The hulking tree of a sylvari grunted from behind Baya in response as she went on.
“And he’s real protective of me, see? Don’t like sharing.”
Tora still remembered the feeling of sweat forming on the back of his neck, Darach’s shadow looming over him, and the slow creep of heart break as he realized how silly his feelings for Baya had been. He hadn’t anticipated what would happen later. How Baya would lead him to her room while no one was watching. How Darach was asleep barely a foot away. How he’d begged her not to. How she didn’t listen.
….Baya had surprises.
She’d tell him later how she couldn’t help it, that she needed it, and that Tora made her feel more alive than Darach ever did. She’d tell him of Darach’s cruelty and possessive abuse. He believed every word, even if he wished she’d…
Tora slumped against the wall, finally breaking his gaze from the staircase. She hadn’t done anything like that since, and Baya was often so sweet when they were alone. Maybe she got it out of her system? What she really needed was help. The whole guild did.
It was knowing this that kept Tora so convinced to make things work. It was a guild of broken and hurt people, but Tora was broken and hurt too. Maybe things were uneasy now, but he could change that. He just needed to try harder, and with time… Maybe he could make them laugh? Bring some fun back into their lives. Maybe make a community of them, a place to belong, a family.
He’d certainly been trying to: cracking jokes or trying to start conversations here and there. Usually his attempts were met with wary looks and uncomfortable silences. Only once did it seem like he’d broken through to someone, but… Tora gave a cautious glance at the tall willowy figure of Ebril standing across the room. He remembered how friendly Ebril had been, the excitement he felt to finally be talking with someone. Then how quickly that changed, and Ebril was suddenly too friendly, his voice too sweet, and his hands too… touchy. He remembered Baya, grabbing at Ebril’s wrist and tightening her grip till it made an audible snap. She smiled as she did it, the way she always did.
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