Silent Fractures

He looked at the dark splotch on her sleeve. "You're-you're injured..." He looked at her face, worry upon his own.

He winced at her choice of words. "Don't... don't call yourself that. You're... more than that." He glanced at the ground for a moment before looking back up at her.

"What..." Her voice is low and sullen, not angry, just sad. "I'm also a brat? A dumb filly, a bipolar little foal who just wants attention, or was raised badly, or...?" She trails off, letting Wormwood fill in the blanks.

The look on Wormwood's face is almost painful. "No! That's not what I meant and you know it. I..."

You can't say it. Not now. He looks back at Cold Iron and The Reini before turning back to Bleeding Heart.

Discord munched on some popcorn, Luna  and Gachile watched wide eyed, the queen snagging some popcorn. Celestia just shook her head and smiled.

Cold Iron motions a non-verbal request to Discord for himself have some of that popcorn.

"N-No!" Wormwood's eyes are wide. You can't say it. You can't say it.

"You-you're..."

But I have to.

His voice was quiet, only audible to Bleeding Heart.

"You're the pony I love."

Discord snapped his fingers, innending to poof up some popcorn for Cold. Instead Cold's masked lifted up in front of him spun around three times and fell to the ground. Discord frownd and snapped his fingers again, this time a bucket of popcorn appiered for Cold. "Sorry, my magics on the Frits a bit." He smiles and scratches his chin, "and what lovely chaos that is."

Heart froze, dead in her tracks, eyes wide, mouth half open in the beginnings of a yell that was cut short. She didn't hear him right. There's no way she heard him right. Her back legs collapse under her and she just sits down. "What did you just say?" Now more than ever, her eyes show only confusion as her emotions toss her like a rag doll. "Is that... is that some kind of joke?"

Cold nods and smiles to the Chaotic one as he watched the healer duo's love-drama while he nommed on the popcorn... It was good stuff. He also assumed nothing too bad was done to his Masks after all Discord was Reformed or at least trustworthy far as he recalled & put them back in their hiding spots in his sleeves.

Wormwood's heart pounds. He knows he only has one chance to not screw this up. "I mean it, Bleeding Heart." he says softly.

Then he does something that he'll either cherish or regret for the rest of his days. He leans in close and kisses her gently.

Heart can't breathe. She can't believe what's happening, like she's watching it happen to someone else. And from deep within the back of her mind... the memory shows its ugly head. It's the same she thinks, unmoving, unresponsive. Just like him <You're the pony I love, Bleeding> The same <I mean it> He's just like him <You're special, you're my special little pony, and I'll never let you go. I'll always be with you.>


No Heart's face is that of pain and horror. "You liar... You're a liar! GET AWAY!" She jumps to her hooves, turns and begins running, somewhere, anywhere, just away.

"Bleeding!" Wormwood's heart seems to stop. "Don't go! It's... dangerous..." Wormwood just stands there, frozen, unable to believe his eyes or ears. Why did she say that? And then he just sits down, tears forming on his face.

(Roll for perception and insight. Highest combined total wins)

The Reini sees Bleeding Heart run away and realizes that she is heading right for the edge of the gorge!

For a moment, the Reini was silent. The mare was running at full gallop, and had a head start. She also had the kind of attitude that implied that that direction wasn't chosen at random. Was there any point in saving someone who was going to kill themselves anyway?

"Hey a Discord? Can you snippity-snap your fingers and get our healer back here before she goes splitpity-splat?"