched her features. Her lips were curved in a slight frown. Limp curls of emerald hair hung past her ears and tickled her neck, unbrushed and tangled. She sat at the top of a hill, her wings fluttering like a heartbeat, each flap slow and methodical. A glaze coated her eyes, blurring her surroundings of the nearby ocean, and not even the chilly breeze bringing forth the taste of sea salt in the air could make her raise her head.
Naturally, this worried Harpy who had been singing on her way to the beach when she noticed Draco. To her bewilderment, Draco hadn't shot to her feet and demanded she stop, appearing more ghostly in her visage as Harpy levitated to her. She noticed paleness dominating her complexion, Draco's brown skin losing its color despite the sun beating down on both of them, and the word which crossed Harpy's mind to describe Draco made her shiver.
Hollow. That was all she could consider when she landed by Draco's side. She touched her shoulder but received no reaction. She tilted her head, humming loudly, but Draco continued staring at her crimson flats. Realizing it wouldn't be right to leave her side, Harpy smiled and decided to find out what was wrong.
"Dracooo," she crooned, threading her fingers through the dragon woman's short hair, "what seems to be the problem?"
Draco grunted and raised her head, Harpy pulling her hand away. She wrinkled her nose and narrowed her eyes, snapping, "Go sing somewhere else."
She frowned and clasped her hands by her chest. "Oh, but I can't let you look so glum. How about a song to cheer you up?"
As she took a deep breath, Draco threw her arm out and blurted, "No! No damn singing! If you gotta sing, then I already told you to do it somewhere else!" Fire spit past her fangs and almost singled Harpy's white dress. "And if you refuse, then I'm gonna burn off those stupid wings of yours!"
She flinched and bit her tongue. She rubbed her lips and furrowed her brows. The pain lasted only a second, but Draco's cutting threats felt more like slaps to her face.
Draco dropped her arm and brought her knees to her chest. She snaked her fingers behind her neck and snorted. She knew Harpy meant no harm. She was only trying to help, but if her help meant breaking into a song and dance, then Draco wanted to bury herself deeper into the ground.
Huffing out a sigh, Harpy crossed her arms and landed in front of her. She cocked her head, ignoring the frustration bubbling in her belly. Getting angry in return would only lead to a Puyo battle, one she certainly didn't want to have when Draco was in distress.
"Then, what happened?" Harpy asked, her sing-song quality ever-present.
Draco scoffed and wrapped her arms around her knees, She drummed her sharp fingernails on them and wished she had picked a better hiding spot. Staying in the open invited discussion. And if it was someone as curious as Harpy, then she knew she'd have to explain everything for her to be satisfied.
A sigh escaped her. Draco itched through her scalp and squeezed her eyes shut. "There's a beauty contest bein' held on the beach right now," she said, the distant cheers of the contestants and audience reaching their ears.
She gasped, remembering the initial purpose for her walk. "Oh, yes, yes, yes! That is right! I was on my way to see-" Harpy swallowed back her words and met Draco's gaze. Her shoulders slumped, and her face fell, swapping excitement for shock.
Instead of their normal vibrancy, Draco's eyes were puffy. They were swollen and bloodshot, filled with unshed tears. Veins crossed her sclera, making them appear gray like storm clouds jutting out bolts of scarlet lightning.
"Y-you've been-you've been crying? Or, well, almost crying?" Harpy winced, a wave of foolishness washing over her.
Draco clicked her forked tongue and spat, "Whatever! Why don't ya go and leave already? Have fun at that stupid beauty contest 'cause I know I won't be competiting!"
"But you love competing! You're always-!"
"Because I never win! I try and try and try, but I always lose!" Draco shrieked, and she slammed her fists into the ground. Her blow uprooted the earth, casting out slabs of thick dirt and grass into the air. As they plummeted, Harpy covered her head and ducked, wincing as they slammed into the ground and rolled down the hill.
Draco sucked in a sharp, shuddery breath. Tears trickled down her cheeks and landed on her qipao, leaving behind darker stains. She cupped her jaw, not caring if she smeared her face with grime and tucked her chin to her chest.
"And I-and I'm always, always, always, always mocked afterwards by the others," she whispered, her entire body trembling as Harpy rounded to her side, her hand on her back. She rubbed her nose, grimacing at the mucus dripping onto her wrist. "I just-no matter what, it doesn't-nothing works for me, and I-I hate-" Draco gnawed on her lower lip and let her meandering sentence die in her throat.
Harpy's mouth dropped, her tongue suddenly dry. She continued stroking Draco's back, her ministrations providing little relief for Draco. She pursed her lips and wished she could have found the words to say, but nothing sounded right in her head. It wasn't a situation where she could have clapped her on the shoulder and told her to cheer up. This was something that had been bothering Draco for a long time, something Harpy hadn't realized, which made knots twist in her own stomach, guilt beginning to stream through her veins.
"Draco," she whispered, her free hand falling to her waist. She paused, the smooth, silky material catching her attention. Focusing on the ribbon wrapped around her waist, she quickly untied it and smoothed out the creases. Floating off the ground, she crossed her legs in midair and bent forward, her ribbon in both hands. She looped it around the base of Draco's head and slipped it underneath her bangs, Draco watching her with wide, wet eyes as she tied it, neatly tucking her bangs underneath them and creating a bandana for her to wear.
"Why are you-?" Draco gulped as Harpy cupped her face, her thumbs brushing off the dirt.
"You shouldn't feel pressured," Harpy whispered, her long lashes batting. She pressed their foreheads together and smiled. "You're wonderful, Draco. I know that in my heart."
Draco breathed out her name. She gripped her wrists, and the rest of her tears rolled down her cheeks. Her heart skipped too many beats to count, her breathing turning erratic as Harpy wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, leaving her yearning for her caress.
"You're better than you think. You're prettier than you know," Harpy sang, and she wreathed her arms around Draco's neck. "I know this, and I know that, and I want you to know it, too."
She couldn't remember the last time she had been embraced. Draco choked down a sob and clung to Harpy, her fingers playing with her feathered wings. Their softness, combined with her warm body, elevated her to new heights, and she felt like she could have soared through the sky without using her wings.
When she felt Draco tighten her grip, Harpy did as well. She stroked through her short hair and let her cry into her bare shoulder, closing her eyes to the world as Draco nestled into her. If this was what she needed, then she would gladly give it to her, and she held her close, shutting out the world around them to give all of her love to Draco.