On the way home, Gypsy could feel herself getting weaker somehow. It wasn't just trauma...it felt like some big natural thing was dying. By the time they reached the house, she was practically putting all her weight on Perry.
"Are you okay?" Perry asked her worriedly. "You don't seem-."
Suddenly, searing pain shot through Gypsy. She let out a scream.
"Gypsy?!" Perry gasped.
Something BIG had just died. A tree, most likely. When trees fell, the pain was excruciating. Like this. Luckily, though, the pain died down just long enough for her to pass out, collapsing sideways.
...
When Gypsy woke up again, she was in her bed. She groaned, lifting her hand to touch her head, which was not hurting anymore, thankfully. She glanced to her side and spotted Perry sitting next to her, a concerned look on his face. "Perry?" she croaked.
"Hey." Perry smiled softly. "Are you okay?"
"Mmm..." Gypsy inhaled deeply. "How'd I get here?"
"I carried you. Gyp, what happened?"
"I..." Gypsy inhaled again. "I...um..."
"Please. Please tell me."
"I...I felt pain."
Perry raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "That's not good enough. Gypsy, I know you've been hiding something."
Gypsy felt another stab of pain in her chest, but she ignored it and faced Perry. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Perry stared steadily back. "That's a lie. Please, tell me what's going on."
Gypsy remained silent.
"Please, Gypsy! Why can't you just tell me?"
"I just can't!" Gypsy turned over in her bed. "I'm sorry."
"Gypsy." Perry placed a paw on her shoulder. "Whatever it is, I won't judge you for it."
"Yes you will."
"No, I won't," Perry said firmly. "Please, just tell me!"
"I-I can't. I just can't."
"Why not?"
The cat didn't reply.
"Gypsy," Perry said firmly.
"Please can't you just respect my decision?"
"Gypsy, I'm WORRIED about you!"
"I know, but this isn't something you need to worry about, okay?"
"I don't think I believe that."
"I would tell you if you needed to worry."
"Gypsy, whatever this secret is caused you to faint!"
"It doesn't hurt anyone but me!" Gypsy let out a choked sob. "A-And Kiki..."
Perry rubbed her shoulder.
"I hate keeping this from you, but I just can't tell you."
"Gypsy, I am going to find out one way or another. You might as well tell me."
Gypsy exhaled. "I...I'm terrified, Perry."
"Of what?" Perry asked gently.
"O-Of m-my...p-p-powers."
"Powers?"
Gypsy rolled over to face Perry, held out her paw, and made a rose grow from the centre of it. "This."
Perry blinked. "Whoa..."
"The portal I came through to get to this dimension...it altered me. Gave me these powers."
"So that's where those roses and vines came from..."
"Y-Yeah."
Perry smiled. "That's amazing, Gypsy."
Gypsy squeezed her eyes shut. "No. It isn't."
"Yes, it is. What makes you think it isn't?"
"It's...dangerous. The vines I used to keep Kiki safe grew thorns."
"That's why you should work on controlling them..."
"Don't you think I've tried?!" Gypsy glared at Perry. "I've tried harder than I've ever tried with ANYTHING else in my entire life! It's been almost a year since I got these powers, and they still spiral far out of control when I'm under stress!"
"Okay!" Perry held his paws out in defence. "I'm just trying to help."
"Don't!" Gypsy snapped. "I don't want you getting hurt like I hurt Kiki!"
"I don't care about getting hurt," Perry said firmly. "Not if it's to help you."
Gypsy began crying again. "Oh, Perry..."
Perry hugged her gently. "What?"
Gypsy inhaled shakily. "N-Nothing."
Perry kissed her forehead. "You can tell me."
"I..." Gypsy inhaled again. "S-Since we're confessing things, I may as well get another thing off my chest."
"What?" asked Perry gently.
Gypsy breathed out deeply. This was it. "I-I have feelings for you," she blurted out.
Perry blinked. "W-What do you mean?"
"I don't just see you as a brother," clarified Gypsy hurriedly, a red blush spreading over her cheeks. "You're my best friend, but I-I want to be more than that. It's...it's all I want. I'm sorry if this comes as a shock, but...this is one thing I don't want to hide anymore."
Perry paused, and Gypsy froze, beginning to regret what she said.
"O-Oh my gosh...I...f-forget what I just said." She buried her head in her paws, cursing herself.
But Perry gently lifted her head out of her paws again. "Gypsy..."
Gypsy gazed at him, looking into his sparkly eyes. "P-Perry...?"
He just lightly kissed her lips. It didn't last long, but it was still a kiss.
Gypsy was shaking slightly when he pulled away. "P-Perry...!"
Perry blushed a bright red. "S-S-Sorry... D-Did you n-not want me to d-do that?"
Gypsy shook her head furiously. "N-No..." She smirked slightly. "You beat me to it." She paused. "S-So do you feel the s-same...?"
Perry smiled and nodded. "I do, Gypsy. I wish I could have told you sooner, but I didn't want to ruin our friendship if you didn't feel the same."
Gypsy blushed. "W-Well, that's i-ironic."
Perry grinned sheepishly. "Isn't it?"
Gypsy leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I'm glad," she said. "I'm glad we got that off our chests."
Perry grinned. "Yeah."
Gypsy hesitated. "So...where do we go from here?"
Perry pressed his forehead to hers. "Well, where do you want to go?"
"Well, I..." Gypsy hesitated again. "I...I'd L-LIKE to be..."
"Yeah?"
"Officially more than friends...?"
Perry grinned and pulled her into another short kiss. "I'd like that."
Gypsy beamed. "A-As would I."
Perry smiled and hugged her tightly.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Gypsy grinned. "Did you like what was on the lawn yesterday?"
"I loved it," Perry grinned back.
"I can do anything like that for you," Gypsy said, smiling. "Any flower, any tree, any plant."
Perry chuckled. "That seems more like a gift than a curse, Gyp."
"Mostly, it is." Gypsy hesitated. "But...recently, I've had less control. Normally, I've been really good at keeping incidents to a very low minimum, but...I don't know..."
Perry bit the inside of his beak. "Gypsy... W-What happened earlier? When we got here?"
Gypsy hung her head. "This gift...doesn't come without a price. I feel the pain of nature around me. Grass being stepped on, that's fine. But even picking a natural flower can give me pain. That pain I had earlier...it must have been from a tree falling. If enough trees fall in my vicinity, I-I...I could..."
"You could what?" Perry asked quietly, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
"I...could fall into a coma," Gypsy finished reluctantly. "Or even...die."
Perry squeezed his eyes shut.
"That's the price my gift comes with," Gypsy said quietly.
"Then we need to figure out why that tree fell."
"Trees just fall sometimes, Perry." Gypsy clasped her hands together nervously. "I-I have a fear of trees sometimes."
"Understandably." Perry exhaled. "But still...I think we should still investigate why that tree fell. There's no strong wind or storm. Someone might have cut it down. I don't want it to happen again. You shouldn't have to go through that pain again."
Gypsy smiled weakly. "T-Thanks, Perry."
"Right now, you should rest." Perry smiled widely. "Girlfriend."
Gypsy grinned and blushed. "O-Okay." She attempted a smirk back. "Boyfriend."
Perry chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Get some rest," he said again, before going to the door, switching out the light, and leaving the room.
Gypsy smiled and rested her head on her paws.
PERRY WAS HER BOYFRIEND!
That conversation hadn't gone as disastrously as she was worried it would. Although she was still worried about how Perry viewed her, now that her powers were no longer a secret to him. Relax, Gypsy. It's not a big deal.
Actually, it is. Perry's opinion matters most to you, and do you know why? It's because you're in love with him.
And he loves you, Gypsy reminded herself. This doesn't make him care for you any less.
Actually, he didn't say he loves you. All he said was that he has feelings for you. That doesn't mean he loves you.
Gypsy exhaled. And NOW she was arguing with herself.
You're growing insane.
"Shut up," she snapped quietly aloud. "And go to sleep."
She closed her eyes and forced herself to rest. Luckily, she was tired enough that sleep came easily.